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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Liberty Tire Recycling has published the industry’s first US company-commissioned lifecycle assessment (LCA) centred on rubber-modified asphalt solutions made from recycled tyres. The study was commissioned by Liberty and carried out by Boundless, applying internationally recognised LCA methodology to evaluate the environmental impacts of the company’s asphalt-related products against conventional alternatives used in asphalt modification.

The company described the assessment as a notable step forward for rubber-modified asphalt. Environmental gains are routinely linked to recycled tyre materials in road building, yet Liberty said this analysis supplies quantified evidence behind such assertions. Greenhouse gas emissions tied to its rubber-modified asphalt solutions were tracked throughout their lifecycle.

Results showed that Liberty's asphalt products carried substantially lower greenhouse gas impacts than conventional SBS polymer modifiers. Recovering and reusing end-of-life tyre materials was also found to deliver environmental benefits exceeding the impacts of processing them. Liberty said the findings give transportation agencies, engineers, contractors and infrastructure stakeholders data-driven insights for choosing materials.

Four products were assessed: crumb rubber and three asphalt additives, namely dry mix rubber additives, a DOT additive and combined micronised rubber powder with the Rheopave additive. Dry mix rubber additives yielded the largest carbon benefit, avoiding up to 0.577 kg CO₂e per pound produced, while the tyre-derived products achieved over 100 percent lower greenhouse gas footprint than traditional SBS modifiers. Each product assessed generated a net environmental benefit, with reductions spanning 0.47 to 0.57 kg of CO₂e per pound.

Liberty said the study helps set a benchmark for measuring and communicating environmental impacts as sustainability gains prominence in infrastructure projects, and that transparent, science-based data will matter increasingly to public agencies and industry leaders weighing performance and environmental goals.

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Avon Tyres will make its second consecutive EICMA appearance this year, using the Milan show to unveil a refreshed motorcycle range and a renewed brand identity to a global audience of riders and trade visitors. The company will occupy Hall 9, Booth U65 at Fiera Milano between 3 and 8 November.

The exhibit reflects Avon's ‘made to be different’ philosophy and presents a focused portfolio spanning sport, touring, adventure, cruiser and classic segments. Avon's return also signals progress within Goodyear's motorcycle portfolio, where, since joining the family of brands in 2022, it has paired longstanding heritage with a modern product strategy and upgraded manufacturing.

Four flagship tyres anchor the display: the Spirit ST for sport-touring, the 3D Supersport for hypersport riders, the Roadrider MKII for classics and the Cobra Chrome for cruiser, touring and custom applications, the latter now offered in additional sizes. They are joined by the Trailrider 2, a new adventure-touring tyre launching in January 2027 that carries the ‘made to blaze your own trail’ message, targets an 80:20 road-to-off-road mix and will come in at least 20 sizes for popular adventure bikes.

Together with the existing Trekrider and Streetrunner, the lineup forms Avon's most comprehensive public display of its motorcycle portfolio to date. EICMA, which drew over 600,000 visitors last year including nearly 43,000 trade professionals from 167 countries, gives the brand a truly global stage for engaging riders, dealers and partners. Public-day attendees can also meet stunt rider Rok Bagoros at the stand on Friday 6 November at 11:30.

Roberto Finetti, Marketing Manager Motorcycle Europe, Goodyear, said, “We’re looking forward to speaking with riders and partners at EICMA about our continued growth plans for Avon. EICMA is the world’s largest motorcycle exhibition and provides the ideal place to showcase our refreshed identity and tyre range under the ‘made to be different’ philosophy.”

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Kumho Tire USA has announced that its driver Jack Shanahan finished third overall in the 2026 Formula DRIFT PRO Championship, concluding a strong second season with a runner-up result at Round 8, the Shoreline Showdown, held in Long Beach, California. Competing on KUMHO Ecsta V730 tyres, Shanahan entered the season finale as the top qualifier and recorded his fourth podium of the year in his E82 BMW.

After securing first place in qualifying, Shanahan collected four championship points and received a bye through the Top 32 round. He then won three head-to-head battles to reach the Finals, where he met five-time PRO Champion James Deane in a tightly fought contest. While attempting to stay close to Deane’s Mustang, Shanahan spun in Zone 6 and ultimately took second place at the Shoreline Showdown.

The KUMHO Ecsta V730 is an extreme-performance summer tyre designed to deliver exceptional grip, responsiveness and consistency in demanding track conditions, making it well suited to competitive motorsports and driving enthusiasts.

Ed Cho, CEO, Kumho Tire USA, said, “Jack has delivered an outstanding season, and we couldn’t be prouder of what he’s accomplished in just his second year competing in Formula DRIFT. His four podium finishes and third-place championship standing are a testament not only to his talent and determination but also the reliable performance of our Ecsta V730 tyres. We’re proud to support Jack as he continues to establish himself among the sport’s top competitors.”

Shanahan said, “What an incredible year it’s been for our small but mighty team. To finish second at the final round and third overall in the championship exceeded all our expectations heading into the 2026 season. Having the grip, consistency and reliability of the KUMHO Ecsta V730 tyres gave me the confidence to push my limits every round and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together.”

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The all-new Vredestein Quatrac Pro 2 premium ultra-high-performance all-season tyre has had its class-leading capabilities confirmed through independent testing in Spain and Finland. The tyre established new benchmarks for wet braking and recorded the fastest snow handling lap times against four leading all-season rivals.

Testing in Finland at the UTAC winter facility used a sensor-equipped BMW 5 Series to measure speed and lap times, with all tyres subjected to identical procedures. The Quatrac Pro 2 achieved the quickest snow handling lap, showing exceptional grip, balance and controllability, which testers praised for excellent response and stability in all circumstances. Its snow performance is aided by 3D interlocking sipes at the shoulder, whose zig-zagged inner faces in horizontal and vertical planes limit tread block movement.

In Spain, Applus+ IDIADA assessed dry and wet handling and braking on certified asphalt with defined water depth. The tyre outperformed key competitors in wet conditions, delivering a 7 percent wet-braking advantage over one long-established segment rival, and separate testing confirmed an A wet-grip rating across the entire size range, unique in the UHP all-season segment. Four longitudinal grooves in every size, also unique in the category, plus directional lateral grooves, support water evacuation and aquaplaning resistance.

Compared with its predecessor, abrasion resistance has improved by 8 percent to maximise tyre life, while rolling resistance is reduced by 10 percent to boost driving range, underlining suitability for electric vehicles. The Quatrac Pro 2 is available now for wheel diameters from 17 to 24 inches, with section widths up to 355 mm for powerful passenger vehicles.

Daniele Lorenzetti, Chief Technology Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “Vredestein has long been recognised for its premium all-season tyres, and these independent tests reinforce that reputation. The Quatrac Pro 2 delivered exceptional grip and traction against other premium competitors while also improving efficiency and longevity compared with its predecessor.”

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