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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Apollo Tyres has unveiled the Apterra HT5, a new premium highway terrain tyre aimed squarely at the core SUV segment in India. The tyre is engineered for popular models such as the Fortuner, Endeavour and Scorpio, promising strong grip, long life, comfort and durability across both highway and demanding driving conditions. Designed and developed at the company’s Global R&D Centre in Chennai, the Apterra HT5 will be produced at manufacturing facilities in Andhra Pradesh and Chennai, featuring a beast-like stance that channels raw power and silent control.

The tyre incorporates several technical advancements to meet diverse driver needs. Long lasting durability comes from advanced Armour Technology and a Hybrid Fill Compound, offering cut resistance, improved mileage and extended tread life. Superior grip is achieved through a Dynamic Pattern design that adapts to varying road conditions for enhanced traction and confident braking at higher speeds. Enhanced comfort is delivered by precision-engineered tread sipes that balance block stiffness to absorb road harshness, resulting in a smoother driving experience.

India’s SUV market now follows two distinct usage patterns, with traditional rugged SUV users prioritising durability and mileage while new-generation SUV drivers focus on performance, grip and road presence. The Apterra HT5 bridges these two worlds with a single versatile solution, removing the need for trade-offs. Through this launch, Apollo Tyres reinforces its commitment to innovation and customer-centric engineering, adapting to the evolving expectations of SUV owners across the country.

Dahiya, Vice President, Commercial (India, SAARC and South-east Asia), Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “Apterra HT5 represents our deep understanding of how India’s SUV market is evolving. Today’s SUV owners expect a product that can keep up with demanding usage while also delivering performance and comfort. With Apterra HT5, we have engineered a tyre that brings together durability, mileage, grip and refinement in one offering, ensuring our customers no longer must choose between toughness and driving experience.”

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TBC Corporation, one of North America’s largest marketers of automotive replacement tyres, has introduced the Doral Powerline portfolio, which includes the Rugged Path RT tyre along with updates to highway terrain, all-terrain and passenger tyres.

The company distributes these tyres across North America and has added sizes to the collection.

To assist customers, TBC’s wholesale marketing team developed a toolkit, which contains showroom tools and digital assets, such as posts and web banners, to help retailers with the brand.

The Doral Rugged Path RT features tread blocks, grooves, and siping technology. It features a compound used for performance in winter, off-road, and cold weather. The Doral Powerline catalogue includes tyres for CUVs, SUVs, pickup trucks and passenger vehicles, with 200 SKUs ranging from 15-inch to 20-inch.

TBC Corporation states that several product lines within the portfolio have been redesigned. The Elite Edge A/S Passenger Touring features a centre rib and water channels for handling, while the tread design manages road noise. The Journey HT Highway Terrain uses channels and sipes to evacuate water and a contour to distribute pressure. The Road Ranger AT All-Terrain uses a profile for contact and pressure distribution, with tread and lugs to protect sidewalls.

Bill Schafer, Chief Revenue Officer, TBC Wholesale, said, "TBC Wholesale customers depend on us to listen to their feedback and improve our offerings so we can deliver more robust product portfolios that increase their speed and ease of doing business. This portfolio enables us to provide customers with a broader range of tyre sizes and improved tire technology, all while maintaining the trusted products they've relied on us for, for the past 70 years.”

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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, has entered a strategic partnership with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) to strengthen tyre safety standards within UK’s commercial vehicle industry. This collaboration unites TyreSafe’s educational expertise with the RHA’s membership of over 8,500 companies operating more than 250,000 commercial vehicles. The initiative also extends to coach and van operators, ensuring a broad range of professionals receives targeted maintenance guidance.

The joint effort tackles persistent tyre challenges among small and regional haulage firms by reinforcing compliance and efficiency across fleets and supply chains. Recent roadside checks at Lymm and Exeter revealed a clear divide: larger national fleets maintain high tyre standards, while smaller operators struggle with poor condition and practices. The partnership focuses on raising awareness of tyre safety, supporting legal obligations and promoting best practices in inspections.

Poor tyre maintenance can lead to roadside breakdowns, unsafe conditions, higher fuel costs, legal penalties up to GBP 20,000 and individual driver fines of GBP 200 per illegal tyre plus penalty points. Proper management reduces blowout risks, improves fuel economy and CO₂ emissions, lowers downtime and maintenance costs and ensures compliance. Tyres are essential for safe braking, handling, load stability and control.

TyreSafe and the RHA will collaborate on targeted communications and educational campaigns to elevate tyre safety standards across the commercial vehicle sector. The partnership supports all operation levels, from owner-drivers to major fleets, ensuring tyre safety is recognised as a fundamental pillar of safe and responsible fleet management across UK’s road transport network.

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “We’re delighted to welcome the Road Haulage Association as an official TyreSafe supporter. This partnership is about engaging with the haulage sector – from fleet operators to professional HGV, coach and van drivers. Heavy goods vehicles keep our economy moving, but they also operate in demanding conditions where tyre safety is essential. While many larger fleets are leading the way, we know there is more to be done to support smaller and regional operators with key information about tyre safety management. By working together with the RHA, we can bridge that gap – empowering operators, drivers and technicians with the knowledge they need to keep vehicles safe, compliant and efficient.”

Geraint Davies, UK Director of Partnerships at the Road Haulage Association, said, “We’re pleased to be joining TyreSafe as a supporter and to strengthen our focus on tyre safety across the sector. Our members operate in a highly regulated environment where safety, compliance and efficiency are paramount. Tyres play a critical role in all three. This partnership will help us provide practical guidance and support to operators of all sizes, ensuring they can meet their responsibilities while protecting their drivers, their businesses and other road users.”

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Tana Oy is expanding its waste processing portfolio with the launch of its Multi Waste Buckets MWB17 and MWB23, positioning the products as a lower-cost alternative to standalone pre-shredders.

The loader-mounted attachments integrate pre-shredding and bag opening at the point of loading, eliminating the need for separate shredding equipment. The approach is designed to streamline operations by reducing material size earlier in the process, improving feed consistency for downstream sorting, recycling and energy recovery systems.

The company said the integrated solution can lower operating costs by cutting the number of machines required on site, reducing fuel consumption and maintenance needs and minimising unplanned downtime. By removing additional handling steps, the buckets also aim to simplify internal logistics and improve site efficiency.

The MWB units are designed for plug-and-play installation across a range of wheel loaders and material handlers, enabling operators to process waste directly at the loading stage. The system delivers a particle size of roughly 300–400 millimetre and throughput of up to 90 cubic metres per hour, supporting higher recovery rates and reduced wear on secondary equipment.

Both models feature a three-axle design intended to optimise cutting performance and material flow, supported by higher torque on outer axles and a faster central axle. Additional design elements including protected bearings and self-cleaning structures are aimed at improving durability and reducing maintenance requirements.

The MWB17 targets 10–15-tonne loaders, while the MWB23 is designed for 13–20-tonne machines, allowing deployment across varying operational scales. The company said the products can either replace or complement conventional pre-shredders as part of efforts to improve cost efficiency and sustainability in waste processing.

“Pre-shredding is the critical first step in turning waste into value. With the TANA Multi Waste Buckets, we are bringing that step directly into the loading phase making the process simpler, more flexible and significantly more cost-efficient for our customers,” says Eetu Tuovinen, Product Marketing Manager, Shredders, Tana Oy.

Field experience has shown that integrating pre-shredding into the loading phase can streamline site operations. “Customers have seen immediate benefits in terms of reduced transport needs, smoother material flow and less downtime in downstream equipment. The ability to pre-process waste on the spot changes how efficiently the whole site can operate,” says Tuovinen.

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