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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Dunlop Motorcycle Europe has strengthened its position in the urban mobility sector by launching the ScootSmart 2, a new all-season scooter tyre engineered to enhance grip, handling and durability under a variety of city riding conditions. The tyre is designed for riders who depend on their scooters for daily transportation, from short commutes to longer journeys through metropolitan areas.

Building on the original ScootSmart introduced in 2012, which gained a strong reputation among scooterists for reliable all-weather performance and longevity, the second-generation model addresses the evolving needs of modern riders. Dunlop has incorporated its sport touring expertise into the ScootSmart 2, blending advanced motorcycle tyre technologies with a design specifically tailored for scooters. The tyre features a new high silica compound that improves traction across a wide range of temperatures and road surfaces, including wet and dry conditions, while preserving mileage performance.

An all-new tread pattern distinguishes the front and rear tyres for specific handling benefits. The front tyre includes a jagged centre groove to cut through surface water and reduce braking distances, with main grooves oriented for effective water dispersion at intermediate speeds. Secondary grooves and shoulder tread elements boost grip on slippery surfaces. At the rear, a continuous tread centre supports wear resistance and dry-road traction, while the groove layout maintains wet-weather grip. Dunlop’s internal testing indicates a 10 percent reduction in wet braking distance compared to the previous version, marking a clear safety improvement.

ScootSmart 2 offers extensive size coverage for a broad range of scooters, from lightweight city models and retro designs to high-end performance maxi scooters. The lineup will ultimately include 75 sizes covering rim diameters from 10 to 16 inches, accounting for roughly 84 percent of the scooter market. Availability across Europe begins in the second quarter of 2026, with the full range arriving in the fourth quarter of that year.

Roberto Finetti, Marketing Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “With the introduction of ScootSmart 2, Dunlop builds on the proven success of ScootSmart to deliver a clear step forward in performance for today’s scooter riders. The tyre offers stable and well-balanced handling, even for the most demanding riders with a more spirited riding style. Urban riding is full of contrasts. ScootSmart 2 is designed to handle all of them, and our broader launch campaign brings that idea to life in a way that feels dynamic, with playful assets that resonate with the needs of riders in cities, always ready to stop and go.”

Dmitri Talboom, Product Manager, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “In developing ScootSmart 2, we set out to build on a product that already had a very strong reputation among scooter riders across Europe. We have combined expertise from our sport touring products with a design tailored to optimise urban riding, and have achieved marked improvements in wet grip, braking and handling. The end result is a tyre that gives supreme all-round performance while also delivering the versatility that is essential for everyday use across sporty, classic, high-end performance and commuter scooters.”

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Cooper Tires has strengthened its product offering in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region with the introduction of the Cooper Summer tyre range. This newly launched portfolio is specifically designed for passenger car and sport utility vehicle drivers seeking dependable, no-nonsense performance across a broad spectrum of summer road conditions. The lineup is purpose built without unnecessary frills, focusing squarely on reliable everyday driving.

The Cooper Summer range spans the ultra-high-performance, high-performance, and sport utility vehicle segments, delivering a balanced driving experience where it matters most. Key engineering priorities include energy efficiency, confident braking on wet surfaces and extended tread life. Every tyre in the lineup is engineered to maintain grip consistently over time, ensuring that vehicles can handle daily demands without sacrificing safety or longevity.

This product launch coincides with the rollout of Cooper Tires’ refreshed global brand identity, which draws on over a century of proven durability. The new visual branding underscores the company’s longstanding commitment to rugged reliability and hard-earned confidence, appealing to drivers who value substance over promotional claims. The Cooper Summer range embodies this philosophy by promising road-tested performance rather than empty marketing rhetoric.

The portfolio covers 162 stock keeping units across rim diameters from 14 to 22 inches, addressing 81 percent of the most sought-after fitments in the region. All tyres in the range are electric vehicle ready, reinforcing Cooper’s dedication to durable engineering for modern mobility. To achieve dependable summer performance, the tyre relies on a lightweight, optimised casing with advanced materials that reduce rolling resistance while maintaining high speed stability. An asymmetric tread pattern maximises road contact, and enlarged outer shoulder blocks improve braking stability, while well distributed grooves quickly evacuate water to reduce aquaplaning risks. Stiffer ribs and a balanced footprint promote even pressure distribution, reducing irregular wear, and the compound architecture preserves tread stiffness throughout the tire’s life.

Independent testing by the German publication Auto Motor und Sport in size 195/55R16 placed the Cooper Summer in seventh place with a good rating, praising its safe, precise and reliable handling on both wet and dry roads along with very good aquaplaning protection and rolling comfort. With speed ratings of H, V, W and Y, width ranges from 165 to 285 mm, and aspect ratios from 30 to 70, the Cooper Summer portfolio is positioned to support dealers through the 2026 summer season and beyond, proving that Cooper continues to deliver tough, well-engineered products for real world demands.

Ben Glesener, Senior Technology Director Product Development Consumer EMEA, said, “With the Cooper Summer range, we set out to build a summer portfolio drivers can rely on without hesitation. We engineered this portfolio around three benefits that matter most – energy efficiency, confident wet braking and strong tread wear – and made sure every element of the tyre works together to support them. From the asymmetric tread pattern to the lightweight yet robust casing, Cooper Summer delivers balanced performance without compromise. It’s a significant step forward for Cooper in EMEA, and a clear expression of what the brand stands for today: dependable performance, built with purpose.”

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Doublestar Tire, a leading Chinese tyre manufacturer, recently showcased its flagship products at the 139th China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, held in Guangzhou. The event reached a record scale, gathering exhibitors from over 210 countries and regions and highlighting cutting-edge technologies in advanced manufacturing, new energy and low-carbon environmental protection.

Doublestar presented three specialised tyres. The TBR mining tyre D170 was developed for complex mining conditions with enhanced wear, cut and puncture resistance. The new OTR tyre DFA603 offers high loading capacity, safety and durability, boosting support for construction machinery. The PCR star product DH03 provides superior road grip, low rolling resistance, fuel economy, reliable braking and reduced noise for driving comfort.

The company’s participation demonstrated its continuous research and innovation in professional fields and reaffirmed its commitment to overseas markets. Doublestar aims to provide safer, more energy-efficient and intelligent tyre products and travel solutions, earning widespread professional recognition.

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Continental is showcasing ‘The Sound of Premium’, an immersive installation, at Milan Design Week 2026 held at BASE Milano from 20 to 26 April. The experience translates the brand’s advanced tire engineering into a multisensory journey, redefining how urban mobility sounds. Key technologies on display included Continental’s noise-reducing ContiSilent and Urban Silent Technology, which actively lower rolling noise through sound-absorbing materials inside the tire and tread patterns optimised for city speeds.

Cities are dense with movement and noise, where even invisible elements like tyres shape the acoustic environment. Continental’s technologies reduce road noise at its source, enhancing both driving stability and interior comfort. The installation invites visitors to reconsider urban sound not as a nuisance to be eliminated but as an element that can be precisely engineered and controlled.

The exhibition unfolds in three distinct phases: chaos, harmony and quiet. Layered city sounds first create tension and disorientation, then gradually dissolve as rhythm and balance emerge. The journey ends in a state of calm defined not by silence alone but by acoustic precision. A tyre displayed as a design object underscores how engineering can improve urban well‑being.

An interactive installation of 25 touch points allows visitors to shape their own sound environment in real time, activating different acoustic layers through touch. Each participant creates a personal composition reflecting their rhythm and sensitivity. The resulting experience can be recorded and shared via QR code, extending the dialogue between technology and individual expression beyond the exhibition space.

As electric vehicles become more widespread, rolling noise has grown into a dominant source of urban traffic sound. Continental meets this challenge by applying its expertise at the tyre‑road interface, developing measurable reductions in interior noise. Through ‘The Sound of Premium’, the company positions silence not as emptiness but as a performance feature.

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