The Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products, together with the assistance of the Export Development Board, conducted a two- day virtual workshop on Advanced Technology/Smart Manufacturing For The Rubber Product Industry In Sri Lanka, in December 2020. Despite the fact that the country was just raising its head from the deleterious aftermath of the first and second waves of Covid -19, the participation was beyond all expectations, thus indicating the weightage placed in keeping abreast of modern trends and moving with times by the industry community and the professionals and I presume that this is the current trend throughout the world.

As a member of the organising committee of the event and more as a hands-on person of the technologists of the not so modern generation, I realised that I was a curious and a rather passive observer of the currently fast unfolding industry scenario. The array of topics presented by local as well as overseas experts on their respective specialties was impressive. They covered Smart Energy Monitoring, IOT Built Industry Automation, Big Data Processing and applications, Conditioned based Monitoring for Maintenance, 3D/4D Printing, Virtual Product Design and Testing, Finite Element Analysis, and Product Failure Analysis.

It made me guessing with fascination, how much the information utilisation scenario in the manufacturing industry has metamorphosed during the past few decades since the times of two great discoveries/inventions, of Charles Babbage and Arthur. C. Clarke, that paved way for the evolution of the Information and Communications revolution. Charles Babbage (1791-1871) was an extraordinarily talented scientist, mathematician, economist and engineer. He is best known today - as he was in his lifetime - for inventing two types of cogwheel calculating machines, the forerunners of the modern computers. It was Arthur C. Clarke. after the crest of World War II, from his base in Stratford-On-Avon, England, as a young officer in the Royal Air Force, who dabbled in science fiction writing, floated the idea of global communications satellites in a 1945 letter to the publication Wireless World. It will be of interest to learn that the latter made Sri Lanka his second home and contributed in no small way to the development of ICT and astronomy in our country during the sixties and seventies.

As I gathered, with my rather limited knowledge of ICT, that the common features, of the modern-day innovations are generating a vast amount of real time data on all key aspects of the value chain, and interfacing between the value adding activities. Automation and reducing the dependability on the human factor has been another significant trend. Another key driver has been the necessity for reliability, agility and robustness in delivering products and services to the customer in the ever-changing customer preferences, which are again fueled willfully through product promotion and creation of new needs through massive adverting campaigns and mass communications. Companies are increasingly embracing the innovative technologies, to enable business growth, wealth accumulation, contribution to the national economies, which has helped in achieving improved quality of life, particularly in the traditionally termed developed countries.

Right through his anthropogenic evolution, Homo Sapiens or the “thinking man” has been characterised by the use of his brain to find easier and faster ways of doing things, which was an absolutely vital advantage for his survival in the primitive hostile environment. Commencing with use of stone tools, discovery of fire, and iron, this trend has continued throughout the history of mankind. During the more recent period of the last three centuries, which culminated in the Industry 4.0, some key landmarks, which reflect the quest of the mankind to better lives, through increased and efficient resource utilisation can be identified.

Revolutions

This process began in Britain in the 18th century and from there spread to other parts of the world. Although used earlier by French writers, the term Industrial Revolution was first popularised by the English economic historian Arnold Toynbee (1852–83) to describe Britain's economic development from 1760 to 1840. The first industrial revolution came with the advent of mechanisation, steam power and water power. This was followed by second industrial revolution which revolved around mass production and assembly lines using electricity. Henry Ford’s conveyor belt system was put into motion in December 1^st of 1913 in his Detroit manufacturing plant. Fully mechanised, or partially mechanised, assembly lines allowed Ford to offer a vehicle for a working family. One of his goals was to have a car that every family could own.

The car that every family would soon come to own was the Model T. His manufacturing plants would go on to produce over 15 million Model Ts and this is due almost entirely to his assembly line. In order to achieve a production of the Model T at such a high rate, he needed to break down the process of assembling the car to make it as efficient as possible to produce, while still being financially accessible.

The third industrial revolution came with electronics, IT systems and automation, which led to the fourth industrial revolution that is associated with cyber- physical systems. Some of the principles of which were the topics of the December Workshop. Generally speaking, Industry 4.0 describes the growing trend towards automation and data exchange in technology and processes within the manufacturing industry, including:

•  The internet of things (IoT)
• The industrial internet of things (IIoT)
• Cyber-physical systems (CPS)
• Smart manufacture
•  Smart factories
• Cloud computing
• Cognitive computing
• Artificial intelligence

This automation creates a manufacturing system whereby machines in factories are augmented with wireless connectivity and sensors to monitor and visualise an entire production process and make autonomous decisions. Wireless connectivity and the augmentation of machines will be greatly advanced with the full roll out of 5G

The fourth industrial revolution also relates to digital technologies that can create virtual versions of real-world installations, processes and applications. These can then be robustly tested to make cost-effective decentralised decisions. In short, this should allow for digital transformation and  for automated and autonomous manufacturing with joined-up systems that can cooperate with each other.

Black spots

It can thus be unanimously agreed that the emerging technologies have already resulted in tremendous benefits for mankind and that they have vast future potential in changing the entire human civilisation. While appreciating and accepting the usefulness of the technologies, I cannot refrain from contemplating on the black spots in the white cloth. The disadvantages of the digital technologies have been well documented throughout the world and some of these, include, data security, digital media manipulation, job insecurity, over reliance on gadgets, addiction, depersonalization, and social alienation, and stress related physical and mental illnesses and the list is not exhaustive. Diminishing of the human touch is considered by many, as a matter of grave concern, and its effect on the personal, ethical, family and social has already begun to reveal its dark side.

As an adaptive measure of the new normal mentality that followed the Covid-19 pandemic, “Social Distancing” intruded our day to day activates over the past one and half years. However, on thinking reflectively, it will be evident that Social Distancing actually had its beginnings in the first three industrial revolutions, while it got aggravated in the recent years. Dilemmas and debatable questions as to whether  dehumanisation is still progressing and what will be the outcome, if the current rate of rapid technology trend continues? These will become key challenges for the sociologists and sociopsychologists and the modern HR specialists. Prioritising automation and sub optimisation of the human resource, in the disguise of improving operational efficiency, as a business strategy of maintaining sustainability, could turn out to be short lived.

Over dependence on technology at the expense of losing the much-required human touch and interpersonal relationships, can be witnessed in many of the day-to-day activities, such as internet or online banking, bill payments, buying at super markets, home deliveries, and on-line webinars. I have personal experience of the short comings of on-line lecturing for students and on virtual workshops, which can only be utilised as a stop gap measure. As a person of the “old generation,” I find it an exhilarating experience to walk to the local bank, greet good morning to the staff, and having a friendly chat with the familiar cashier, while getting my transaction done. Some may equate such practices to lack of time management and productivity. Human interaction of this kind holds a special position in countries such as India and Sri Lanka, which has rich religious and cultural heritages, and adopting the new technologies as a panacea for improving all the aspects of efficiency and productivity in an effort be stay competitive can only be a short-term strategy.

It was Robert Frost, the American poet (1874-1963), who once philosophically remarked, “don’t ever take fence down, until you know why it was put up”

Obsolescence due to ineffective use or total non -use which we witness with machinery and equipment, may be applicable to the humans as well. It is said that the human body has about one hundred, vestigial organs, including the appendix, which have become nonfunctional, during the evolutionary process as a result on non-use and obsolescence. (TT)

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Mitas marked its entry into Chinese agriculture with an official brand ceremony held on 27 October at the National Exhibition Center in Tianjin, during CIAME 2026, the China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition. Customers, partners and industry figures attended the event, which introduced the international tyre maker and its agricultural portfolio to the local market.

Bringing close to 100 years of tyre manufacturing experience and enduring ties with farmers and equipment builders around the world, the company presents Chinese customers with a commercially available international option built on proven agricultural knowledge, technology and dependability. The dedicated exhibition booth featured the HC 2000 and SFT CHO. The former, a VF tractor tyre, delivers high load capacity at low inflation pressure alongside efficient traction and diminished soil compaction, achieved through a large contact patch and even load distribution. The latter, engineered for demanding cyclic-load duties, pairs high load capacity and low inflation pressure with a broad footprint for gentle ground handling. Both models demonstrated the brand's dedication to proven engineering and high-value performance for contemporary agriculture.

Going forward, the company plans to strengthen its Chinese footprint by collaborating closely with equipment manufacturers, distributors and farmers, deepening understanding of local applications and addressing the evolving requirements of Chinese agriculture.

Roberta D’Agnano, Global Marketing Director Mitas at Yokohama TWS, said, “Entering the Chinese market means bringing the strength of an established international brand to a new customer base. Mitas combines nearly a century of agricultural expertise with proven tyre technology and a clear focus on dependable performance. Our ambition is to establish Mitas as a reliable partner for Chinese farmers, distributors and equipment manufacturers, offering solutions that help them get the most from their machinery.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has published its 2025 End-of-Life Tire Market Report, continuing a biennial series begun in the early 1990s. With over 30 years of figures on tyre generation, destination markets and stockpiles, the study stands as the nation's most thorough accounting of what happens to tyres after they leave the road.

Of the 273 million tyres retired nationwide in 2025, some 79 percent were absorbed by end-use markets. Only lead-acid batteries surpass tyres as a recycled and reclaimed material; paper, aluminium, glass and PET plastic all trail behind. The result is that valuable rubber stays in productive circulation rather than accumulating in landfills.

Abandoned and illegal stockpiles shrank to roughly 42.1 million tyres, compared with about 48 million two years earlier – a 12 percent drop in that span and a 96 percent fall from the billion-tyre high of 1990. Colorado's cleanup effort accounted for much of the gain, eliminating over 12 million tyres, while New Jersey and Pennsylvania recorded large reductions. North Carolina, Tennessee and Delaware cleared their stockpiles entirely, and land disposal declined nearly 11 percent to 779 thousand tonnes.

Tyre-derived fuel stayed the biggest outlet, taking about 1,317 thousand tonnes, with ground rubber just behind at roughly 1,201 thousand tonnes. Cement kilns consumed about 5 percent more, reaching 821 thousand tonnes – 62 percent of all tyre-derived fuel – as carbon-reduction mandates and the fuel's biogenic nature enhance its appeal. Reclamation applications expanded by roughly a tenth.

Most declines arose from forces outside the industry's influence. Pulp and paper mill shutdowns halved nothing less than 40 percent of that outlet, while revised Michigan energy rules trimmed utility boiler demand by about 22 percent. Synthetic turf continues yielding ground to cork, coconut husk and olive pit infill; moulded and extruded goods eased from a 2021 high; and energy price swings have shifted tyre-derived fuel's competitiveness. Exports, however, climbed 270 percent since 2023 – from 253 thousand tonnes to 936 thousand tonnes – making them the third-largest outlet, driven by India's rapid growth and sustained fuel shipments to Japan and South Korea. USTMA urges exporters to confirm that receiving markets are environmentally sound and economically viable.

Near-term investments include Tire Recycling Foundation-backed environmental product declarations, wider chip seal use, advances in dry-process rubber-modified asphalt and pavement funding. Kentucky devoted over USD 1.16 million in 2025 to nine county rubber-asphalt projects, and California opened USD 6.57 million in grants for fiscal 2025–26. Pyrolysis is now quantifiable as it reaches commercial scale, and the Tire Recycling Foundation is growing into a platform for education, research and demonstration. State-level stockpile figures accompany the report on the ELT Report page of the association’s website.

Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO, USTMA, said, “This report gives a picture of a market in transition. Stockpile cleanup continues, and 79 percent of end-of-life tyres reached end-use markets. At the same time, several domestic markets contracted, and the rise in exports shows strong demand for this material outside the US Together, those trends tell us our markets still depend on a handful of large industrial outlets, and that market development has to be the priority. The data points to where the work is needed, and much of that work is already underway.”

Amelia Chucholowski, Associate Director, Sustainability and Recycling Policy, USTMA, said, “International demand further demonstrates that this material has real value, but our priority is domestic circular end-use markets, because a tire processed here supports a US recycler, US jobs and US infrastructure. That includes ensuring that domestic processors have adequate feedstock. We’re watching it closely and working with our global partners both to understand what’s driving this trend and to report it transparently.

“The work that actually grows these markets is underway right now, and almost none of it shows up in a 2025 market report. Read this report as a snapshot of 2025. What we’re building now will be measured against in the future. State programmes have built one of the country’s great recycling success stories. 96 percent of the tyre stockpiles that existed in 1990 are gone, and the lesson is clear: when states fund their programmes, enforce the rules and invest in markets, results follow. The next chapter is about markets. The more states invest in uses like rubber-modified asphalt, the more tires become roads, products and energy here at home.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

PRINX CHENGSHAN showcased a lineup of agricultural tyres under its Chengshan brand at the 2026 China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition (CIAME 2026) in Tianjin on 26 October. The display featured tyre solutions tailored to modern agricultural needs, with emphasis on large-scale field cultivation and fall harvesting applications.

Rising performance demands across smart, high-end and environmentally sustainable farming have prompted the company to steadily expand its research and development investment in agricultural tyre applications. PRINX CHENGSHAN has built a comprehensive portfolio for large agricultural machinery, including tractors and combine harvesters, delivering integrated solutions for varied operating conditions along with service support spanning the entire product life cycle.

The TX600 and TX700 radial tyres, intended mainly for tractors, each offer distinct advantages. The TX600 pairs large tread blocks with a proprietary cut- and puncture-resistant rubber compound, ensuring stable driving, dependable handling and puncture resistance during high-speed transfers between work areas. The TX700 employs a high-strength carcass and belt construction to deliver strong load capacity and traction, even in muddy, difficult fields.

For combine harvesters, the TX2000 raises load capacity by 20 percent through high-flexion characteristics, while its low inflation pressure and larger contact patch lessen soil compaction, reconciling efficient operations with farmland protection. The TB500 bias-ply tyre, a notable addition to the tractor range, features a deep tread and large, robust blocks for excellent traction, wear resistance and puncture resistance, sustaining stable, slip-resistant performance in mud and gravel.

Looking ahead, PRINX CHENGSHAN plans to continue advancing agricultural tyre innovation, targeting the evolving requirements of modern equipment and practical field challenges. The company aims to collaborate closely with partners throughout the agricultural machinery supply chain to enhance the quality and efficiency of modern farming and support a stronger agricultural sector and greater food security in China.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Apollo Tyres Ltd has unveiled the Vredestein Traxion 95, a row-crop tractor tyre designed specifically to carry the advantages of Traxion technology into that segment. According to the company, the product offers strong grip, effective self-cleaning and extended service life, allowing farmers and contractors to get more from their equipment and working hours across the season.

Like other products in the Traxion range, the tyre uses angled lugs set apart at varying intervals, a layout intended to transfer power efficiently and hold traction in difficult ground. The uneven spacing also helps the tread shed soil as it rolls, supporting steady output between crop rows, while the tread pattern and robust rubber compound are claimed to improve operator comfort and lengthen tyre life. Spraying, fertilising and similar crop-care duties are among the tasks the tyre is built to handle reliably.

Vredestein has earned a solid agricultural reputation for grip, longevity and comfort since launching its first Traxion tyre in 1997. The Traxion 95 is scheduled to reach the market in Autumn 2026 in six popular sizes: 230/95 R32 TL 128D, 270/95 R32 TL 136D, 230/95 R36 TL 130D, 300/95 R46 TL 148D, 230/95 R48 TL 136D and 270/95 R48 TL 144D.

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President, Commercial EMEA, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “The launch of the Traxion 95 marks another important step in the evolution of the Traxion family. Users can now benefit from proven Traxion technology in a dedicated row-crop tyre that increases productivity between every row.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!