Mexico has become one of the most strategically important markets for global tyre manufacturers as shifting trade policies, supply chain realignments and the growing push for premium products reshape investment decisions across the Americas. For JK Tyre & Industries, the country is no longer simply its largest manufacturing base outside India. It has emerged as the centrepiece of the company’s regional growth strategy, providing proximity to the US market, access to USMCA trade benefits and a platform to strengthen its presence in both original equipment and replacement segments.

To support that ambition, JK Tyre has committed USD 75 million towards expanding and modernising its Mexican operations through JK Tornel, while simultaneously investing in automation, product development, exports and premium passenger vehicle tyres. The company is also using its Mexican technology centre to develop region-specific products and strengthen collaboration with its global R&D network.

In this exclusive interview with Tyre Trends, Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries, explains how A three- decade acquisition has evolved into a strategic gateway to the Americas, why Mexico has become increasingly valuable amid tariff uncertainty, and how the company plans to shift its focus from volume-led growth to value creation over the coming decade.

FROM ACQUISITION TO ANCHOR

Mexico, for JK Tyre & Industries, has stopped being a line item on a manufacturing map. It has become something closer to a second home base. The company now runs 11 manufacturing plants worldwide. Nine are in India, two are in Mexico, and together they hold a combined annual capacity of 38 million tyres. It is, the company says, part of its globally benchmarked, sustainable manufacturing footprint.

Anshuman Singhania, the company’s Managing Director, is unambiguous about where Mexico sits within that picture. “Mexico is far more than an offshore manufacturing outpost for us,” he says.

The Mexican business, Compañía Hulera Tornel, S.A. de C.V. (CHT), is not a recent bolt-on. It was established in Mexico City on 9th November 1951. JK Tyre today holds a 99.98 percent stake in JK Tornel S.A. de C.V. and its group entities. “In the recent years, JK Tornel has delivered satisfactory performance emerging as a significant contributor in our global story,” Singhania says.

It forms, he adds, “an integral arm” of a technical ecosystem that spans Mysuru, Chennai and Milan – the trio that drives the group’s research and technology capabilities. It is Tornel, more than any other outpost, that gives JK Tyre its read on tariff and trade volatility across the Americas.

A USD 75 MILLION BET ON TARIFFS & PREMIUMISATION

That reading has translated into hard capital. The company has committed USD 75 million to a phased capacity expansion in Mexico. The first tranche, worth USD 27.5 million, is already under way. Singhania traces the logic back to geopolitics as much as growth. “Tariff and trade volatility across North America has made local, in-region manufacturing more valuable than ever,” he says. Mexico, he notes, offers proximity to the US market alongside USMCA-linked trade advantages.

Premiumisation runs through the strategy. JK Tyre is building capability in the higher-margin, above-16-inch rim segment. That is the reason, Singhania explains, a new northern warehouse was set up specifically for that category. The company began OE supplies to Kia Mexico in the 2026 financial year, with more SKUs planned. That, in turn, demanded a level of manufacturing consistency he says “only modernised, automated lines can deliver.”

The investment, Singhania says, is explicitly about “preparing the business for premium segment growth, expanding the high-margin ATV portfolio, and growing sales in mass-merchandise channels,” in step with efforts to optimise the wider product mix.

AUTOMATION WITH A HUMAN FACE

Within that first funded phase, the money is weighted towards capacity and automation. Ultra-modern machinery is being added across critical stages of tyre manufacturing, including key uniformity systems. The goal is to strengthen process precision and product consistency while readying plants for premium and higher-value categories.

But Singhania is careful to frame automation as a people project as much as a hardware one. The inauguration of a Dojo Training Centre in Mexico, he says, “testifies to our belief that automation pays off if the workforce is trained to run it.”

On the research side, Mexico already hosts one of the group’s four global technical centres. It functions as a Satellite Tech & Innovation Centre, feeding both OEM and aftermarket product development for Europe and the Americas.

CHASING THE EXPORT OPPORTUNITY

Export momentum has followed the investment. This year alone JK Tornel added 40 new distributors, including 20 in Mexico itself, taking its total past 140. It also launched 32 new tyre sizes specifically for the US market and expanded warehousing in northern Mexico and Brazil. Strategically, Singhania places Mexico inside what he calls the group’s “Export Rebalancing and China+1 Advantage” thesis. “Trade protectionism and geopolitical shifts are making reliable, in-region manufacturing bases like Mexico structurally more valuable,” he says.

The company, he adds, is building region-specific export strategies around that reality.

RESILIENCE AS STRATEGY

Navigating that volatility day to day, the JK Tyre MD argues, comes down to fundamentals rather than firefighting. “Our response is simple. Strengthen domestic distribution, sharpen product mix and expand capacity ahead of demand,” Singhania says.

He credits digitalisation, cross-functional collaboration and continuous capability building with lifting cost efficiency and productivity. “Long-term partnerships have kept service levels high despite market volatility, reinforcing the business’s broader resilience,” Singhania says.

ENGINEERING FOR THE AMERICAN DRIVER

That resilience is being engineered into the product itself. The new passenger tyres under development for Mexico and US are being shaped by evolving customer expectations around durability, safety and fuel efficiency. According to Singhania, customers want long tread life, dependable wet and dry braking, reduced rolling resistance for better fuel economy and a quieter, more comfortable driving experience.

Rising awareness of sustainability and total cost of ownership is also feeding into product development, the JK Tyre executive notes – tyres designed to combine performance, longevity, efficiency and environmental responsibility in a single package.

THE AI THREAD

Technology, more broadly, is the thread running through JK Tyre’s next five years. “Digital transformation, supported by AI-driven processes and a strong customer-centric focus, forms the cornerstone of JK Tyre’s R&D strategy,” Singhania says.

By integrating automation, artificial intelligence and core tyre engineering, he says, the company has positioned itself as “a pioneer across multiple technological domains” – an approach he credits with setting new benchmarks in tyre research and development.

WINNING WITHOUT RACING TO THE BOTTOM

Singhania insists that leadership in Mexico’s mass-merchandise segment was not bought with price. “Rather than competing purely on price, we have remained focused on product differentiation, disciplined execution and long-term customer partnerships,” Singhania says.

He adds that discipline defines the company across India, Mexico and more than 100 countries worldwide. The next phase of growth, as he sees it, lies in premium passenger vehicle tyres, larger rim sizes, SUVs, high-performance tyres and expanding OEM partnerships.

THE MEXICO-MYSURU FEEDBACK LOOP

Underpinning much of this is Mexico’s Satellite Product Development Center. It works closely with customers and OEM partners across North and Latin America to understand regional driving conditions, regulatory requirements and evolving market needs. Those insights feed into the Global Technology & Innovation Center — RPSCOE — in Mysuru, speeding up product development and validation.

The centre, Singhania says, plays a key role in developing region-specific tyres “while strengthening our competitiveness across international markets.”

Sourcing is being globalised too. Bringing tyres from Southeast Asia through the Mexican business, he says, reduces sourcing costs, increases supply flexibility and expands product availability. That, in turn, allows the company to price competitively while better serving customers in both Mexico and the US.

THE NEXT DECADE

Asked to look 5 to 10 years out, Singhania resists the temptation to talk in terms of volume. “The Mexico business is an important and growing part of JK Tyre’s international operations,” he says.

He describes Tornel as the group’s route to “strategic access to the American markets.” The priorities he lists – pricing discipline, receivables security, market-specific portfolio alignment and long-term competitiveness – are pointedly not about chasing short-term volume.

That same discipline shapes how he defines success closer to home. “At JK Tyre, we measure success with the value we can offer our partners, our customers and our entire JK Tyre family,” he says.

For Tornel specifically, in three years’ time, he would judge it “by how much of our growth has shifted from volume to value” – alongside the resilience to navigate tariff dynamics, deeper distribution and a stronger premium position across its markets.

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KraussMaffei has appointed Xinting Ren as Managing Director of its extrusion business, effective 1 September, 2026, combining the role with his existing leadership of the group’s China operations.

Ren succeeds Ralf Benack, who left the company at his own request on 31^st August , ending a tenure of about two years.

The company said the dual appointment is intended to strengthen integration between its extrusion activities and international operations.

Ren has led KraussMaffei China for the past three years, overseeing cross-technology activities in the Chinese market. Before joining the group, he held several management roles in the chemical industry, including Assistant General Manager at KraussMaffei Company Limited, now operating as Sinochem Equipment Technology Qingdao Co., and most recently served as general manager of Shanxi China Coal Pingshuo Energy Chemical Co., Ltd.

Benack took over leadership of KraussMaffei Extrusion in 2024 and was responsible for the group’s global extrusion business. During his tenure, the company focused on operational processes and customer orientation, reducing delivery times and further developing the Technology Center at its Laatzen site.

The facility now offers 26 pilot lines for development and customer projects, and the company said it also expanded its extrusion technology portfolio.

From September, responsibility for the extrusion business and management of the China business will be combined under Ren’s leadership.

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Nokian Tyres plc has introduced a new premium summer tyre, the Powerproof E, designed for Central and Southern European markets, with A-class ratings in all three European Union tyre label categories across its full range.

The company said the tyre achieves top grades for rolling resistance, wet grip and external rolling noise, reflecting a development approach aimed at balancing efficiency, safety and comfort within a single product.

“Whether the priority is maximizing range and efficiency or achieving confidence and comfort in wet conditions, drivers should not have to compromise on safety. The new Nokian Tyres Powerproof E is designed to deliver outstanding performance in the areas that matter most to drivers,” said Tommi Alhola, Senior Vice-President for Passenger Car tyres in Central Europe.

Samu Lepistö, development manager at the company, added: “Achieving A-class ratings in all three EU tire label categories across the entire range is a significant result. These characteristics are all important to today's drivers yet improving one can often affect another. Nokian Tyres Powerproof E was developed to deliver balanced performance across all three areas.”

The tyre incorporates what the company calls Motion Control Technology, combining tread design, compound development and structural engineering to support efficiency and wet-weather performance.

Depending on size, between 40.9 percent and 42.8 percent of the tyre’s material content consists of recycled and renewable inputs, including rice husk ash, recycled carbon black and recycled steel.

Production takes place at the group’s factory in Oradea, Romania, which opened in 2024 and operates with zero direct carbon dioxide emissions, powered by renewable energy.

The Powerproof E is designed for passenger cars, sport utility vehicles and crossover vehicles, including electric, hybrid and internal combustion models. It will be available in sizes ranging from 16 to 20 inches for the 2027 summer season in Central and Southern Europe.

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Continental Tire Canada has appointed Frank Buntinx as its new Managing Director, effective 17 August 2026. In this executive capacity, he assumes comprehensive oversight of the organisation’s entire Canadian tyre portfolio, which encompasses passenger and light truck vehicles, commercial truck lines and specialised tyre segments. His leadership will guide the strategic direction and operational performance across these diverse business units.

A native of Belgium, Buntinx brings over two decades of tenure with Continental, having commenced his career there in 2003 within logistics and supply chain management. Over the years, he has accumulated a broad commercial skillset through successive roles in marketing, pricing strategy, business analytics, fleet operations and sales. His professional trajectory later elevated him to senior leadership positions in the Benelux region, where he directed marketing efforts and subsequently headed Fleet Solutions and Truck Tires, thereby acquiring multifaceted management expertise.

This transatlantic appointment signifies a pivotal career transition for Buntinx, offering him the chance to infuse the Canadian market with an international vantage point. His arrival is anticipated to bolster Continental’s regional presence, leveraging his extensive cross-functional background to navigate the complexities of the domestic tyre industry and drive organisational growth.

“I am truly excited to join Continental Tire Canada and begin this new chapter. Continental has built a strong business and reputation in the Canadian market, and I look forward to working alongside our talented team to build on that success, strengthening Continental's position while supporting the growth and success of our customers,” said Buntinx.

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Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., which operates the Dunlop brand, will discontinue the supply of karting tyres by the end of 2027 as part of a strategic review of its business and allocation of management resources.

The company said it would continue supplying products to existing customers until December 31, 2027.

Dunlop has produced karting tyres since 1976, supplying products homologated by the Commission Internationale de Karting-FIA (CIK-FIA), under the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, as well as tyres accredited by the Japan Automobile Federation.

The company said its products had supported a wide range of users, from recreational drivers to young drivers aiming to compete at higher levels, and had contributed to the development of karting participation.

It added that the decision followed a review of its medium- to long-term management strategy and changes in the business environment.

The group said it would continue to contribute to motorsport activities, while expressing appreciation to customers and organisations that had supported its karting tyre business.

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