The Rubber Board has announced its intention to start an electronic trade platform to improve the marketing efficacy of participants in the supply chain of natural rubber.  

Satish Sharma, Chairman of the Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, will launch the logo ‘mRube’ prepared as part of this e-market on 28 April through a virtual meeting at Rubber Board, Kottayam, the board said in a statement. Representatives from all rubber stakeholder groups have been scheduled to attend the meeting. 'e-market' is expected to go live in the second week of May 2022. 

India's natural Rubber trade possesses an innate advantage of high-level marketing efficiency owing to its coherent supply chain. The rubber market ecosystem has changed significantly over the years with changing patterns of demand in terms of quality and quantity from the consuming sector.
Though price realisation is relatively good for producers of quality rubber, large volumes of ungraded rubber traded are in the country, the release said. 

These producers are losing their opportunity for want of proper market awareness. There are also cases where growers and co-operatives find it difficult to sell rubber as per quality grades to the final consumer, which often dissuades them from producing quality material. The size of the dealer fraternity is also seen shrinking. In 2000, there were 10,512 active rubber dealers in the country, which came down to 9741 in 2010. In 2020, the count shrunk to 7135, which is quite alarming, the board pointed out. 

Considering the scenario, the board proposes to set up an electronic trading platform to improve the efficacy of the domestic supply chain for natural rubber. The electronic trading platform is contemplated to complement the existing trade system by bringing in more transparency and market visibility. It is expected that e-trade could bring more business to the existing rubber dealers, processors and manufacturers by reaching out to new sellers/ buyers, even in far-off places. 

The e-trade platform is branded as “mRube’ and i- Sourcing Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Ahmedabad is the technology partner for developing this electronic trade platform. The software development for this electronic market is over, and final testing is in progress, the board said. 

The electronic market follows a simple one-time registration for users. Users shall input their Rubber Board license number, and the system will fetch the rest of their details from the Rubber Board licensing portal, and an OTP based validation will complete the registration.  

‘mRube’ attempts to figure out certain impending issues in the current rubber marketing system. Despite being used in the manufacture of products with critical importance like automobile tyres and tubes, surgical and pharmaceutical products etc., there is no systematic arrangement for certifying the quality of rubber traded in the country. In the proposed electronic market, the Rubber Board has a system for assaying the quality of rubber, which will be a game-changer in the domestic NR trade. Besides this, Rubber Board has joined hands with Federal Bank Ltd and ICICI Bank Ltd. to operate the payment gateway and escrow account, which will nullify the payment risk of buyers and sellers involved in trade through this portal. 

It said for the first time in the history of commodity trade, either online or offline, banks had agreed to finance “zero interest rate” advances to sellers. The board also made arrangements with two partnering banks to extend zero interest rate facility to rubber sellers trading through this e-market. Also, ‘mRube’ allows users to filter out buyers and sellers according to their geographical location, quantity, grade of rubber, customer ratings etc. The buyers and sellers can upload their offers, and there is a provision for quoting counter-offers before confirming the trade. Personalised trade pages are available for those buyers whose purchases are from their empanelled vendors. A unique feature built into the system is the generation of legalised trade contacts signed using DSC. The Android and ios versions of e-market mobile applications are also ready for use, the release added. (TT)

Apollo Tyres Ltd has secured a one-season shirt-sleeve sponsorship agreement with AS Monaco, one of French football's most successful clubs, to increase awareness for its premium Vredestein brand.

This partnership will leverage Ligue 1's ranking as the fifth most watched football league in the world to raise awareness of Vredestein's award-winning products among a large audience in France and abroad. On November 22, AS Monaco's home league game against Brest will have the new sleeve branding for the first time. The Vredestein brand will be heavily promoted at Stade Louis-II for the 2024–2025 season, including on player sleeves and LED screens around the field. Exclusive social media initiatives will further help make the brand prominent, reaching a large and interested audience.

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President – Commercial, Europe, Apollo Tyres, said, “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to strengthen Vredestein’s presence in one of our key markets. AS Monaco’s rich history and commitment to excellence mirror our focus on performance and innovation. We look forward to building a successful relationship with the club and celebrating its achievements this season.”

Thibaut Chatelard, Marketing and Revenue Director, AS Monaco, said: “We are delighted to welcome Apollo Tyres and its Vredestein brand to the family of AS Monaco partners. This collaboration makes sense in view of the values we share, such as the constant pursuit of performance and excellence. There’s no doubt that this new support will be precious for the rest of our season, which promises to be thrilling.”

Nexen Tire, a leading global tyre manufacturer, has launched the Nexen N´Blue S tyre, adding to its range of summer tyres and providing drivers with advanced safety, energy efficiency and superior driving stability in wet and dry conditions.

Developed using highly dispersed silica and equipped with an optimised structural design, the Nexen N´Blue S tyre provides reduced road noise and improved driving stability. The tyre features an innovative tread compound, formulated with hydrophilic fillers and microstructure-controlled polymers, and provides lower rolling resistance and exceptional dry and wet grip. The tyre also excelled in test results by demonstrating an 11 percent improvement in wet braking distance compared to its predecessor.

Apart from providing excellent performance, the Nexen  N´Blue S also scores high on the sustainability index. The tyre provides an eco-friendly solution for environmentally conscious drivers by minimising fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Nexen N´Blue S summer tyre is available in 58 sizes, which makes it compatible with different types of vehicles.

Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. is all set to expand its investment project in Binh Duong province of Vietnam, with the phase 3 of expansion commencing in early 2025. This was discussed at a recent meeting between Vo Van Minh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC), and Kim Hyun Ho, General Director of Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The meeting was held on 13 November at the Administrative Centre of Binh Duong province, as per an official statement. Apart from the company’s investment till date and the planned investment for phase 3, the two also discussed about the challenges and obstacles regarding procedures and processes to have more land funds to expand the manufacturing plant, along with taking measures to tackle the obstacles. Kim Hyun Ho also conveyed to the PPC Chairman that Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. belongs to South Korea's Kumho Tire Group and is currently ranked 10th in the car tyre manufacturing industry.

The company had invested in a tyre manufacturing plant in My Phuoc 3 Industrial Park in 2007 with a total initial investment of USD 308 million, which was supplemented by another USD 300 million in 2021. This extended the factory scale to six hectares and increased the production capacity to 12.5 million tyres annually. With the expansion in early 2025, the company will raise its total investment to USD 908 million and increase the factory's production capacity to 17 million tyres annually. The expanded capacity is expected to be operational by early 2026.

Yokohama-ATG, a leading manufacturer of all-terrain and off-the-road tyres, has expanded its Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range of forklift tyres with the launch of white, non-marking tyres.

The Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range consists of puncture-proof SDS tyres with extended wear limits designed for high-intensity working shifts and long durability. These are premium, solid rubber tyres developed for tough demands, a long service life and high driving comfort. The addition of white, non-marking tyres is specifically aimed at clean working environments.

Marked by a 3-stage construction process, the forklift tyres feature reduced heat build-up, effective shock absorption and minimised vibrations. The pattern design guarantees a smooth ride and good steerability thanks to its continuous centre lug and circumferential grooves. Furthermore, the flat walls and wide flat profile offer excellent stability when using a forklift for vertical stacking. The tyres are also equipped with anti-slip steel beads for improved rim fitment

In a case study on a CAT 2.5-tonne forklift that was used for handling heavy pallets on asphalt, the Galaxy MFS 101 SDS outshone the competitors with impressive performance. The tyre delivered an approximate 900 working hours before replacement against competitors’ 500 working hours.