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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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, has launched Easter campaign to remind all road users that proper tyre maintenance is essential for a safe Easter getaway. With families carrying extra passengers, luggage and holiday treats, vehicles face increased strain, making tyre condition and pressure more critical than ever. Tyres are the only part of the car in contact with the road, so their health directly influences braking, handling and overall journey security.

Easter remains one of the busiest travel periods, and early signs point to another crowded weekend on British roads. According to the VisitEngland Domestic Trip Tracker 2025, a quarter of adults in Britain definitely planned an overnight Easter trip, with nearly one in five still undecided. As more families opt for UK breaks and rural staycations, the volume of traffic rises, and so does the reliance on tyres to cope with heavier loads and longer distances.

Carrying extra luggage, pushchairs, bikes and camping gear places significant additional weight on vehicles. Underinflated tyres under such loads lead to longer stopping distances, reduced stability, poorer steering control, greater risk of tyre failure and increased fuel consumption. Vehicle manufacturers provide specific pressure recommendations for fully loaded cars, yet many drivers overlook these adjustments before long journeys. Properly inflated tyres are vital to managing these risks.

Rural roads, popular for Easter escapes, remain the most dangerous in UK. A recent European Transport Safety Council report revealed that rural roads accounted for 59 percent of all UK road deaths in 2022, with over 10,100 fatalities in the past decade. While overall road deaths have fallen slightly, rural fatalities have not improved. Hazards such as sharp bends, narrow lanes, agricultural vehicles, poor lighting, potholes and slippery spring surfaces mean tyres must provide maximum grip and stability at all times.

TyreSafe’s own tread depth survey estimates that six million tyres on UK roads are illegal, meaning many vehicles are already unsafe before departure. To prevent Easter plans from unravelling, TyreSafe urges every driver to include tyre checks in their holiday routine, alongside packing and route planning, by embracing the simple ACT protocol: regular checks of air pressure, condition and tread depth.

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “Easter is a time for family, fresh air and making memories – but it’s also one of the busiest times on our roads. Heavily loaded vehicles, long journeys and rural routes can all increase risk if tyres aren’t properly maintained. Something as simple as adjusting your tyre pressures for a full car can make a significant difference to safety and performance. Before you hop off on your Easter adventure, take a few minutes to ACT – check your Air pressure, Condition and Tread. It’s a small step that could make a life-saving difference.”

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Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has introduced its 8th Environmental Action Plan, a strategic roadmap spanning five years leading up to 2030. This plan directly supports the ambitious goals outlined in the TG 2050 Environmental Challenge, particularly the pursuit of carbon neutrality. By setting these intermediate targets, the company reinforces its longstanding commitment to reducing its ecological footprint while aligning with global climate objectives.

The framework of this new action plan rests on three interconnected priorities: carbon neutrality (CN), circular economy (CE) and nature positivity (NP). Toyoda Gosei recognises that accelerating resource recycling is indispensable for achieving carbon neutrality, especially as climate change intensifies. At the same time, preserving a rich natural environment helps mitigate climate shifts, creating a mutually reinforcing cycle. Guided by the Group Charter for Global Environmental Conduct, the entire Toyoda Gosei Group is dedicated to environmentally responsible operations that integrate these three pillars seamlessly.

Since 1993, Toyoda Gosei has pursued five-year mid-range environmental targets, striving to become a leader in the field. The company declared its 2050 carbon neutrality goal in 2016 and later moved up its target for eliminating Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions from production activities to 2030. Having successfully met all goals in the 7th Environmental Action Plan covering fiscal years 2021 to 2025, Toyoda Gosei remains steadfast in actively driving further environmental initiatives to realise its newest commitments.

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Vittoria has expanded its Corsa PRO Control lineup with two new wider sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm, aimed at riders who demand high performance on rough pavement, cobblestones and compact gravel. These tyres balance speed and efficiency on asphalt with enhanced comfort, grip and control on challenging terrain, positioning them as a strong option among premium bike tyres for mixed-surface riding and as a fast gravel tyre.

This size increase reflects a broader shift in road and gravel cycling, as modern endurance, all-road and gravel race bikes now offer greater tyre clearance and aerodynamic optimisation for wider rubber. High-performance wide tyres are becoming the standard for riders seeking the ideal mix of speed, comfort and traction. The Corsa PRO Control belongs to Vittoria’s premium road racing family, engineered for demanding race conditions, while the Corsa PRO serves as the all-rounder and the Corsa PRO Speed targets time trials.

Extensive lab tests and rider feedback confirm that wider performance tyres at optimised pressures deliver the best balance of rolling efficiency, comfort and control. Lower pressure improves vibration damping, grip and puncture resistance without sacrificing speed. As the market moves beyond the traditional 28–30 mm range, Vittoria introduced the 38 mm and 42 mm Corsa PRO Control to provide race-level performance on rough asphalt and compact gravel, offering a comfortable road tyre that does not compromise speed, aerodynamics or control.

The new sizes retain the proven Graphene plus Silica compound and supple 320 TPI cotton casing for consistent grip and durability across terrains. A slick centre tread keeps rolling resistance low on asphalt, while increased tread thickness boosts puncture protection. The herringbone shoulder texture enhances cornering grip, traction and stability on uneven surfaces like cobblestones, broken asphalt and gravel roads.

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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, has joined forces with Road Safety Support (RSS), a not-for-profit organisation, in a new partnership rooted in their shared dedication to evidence-led road safety. As TyreSafe nears its 20th anniversary, it views this collaboration as vital to its mission of reducing tyre-related casualties and contributing to the ultimate goal of eliminating death and serious injury on British roads.

Road Safety Support brings specialised expertise to the table, working with police, highways authorities and safer roads partnerships both domestically and overseas. Their wide-ranging services include casualty data analysis, developing enforcement strategies, supporting speed and red-light camera technology, road safety marketing and providing independent expert evidence for traffic prosecutions.

This alliance strengthens TyreSafe’s existing network among enforcement and highways bodies, allowing tyre safety education and enforcement to be better integrated with broader road safety intelligence and operational data. By combining forces, TyreSafe gains access to RSS’s analytical and enforcement expertise to create more evidence-led campaigns, while RSS and its partners benefit from TyreSafe’s deep specialism in tyre condition research and practical guidance.

Underpinning the collaboration is a mutual recognition that reducing road harm demands coordinated, multi-disciplinary action. Both organisations are committed to the Safe System approach, ensuring that safer vehicles – particularly tyres – are given equal priority alongside safer roads, speeds and people. By blending RSS’s strengths in data, enforcement and legal processes with TyreSafe’s two decades of dedicated tyre safety knowledge, the partnership aims to deliver more consistent, informed and impactful road safety outcomes.

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “Tyre safety is a fundamental part of safe vehicles, yet it is still too often overlooked in the wider road safety conversation. Partnering with Road Safety Support is an important step in ensuring that tyre-related risk is better understood and addressed using robust data and real-world insight. As TyreSafe continues to work closely with police forces, highways authorities and local authorities, this partnership will help strengthen the evidence base that underpins effective enforcement, education and prevention activity.”

Emma Kelly, Development, PR and Advocacy Manager at Road Safety Support and Road Safety Support International, said, “Road Safety Support works with police forces, road safety partnerships and stakeholders to develop robust, evidence-led road safety strategies. Tyre condition plays a vital role in collision prevention, yet it can be underestimated when considering vehicle-related risk. Partnering with TyreSafe allows us to integrate specialist tyre safety knowledge into broader enforcement and safety frameworks, helping partners make more informed decisions and deliver more effective interventions.”

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