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 Tire Industry Project (TIP) has released the updated Product Category Rules (PCR) for tyres in collaboration with UL Environment. This revision establishes a more robust framework for measuring environmental performance and promotes consistent transparency throughout the tyre sector.

A Product Category Rule serves as a standardised guide for manufacturers to conduct lifecycle assessments and create Environmental Product Declarations that enable meaningful comparisons between similar products. Valid for the next five years, the revised PCR integrates current scientific findings, including enhanced methods for tracking greenhouse gas emissions. It reflects modern production realities such as the adoption of renewable energy in manufacturing plants and incorporates evolving vehicle technologies like improved fuel economy and alternative fuel sources. The update also mandates uniform reporting when new materials are introduced, simplifying the monitoring of sustainability advancements.

Independently adopted by the 10 member companies of the Tire Industry Project, which collectively account for 60 percent of global tyre production capacity, this fourth edition encourages wider voluntary implementation across the industry. Developed through collaboration among major manufacturers, the PCR standardises how environmental footprints are calculated from raw material extraction through disposal, ensuring comparability of Environmental Product Declarations. This comparability supports environmentally conscious purchasing decisions and fosters ongoing improvements in sustainability across the value chain.

Key enhancements include refined carbon footprint calculations addressing biogenic carbon, expanded applicability to all tyre categories including off-road and specialty tyres and greater regional accuracy by incorporating localised data on end-of-life tyre management, vehicle efficiency, energy mixes and payload considerations. The methodology now provides a clear hierarchy for assessing impacts in multi-product manufacturing environments, aligns impact indicators with the European Commission’s Environmental Footprint 3.1 framework and updates raw material datasets and emission factors for improved data quality.

UL Solutions, an independent safety science organization, collaborated closely on developing and publishing this updated PCR.

Dr Larisa Kryachkova, Executive Director, TIP, said, “The updated PCR reflects years of collaboration and investment to advance sustainability across the tyre value chain. Our goal is to strengthen environmental reporting. With a common methodology, we support better industry-wide decision-making, turning ambition into positive environmental action.”

Ranee Valles, Director and General Manager – Product Sustainability, UL Solutions, said, “Transparent, standardised reporting enables manufacturers, regulators, fleet operators and consumers to make informed choices about the products they use or supply. Our collaboration with TIP reflects a shared commitment to credible, science-driven solutions, and we’re grateful for TIP’s leadership in advancing scientific rigour and industry alignment on environmental reporting.”

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Sun Auto Tire & Service, one of the largest independent tyre and automotive service providers in US, has expanded into Colorado by acquiring 23 locations from DAS Drive Automotive Services, marking its entry into the state. This move establishes a notable presence for the company in the greater Denver area while simultaneously enhancing its existing footprint in Arizona. As a result, the Sun Auto Network broadens its service coverage throughout the Southwest region.

With the integration of these locations into the network, customers will now benefit from an expanded suite of offerings. These include access to well-known national tyre brands, the implementation of digital vehicle inspections and an extended range of service capabilities. Furthermore, a nationwide warranty, supported by over 575 locations across the country, provides added assurance. The acquired shops will also tap into shared operational resources, benefit from advanced training initiatives and utilise integrated technology systems, all designed to ensure a uniform and high-quality experience for customers and support for technicians.

This strategic growth is in line with Sun Auto's overarching goal of sustainable expansion. The company prioritises partnerships with established operators who demonstrate a strong dedication to service excellence, the professional development of their teams, and deep-rooted community ties. Through this latest acquisition, the Sun Auto Network continues to extend access to dependable automotive care while reinforcing the communities and personnel fundamental to its ongoing success.

Chris Ripani, Chief Operations Officer, said, "We're excited to welcome these respected brands and their teams to the Sun Auto Network. Each of these businesses has built strong relationships in their communities by delivering dependable service and taking care of customers the right way. That commitment aligns perfectly with the values we look for in every partnership."

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TyreSafe, UK’s charity dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, has welcomed Essex Police as its newest road safety partner, furthering a joint effort to address the dangers posed by defective and unlawful tyres across one of UK’s most expansive and varied policing regions. As the largest non-metropolitan force in the country, Essex Police serves over 1.86 million residents, covering a diverse landscape that includes dense urban areas, vast agricultural regions, 400 miles (approximately 643.74 km) of coastline and key national assets such as Stansted Airport and the Port of Tilbury.

This partnership adds Essex Police to a nationwide network of more than 250 TyreSafe affiliates, all working collaboratively to reduce collisions stemming from tyre-related offences and neglected vehicle upkeep. The force’s Head of Roads Policing, Adam Pipe, characterised 2025 as exceptionally tragic due to a spike in road deaths. In response, enforcement was intensified, revealing a persistent pattern of tyre violations during checks.

Officers noted that tyre defects frequently appear on vehicles driven by individuals under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This combination of risky behaviour and poor vehicle care significantly endangers others. During the winter anti-drink and drug driving initiative, Operation Limit, numerous tyre issues came to light. These included a vehicle stopped with four completely bald tyres, two of which showed exposed cords, leading to an immediate driving ban. A single day of action in Maldon uncovered eight construction and use offences, ranging from shallow tread to sidewall damage. At least one driver was reported for visible tyre cords, an offence that typically attracts fines and licence points. The Commercial Vehicle Unit also utilised thermal cameras and tread gauges during HGV inspections, finding that a considerable number of commercial vehicles required warnings or prohibitions for tyres nearing the legal limit.

These incidents highlight the widespread nature of the problem and the substantial threat it poses to everyone using Essex’s roads. Defective tyres are a major but avoidable hazard, contributing to diminished control, longer stopping distances and heightened danger in wet conditions. UK regulations mandate a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm for cars and vans and 1 mm for large goods vehicles and larger motorcycles. Tyres must also be free of significant damage and correctly rated for their vehicle. Offenders risk fines reaching GBP 2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.

Inspector Steve Rooney, Roads Policing, Essex Police, said, “We are seeing first-hand just how many vehicles on our roads are being driven with tyres that are worn, defective or in an outright dangerous condition. The risk to the public is enormous, yet the fear of detection among offenders remains low. By partnering with TyreSafe, we aim to raise awareness, improve compliance and ultimately reduce avoidable harm on our roads.”

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “We are delighted to welcome Essex Police as a TyreSafe road safety partner. The scale and diversity of Essex’s road network – from urban centres to major freight routes – means the force plays a vital role in protecting millions of road users every day. Enforcement highlights the issue, but education and awareness are equally important. By working together, we can ensure more road users understand their legal responsibilities and the simple checks they can carry out to keep their tyres safe and roadworthy. Preventing tyre-related incidents is entirely achievable, and partnerships like this are key to reducing avoidable harm on our roads.”

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Tana Oy, a Finnish environmental technology company specialising in manufacturing mobile solid waste shredders, screens and landfill compactors, has strengthened its footprint in Taiwan by appointing Infinity Services Co., Ltd. as its official agent. This partnership is set to improve service and engineering support throughout the region. Infinity Services brings a highly skilled management and technical team with extensive experience in environmental and recycling equipment operations.

With Tana already established in Taiwan for several years, Infinity Services will now provide reliable local support for the existing fleet of machines, ensuring customers benefit from enhanced technical expertise. This move underscores Tana’s long-term dedication to the Taiwanese market, offering faster response times and comprehensive after-sales service, thereby reinforcing the company’s commitment to delivering superior customer care and operational efficiency in the region

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