As far as Quality Management System (QMS) certification is concerned, my first exposure was to ISO 9000: 1994, about seven years after the first ISO 9000 standard emerged from the former BS 5750. The 20 + auditable QMS requirements has resulted in a bewildering and voluminous mass of documentations. It was virtually a system of documents, contrary to a documented system. According to the standard, the company was expected to establish, implement and maintain a documented procedure for all the auditable requirements of the standard. It was a period when the standard was spreading like bush fire, creating a gold mine for Consultants who thrived on the ignorance of the client companies. Preparation and maintenance of the documentation alone, engaged considerable managerial time, and hence the tendency to consider ISO 9000 based QMs as an area separate from the Quality Assurance and other operational functions which has still continued to the present day. This created some dichotomy between the ISO Department and the other functional sections resulting in conflicts. On doing the QMS audits, as an independent auditor for many companies, I have the experience of being confronted with a cart-load of files and documents. This was of course before, the soft copy methodology firmly got established. Many of the External Auditors, spent considerable time, in checking Document and Records, in scrutinizing document reference and revision numbers of even the less significant documents and formats, rather than concentration on the more important requirements. In this respect, I have a great respect for one of the very senior officers of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, whose approach was to study the operational relationships and their effectiveness.

The transition in to ISO 9001:2000 saw some very significant and far-reaching changes, which the industries, took about one to two years to fully realize. It was a challenge for the auditors and the Certification bodies as well. A careful scrutiny of the eight principles of quality management, will show that they are nothing else but common business sense. The eight principles are:

• Customer focus
• Leadership
• Involvement of people
• Process approach
• Systems approach to management
• Continual improvement
• Factual approach to decision making
• Mutually beneficial supplier relations.

 A casual glance at the principles, will reveal that it is about common sense of good managerial practices., irrespective of whether one goes for certification or not. However, it was an uphill task to grapple these concepts and integrate them holistically in to the quality management systems. Process approach in very simple terms means how to relate the inputs to outputs through the value adding conversions and how to control the activities, realize the desired results. It is directly related to the traditional definition of productivity, namely the ratio of out puts to inputs. What was difficult to comprehend was the fact that, the other seven quality management principles also provide inputs for the process approach. As an example, the auditors found it a grey area when it comes to evaluating leadership, in the context of the process approach. Regarding the establishment of the Quality Policy, which in turn is a requirement under leadership, I have seen many quality polices with attractive wordings which more often serve as show pieces. Very few companies have used the quality policy to provide direction for the setting up of quality objectives. One of the meaningful but concise quality policies I have seen is “We do everything, correctly, right first time at all times’’.

While the 2008 version of the ISO 9001 standard consisted of some notional changes only, the 2015 version signified a complete change of the concept of quality stressing the importance of quality in business strategy, by considering the impacts of external and internal factors and the expectations of internal and external parties on quality and including risk management as an important aspect of quality. Although the prime focus on ISO is product or service quality, companies cannot ignore the impact on quality, which covers product quality (Q), Price (P), and Delivery (D). The recent impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on the above aspect of quality, was amply seen throughout the world. The above requirements under the Organization Context, is a move in the right direction, in integrating quality in to all aspects of the business. However, most companies and even auditors, consider this in isolation as another requirement of the ISO 9001, which need minimum compliance. Similar comments can have made on the Identification of the risks and opportunities of the operational processes.

Product and service quality is used by most companies as means of maximizing the profit. The Nobel Prize Winner in Economics, Milton Friedman in 1970, stated that the sole responsibility of a business is to “use its resources to increase its profits. As a result of the rapid growth in consumerism, both locally and globally, business firms operate in a challenging and continually changing business environment. The rapid change is supported by rapidly expanding technology, and particularly of information technology. Dynamic organizations are making serious efforts to keep abreast of developments, in the changing business environment, while many traditional and conservative organizations are failing. Change has become inevitable.”

While we cannot find any fault with this approach, one cannot overlook the Social and Environmental bottom lines, which together with the Economic bottom-line, constitute the Triple Bottom of Sustainable development. The role of quality management on the social and environmental bottom lines, is a concept that has great potential in the modern-day concept. The reduction of scarp and rejects, especially in the tyre industry, will improve the environmental performance, while reducing the health and fire risks, often caused by irresponsible dumping.

 Internal and external communications under the requirement 7.0, Support of the ISO 9001 and 14001:2015 standards are another area where adequate attention has been given. Despite the great advances in ICT, we can trace miscommunications as the root cause of most of the Non- conformance report raised during the QMS audits.

John Ruskin, the English author, (1819 -1900 ) once said, “ Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligence effort.” I have seen this famous quote adorning the walls in some offices of CEOs and Senior Managers. However, the perennially repeating non-conformances related to quality in a large number of companies, make me to wonder whether the management and the mangers, “walk the talk.” Companies have in their procession, a handy tool, in the disguise of ISO 9001:2015, to enable them to establish the standard procedures, (SOPs), operate them and control, but many consider it as something to worry about only during the external audits of the certification bodies.

In this respect, it is worthy of mentioning that, in my country Sri Lanka, there is a famous Buddhist Cultural Pageant, in August every year, that attracts locals as well large numbers of tourists from across the globe. For the past 400+ years, this event follows the SOPs, without any, awareness of the ISO 9000, emphasizing that there is no magic or mystery about ISO, but the prevalence of good common sense. (TT)

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Hankook Tire concluded Round 2 of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden, on 15 February in the Umeå region, where its Winter i*Pike SR10W tyre was put to the ultimate test. As the championship’s sole rally tyre supplier, Hankook equipped all competing crews with this dedicated winter tyre, which features specially engineered ice-rally stud pins. Designed to conquer the most severe icy environments, its asymmetric tread pattern works in tandem with the studs to provide exceptional grip, powerful braking and unwavering high-speed stability on frozen surfaces.

Rally Sweden, first held in 1950, is unique on the calendar as the only event contested entirely on snow and ice. Crews were challenged by 18 special stages covering around 300 kilometres, with competition intensified by speeds reaching up to 200 kmph and rapid temperature fluctuations. These punishing conditions demanded precise car control, reliable tyre traction and steadfast braking performance, making the choice of the Winter i*Pike SR10W critical for success.

Following a fierce contest, Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin claimed victory by a margin of 14.3 seconds, securing their second consecutive win in Sweden. Having also finished second in the season opener at Rallye Monte-Carlo, this result propelled the pairing to the top of the championship standings with 60 points.

The WRC now turns its attention to the formidable Safari Rally Kenya, scheduled for 12 to 15 March 2026 near Naivasha. This event is renowned as one of the most gruelling on the circuit, where crews must navigate extreme heat, mud from heavy rainfall and rapidly changing weather.

Hankook’s commitment to the sport extends beyond event supply. The company continues to refine its high-performance rally technology through intensive collaboration with the FIA and major automotive manufacturers, having completed over 2,000 kilometres of real-vehicle testing across eight countries. With its exclusive tyre supply agreement for all WRC classes covering the 2025 to 2027 seasons, Hankook is reinforcing its premium brand identity and solidifying its leadership in motorsport engineering.

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Ecolomondo Corporation, a leading Canadian innovator in sustainable scrap tyre recycling technology, has appointed Craft Capital Management, LLC as its strategic investment banking advisor. This partnership is designed to bolster Ecolomondo’s capital markets strategy, with a focus on financing initiatives and a planned uplisting to the NASDAQ. Securing this position is a key step for the company to obtain the necessary capital for its global expansion.

Eliot Sorella, Ecolomondo’s Executive Chairman, highlighted that Craft Capital’s successful history of providing capital solutions is well-aligned with the company's goal to scale up as a major supplier of recovered carbon black and tyre pyrolysis oil. These materials are produced using Ecolomondo’s proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process. As worldwide demand for circular and sustainable materials grows, this advisory engagement is seen as a vital move to advance the company's market position and support its next growth phase.

Craft Capital, a full-service brokerage firm with over a century of combined financial experience, offers customised investment banking services and connects clients to a broad network of family offices and institutional investors.

Sorella said, “Craft Capital’s proven track record in delivering capital solutions aligns strongly with our strategy to scale as a leading producer of recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) using Ecolomondo’s proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process (TDP). As global industries accelerate their transition towards circular and sustainable materials, this engagement is an important step in advancing our capital markets strategy and supporting our next phase of growth.”

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Continental is set to make a significant impact at the upcoming Tire Technology Expo in Hannover with a strong presence at the technical conference scheduled for 3 March 2026. The company will kick off the event with a major presentation centred on the evolution of tyre technologies designed to meet the demands of autonomous driving. Dr Andreas Topp, who leads Platform Development and Industrialisation for passenger car tyres at Continental, will illustrate how the vision of autonomous vehicles is transitioning into everyday reality and how the tyre manufacturer is proactively developing innovative solutions to support this shift.

In addition to the opening session, Continental experts will deliver three further presentations, each addressing critical areas of tyre science and environmental regulation. One of these will explore the use of recovered carbon black derived from end-of-life tyres as a filler material. Professor Jorge Lacayo-Pineda, a specialist in materials evaluation, will delve into the complexities of identifying this material within vulcanised rubber compounds. Recovered carbon black, primarily obtained through pyrolysis, represents a milestone as the first industrially scalable filler sourced from discarded tyres. It is not considered a direct substitute for conventional carbon black but rather a distinct category of filler due to its unique composition, which includes carbon residues and a specific thermal background. Professor Lacayo-Pineda will examine the technological and regulatory possibilities that arise from detecting this material in new tyre compounds, focusing on reliable identification techniques such as electron microscopy and molecular spectroscopy.

Another key presentation will broaden the conversation around tyre emissions. Dr Frank Schmerwitz, a senior test engineer specialising in tyre wear, will address the limitations of current discussions that predominantly focus on tyre and road wear particles. He will highlight additional pathways of mass loss that are not captured by conventional measurements. His talk will consider the release of nanoparticles, the persistence of wear residue on road surfaces and the chemical degradation of this material due to environmental factors like oxygen and ultraviolet light, aiming for a more complete scientific picture.

The final presentation will tackle the complexities of modern tyre development in the context of new regulatory frameworks. Dr Pavel Ignatyev, an expert in rubber friction and wear physics, will discuss how the introduction of standardised abrasion limits and measurement methods under the Euro 7 regulation is reshaping innovation in the industry. He will explain the various parameters influencing tyre wear and how they interact with these new requirements. Through simplified models, he intends to demonstrate the intricate nature of tyre wear and outline the collective challenges that remain for the industry, emphasising that a deep understanding of these dynamics is crucial for translating regulatory mandates into effective technological advancements.

Dr Topp said, “The future of self-driving vehicles has begun. We are developing tyre technologies and products that meet the unique technical requirements of these vehicles. This includes topics such as interaction with smart vehicle dynamic controls, optimised fleet operations and tailored solutions for specific use profiles.”

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The concluding day of 2026 F1 Pre-Season Testing at the Bahrain International Circuit saw Charles Leclerc set the overall fastest lap of the entire six-day programme. The Ferrari driver delivered a time of 1:31.992s on the C4 compound Pirelli tyres during the final hour of running, improving by eight-tenths of a second on the previous benchmark established by Kimi Antonelli. This performance placed him ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren, who recorded a 1:32.871s on the C3 tyre. Max Verstappen and George Russell followed, with times of 1:33.109s and 1:33.197s, respectively, both also set on the C3 compound. Notably, none surpassed Leclerc's own leading time on that particular compound, a 1:32.655s. Pierre Gasly rounded out the top times, utilising the softest C5 tyres to post a 1:33.421s.

The C5 compound saw limited use on the final day, employed only by Alpine and Williams for short-run simulations. Aston Martin, despite having the tyre available, opted not to run it and instead completed just six laps on C3s before their session was curtailed. In contrast, teams focused on different aspects of performance. Gabriel Bortoleto and Arvin Lindblad set the pace on the harder C1 and C2 compounds, respectively. The day was also notable for the absence of several drivers, including Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Alex Albon, who did not participate in any track action.

Beyond outright speed, teams dedicated significant effort to long-distance evaluation. Gabriel Bortoleto completed 25 laps on the C2 compound for Audi, while Esteban Ocon undertook 24 laps on C1s for Haas. Ocon was also the sole driver to run intermediate tyres, completing four laps to assess front wing behaviour. Over the entire six-day test, a total of 41,366 kilometres were covered across all 11 teams, a distance exceeding the Earth's circumference. The C3 compound proved the most popular, accounting for 61 percent of all laps. In total, 591 sets of slick tyres were utilised throughout the pre-season, with 326 of those deployed in the final three days alone.

Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, said, “The radical changes introduced to the cars have inevitably shifted the teams’ focus towards power units and aerodynamics rather than tyres over the last few days. The final stages of testing are usually dedicated to optimising the car-tyre package, but it is clear some teams haven’t reached that point yet. Generally speaking, track feedback has been consistent with our simulation expectations. Drivers were able to gain confidence with the entire Pirelli range through both performance trials and long runs, even using the C4 and C5 compounds which aren’t particularly suited to a circuit like Sakhir.

“Mechanical resistance appeared strong across all options, with no signs of graining or blistering. Degradation levels are almost certainly higher now than what we expect for the Bahrain race, when temperatures will be lower and cars more developed. A central theme this season will certainly be balancing temperatures between the axles, especially ahead of the first race in Melbourne. The lower loads of a street circuit might require more intensive tyre preparation or differentiated tyre blanket temperatures, particularly in qualifying. In any case, it will be interesting to discover in Australia how much teams have been ‘sandbagging’ their engine power to avoid showing their hand. We only have to wait a couple of weeks to see the true pecking order.”

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