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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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has confirmed that its Annual Conference 2026 will take place on 23–24 November 2026 at the Pullman Pattaya Hotel G in Pattaya, Thailand. The gathering will adopt the theme ‘Building a Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Global Natural Rubber Industry’, reflecting the sector’s urgent need to address mounting pressures across the global value chain.

The two-day programme will feature five thematic sessions before a moderated panel discussion. These sessions will cover geopolitics and the Middle East conflict, climate change and its effects on production and productivity, supply-demand dynamics and price volatility, advancing sustainability beyond the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the implications of protectionist policies for trade and consumption. A 40-minute High-Level Roundtable on the Future of the Global Natural Rubber Industry will close the conference, focusing on strategic priorities, collaborative action and practical pathways towards long-term resilience and growth.

The global natural rubber industry stands at a critical juncture, with rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, flooding and climate-related diseases increasingly pressuring production and productivity. Geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing Middle East conflict, rising operating costs, narrowing margins and evolving sustainability requirements are adding further strain across the value chain, said the association.

As a renewable resource, natural rubber supports industrial development and sustainable value chains, yet it faces supply constraints, price volatility, declining productivity, tree diseases, rising costs and stringent ESG requirements. These challenges also present opportunities to strengthen competitiveness, enhance value addition, diversify markets and accelerate sustainable practices. With decarbonisation efforts advancing towards 2030 and regulations such as the EUDR reshaping market access, stakeholders must collaborate to build responsible, inclusive, transparent and viable supply chains. Innovation, investment, and sustainable finance will be vital for smallholders and SMEs, the association further added.

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Max Verstappen completed a flawless weekend at the Marina Bay street circuit by winning the Singapore Grand Prix, adding Sunday’s race to his earlier Sprint victory and both pole positions. The Red Bull driver managed his Pirelli Soft and Medium compounds across a one-stop strategy while the tyre supplier’s rubber proved central to the race’s varying tactics.

Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, with Kimi Antonelli third for Mercedes. The top three all began on Softs before switching to Mediums, but Leclerc and Antonelli exploited a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period on lap 39 to fit fresh Softs for a second stop.

Verstappen, by contrast, ignored the VSC window, completing 32 laps on his starting Softs before moving to Mediums and running them to the flag. Only Soft and Medium compounds featured throughout the race.

Antonelli extended his championship lead to 340 points, helped by teammate George Russell’s ninth-place finish. Russell sits second on 238, with Lewis Hamilton third on 229. Russell also recorded the longest Medium stint at 39 laps, while Hamilton, sixth, ran 44 laps on a single set of Softs.

Dario Marrafuschi, Pirelli Motorsport Director, said, “As widely expected, regardless of the neutralisations, the one-stop strategy proved to be the most competitive, with the Soft-Medium combination emerging as the most effective option. The C5 was the star of the race, as it delivered very long stints while maintaining a strong level of performance and offering the advantage of greater grip than the other compounds available. Drivers who used it for around half the race only experienced a performance drop-off in the closing stages.

“The Hard tyre was not a strategically attractive option for the teams, as it offered less grip than the C4 which, despite being the softer compound, exhibited virtually no degradation, without providing any tangible advantages in a race already firmly geared towards a one-stop strategy. As a result, although the C3 has proven effective at other circuits, it was not selected by any driver in Singapore. Tyre degradation was in line with what we had already observed during free practice, and the visual condition of the tyres at the end of the stints was also very encouraging, even over the longest runs. Wear was manageable, although it required a degree of attention, particularly on the rear-right.”

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The DUNLOP Group has systematically organised its sustainable natural rubber procurement initiatives for the first time, centring on the previously announced group-wide Sustainable Natural Rubber Subcommittee. The company will promote these initiatives and accelerate related activities. Natural rubber remains a key raw material for the group, and its production depends heavily on smallholder farmers, meaning challenges tied to productivity, income and environmental and social issues directly affect stable and sustainable procurement.

A second phase of the Sustainable Natural Rubber project, supporting smallholder farmers in Indonesia, began in April 2026. The project was originally launched in 2022 by Sumitomo Rubber Singapore Pte. Ltd., the group's natural rubber procurement subsidiary, together with PT. Hok Tong, a processing company owned by Halcyon Agri Corporation Ltd. In the first phase, improved productivity and earnings were confirmed for participating farmers. Phase 2 will continue support in Sumatra's Jambi region while extending coverage to Rantau Prapat in North Sumatra, aiming to assist roughly 1,740 farms cumulatively each year, with targets rising annually through April 2029.

During Phase 1, which ran from 2022 to 2025, more than 1,000 smallholder farmers in Jambi received support. Yields increased by up to about 19 percent, and both productivity and profitability improved in the project areas. In Phase 2, lessons from that experience will inform expansion into Rantau Prapat, where similar supply chain risks exist. Follow-up training will also continue in Jambi, with technical guidance and agricultural supplies provided so that improved techniques are fully adopted and yields rise further.

The group has identified and assessed its business activities' dependence on and impact upon natural capital, along with related risks and opportunities, following the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures recommendations and the LEAP Approach, and has disclosed information accordingly. The newly established subcommittee has systematically categorized natural rubber risk mitigation measures using the Action Framework proposed by the Science Based Targets Network, linking identified risks and opportunities to business activities.

That framework organizes corporate actions addressing nature-related impacts into avoidance, reduction, restoration or regeneration and transformation. Through this structure, the group will clarify the roles of initiatives previously pursued separately, including risk assessment, farmer support and research and development, as well as measures needed going forward. The Farmer Support Project falls under the framework's reduction objective, with the aim of improving farmer productivity and profitability and thereby lowering risks in the natural rubber supply chain.

Phase 2 is scheduled to run from April 2026 to April 2029, covering Jambi and Rantau Prapat in Sumatra, Indonesia. Support targets 870 households in Jambi and 870 households in Rantau Prapat annually, delivered mainly through technical guidance and agricultural supply support. Indonesia ranks among the world's leading natural rubber producers, and Sumatra is one of its major production areas.

Dwi Sutrisno, Sustainability Manager, PT. Hok Tong Indonesia, said, “This Project is a valuable initiative that strengthens the knowledge, skills and capabilities of smallholder farmers while supporting higher productivity and more sustainable farming practices. As the implementing partner, PT. Hok Tong Indonesia is proud to contribute to this effort and to see the positive impact it brings to farmers and their communities.”

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Maxxis concluded the 2026 Championship Off-Road season with a dominant display at Glen Helen, where its sponsored drivers captured four class titles. The company’s tyre range proved decisive across the field, with competitors relying on RAZR AT, RAZR AT-S, SC-1 and Bravo AT-771 rubber. Jimmy Henderson, Connor Barry, Nick Byng and Jeb Bootle each secured 2026 championships in Pro 4, Pro Lite, Super Stock Truck and Pro SxS, respectively.

Henderson’s consistent weekend sealed the Pro 4 crown with 729 points on RAZR AT tyres. Mickey Thomas claimed third overall in the class, while Adrian ‘Wildman’ Cenni finished fourth. Thomas added second-place finishes in both Friday’s and Saturday’s races, with Cenni third on Friday and Henderson third on Saturday.

Barry enjoyed a flawless weekend in Pro Lite, winning both races on RAZR AT-S tyres to lock down the title with 777 points. Bootle, in his first season as a Maxxis athlete, took the Pro SxS championship with 733 points on SC-1 tyres, delivering the brand’s first-ever Pro SxS title in the series. He also won Saturday’s Pro SxS race and placed third in Friday’s Pro Stock event.

Byng secured his second consecutive Super Stock Truck championship and third career title, accumulating 604 points on Bravo AT-771 tyres. In Friday’s Pro Buggy race, Zac Drapkin won and Chaden Minder finished third, both running RAZR AT-S tyres.

Rossy De La Cruz, Maxxis’ sponsorship and sales specialist, said, “Closing out the season with multiple wins and championships is an incredible accomplishment for our Maxxis athletes. I’m extremely proud of their hard work, dedication and trust in Maxxis throughout the season. A huge thank you to Champ Off Road for another outstanding season and for providing an incredible platform for our athletes to compete at the highest level. We’re excited for what’s ahead in 2027.”

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