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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Tyres Europe is actively participating in the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Working Party on Noise and Tyres (GRBP), where efforts are underway to establish viable tyre abrasion limits. The organisation is contributing to the UNECE Task Force on Tyre Abrasion, which is advancing a proposed Regulation introducing abrasion requirements for type approval. This follows prior agreement on measurement methodologies, with the current focus shifting towards setting specific abrasion limits for passenger car tyres.

By providing ongoing technical input, Tyres Europe aims to support the creation of abrasion rules that are not only ambitious from an environmental standpoint but also practically enforceable. The organisation stresses the importance of globally harmonised standards for tyres, a product traded worldwide, to ensure consistent regulatory compliance and prevent market fragmentation. According to Secretary General Adam McCarthy, well-aligned international rules are also critical for the successful application of the Euro 7 framework within the European Union. Tyres Europe remains committed to contributing to the UNECE work programme to help shape abrasion provisions that can be effectively implemented and progressively refined over time.

Adam McCarthy, Secretary General, Tyres Europe, said, “Reducing tyre abrasion is an important environmental objective and it requires rules that are not only ambitious but also enforceable in practice. For a global product like tyres, globally aligned standards help deliver consistent compliance outcomes and avoid fragmentation across markets. This is also essential to support effective implementation under the Euro 7 framework in the EU.”

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Arun Mammen, chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), was part of the prime minister’s official delegation during a recent visit to Malaysia aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and economic co-operation between the two countries.

The visit provided a platform for engagement between Indian and Malaysian industry leaders across emerging and strategic sectors. Malaysian businesses expressed interest in collaborating with Indian companies in recycling and sustainability, technical textiles, defence components and advanced manufacturing equipment.

During the meetings, Mammen outlined the growth trajectory of the Indian tyre industry, citing rising domestic demand, export potential and an increased focus on innovation, sustainability and circular economy practices.

Industry representatives in Malaysia signalled interest in expanding partnerships, pointing to scope for greater industry-to-industry co-operation in the coming years.

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At the Green Week 2026 in Berlin, AZuR network’s partner NEW LIFE reached an audience of 350,000 by showcasing the environmental potential of mechanically recycling tyres into high-quality raw materials and end products. Operating under the banner ‘ZERO WASTE INSTEAD OF ZERO FUTURE’, the group occupied a central position in the newly established ZERO themed area. One of the most engaging exhibits was a large tortoise sculpture from partner KRAIBURG Relastec, crafted entirely from rubber granulate, which captured the imagination of younger attendees and symbolised the creative reuse of materials.

The very floor of the exhibition space demonstrated a practical application, being composed of interlocking tiles made from recycled tyre rubber supplied by MRH Mülsen. Visitors and exhibitors alike noted the comfort and resilience of this flooring, which reduced leg fatigue over long days and offered benefits such as impact noise reduction, high durability and easy cleaning. The simple click-together installation, requiring no adhesives, further underscored the product’s practicality and reusability.

Network coordinator Christina Guth observed enthusiastically broad and positive engagement from diverse sectors including politics, municipal planning, agriculture and landscaping. This sentiment was echoed by Elke Sondermann-Becker of Regupol, who noted that the strong public interest reflected a contemporary demand for sustainable solutions made from recycled materials. The initiative’s message was further amplified through an interactive quiz on the main stage in Hall 27, where attendees could win items like an elegant vase from Conradi+Kaiser or horse figurines, all made from rubber granulate.

During the Green Week Startup Days, Daniel Schockmann from Regupol took to the stage to outline how tyre recycling opens new pathways for a climate-friendly circular economy, highlighting solutions that are both ecologically and economically sound. Meanwhile, a dedicated specialist conference, the PLAYGROUND:TALKS, addressed sustainable urban recreational spaces. Experts including Sabine Rehberg, Dr Georg Maxein and Ralf Hertrampf presented to approximately 150 guests on the critical role of rubber granulate fall protection surfacing.

These elastic, impact-absorbing floors – installable as seamless surfaces or tiles – meet stringent safety standards for indoor and outdoor use, protecting against injuries from falls of up to three metres. They are robust, weather-resistant and slip-resistant while also offering design versatility through various colours and finishes. Beyond enhancing safety and accessibility, such solutions help municipalities and clubs achieve budgetary efficiency and a reduced environmental footprint, proving that innovation in tyre recycling supports both community well-being and circular economy goals.

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MAXAM Tire has launched the MSV01 PRO, a versatile crane tyre engineered for demanding dual-environment use, merging highway efficiency with off-road resilience. Its robust TBR-style casing and closed-shoulder tread configuration are central to its extended service life and stable handling across diverse terrains. Certified with an F-Speed rating for travel up to 50 mph (80 kmph), the tyre ensures safe and confident transit between job sites.

The meticulously engineered tread pattern significantly dampens road noise and vibration, directly improving operator comfort during extended transport. On paved surfaces, the design enhances fuel efficiency and steering responsiveness, while the deep, aggressive lug pattern ensures formidable grip in soft, muddy or wet off-road conditions.

This product underscores MAXAM’s dedicated investment in innovative tyre solutions that directly address the critical needs of industries dependent on unimpeded equipment mobility and sustained productivity, offering a single-tyre solution that eliminates compromises between on-road speed and off-road traction.

Jimmy McDonnel, VP – Sales and Marketing, MAXAM Tire, said, “With the MSV01, we’re expanding our commitment to deliver purpose-built solutions for specialty equipment. This tyre was engineered based on direct feedback from crane operators and fleet owners who needed more reliability both on the highway and in off-the-road environments. The MSV01 delivers the comfort, stability and traction performance that today’s demanding job sites require while reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency.”

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