Bansal Wire Industries, India’s largest stainless steel wire manufacturing company, is charting a dynamic course in the Indian tyre market with innovative solutions aimed at enhancing performance and sustainability. Leveraging its expertise in the automotive sector, the company is introducing advanced steel cords and bead wire products designed to improve tyre efficiency, rolling resistance and fuel economy.

Bansal Wire Industries is optimistic on capitalising on the growth of the Indian tyre market as tyre makers endeavour to offer more efficient rubber wheels. The Delhi-based conglomerate is planning to introduce products within its tyre-industry portfolio that will improve performance. The company already caters to the automobile industry with products spanning outer and inner spring, circlips and washer categories.

Speaking to Tyre Trends on upcoming products, Managing Director Pranav Bansal iterated, “Our modern manufacturing setup enhances product performance; this is particularly in line with current industry trends as we move towards producing super tension and super tensile plus steel cord products. These innovations are expected to improve rolling resistance and reduce tyre weight, both of which contribute to better fuel efficiency and performance. We are actively embracing complete digitalisation and bringing more automation into our processes, helping us increase efficiency and ensure product consistency.”

He added, “We pride ourselves in being the only Indian company manufacturing steel cord for the PCR and TBR sectors with offerings in normal tensile, high tensile and super tensile (ST). Additionally, we have expanded our bead wire manufacturing capabilities with facilities in both South and North India and we continue to explore innovations to serve the evolving needs of the tyre industry.”

Alluding to the reason behind expanding into the tyre industry, he noted, “Our expansion into the tyre industry is driven by the increasing demands of durable, high-quality materials and products, as supported by industry research reports done by Invest India, among others. By diversifying our product portfolio, we aim to meet this demand for efficient materials. By focusing on high-quality steel cords and bead wires, we help improve tyre performance, which in turn enhances vehicle stability, handling and safety, especially under challenging road conditions.”

“The Indian tyre industry has witnessed a significant growth over the past few years, which is driven by an exponential increase in production, domestic sales, exports and overall revenue. An integral growth factor in this is the increase in the ownership of vehicles, which further aids the tyre industry. Additionally, the surge in demand for tyres for trucks and buses, fuelled by expanding mobility and industrialisation, has given a boost to the sector,” he added.

The company caters to over 5,000 customers, offering more than 4,000 different wire products across industries such as automotive, infrastructure and consumer durables. While its primary market is India, the manufacturer also exports products to over 50 countries. The US and Europe are among its largest markets, where it continues to see significant demand for products.

Industry talk

Bansal mentioned that the increasing demand in the automotive industry, domestically, presents tremendous opportunities for the company. “Our high-performing products allow us to constantly evolve. However, challenges like fluctuating raw material prices as well as the changing regulatory requirements could impact. Expansion internationally, specifically in regions like the US and Europe, provides significant opportunities, but geo-political risks and trade regulations could challenge the operations on a global level,” he noted.

Alluding to the strategies implemented by the company to meet the growing demands, he iterated, “In the automotive and tyre industry, collaboration with stakeholders is key to driving innovation and meeting the growing demand for high-quality wire products. We focus on building strong partnerships with manufacturers, suppliers and research institutions to align our solutions with industry needs. Regular engagement through industry forums, trade shows and feedback mechanisms allow us to understand evolving requirements and deliver solutions that enhance performance, safety and sustainability. By participating in joint development projects, sharing technical expertise and staying updated on emerging trends, we ensure our products remain at the forefront of technological advancements.”

Quality and sustainability

The company has manufacturing facilities for bead wire in both South and North India. The production capacity at its South India facility is 50 kilotonnes per year, and at the North India facility, it is 30 kilotonnes per year. Additionally, it has a pilot manufacturing site for steel cords in North India, which currently has a production capacity of 20 kilotonnes per year. The company plans to gradually scale up this capacity to meet the growing demand of the tyre industry. 

Commenting on quality measures implemented to derive industry-grade materials, he explained, “We are committed to ensuring the highest product quality and will soon be the only company in India with dedicated in-house research and development wing for both steel cord and bead wire. Our research and development facility spans 12,000 square feet and is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to drive innovation. To achieve 'First Time Right' production, we have conducted extensive gap analyses of our processes and implemented all necessary improvements. Additionally, our manufacturing facilities are equipped with cutting-edge machinery, all integrated with a complete digital interface to capture real-time data, ensuring the highest standards in production and quality.”

The company also puts focus in the principles of circularity with several initiatives. “Sustainability is a core focus area for us and we are addressing it in several ways. Our use of renewable energy has reached 70 percent in some of our plants and we are dedicatedly moving towards water positivity in many of our facilities. We are exploring the use of green steel in both our steel cord and bead wire products. To further reduce our environmental impact, we are investing in energy-efficient machinery and continuously seeking ways to minimise emissions across our operations,” said Bansal.

Future course

According to Bansal, the company is anticipating several key trends that will influence its business, including a strong focus on product innovation to enhance performance and quality. “We are committed to show resilience to maintain operational stability in dynamic markets. We work dedicatedly to improve the customer experience through feedback and satisfaction while also fostering diversity and inclusion within our workplace culture. Sustainability and corporate social responsibility remain priorities, alongside embracing technological advances to optimise our operations and product offerings for the future. These trends will guide our growth and ensure we stay ahead in a competitive market,” explained Bansal.

Besides, the company is also focused on significant growth opportunities through the establishment of new facilities and capacity expansions. “Our new manufacturing site in North India for both steel cord and bead wire has a current steel cord capacity of 20 kilotonnes per year with plans to scale it to 200 kilotonnes per year over the next five years. In bead wire, we now have two new state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in South and North India with a combined production capacity of 80 kilotonnes per year, ensuring that we are well positioned to meet the increasing demand from our customers in the coming years,” concluded Bansal.

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In a notable stride towards sustainable tyre manufacturing, Nokian Tyres has introduced the Betula concept tyre, which incorporates a pioneering compound derived from birch bark. This renewable substance is produced by the Swedish firm Reselo, which transforms residual matter from the global pulp, paper and plywood sectors into a viable tyre ingredient. For the first time, this birch-based material has been integrated into a tyre's tread compound, contributing to a tread where recycled and renewable resources now constitute 93 percent of all materials used.

This innovation is viewed as a way to enhance tyre performance. The Betula concept, which utilises the tread pattern of Nokian's Hakkapeliitta R5 winter tyre, has undergone successful testing at the company’s facilities in Ivalo, Finnish Lapland, and in Nokia, Finland. The project marks meaningful progress towards Nokian Tyres’ target of having 50 percent recycled and renewable materials in its tyres by 2030, aiming to establish new environmental standards for the industry through such pioneering efforts.

The collaboration with Reselo originated in 2023 when the biomaterials company won Nokian Tyres’ sustainable innovation challenge. A formal development agreement followed in 2024 to refine the renewable material for tyre applications, and joint development continues even after the concept tyre’s launch.

Concept tyres like the Betula are vital to Nokian’s development process, allowing new materials and technologies to be evaluated before commercial release. This approach has yielded several advanced prototypes, including the 2022 Green Step concept, which also achieved 93 percent renewable or recycled content, and the 2024 Green Step Ligna, featuring a renewable lignin-based alternative to carbon black. The company’s commitment is already reflected in production models, exemplified by the 2025 Nokian Seasonproof 2 all-season tyre for Central Europe, which contains up to 38 percent recycled and renewable materials – the highest proportion in the company’s current commercial lineup.

Teemu Soini, Vice President – Innovations & Development, Nokian Tyres, said, “Since the early stages, the potential of the material to be used in tyres has been evident. The Nokian Tyres Betula concept tyre confirms its applicability and highlights the material’s potential for commercial use in the future. Furthermore, the material is not only sustainable, but according to our testing, it also shows promise to improve tyre performance.”

Josefin Larsson, CEO, Reselo, said, “For Reselo, this partnership represents much more than a technical development project. The tyre industry’s sheer scale and traditionally conservative approach make it a challenging but vital space for rubber innovation, and seeing the collaboration with Nokian Tyres continue to the next level is something we’re especially proud of. Birch bark is a high-volume forestry side-stream abundant in the Nordics, and step by step, we are working together towards better-performing and more sustainable products with circularity at the core.”

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Michelin has appointed Bénédicte de Bonnechose as its new Chief Financial Officer, with her tenure commencing on 1 June 2026. She will take over the role from Yves Chapot. Presently serving on the Michelin Executive Committee, she currently manages the European region and the Urban and Long-Distance Transportation Business lines.

De Bonnechose originally joined the group in April 2019 as the Deputy Group CFO. Her extensive professional background includes over 25 years at the Lafarge Group, where she progressed from financial management into significant operational leadership positions within its Cement, Aggregates and Concrete divisions. Most notably, she served as President of LafargeHolcim France and Belgium from 2015 to 2018. Her early career featured four years in the audit sector with Deloitte, focused on the Industrial and Retail markets.

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HF GROUP has been selected as the engineering and technology partner for a new research and development innovation centre being developed by Toyo Tires at its tyre manufacturing facility in Inđija.

The project forms part of Toyo Tires’ expansion of its Serbian operations and reflects the company’s strategic focus on strengthening compound research and development capabilities. The new innovation centre will cover an area of approximately 6,000 square metres and is designed to support advanced compound development for high-performance and energy-efficient tyres.

HF GROUP has been involved in the project since 2024, when both companies began working jointly on the first conceptual layout designs through a structured pre-engineering phase. This early-stage collaboration formed part of HF GROUP’s system engineering services, aimed at optimising plant layout, process integration and future scalability.

Under the agreement, HF GROUP will be responsible for the complete engineering, supply and installation of the R&D production line. The facility will be equipped with advanced mixing technology, enabling the development and processing of complex compound formulations aligned with evolving performance and sustainability requirements in the tyre industry.

The innovation centre is scheduled to be commissioned in 2027 and is expected to play a central role in Toyo Tires’ future product development activities in Europe. The project further strengthens HF GROUP’s position as a technology partner for tyre manufacturers investing in next-generation research, process innovation and high-efficiency compound development.

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CEAT Limited has approved an investment of up to INR 36.1 million in its wholly owned subsidiary Tyresnmore Online Private Limited through a rights issue of equity shares.

The investment will be made through the subscription of 29,575 equity shares, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Tyresnmore Online Private Limited, a private company incorporated in June 2014 and headquartered in New Delhi, reported a turnover of INR 322.6 M for the year ended March 31 2025. The business operates in the auto ancillary sector, selling automotive tyres and accessories and providing services including installation, wheel balancing and wheel alignment.

CEAT said the transaction qualifies as a related-party transaction under applicable regulations but will be conducted at arm’s length. Apart from Tyresnmore being a wholly owned subsidiary, the promoter group of CEAT has no interest in the entity or the transaction.

Following the investment, CEAT’s shareholding in Tyresnmore will remain unchanged at 100 percent. The consideration will be paid in cash through normal banking channels.

The company expects the equity shares to be allotted by Tyresnmore no later than 16 February  2026. No governmental or regulatory approvals are required for the transaction, CEAT said.

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