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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The Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR) is broadening its international footprint with a new European project group focused on tyre retreading. An inaugural online meeting for this initiative is scheduled for 22 July 2026, marking the first step in creating a pan-European network uniting companies, research bodies and sector specialists.

Retreading extends the lifespan of premium tyre casings, conserving raw materials and reducing CO₂ emissions while supporting Europe's circular economy. The sector faces regulatory shifts, including the ESPR Regulation, the Digital Product Passport and heightened traceability mandates.

The AZuR project group will serve as a permanent forum for retreaders, tyre makers, equipment suppliers, research institutes and associations. The agenda prioritises innovation, digitalisation, legislation, best practices and joint ventures, with the kick-off session defining the group's mission, thematic focus and structure.

The online meeting via Microsoft Teams on 22 July from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM CEST invites existing AZuR partners and new European stakeholders. Retreaders, manufacturers, academic institutions and associations are encouraged to participate and shape the platform from its inception.

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Triangle Tyre has secured a position on the 2026 list of China’s 500 Most Valuable Brands, with a recorded valuation of RMB 65.156 billion (approximately USD 9.62 billion). The announcement came during the 23rd World Brand Conference, hosted by World Brand Lab in Beijing on 24 June. The company’s inclusion underscores a consistent upward trajectory in brand equity, driven by comprehensive operational capabilities and sustained industrial focus.

The annual ranking assesses brands through financial metrics, brand strength and consumer behaviour analysis. The entry threshold rose to RMB 5.089 billion (approximately USD 751.62 million), while the collective brand value of the top 500 reached RMB 45.29 trillion (approximately USD 6.69 trillion), a year-on-year increase of RMB 3.26 trillion (approximately USD 481.48 billion). These figures highlight the accelerating expansion and rising influence of indigenous Chinese brands.

Central to Triangle Tyre’s brand prominence is its commitment to proprietary research. The company holds over 1,000 active patents and has achieved breakthroughs in giant engineering radial tyres, direct-pressure vulcanisation and aircraft radial tyres, establishing a fully independent intellectual property system. In May 2026, its self-developed civil aviation tyre received technical authorisation from the Civil Aviation Administration, followed by AS9100D aerospace quality certification in June.

Triangle Tyre has also integrated green design and low-carbon manufacturing across operations, utilising smart factories to enhance digital lean production. These efforts have yielded quality and efficiency gains, while the company’s environmental strategy earned the EcoVadis Gold Medal and strengthened its ESG framework. The brand’s national recognition affirms its innovative capacity and market performance, and the company aims to consolidate its competitive position through continued technological and operational excellence.

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Liberty Tire Recycling, North America’s foremost tyre recycler, has announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Womble, has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for 2026 in the East Central region. The honour, presented by Ernst & Young LLP, distinguishes visionary business leaders who demonstrate exceptional innovation, sustained growth and a commitment to creating lasting value within their industries.

An independent panel of judges recognised Womble for his transformative leadership at the helm of the nation’s largest tyre recycling enterprise. Under his guidance, the organisation has evolved from a regional operator concentrated along the East Coast and Midwest into the only fully integrated, coast-to-coast recycler of its kind in North America. His efforts have been pivotal in pioneering advanced, sustainable applications for scrap tyre materials.

Beyond operational expansion, Womble has spearheaded several industry-first initiatives that underscore his commitment to environmental stewardship. He co-founded the Tire Recycling Foundation and serves on its board while also overseeing the publication of the company’s inaugural Sustainability Report. Additionally, he has forged strategic partnerships to address the collection and recycling of specialised tyres, such as those from bicycles and mining equipment, across both United States and Canada.

Established in 1986, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme subjects nominees to a rigorous evaluation process that weighs financial performance, strategic growth and personal dedication to community impact. Regional winners like Womble are celebrated for their role in reshaping industries and fostering long-term economic and social progress.

Womble said, “Being recognised as Entrepreneur of the Year is one of the highlights of my entire career. I think entrepreneurship is what the American dream is built on. It's certainly what my DNA is built on, and to be honoured with such people that are making such a difference in the world is quite an achievement.”

Shannon Crone, Entrepreneur Of The Year East Central Program Co-Director and EY Executive Director, said, "Through their vision, focus and commitment to growth, they are building companies that move markets forward, create opportunities for their teams and strengthen the communities around them.”

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Prometeon Tyre Group has published its 2025 Sustainability Report, reinforcing the company’s commitment to environmental, social, governance and economic priorities. The document illustrates how sustainability considerations are now embedded within operational frameworks and strategic planning across the global tyre manufacturer’s industrial, agricultural and off-the-road segments.

The report highlights notable energy achievements, with renewable and high-efficiency sources accounting for 51.5 percent of total consumption. Certified green electricity and biomass represented 31.3 percent, while combined heat and power systems contributed 20.2 percent. For electricity specifically, the renewable share reached 47.5 percent, with the Milan headquarters and Cinisello Balsamo R&D centre fully powered by certified green energy and a new 116 kWp photovoltaic installation.

The Gravataí plant in Brazil maintained carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions through renewable certificates and a biomass boiler for process steam. Overall energy intensity per finished tonne dropped 14.7 percent since 2016, supporting the company’s ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2040, in line with the Science Based Targets initiative’s 1.5°C pathway, despite a challenging international policy environment.

Material circularity also advanced, with recycled content reaching approximately seven percent, driven by increased recycled steel, rice husk ash-derived silica and pyrolysis oil-based carbon black. From January 2025, Turkish-produced Coach C02 tyres incorporate 23 percent ISCC+ certified materials via mass balance. The Group also earned a B score for Climate Change and B- for Water Security from CDP, placing it at the Management level for structured environmental governance.

Supply chain oversight intensified with 21 supplier audits covering 18 percent of annual raw material expenditure, assessing labour standards, safety and association rights, while cumulative coverage since 2021 reached 99 percent. Prepared under Global Reporting Initiative standards, the report underscores Prometeon’s systematic approach to measuring and communicating its economic, environmental and social impacts.

Nicolas Marchi, Chief of Internal Audit, Compliance, Sustainability & Institutional Relations Officer, Prometeon, said, “The 2025 Sustainability Report confirms Prometeon’s ability to translate its ESG objectives into tangible and measurable results. The increase in the share of energy from renewable and high-efficiency sources, the growth in the use of recycled materials and the recognition achieved through the CDP assessment demonstrate the soundness of the strategy we are implementing. In a rapidly evolving global scenario, we continue to view sustainability as a key driver of competitiveness, innovation and attractiveness. For this reason, we remain firmly committed to our journey towards net zero by 2040, engaging the entire value chain and further strengthening our commitment to people, customers, partners and the communities in which we operate.”

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