The downward revision in the world supply outlook for 2020 is largely due to the scaling down of the outlook for Thailand and India, according to ANRPC. The outlook on the production of NR in Thailand has been scaled down by 332,000 tonnes to 4.478 million tonnes. The country’s revised outlook for 2020 represents a 7.7% decline from the previous year as against a 0.9% anticipated fall reported a month ago.

The harvesting and primary processing of rubber in Thailand are severely affected by acute shortage of labourers. The migrant labourers from neighbouring countries and those from other provinces within the country find it difficult to reach back and resume the various farm management activities including tapping and primary processing. Aggravating the situation, tropical storm ‘Noul’ damaged rubber plantations in several provinces of Thailand in the last week of September besides causing heavy rains, flash floods, and water run-offs.

In August, northern Thailand was hit by the tropical storm ‘Sinlaku’ causing flash floods in 18 northern provinces of the country. The loss in output arising from previous year’s incidence of a new fungal leaf disease is already factored in. Abnormal leaf fall resulting from fungal diseases usually impacts on the yield performance of the affected for two succeeding years.

In India, the production anticipated in 2020 has been scaled down by 42,000 tonnes to 668,000 tonnes, ANRPC study said. The revised outlook represents a 4.8% decline from the previous year as against a 1.1% anticipated increase reported a month ago. The country’s NR production sector is impacted by a burst in the number daily new cases of Covid-19 infections in the State of Kerala since the beginning of September and the abnormal leaf fall caused by the outbreak of Phytophthora leaf disease during July and August. It is reported that the incidence of abnormal leaf fall during this year is less severe compared to the previous year.

Demand fall

There has also been a fall in world consumption of NR by 11.7% y/y to 8.151 million tonnes during the first eight months of 2020 (Jan-Aug), as per preliminary estimates. Based on the revised estimates and forecasts, the world consumption outlook for the full year 2020 is marginally scaled up by 67,000 tonnes to 12.611 million tonnes by representing an 8.4% fall from the previous year. The outlook for 2020 as reported a month ago was 12.544 million tonnes by representing an 8.9% fall from the previous year.

China has marginally revised up its consumption outlook for 2020 in view of an observed earlier-than expected economic recovery and acceleration in growth. A survey conducted by Nikkei revealed that the growth has been more pronounced in the manufacturing sector. The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) improved to 51.5 in September from 51.0 recorded in August and 51.3 anticipated for September, according to a survey conducted by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. The country’s automobile sector has made a major turnaround. The domestic retail sales of passenger vehicles, including minivans, SUVs and multipurpose vehicles, increased 7.4% y/y in September 2020, the third straight monthly gain. The domestic sales of passenger vehicles had increased 6.0% y/y in August 2020.

As per the revised outlook, China is anticipated to consume 5.055 million tonnes of NR during 2020, down 8.9% from the previous year. The country’s consumption outlook for 2020, as reported a month ago was 5.043 million tonnes, down 9.1% from the previous year.

India has scaled-up its consumption outlook for 2020 to 923,000 tonnes from 900,000 tonnes reported earlier in the year. Auto sales in India have made a U-turn. The domestic sales of passenger car increased 31.3% y/y in September 2020, the highest growth over the past 27 months. The trend reversal in passenger car is driven by preference for personal mobility during the pandemic, gradual opening up of markets, easing of supply-chains, labour availability, and excitement of new vehicle launches. The domestic sales of two-wheeler grew 12% y/y in September 2020, the highest growth over the past 21 months. Sales of tractor increased 16% y/y during the month, the highest growth over many years in the past.  The domestic sales of LVC (Light Commercial Vehicles) and M&HCV (Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles) declined by 3.0% each during the month, after double digit declines till August 2020.

Looking ahead, according to ANRPC, the world demand for NR will remain constrained by the uncertainties clouding the global economic recovery, acceleration in the number of new coronavirus cases, reintroduction of control measures and partial lockdowns across countries and a likely long delay in the mass availability of the vaccine. On the positive side, there are increased hopes of further fiscal aid in the US to keep its economy on track. The White House has reportedly raised its stimulus offer from the earlier proposed $1.0 trillion to $1.5 trillion, and further to $1.8 trillion, though that is still short of $2.2 trillion proposed by the Democrats.

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ContiTech, a group sector of Continental AG, has been distinguished with two significant supplier awards in the Chilean mining industry. The company was named the Best Conveyor Belt Supplier for the third time in a row and, in a new achievement, was also recognised as the Best Supplier of Belt Cleaners.

These accolades are based on Phibrand's independent 2025 survey, a highly respected benchmark in the sector. The extensive research involved interviews with approximately 400 users from nearly 60 mining companies. The evaluation criteria included essential factors like quality and performance, with sustainability newly added as a critical category. The honours were conferred during a special ceremony by Carlos Hunt, Regional Ministerial Secretary (Seremi) of the Chilean government, and Antiza Vladilo from Corporación Alta Ley, underscoring the award's significance.

Andreas Gerstenberger, CEO of ContiTech USA and Head of Industrial Solutions Americas business area, said, “Being recognised for the third time in a row as the best conveyor belt supplier and, for the first time, as best supplier of belt cleaners in Chile is a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to excellence. These awards reinforce our dedication to supporting Chile’s mining industry with reliable, high-performance and sustainable solutions that keep operations moving efficiently and safely.”

Thomas Lau, Head of Plant Management at ContiTech Industrial Solutions Americas in Santiago, Chile, said, “These awards belong to our people. They reflect the daily effort of every team member to deliver not only top-quality products but also the technical support and service flexibility that our customers rely on. We are especially proud that sustainability has been highlighted as a key criterion this year... it’s an area where we continue to innovate and lead.”

Sven Hlywiak, Vice President – Customer Engineered Solutions, ContiTech Industrial Solutions Americas, said, “At ContiTech, we believe that engineered solutions must go beyond product performance; they must integrate seamlessly with each customer’s operational goals. This recognition demonstrates that our customer-centric and collaborative approach together with our deep technical expertise are making a tangible difference in the success and growth of Chile’s mining operations.”

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In a significant expansion of its global retail footprint, NEXEN TIRE has inaugurated its first dedicated brand shops in Bahrain and Kuwait. This strategic move underscores the company's focused effort to grow within key emerging markets, including the Middle East, South America and Southeast Asia. The Middle East is particularly vital, representing the company's third-largest overseas market, a position cultivated since establishing its Dubai branch in 2009.

The expansion is driven by a ‘shop branding’ strategy, which involves collaborating with local partners to apply a consistent and recognisable brand identity to tire stores. This approach ensures a uniform customer experience through standardised purple signage, interior design and displays, thereby strengthening brand recognition and loyalty in a cost-effective manner. This flexible model allows NEXEN TIRE to create tailored, immersive brand environments that adapt to the specific needs of each local market while maintaining a cohesive global image.

The company's global branding initiative has seen remarkable progress. In 2025 alone, NEXEN TIRE introduced its brand identity to more than 130 stores worldwide. This builds upon a substantial foundation of approximately 400 stores that have been similarly branded over the preceding four years. This rapid growth has been evident across diverse regions. In Europe, the brand's presence was solidified in major cities including Frankfurt, Milan, Lyon and London. Simultaneously, a significant rollout occurred in Turkey, with 50 local stores in metropolitan hubs like Istanbul and Ankara adopting the new identity.

Beyond established markets, NEXEN TIRE is making substantial inroads in high-potential emerging economies. Recent efforts have resulted in 12 branded stores across the Middle East and North Africa, 16 in South American nations such as Brazil and Argentina and 13 throughout Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Thailand. Through these partnerships with local distributors, NEXEN TIRE is systematically enhancing its international profile and market penetration.

John Bosco (Hyeon Suk) Kim, CEO, NEXEN TIRE, said, “Our shop branding project serves as a strategic foundation for enhancing brand value in developed markets while unlocking growth potential in emerging economies. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen localised, customised marketing and build global partnerships, expanding customer touchpoints to further solidify our position in the global market.”

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Yokohama Rubber Co has announced that its Mexican subsidiary, Yokohama Industries Americas de Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. (YIA Mexico), will expand its production capacity. YIA Mexico manufactures air conditioning and transmission oil cooling hose assemblies for the North American market.

The expansion involves constructing a new building on approximately 32,000 square metres of land adjacent to the existing plant, more than doubling the current site area. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, with operations expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The expansion aims to strengthen YIA Mexico’s profitability and support the continued growth of Yokohama Rubber’s hose and couplings business.

The move is part of the growth strategy within Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), the company’s medium-term management plan, which positions the hose and couplings business as a driver. Expanding capacity at YIA Mexico is an effort to restructure the MB Segment’s value chain and North American production network.

Prior to construction, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on 14 October, attended by local government officials, including the governor of the state of Aguascalientes and the mayor of the city of San Francisco de los Romo.

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In a significant move to reinforce their strategic partnership, ZC Rubber recently hosted a delegation from International Tyres, the exclusive UK distributor for its WESTLAKE tyre brand, at its Hangzhou headquarters. The visit, which included Managing Director Andy Jackson and Commercial Director Richard Allen, was centred on a mutual dedication to providing superior product quality, reliable supply chains and excellent service for commercial vehicle operators in the United Kingdom. The itinerary provided a comprehensive look into ZC Rubber's operations, beginning with a corporate showroom that detailed the company's brand history, global presence and future innovation strategies, including its sustainability efforts.

The tour then progressed to two key manufacturing facilities. The first was the Future Factory for passenger car tyres, where the delegation observed highly automated production lines. This facility demonstrated a commitment to smart manufacturing through real-time quality monitoring, end-to-end traceability and automated logistics, all designed to ensure consistent product quality while improving environmental efficiency. The second site visited was the Zhongce Qingquan TBR plant, which specialises in all-steel truck and bus radial tyres. Here, the guests witnessed the entire production process, from initial material mixing to final inspection.

The tour emphasised robust construction techniques, precise engineering and stringent quality checks that contribute to the tyre's durability and potential for retreading. This collaborative visit has set a strong foundation for the two companies to continue aligning on product availability and responsive support, ensuring that UK fleets receive dependable performance and value from WESTLAKE tyres across various demanding applications.

Leo Liao, European Sales Director of ZC Rubber International Business, said, “International Tyres is a trusted partner, and visits like this ensure we stay closely aligned with the expectations of UK customers.”

Andy Jackson, Managing Director, International Tyres, said, “We appreciated the open access to ZC Rubber’s teams and facilities. Seeing the manufacturing and quality processes behind WESTLAKE strengthens our confidence in the product and our ability to support fleets across the UK.”

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