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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DT Swiss has refreshed its mountain bike (MTB) wheel range with redesigned asymmetric alloy rims, following more than 10 years of leadership in the alloy MTB segment. The EX 511, XM 481 and XR 391 have each received updates featuring premium aluminium alloy, welded rim joints, wider horns to limit tyre damage and a humped tyre contact surface for better support, yielding stronger and more durable rims.

Across the range, every new rim now uses an asymmetrical profile that balances spoke tension more evenly and extends wheel life. Distinct construction traits are tailored to cross-country, all-mountain and enduro use, so riders can select a rim suited to their preferred discipline.

The EX 441 is built for unplanned lines, combining its asymmetric shape with wider horns and an optimised structure for stability and impact resistance. It comes in multiple sizes with either 28 or 32 spoke holes.

For mountain exploration, the XM 431 pairs a strong aluminium build with a refined profile and wider horns for greater impact resistance, plus a redesigned contact patch for improved lateral tyre support; it is offered in 27.5 or 29 inches. The XR 421, meanwhile, uses a lightweight asymmetric, flatter construction with a 28 mm inner width optimised for tyres up to 2.7 inches, giving cross-country riders confidence and speed lap after lap.

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Bridgestone Americas has entered a three-year partnership with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), becoming the organisation’s Official Tyre and the exclusive tyre supplier for the SCCA Club Spec programme. The agreement deepens Bridgestone’s presence in grassroots motorsports, spanning autocross, track days and time trials while reinforcing its commitment to accessible competition.

Under the arrangement, Bridgestone will equip vehicle platforms intended to reduce the technical and financial obstacles facing newcomers to motorsports. The company’s championship-winning Potenza RE-71RZ tyre will support established categories such as Solo Spec Coupe, Club Spec MX-5 and Club Spec Mustang. It will also serve as the spec tyre for the Club Spec Cayman class, scheduled to debut in 2027.

The Potenza RE-71RZ, an extreme 200TW summer performance tyre, was engineered specifically for grassroots racing, delivering rapid lap times and responsive control. Bridgestone performance tyres, including the new model and its predecessor, the Potenza RE-71RS, posted strong 2026 results. They captured 75 percent of class wins, more than 350, and 70 percent of class podiums across 21 of 24 national SCCA Solo events, while accounting for 70 percent of eligible entries, surpassing 3,300 competitors. At the SCCA Solo National Championships, the tyres represented 55 percent of total event entries and 80 percent of eligible street tyre classes. They won 36 of 41 classes, earned 103 trophies and set the event’s fastest overall index time by 0.7 seconds. In SCCA time trials, they claimed 97 percent of podium finishes and set 19 class lap records.

Looking forward, the two organisations plan to collaborate on educational programmes, trackside support and member experiences. The partnership will back initiatives including Track Night in America and SCCA Women on Track, underscoring Bridgestone’s aim to combine innovative tyre technology with broader access to high-performance driving.

David Colletti, President of Consumer Original Equipment Tires, North America, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, said, “Bridgestone and the SCCA share a core commitment to making motorsports accessible, educational and fun. Partnering as the Official Tire of the SCCA and SCCA Club Spec furthers our investment in the heart of the racing community while enabling us to deliver peak Potenza performance every single weekend.”

Heyward Wagner, Vice President of Rally, Solo and Experiential Programs, said, “SCCA is honoured to partner with Bridgestone and welcome the brand back into our community. Bridgestone was a tremendous supporter of SCCA Solo competitors 20 years ago, and many of our members still remember the impact the brand made. That history has paved the way for genuine excitement across SCCA to reunite with Bridgestone, celebrate that shared history and build on it through programmes that support accessible, competitive and fun motorsports experiences for drivers at every level.”

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Continental has announced the sale of mycar Tyre & Auto, its Australian tyre and automotive servicing subsidiary, to Chinese automotive service platform Tuhu. The enterprise value of the deal stands at AUD 403 million (approximately USD 283 million), and closing depends on regulatory clearances.

The move aligns with the German company's broader intention to sharpen its focus on developing and producing tyres. For mycar, the change in ownership brings a parent whose priorities centre squarely on automotive services, giving the chain a stable footing to keep expanding. Roughly 280 outlets and over 1,600 staff fall within the scope of the agreement.

Back in 2018, Continental bought the business as a way to widen its Australian distribution reach and bolster its standing in the global tyre sector. Australia has since matured into a well-established and valuable market for the firm, which has simultaneously assembled a robust local sales operation. Across eight years under Continental, mycar gradually reinforced its Australian market position by adding stores, diversifying its offering and raising its profile.

Once the sale concludes, mycar will keep distributing Continental tyres in Australia and the two sides foresee room for tighter collaboration ahead. The chain's services span routine maintenance, tyres, brakes, suspension, batteries and general mechanical work, and its workforce ranks among the sector's largest in the country.

Dalibor Kalina, head of Continental’s tyre business in the Asia-Pacific region, said, “mycar Tyre & Auto has developed very successfully under the Continental umbrella and is now exceptionally well positioned in the Australian market. In Tuhu, mycar Tyre & Auto is gaining an owner with many years of experience who will actively drive the company’s strategic direction and sustainable long-term development. Tuhu and Continental have a longstanding and strong strategic partnership in China. With our own sales organisation in Australia and the continued distribution of our tyres through the mycar Tyre & Auto network, we will ensure seamless continuity for our customers.”

Min Chen, Founder and CEO, Tuhu, said, “Australia is a highly attractive and promising market for automotive services, and mycar Tyre & Auto is a distinctive business with a strong position in this market. We look forward to working closely with the existing management team and employees while continuing our longstanding partnership with Continental. As a new entrant to the Australian market from China, we are committed to adapting quickly to the local market and building on mycar’s strong foundation established under Continental’s management and its proven track record of responsible and reliable operations. By bringing Tuhu’s capabilities and experience to Australia, we look forward to continuing to deliver value, choice and convenience for Australian vehicle owners.”

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Apollo Tyres Ltd has commissioned a new Passenger Vehicle Testing Caravan, a sophisticated mobile workshop engineered to move tyre assembly preparation directly to the test track. The facility represents a strategic advancement over the company’s prior setup, intended to sharpen testing efficiency, responsiveness and customer alignment while elevating the standard of preparation work.

Purpose-built for on-site operations, the caravan integrates a dedicated assembly workshop with office space for engineers and client meetings. Both the workshop and meeting areas are fully air-conditioned, and an advanced balancing machine has been installed to achieve highly precise wheel and tyre balancing.

The enhanced balancing capability carries particular weight for high-speed comfort performance targets, reinforcing the company’s capacity to produce precise, repeatable testing outcomes. Apollo Tyres describes the investment as another milestone in its ongoing pursuit of continuous improvement, innovation and customer-centricity, further bolstering testing capabilities in support of world-class product delivery.

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