The unprecedented lockdown imposed in March last year turned the supply chain of companies upside down, and the tyre companies were no exception. However, the intensity of disturbance was relatively high for Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT), which exports more than 90 percent of its production. According to Padmakumar G, Executive Vice President – SCM at YOHT, unprecedented lockdown led to unprecedented initiatives for YOHT. “Most importantly, we learned the importance of being able to react, adapt and set up crisis management mechanisms to weather situations of uncertainty,” says Padmakumar G.

Q) Was Yokohama Off-Highway Tires (YOHT) ready for the unprecedented lockdown?

Padmakumar G: The whole of 2020 was an extraordinary time when ‘business as usual’ was not an option. From the beginning of the year, it was clear that we were braced for a marathon and not a sprint.

At work, we had a unique period of simultaneous supply and demand shocks. Our plants in India were closed for a couple of weeks. As they (plants) were finally allowed to operate, we faced government-mandated operating restrictions and labour shortages that prevented us from running the plants at total capacity.

On the positive side, our plant in Israel was running at full capacity and continued shipments as planned. All sales and administrative employees at global locations were working from home and were doing their best to be accessible at all times. In North America, our network of national warehouses was open, stocked at historically high inventory levels and operating at full local, regional, and national distribution capacity to ensure continued deliveries to locations.

Our competitive position, market share, brand and diversification of our businesses in products and regions helped us see some all-time highs during these challenging times.

Q) Vendors and customers got panicked because of the uncertainties instilled by the lockdowns. How did you keep their morale and confidence intact in those tough times?

Padmakumar G: Unprecedented lockdown led to unprecedented initiatives for YOHT. The acute restrictions and lockdowns created many urgent situations that required immediate attention in the early days of the pandemic. At YOHT, we believe that no crisis should go to waste.

Adaptability, inventiveness and tenacity of our team paved the way to a ‘recovery mode’, and we started planning for the longer-term proactively. We did not face substantial business and operational disruptions – from mitigating the effects of reduced supply to managing disruptions to logistics suppliers and hurdles in meeting their contractual obligations to customers.

YOHT has an agile team that quickly reprioritised the customers’ requirement and ensured critical supply continuation through our multiple sourcing locations. We closely integrated with suppliers, vendors and customers to have better visibility. Consistent communication and streamlining the complexity helped us keep our commitments while keeping the morale and confidence in the most challenging times.

Q) YOHT is mainly into export of products and imports of raw materials? How did you cope up with the supply-demand situation?

Padmakumar G: Prioritisation of critical supply with effective utilisation of available inventories of finished goods, raw materials, and production capacities were the immediate focus in the lockdown situation. What also helped is that we have a wide base of sourcing raw material from multiple sources. We were able to keep our facility running at full efficiency to meet market requirement. We stepped up all measures to ensure that our customers get our products in the earliest shipments.

Q) ATG is now a part of Yokohama, a global giant in the tyre industry. What changes has Yokohama brought in the supply chain?

Padmakumar G: Yokohama has a strong legacy of quality, and its manufacturing and supply chain is very process-driven. The Kaizen processes and digitalisation of our daily supply chain activities helped us improve our process and culture. 

Q) What did you learn from the pandemic?

Padmakumar G: The importance of supply chain resilience and risk management is more apparent than ever. Most importantly, we learned the importance of being able to react, adapt and set up crisis management mechanisms to weather situations of uncertainty. 

Q) There has always been pressure to reduce cost and improve efficiency by shortening the order-to-delivery period. Could you share a couple of examples highlighting the company’s efforts that reduced the cost and enhanced supply chain efficiency?

 Padmakumar G: To shorten the order to delivery, YOHT has initiated Strategic Inventory build-up through S&CP (Sales & Capacity Planning) and effective cost management through strategic buying of raw materials. We have also increased the manufacturing flexibility to reduce delivery in our business of handling 3500+SKU’s.

Q) What new ideas will the company implement at the Visakhapatnam plant to have better supply chain management?

Padmakumar G: Investment in technology that will gain data insights like MES & digitalisation, improving transparency and considerations on sustainability in the supply chain will be key focus areas of our SCM processes in the Visakhapatnam plant. 

Q) What are the current challenges in the business?

Padmakumar G: Current situation of increased raw material cost, an aggressive demand for containers and increased shipping cost are some of the major challenges in SCM across industries. 

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Sri Trang Group has reiterated its dedication to developing the natural rubber sector while protecting the environment and assisting nearby communities. The company recently held the second edition of its 2026 ‘One Sri Trang, One Environment’ initiative at Rubberland Products Company Limited's Mukdahan Branch. Worayan Bunnarat, Governor of Mukdahan, headed a delegation of senior provincial officials from the Provincial Industry, Labour and Public Health Offices. Community leaders and partner networks also participated to learn about the factory's responsible management approach.

Welcoming the delegation were Chalermpop Khanjan, Executive Director of Sri Trang Agro-Industry Public Company Limited, and Mustopa Longsaman, Factory Manager of the Mukdahan branch. A symbolic tree-watering ceremony opened proceedings, underscoring a collective commitment to environmental stewardship. Attendees then explored an exhibition displaying natural rubber innovations spanning the supply chain, from traceability systems to programmes enhancing local quality of life. A standout initiative converts discarded plastic bottles into eco-friendly brooms, creating income for residents. The exhibition also recognised collaborative efforts, backed by provincial authorities, that enabled the branch's TO BE NUMBER ONE Club to attain national distinction as a ‘Silver-Level Model Workplace, Year 1’.

Visitors witnessed production processes directly, with particular attention to odour prevention and control at the source. Measures include a fully enclosed raw material storage building, ozone-based air treatment and a biofilter system for reducing odours. The Mukdahan facility has further refined its environmental monitoring through E-Nose intelligent electronic nose technology, which identifies odours and evaluates their dispersion in real time while allowing continuous data sharing with local communities. Alongside this, the V-Pass Smart Receive digital system screens raw material transport vehicles from the outset, helping avert rubber serum leakage along transportation routes.

Sri Trang Group is confident the event will reinforce trust between the factory and neighbouring communities through transparent disclosure of its operational practices. The Group continues to pursue the facility's progression towards ‘green factory’ status and remains committed to stable, sustainable growth in partnership with rubber farmers, local communities and the environment.

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Hankook Tire has secured the title sponsorship of Rally US, Round 11 of the 2027 FIA World Rally Championship, the company announced during a signing ceremony at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas on 3 November. Representatives from Hankook, the WRC Promoter and the Rally US Organizing Committee attended the event.

The agreement grants Hankook naming rights to the rally, which will be staged as Hankook Rally US under the company’s unified global brand. It represents Hankook’s first title sponsorship of a WRC round.

Hankook Rally US will mark the WRC’s return to the United States after 39 years, since the Olympus Rally in Washington State in 1988. Set for 25–29 August 2027, the event will run on gravel stages across Tennessee and Kentucky, with Knoxville serving as rally headquarters and a ceremonial start in Nashville, which also hosts Hankook’s US headquarters.

Through the sponsorship, Hankook seeks to boost brand awareness in North America, especially in the US, one of the world’s largest automotive markets. The company plans to use exposure across rally stages, the WRC Arena, fan zones and podium backdrops to engage local motorsport fans and strengthen ties with customers and partners. Hankook has supplied tyres exclusively to all WRC classes since the 2025 season and supports more than 70 motorsport competitions worldwide, feeding event data into high-performance tyre research and development.

Rob Williams, Senior Vice President of Hankook Tire North America Headquarters, said, “The WRC’s historic return to the US marks a milestone for Hankook as our first title sponsorship of a WRC round. This partnership will showcase our tyre technology, elevate our premium brand presence and strengthen ties with customers and partners across North America.”

Matt Crews, President and CEO, Rally US, said, “We’re proud to represent America’s return to the World Rally Championship, and especially proud to do it alongside Hankook. Tennessee is my home state, and Hankook is a leader in our automotive industry, with its US headquarters in Nashville and its plant in Clarksville. Hankook Rally US gives them a great platform to showcase their brand to fans here at home and to the WRC’s audience around the world.”

Senator Bill Hagerty said, “Hankook has been a great employer and partner for the Tennessee economy since they decided to move operations to our state more than a decade ago. Seeing them serve as title partner for the FIA World Rally Championship’s return to America, right here in Tennessee, will put our state in front of a global audience, and I couldn’t be more pleased of how far that relationship has come.”

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Firestone, a Bridgestone Americas subsidiary, has introduced the Firestone Pathway AS, an all-season touring tyre built for everyday drivers. It comes in 73 sizes, giving it the widest vehicle coverage of any Firestone tyre, and pairs dependable performance and long tread life with value, all backed by a 65,000-mile limited mileage warranty.

Development was shaped heavily by consumer feedback, which pushed improvements in wet traction, tread life and ride comfort over the predecessor. The original plan called for 48 sizes, but 25 more were added mid-development to broaden market reach, helping Firestone cover nearly 77 percent of registered vehicles.

A tread compound engineered for longevity, additional sipes and an optimised see-through void promote even wear and sustained traction. Deep interlocking 3D sipes deliver grip from light snow to dry and wet pavement. Internal testing recorded wet braking gains of 18 percent against the Uniroyal Laredo HT, 11.7 percent against the Firestone All Season and 7.4 percent against the Toyo Extensa AS2, along with shorter dry braking than six leading rivals. Low rolling resistance also supports fuel efficiency in combustion-engine vehicles.

Nationwide availability is underway, with fitments covering popular models such as the Toyota Camry, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Outback, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chevrolet Equinox.

Leslie Sawyer, Senior Product Design Engineer, Bridgestone Americas, said, "Most drivers want a tyre they can depend on. The Firestone Pathway AS is designed to deliver reliable performance and long-lasting value, giving drivers the confidence they need in everyday driving situations."

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has entered into a conditional service agreement with an international operator that provides transport services to the energy sector. The agreement follows a letter of intent signed by the two parties on 17 March 2026 and marks a further step towards establishing a tyre pyrolysis plant in North America. Using Enviro’s technology, the facility is intended to recycle up to 50,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres annually.

Under the terms of the agreement, Enviro will produce the technical documentation needed for the plant’s permit applications and prepare an initial design for the entire facility. For these services, the company will receive a fixed fee of USD 2,000,000, corresponding to approximately SEK 19.5 million. The fee is divided between USD 500,000 for permit application work and USD 1,500,000 for plant design, with USD 450,000 payable once the customer decides to proceed and the remainder paid in instalments as various parts of the services are delivered. Additional work and technical support beyond the fixed-fee scope will be invoiced on an ongoing basis.

The start of Enviro’s work depends on the customer making a final decision to proceed with the project. That decision, in turn, requires the customer to have secured a site for the plant and to have entered into binding agreements with buyers of the plant’s two main products, oil and carbon black, covering at least 75 percent of expected production for each product. Should the customer neither decide to proceed by 31 December 2027 nor elect to continue, the agreement will terminate.

The assignment covers two principal deliverables: technical documentation required for environmental, planning and fire safety permit applications and an initial design of the whole plant, including drawings, equipment lists, calculations and technical specifications. The design will serve as the basis for more detailed engineering work before an investment decision. Enviro will also provide technical support during the permit application process for 12 months after delivering the permit documentation. The agreement does not grant any right to use Enviro’s technology to construct or operate the plant, which would require a separate licence agreement.

According to the timetable, the assignment is expected to be completed about seven months after the customer’s decision to proceed, with permit application documentation ready after roughly five months. The customer may terminate the assignment with 30 days’ notice, in which case Enviro is entitled to compensation for work performed and costs already incurred. Enviro remains entitled to compensation regardless of whether permits are granted or the plant is ultimately built. The agreement is described as an important step in Enviro’s strategy to establish technology-based plants internationally, with the design potentially forming the technical basis for a future licence agreement.

Fredrik Aaben, CEO, Enviro, said, “This is an important step towards establishing Enviro’s technology in North America. Together with the Customer, we are now moving from a letter of intent to a binding conditional agreement, and we look forward to designing the plant as soon as the project is ready to proceed.”

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