As per Govt. of India’s Automotive Mission Plan, by 2026, India will be the third largest automobile manufacturer globally, 12% of GDP will be from automobile sector and will generate around 65 million employment. As per Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC), in the next decade, 1 million trained and skilled manpower will be required in the Indian Rubber MSME sector including organized Tyre & non tyre sectors. This translates to 1 lakh people have to be trained every year. This is a gigantic task and it requires to create significant infrastructure for skill development & training in the country for rubber sector.

Centre of Excellence

Encouraged by our Hon’ble. Prime Minister’s Skill India Mission and Atmanirbhar Bharat and continuous effort for Skill development & to enhance indigenous technology development capability, we the members of Indian Rubber Institute (IRI) took initiative to establish Centre of Excellence for Rubber Technology Education, Training, Research, Testing and Skill Development at JSS Science & Technology Campus, Mysuru. The JSS Mahavidyapeetha Management were kind enough to provide 10,000 sq.ft land area on long lease for establishment of this centre. In this regard, IRI has signed an MoU with JSS MVP on 18th March 2021. IRI decided to dedicate this Centre of Excellence under the name of late Dr D. Banerjee, who is known as Father of Indian Rubber Industry. This Centre is aimed to be empanelled with RSDC / NSDC, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt. Of India as a premier institute for Skill Development for rubber sector in India. We envisage that this center would not only generate employment but also produce a large number of entrepreneurs, who in turn would generate further employment and contribute to MSME segments. Apart from producing skilled manpower, this Centre is also planned to provide Rubber product development, consulting and testing services to the rubber industry in order to become self-sustainable Centre in future.

The construction of the 32,000 sq. ft. building for proposed Centre of Excellence already completed. This building consists of one auditorium (seating capacity 225 people), two training halls, one library-cum-documentation centre, one workshop, rubber processing lab and various testing laboratories (Physical, Analytical, Chemical & characterization) including data analytic lab for training, skill development and hands on training on equipment & machineries for rubber & allied industries including tyre testing and auto rubber component testing facility. These testing facilities will cater the needs of meeting skill requirement of Emerging Legislations & Regulations in automobile and tyre industries like Fuel Efficiency, Safety, etc.

The estimated cost of this establishment is around Rs 60 Crores for Building, Furniture/fixtures and equipment/machinery in three phases. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC) are helping IRI to establish the centre.

Activities of Dr. D Banerjee Centre of Excellence

• To fulfil the objective of Indian Rubber Institute

• To provide sustainable employment and improved quality of life to more than 20,000 people through implementation of this project in next seven years in association with RSDC/NSDC.

• Entrepreneurship Development - To upgrade skill of workers in rubber & allied industry (MSME Sector) and to encourage entrepreneurship through appropriate skill & technology interventions as to enable them to produce quality rubber products at a competitive price.

• Providing training to increase the productivity & efficiency of MSME Sector in Rubber & Allied industry.

• Testing, Benchmarking, Reverse Engineering, Failure Analysis, Compound Development, Product Development, Simulation & Modeling, Data Analytics and Certification for tyre & non tyre sector (Tyre Testing and Auto Rubber Component Testing facility)

• Technology Development for Rubber MSME sector for creating new avenues for sustenance of MSMEs in rubber industry - To create Design Studio for development of new products / designs and prototypes to cope with diversification and changes in use of rubber in the industry

• To create Centre of excellence with well integrated forward and backward linkages.

• To impart with latest information regarding technology, process, marketing and the changing needs of customers.

• To coordinate with all associations (AIRIA, ATMA, ACMA, SIAM, SAE, IITs & Other Universities for promoting Rubber Technology Education, Training, Skill Development, Testing and R&D for Rubber and allied industries.

• Continue to offer Diploma & Post Graduate Diploma in Rubber Technology in association with RTC, IIT Kharagpur and expanding to neighbouring countries (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam etc.)

• Starting of B.Voc. Course in Rubber Technology in association with JSS Science & Technology University, Mysore and Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC).

• Jointly conducting short term courses, workshops, seminars & conferences with Department of Polymer Science & Technology, JSS S&T University, Mysore and other Universities/institute of national importance.

• This centre will act as a Nodal Centre for Skill Development and Training in Rubber Sector in Southern Region in particular in the State of Karnataka. (TT)

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Nokian Tyres has named Rhea County High School graduates Jesus Hernandez-Santiago and Josiah Shibley as the recipients of its 2026 college scholarship. The two students were selected based on their strong academic records, interest in STEM fields and commitment to excelling in extracurricular activities.

Now in its seventh year, the scholarship programme supports the company’s broader goal of preparing skilled professionals for the Southeast Tennessee workforce. Complementary initiatives include a robust apprenticeship programme, a work‑based learning scheme and a summer internship partnership.

Hernandez‑Santiago plans to study mechanical engineering at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, having already taken college‑level math courses since his junior year through a dual enrolment programme. Shibley will attend Tennessee Tech to pursue civil engineering with an environmental concentration, aiming to combine his passion for the outdoors with his interest in construction.

Nokian Tyres also runs an apprenticeship with Cleveland State Community College, where six apprentices complete 8,000 hours of on‑the‑job training and 42 classroom credits. A work‑based learning partnership with Rhea County High School places two to four students annually at its high‑tech factory, while a separate internship with Bryan College offers mentorship and project experience.

Since opening its Dayton Factory in 2019 to serve North American markets, the tyremaker has earned multiple awards and became the world’s first tyre production facility to achieve LEED v4 Silver certification.

Nokian Tyres North America Human Resources Director Blake Markham, who serves as chairman of the Southeast Tennessee Workforce Development Board, said, “We are passionate about fuelling the employment pipeline in Rhea County and beyond. Our region benefits from strong partnerships between businesses, educational institutions and local governments that strengthen companies and change lives.”

Hernandez-Santiago said, “I feel so blessed to receive this scholarship because I have always loved the STEM field. Nokian Tyres has always been involved with the community, so I will do what I can to succeed and impact the community with the opportunity I have been given."

Shibley said, “I’ve lived in Dayton my whole life, and this opportunity has shown me what it looks like when a company invests in its community. This scholarship will help me worry less about money and focus more on school, and it means a lot that it’s coming from a company in my hometown.”

Maintenance Apprentice Emily Goodwin said, “Seeing the things in the classroom that I’ve already worked on has helped a lot. It feels like a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity. This has changed my life.”

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Tyres Europe has formally responded to the European Commission’s consultation on the draft Delegated Regulation amending Annex I of the EU Deforestation Regulation. The association views the proposed text as a constructive and proportionate measure to enhance both operability and legal certainty.

A key focus of the submission is tyre retreading. Tyres Europe endorses the plan to limit the regulation’s scope to tyre treads, the only new rubber component added during retreading, while excluding used casings and finished retreaded tyres. This distinction aligns obligations with actual new rubber introduction, reduces administrative burdens on small and medium-sized enterprise retreaders and supports circular economy goals.

The association also welcomes clarifications on products for testing or analysis, used items and waste. Given ongoing supply chain preparations, Tyres Europe urges the Commission to adopt and publish the Delegated Regulation swiftly before the summer break to ensure legal certainty and implementation readiness.

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has signed a letter of intent with an unidentified partner to license its proprietary pyrolysis technology for one pilot plant and multiple full-scale facilities in Brazil. The agreement focuses on converting end-of-life tyres into valuable raw materials.

The letter establishes a joint assessment of the project’s commercial and technical feasibility. This study will help the potential licensee evaluate key conditions for a possible long-term licensing deal and broader collaboration.

Brazil’s large scrap tyre market presents substantial long-term opportunities for sustainable recycling. While this potential partnership would strengthen Enviro’s role as a circular technology leader, any final agreements depend on the study’s outcome and further negotiations. There is no guarantee that binding deals will follow.

Fredrik Aaben, CEO, Scandinavian Enviro Systems, said, “We continue to see very strong and growing interest in Enviro’s technology, and this Letter of Intent is another clear indication of the commercial potential for our offering. Interest is coming from all major regions of the world, reflecting the increasing global demand for Enviro’s sustainable and scalable solutions for end-of-life tyres.”

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Apollo Tyres has earned five major industry honours at the JioStar Reimagine Awards 2025–26 and the Abby Awards 2026, recognising the strength of its recent advertising efforts. The company secured three Gold trophies at the JioStar Reimagine Awards for Best Use of Sports Talent, Best Content Integration – TV and Best Use of Multi-Screen Campaigns. It also captured two Bronze awards at the Abby Awards within the Audio Visual – TV category for both the Automotive and Corporate segments.

The acclaimed ‘Har Safar Mein Dum Hai’ campaign, rooted in Apollo Tyres’ ‘Go the Distance’ philosophy, transformed a traditionally low-interest product category into an emotionally compelling narrative. Instead of relying on standard celebrity endorsements, the campaign celebrated perseverance over mere victory and used cricket as a shared cultural connector to build authentic audience bonds.

Leveraging A R Rahman’s enduring anthem ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’, the campaign was conceptualised by Simran Kanwar and became the fourth most discussed brand during the recent T20 World Cup. It outperformed competitors with triple the advertising spend, earning top honours across content, sports integration, film craft and multi-platform categories through sharp insight and distinctive execution.

Udyan Ghai, Group Head, Marketing, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “To see our campaign being celebrated by the industry at the JioStar and Abby Awards is an immensely proud moment for all of us. Winning for 'Har Safar Mein Dum Hai' is a beautiful tribute to our team’s hard work in creating stories that truly move people. It proves that our focus on emotional storytelling, strategic sports associations and multi-platform integration is exactly what resonates with today's audience.”

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