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)

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR) is at the centre of a new industrial paradigm, as a recent study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) for the Federation of German Industries (BDI) confirms that the circular economy is becoming a decisive competitive factor for Germany. The analysis projects that circular gross value added could more than double from roughly EUR 60 billion (approximately USD 69.60 billion) today to up to EUR 125 billion (approximately USD 144.95 billion) annually by 2045, cumulatively unlocking an additional EUR 880 billion (USD 1.02 trillion) in value creation. AZuR interprets these findings as validation that recycling, reuse and extended product life cycles directly strengthen climate protection, supply security and industrial competitiveness.

A practical model of this transition already exists in the tyre recycling sector, where Germany generates around 50 million used tyres each year. Through professional repair, retreading and regrooving, many of these tyres could remain in use significantly longer before being mechanically or chemically recycled. AZuR actively champions keeping tyres and their raw materials in circulation across Europe, with the clear goals of avoiding waste, lowering CO₂ emissions, conserving natural resources and securing secondary raw materials for industry.

The effectiveness of extending tyre lifespan is illustrated by commercial vehicle retreading, which can increase mileage by up to 25 percent. According to an AZuR and DBU study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT, retreading saves over 60 percent of CO₂ emissions, roughly two-thirds of raw materials and about 50 percent of the energy compared to new tyre production. Tyres no longer suitable for retreading are then mechanically processed into rubber granulate or chemically recycled via pyrolysis and devulcanisation, yielding valuable secondary materials for construction and new tyre products.

With more than 80 partners across the entire value chain, AZuR networks industry, small and medium-sized enterprises, science and recycling technology to develop concrete circular solutions. The BCG and BDI study thus confirms that the circular economy is not merely an environmental policy issue but a crucial growth driver for Germany’s industrial future, a role that AZuR believes the tire industry is uniquely positioned to lead.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

DUNLOP has entered the Italian Rally Championship this season with former Formula 1 driver Heikki Kovalainen at the wheel. Backed by parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Kovalainen competes alongside his longstanding co-driver Patric Öhman for Gino Scuderia in a Citroën C3 Rally2 fitted with DUNLOP DIREZZA 201R and 301R racing tyres.

DUNLOP’s involvement in the championship forms a key part of its global motorsport strategy, offering ideal conditions for tyre development under real-world competitive pressure. The variety of asphalt surfaces encountered provides valuable data on performance, durability and vehicle dynamics, helping transfer insights into future road tyre advancements. Kovalainen, drawing on extensive experience from Formula 1 and international rallying, has been closely involved in high-performance tyre development and will use his technical feedback to support DUNLOP’s rally tyre evolution.

As Italy’s premier rally series and one of Europe’s most demanding asphalt championships, the CIAR features seven closed-road rounds known for high speeds, technically challenging stages and extreme demands on drivers, cars and tyres. The series regularly attracts competitors from the World Rally Championship and European Rally Championship, reinforcing its reputation as a tough and respected battleground.

With two rounds completed, the season began in Tuscany in March with a 12th-place finish. A mechanical issue ended their challenge in Sicily on 14–16 May, but the duo returns to contest the championship on 4–6 June in Verona, followed by events in Rome, Alba and Cassino before the finale in Sanremo. The programme strengthens DUNLOP’s European motorsport presence and boosts brand visibility, underscoring its ambition to combine technological progress with top-level sporting performance.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Triangle Tyre released its 2025 Sustainability Report on 29 April 2026, marking the company’s second full public accounting of its environmental, social and governance performance. The document outlines progress across all three ESG pillars since the previous disclosure.

Over the past year, the Chinese tyre manufacturer achieved several international firsts following its stock market listing. Triangle Tyre earned the EcoVadis Gold Medal, becoming the first domestic tyre company to receive that recognition, and also joined the United Nations Global Compact along with the China Environmental Protection Foundation. These moves signalled deeper global engagement on ESG issues.

The company’s sustainability leadership gained further validation through multiple external honours. Triangle Tyre appeared in the 2025 China Corporate ESG Blue Book Case Studies and the 2025 China Corporate ESG 100 Index. The China Listed Companies Association additionally named it a best practice case for corporate sustainable development, underscoring its rising influence at home and abroad.

In line with national carbon peaking and neutrality goals, Triangle Tyre pushed forward with green manufacturing by adopting energy efficient technologies and clean production processes. Its 2025 energy performance earned a place on a national list of leading enterprises in key industry energy efficiency, published by three central ministries. The company achieved a two percent year on year reduction in comprehensive energy use while building a low carbon energy management system.

Sustainability efforts extend across the product lifecycle, including tyres for the new energy vehicle market that combine ultra-low rolling resistance with high load capacity to extend driving range. The company is also pursuing a circular economy target of recycling and reusing 100 percent of end-of-life tyres by 2050. Recognised as a 2025 Shandong Social Responsibility Enterprise and a longtime best employer, Triangle Tyre maintains a people centred workplace while supporting rural revitalisation, education and disaster relief.

The company further integrates ESG standards into its supply chain with a zero-deforestation commitment and sustainability criteria for supplier assessments. As China enters the first year of its 15th five-year plan, Triangle Tyre continues to rely on technological innovation to become a globally leading tyre manufacturer, aiming to deliver greener and safer mobility solutions worldwide.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

CarbonX has extended its strategic partnership with European LFP battery manufacturer ElevenEs into 2026. The new phase transitions from initial material validation to advanced industrial-scale testing, aiming to strengthen the local supply chain for LFP batteries across Europe.

As the only LFP Edge cell producer in Europe, ElevenEs supports the regional ecosystem by offering its EdgeLabs R&D infrastructure. This platform integrates CarbonX’s carbon-based anode material into full-scale prismatic LFP blade-type cells, where rigorous benchmarking against global standards validates performance, lifespan and safety.

By providing specialised services, ElevenEs acts as an industrial catalyst for CarbonX, helping the Dutch material innovator move from laboratory to market-ready applications. The cooperation is designed to result in a conditional offtake arrangement upon the successful achievement of technical milestones.

Nemanja Mikać, CEO, ElevenEs, said, “Our continued partnership with CarbonX demonstrates how ElevenEs acts as an industrial engine for the European battery ecosystem. We don’t just validate materials; we provide the manufacturing excellence and R&D infrastructure necessary to scale promising European technologies. ElevenEs experts team actively supports suppliers to build a resilient, energy-independent supply chain for the future.”

Rutger van Raalten, CEO, CarbonX, said, “Signing this agreement with ElevenEs marks a significant step forward for CarbonX and reinforces our shared commitment to building a resilient, sustainable battery materials ecosystem. Beyond strengthening our supply chain, this partnership contributes directly to Europe’s strategic ambition for energy independence, accelerating the transition to locally sourced, low carbon critical materials.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!