Six currencies, with an estimated population of 184 million - the East African community exists around the Great Lakes Region. “The Cradle of Mankind” is what it is called. This region lies in the heart of Africa and is home to both flora and fauna as it may have existed in the primordial times, undisturbed – SMART.

Mobility has changed considerably in this region by the way the tyres here have found their way into this market. In 1998, Truck Tubeless Tyre Conversions began in Kenya and quickly spread out to the neighboring regions. Presently 95% of the tyres found in fleets are tubeless and there is 100% conversion rate on Passenger and 4x4 range of vehicles. It was the SMART thing to do. The millennium saw an influx of Fleet Management softwares, Tyre Management Contracts, with the help of Budini Tyre Management Software. Unprecedented tyre training, growing investments in tyre machinery, tools and accessories investments. Technology and processes peaked and the bubble burst.

On the tyre spectrum 12.00R20, which was the predominant tyre size, was replaced by the low profile 315/80R22.5 (not the 13R22.5) which continues to hog 60% of the truck tyre market. The 8.25R16 was replaced by the 265/70R19.5 and 295/80R22.5 (together with 12R22.5) replaced 11.00R20. On the tyre spectrum and front we were ahead of developed, space (nuclear) age countries like India and the Gulf where tubeless conversions were less and the predominant sizes remained to be 10.00R20 and 12.00R24 respectively.

Tubeless rims became the order of the day and even when Trilex Split rims (80 years technology) are still in use in the Gulf. For a market that churns out approximately 600,000 trucks tyre casings per year, tyre retreading is the environmentally SMART thing to do. The cold procured tread process replaced the hot casing damaging process.  East Africa has not been left  SMARTing in this field either.

What went wrong:

1.  Intelligent Organisations. Any intelligent system must be data-driven

The primary objective of any successful organisation is to analyse large pools of data accumulated over long periods of time in their areas of operations (This includes transporters, tyre importers and distributors and tyre manufacturers). Increasingly organisational decisions are NOT taken by managers’ intuition and common sense but algorithms and data derived electronically from recording of our interactions and experiences with customers. Selling tyres has ceased to be a contact sport it has degenerated in some quarters into a Nintendo like encounter.

Intelligent organisations normally SCALE (Sense, Comprehend, Act, Learn and Explain) their environment with managers/ owners / directors ceding authority over certain decisions while acquiring new capabilities and roles for themselves. As conjoined twins, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) and SCALE goals must be matched.

Let me give illustration with a story. In Africa we love to do so. Reader’s discretion is advised!

A (SMART) priest arrived late at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, for a climbing expedition the following day. Exhausted, he searched for a room in the nearest inn. Only one room was available which he was requested by the motel owner to share with a beautiful lady wearing a stunning fishy (SCALEy) dress who had arrived late for the same expedition. To make matters worse, there was only one mattress. The exhausted lady prepared and slept on one side of the mattress, while the honorable  priest laid the sheet and slept on the cold floor two meters away. The following morning at the breakfast table the priest formally introduced himself to the beautiful lady as asked her where she was from. She on the other hand enquired of the priest as to his mission at the Kilimanjaro. “ I have come to climb and conquer this greatest mountain in Mother Africa,” he said proudly trying to impress her. She paused and after a sigh said to  the priest in a low voice, “Tell me exactly how you intend to climb this mountain when you cannot SCALE up a six-inch mattress?!”  Moral of the story: No matter how good your SMART goals are, you must act on SCALE-ing the heights.

2. Smart Technologies portend a smart working force

Tony Nicolini – Founder of the Budini Tyre Software and Systems, puts it beautifully when he says “Technology is only as smart as the users want it to be.”  The exponential growth of data capturing capability has not been matched by its harnessing and channeling into useful avenues largely because investments are low in the field of tyre education and  tyre infrastructure. Having experience Tyre related trainings in different parts of the world, our region receives but a trickle of the much-needed skill laced training that would sharpen their senses in order to tyre SCALE better.

The three aspects related to Smart Tyre Technology are:

Smart transporters

Zul is a transporter who runs a successful bus company. Operating from the heart of Nairobi, to most parts of Kenya. He keeps meticulous records on all his tyre records. These records were the basis for decision making for a transport company that has had the least number of fatalities in the country. Zul represents about 5% of transporters in this region who have scrupulous, readily available  data that is open to scrutiny not only by his own company but can be used by suppliers.

In 2012 I had a chance to visit Tyre Heaven, a company in Sao Paulo. They invited Nicolini (Budini) and me to visit their premises. With over 700 trucks and trailers, there were there only three persons working in the tyre department. Cradle-to-Grave tyre data is maintained for all tyres. Once or twice a year, like a pilgrimage, representatives major tyre suppliers congregate in the transport premises to tender openly for 8,000 tyres.

Smart processes

Special Sales approaches to the market determine the success or failure or a sales person. Many transporters, tyre importers or dealers approach to own products with little comprehension on the conditions of use. Mismatch between tyres and vehicles, tyre and routes, have only added to the chagrin on the end-user. Professional ethics prohibit me from dwelling too much into these sales processes to end-users and dealers, but to say the least, these methodical approaches have no substitute. As a result of tyres being treated as a commodity, where price is the only point of discussion, SMART tyres with lipstick and high-heels have found their way into a hostile market that has unpaved roads, untrained staff and uncaring drivers in some instances.

The readers of this article may have had access to better tyre optimisation processes than the ones I will mention below. Yet I can say without a doubt now will match the dedication and follow-up that is offered by the Budini Tyre Management Systems.

• The Tyre Optimisation Process is a non-patented process that was arrived at by a team of tyre experts on casing (yet not tyre optimisation) in order to achieve the lowest cost per Kilometer in a particular fleet. Pocket Suit, Survey Web and TMS are worth a glance.

Feature Benefits and Evidence (FABEs) is the way tyres were sold, sadly price has over-shadowed all three since both  the purchaser nor the seller are reluctant to discuss the matters relating to performance. Benchmarking of tyre mileages across fleets is more often than not misleading.

Smart sales people

Ajay, Yves, Mick and Tony belong to a fading rare breed of people who were tyre  fleet problem solvers. These gate-keepers and well-trained mentors in process described above played and continued to give solutions and on-site training in the harsh environments. What is common about this people in how  SMART or wise they are. It is the extremely long span of attention they dedicate in their line of duty. It is therefore worrying that today when the tyre is being treated as a commodity and not a Safety Engineering piece of equipment, Africa and Africans without secure gate keepers and anti-dumping laws will fall prey to fast talking sales persons with tik-tok attention spans. If I were to be the Chief Tyre General –  Certain Tyres would only be sold on prescriptions.

In  South Africa, it was uncommon for representatives of different companies to meet at a major transporter and conduct a joint scrap and claim analysis. Just like doctors conducting a post-mortem, sample casings from each brand would be analysed and reported before they would rest back for a Friday  Brae and Beer. SMART. I know this may be happening in other parts of the word any it is the reason we now have the Radial Tyre Damage Book.

RFID, push alerts, Translogic tools, TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems) are all example of Smart technologies that many sales persons, managers, owners and directors are aware of but are not capable of implementing just yet. However, training might be that essential key that unlocks the thirst for the much-needed necessities.

I end this article with the SMARTest thing I have heard this year and maybe for a long time. It comes from a great mind in Tyre Management “It does not matter how you record (label) tyres in whatever system you have….what matters is what you do with that tyre after that. A basic tyre system understood by all is the best way to involve others and come out with shining success. It beats even the tyre RFID systems - Marcio Olievera (Budini Systems – SMARTyre SCALER).

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ZC Rubber showcased an extensive range of mining tyre solutions at the recently concluded Mining Indonesia 2026, highlighting key sizes such as 27.00R49, 24.00R35, 29.5R25 and 12.00R24 across its brand portfolio. The display featured over 10 specialised products designed for rigid dump trucks, articulated dump trucks, wide-body mining dump trucks and haulage trucks used in surface mines, underground operations and transportation.

The company’s decades of mining sector experience, product quality reputation and deep understanding of diverse equipment and harsh operating conditions drew significant attention from industry professionals throughout the exhibition. A standout exhibit was a field-proven 29.5R25 TUL400 tyre, its tread nearly worn smooth after extensive service on an articulated dump truck at an Indonesian nickel mine. It had accumulated over 3,000 operating hours without any quality-related issues, with the mine operator reporting field performance comparable to leading international brands.

The booth also presented 14.00R25, 16.00R25 and 23.5-25 TBR and loader tyres produced by MTI, ZC Rubber’s Indonesian subsidiary. This growing range of locally manufactured products underscores the company’s ongoing localization efforts and its capacity to serve regional markets more efficiently.

As ZC Rubber continues expanding global production capabilities, it will further reinforce its speciality tyre portfolio and uphold rigorous quality standards to better serve customers worldwide. Through sustained innovation and international collaboration, the company remains dedicated to providing reliable, one-stop specialty tyre solutions for demanding applications.

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Giti Tire deepened its engagement with football supporters across Southeast Asia by serving as an Official Supporter of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026. The company brought its brand directly to fans through match-day activations staged in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, using the tournament as a platform to move beyond conventional sponsorship visibility.

Under the banner ‘Engineered for Every Journey’, Giti created stadium experiences that invited supporters to actively participate in the campaign. These included branded touchpoints, interactive fan activities and the Giti Match Day Photo Contest, all designed to channel the energy of Southeast Asian football into the brand’s promise. The strategy emphasised participation, user-generated content and shareable moments rather than passive logo exposure.

The tournament itself demonstrated the scale of regional football passion. Across 28 matches, including two play-offs, stadium attendance totalled 365,949. Digital reach proved equally significant, with ASEAN United FC’s social channels generating roughly 914.3 million video views, supported by country-specific content for Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. More than 11 million live views were recorded on ASEAN United FC’s YouTube and Facebook channels for audiences outside ASEAN, China and Korea. The final in Vietnam, where the host nation lifted the trophy, drew 37.6 million viewers on VTV6, including 32.7 million live.

For Giti, the combination of stadium attendance, digital engagement and broadcast reach offered multiple avenues to connect with football audiences. The campaign also linked football’s demands for confidence and performance under pressure with the reliability drivers expect from tires engineered for varied journeys and conditions. By pairing a major regional platform with locally relevant activations, Giti communicated its positioning in an environment already charged with passion and engagement.

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Michelin has issued guidance for motorcyclists as autumn brings cooler starts and slicker roads, with the tyre maker urging riders to adapt both their machines and their habits to the shifting season. Sabrina Sabel, a product technician for motorcycle tyres at Michelin and a seasoned racing rider, outlined measures covering pressure checks, compound behaviour, tread design and off-season storage.

Falling temperatures and unpredictable surfaces alter how a bike responds, making the tyre’s rubber blend and groove pattern central to preserving grip and stability. According to Michelin, riders should verify tyre pressures on a regular basis and adhere strictly to the figures supplied by the motorcycle manufacturer, particularly before any extended journey.

Sabrina Sabel, Product Technician for motorcycle tyres at Michelin

Modern touring rubber is generally formulated to deliver dependable grip from the outset, so deliberately warming tyres is unnecessary for most riders in ordinary autumn conditions. Compounds rich in silica help a tyre generate traction quickly when temperatures drop while also aiding performance on wet asphalt. Sabel noted that she rides gently for the opening kilometres, letting the tyres warm evenly through smooth braking and acceleration with the bike held upright, avoiding undue stress on the rubber.

Cold grip refers to a tyre’s capacity to hold the road at lower temperatures, a quality shaped by its compound, which may combine silica with other ingredients to balance traction, longevity and wet-weather ability. Touring tyres typically cover a wide operating range, whereas sport tyres favour higher-temperature performance, meaning riders should consider their fitted rubber and temper their style accordingly on chilly days.

Wet conditions make tread design vital for keeping rubber in contact with the road. Grooves and channels clear water from the contact patch, so adequate tread depth matters as seasons shift. Michelin’s Road 6 employs Water-Evergrip Technology, whose progressively opening sipes maintain water evacuation as the tyre wears, supporting consistent wet performance. The M+S marking indicates mud and snow suitability, relevant for adventure riders in mountainous regions; the Anakee Adventure 2’s pattern displaces mud and water while aiding braking and cornering feedback. The best choice depends on the bike, riding style, routes and personal preference.

For those storing a motorcycle, tyre care continues after the riding season ends. Michelin advises checking pressures before storage, periodically shifting the bike to prevent prolonged pressure on one section, and keeping tyres in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place away from sunlight, UV light, heat and chemicals such as petrol and solvents. For extended storage, manufacturer guidance on pressures and positioning should always be followed.

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ARLANXEO’s Changzhou EPDM facility in China has reached a cumulative production milestone of surpassing the one-million-tonne mark. The plant began operations in 2015 with a nameplate capacity of 160,000 metric tonnes per year and has steadily enhanced its manufacturing capabilities to serve evolving demand in the automotive, construction, infrastructure and industrial sectors.

The achievement stems from employee dedication and expertise, alongside the trust of customers and partners, and underscores ARLANXEO’s commitment to supplying high-quality Keltan EPDM solutions throughout China, Asia and globally. The company expressed appreciation to all contributors and said it looks forward to building on this foundation to create further value for customers and partners in the years ahead.

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