After being selected as ATMA Chairman, Satish Sharma, President (APMEA) & Whole Time Director, Apollo Tyres, has big plans for the automotive and tyre industries, from enhancing exports to self-sufficiency in Indian rubber. He shares his views on collaborations in the tyre industry, the challenges of the sector and the problem of India being used as a dumping ground. Read on…

How have your priorities changed ever since being selected as the ATMA chairman?
I was the ATMA chairman even four years ago, and this is my second tenure. In terms of priorities, I want to pick up from where I left. At that point, we had started this whole journey of improving our exports. In fact, I was on record to say that the tyre industry could be the poster boy for the Indian government.

Looking back, I’m very happy to see that the exports have improved rather well. And this is just the beginning; we could do much more. Therefore, one priority is to see how we enhance our exports significantly from where we stand today.

The second priority is that a lot of regulations are on the anvil for the vehicles and the tyres as well. So my idea would be to engage with all the stakeholders and get them fast paced rather than going about it in a slow manner. Plus, I would like to get all views on board, optimise them for the industry, the government and different stakeholders and get them rolling, working towards a seamless transition for the regulations and betterment of all the stakeholders.

As for my third priority, it is the self-sufficiency point of the Indian rubber. The Indian rubber is a key priority of the commerce minister, Piyush Goyal, to narrow the gap between domestic demand-supply of natural rubber, which is around 35 to 40 percent. Hence, some of us have come together at his behest and have contributed in monetary terms to help the rubber board to do serious plantations in the potential of the North East. That corpus has been formed and one year of it has gone by. The acronym is NEMITRA. It is a collaboration between the tyre industry and the rubber board, under the aegis and direction of the commerce ministry. So we are very hopeful that the work we put in is going to yield results and India will be able to narrow this deficit between production and consumption.

Speaking of production and consumption, are you seeing a revival in demand?
The demand recovery for tyres is always an organically growing demand. If you look at the GDP of the country, it’s rather sectoral and a K-shaped recovery. Therefore, some sectors associated with infrastructure, e-commerce or the real estate sector, etc. are doing very well. However, at the same time, there is very steep inflation, and there is a possibility or worry that this inflation might destroy demand. The entire supply chain has to pass through this inflation and, finally, it has to be borne by the consumer. Whether the consumer reduces consumption or continues to consume at the rate at which he/she was before is a bit of a worry. But so far, the demand is holding on at a broader level.

OEMs are reviving as the chip shortage is getting under control. We are seeing CVs – a cyclical business – at the beginning of its upcycle, which is good news for them. In PVs, the supply chain issues are getting eased off. Plus, the tractor sector is also reviving; with a good monsoon forecast, the rural economy should come back – maybe not to the same level from two years ago, but still reasonably good.

With the current world situation, from the Covid pandemic to the Russia-Ukraine war to high inflation rates, do you think there is a need for more collaborations between tyre companies?
Collaborations have to be there, but they have to be very finely defined. Collaborations can always be on larger subjects like sustainability or raw materials, where research work can be done, resulting in collaboration. So these are areas where a deeper collaboration will help the industry. But it cannot be used to tackle inflation – that has to be left to market forces.

What are the present challenges you see in the tyre industry that need to be addressed?
The organic challenges include preparing ourselves for electrification and the changing regulatory framework. However, the key challenge for the Indian tyre industry right now is inflation. Our balance sheet sizes have halved over the last year. Moreover, the profitability has reduced significantly. There is a significant phase lag to the cost push. Therefore, these key challenges are what we really need to take care of in the short-term.

There has been a ban on Chinese tyres. How is this impacting the Indian tyre industry?
All global tyre companies that have come in India are now producing their tyres in the country. And therefore, it is self-sufficient as far as tyres are concerned. So technically, imports are not required to that extent, from that point of view.

The problem comes about when we are used as a dumping ground and the economic value of everything that has been put into place gets destroyed. And moreover, the promise we have for the Indian industry is getting short-changed. So that’s the argument.

I was telling my industry colleague, whose company is entering the US market, to not go the wrong way. But, in fact, to go, set up and position the Indian product and brand name the right way and to not spoil the market and get branded as the next cheap manufacturer after China. Because if one does it that way, then he/she is going to spoil it for everyone.

And, truth is, we can really do it the right way. We do have a cost arbitrage. Hence, we can give a more honest price internationally and give tier 1 quality at a tier 2 price. However, if one were to position oneself at the bottom of the barrel, then it will spoil everything.

What is happening to recycling and renewable sources to make tyres? How are things shaping up in India?
One regulation is on the anvil, which is the extended producer responsibility. It is in the draft stage and we are in discussion with the government. Fortunately, by the nature of our country, there is a self-recyclability of any and all products. Of course, this is in the unorganised segment, and we don’t talk or hear about it. But we have seen tyres being sold to make something as useful as slippers. So it finds its own value.

But there are no satellite pictures available in India showing dumps and dumps of used tyres lying anywhere; you will find that in the Middle East. But the government is organising this whole thing, and we have the extended producer responsibility coming – it will have a far higher recyclability and will focus more on renewable energy and getting green raw materials. Plus, it will prioritise the increase in the usage of recycled tyre parts.   

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Kraton Corporation, a leading global producer of speciality polymers and high-value bio-based chemicals derived from pine wood pulping co-products, has named Sangwoo Ryu as its new Chief Executive Officer. Ryu possesses over 25 years of leadership in finance and operations within international markets. He is currently the CEO of Cariflex Pte Ltd, a former Kraton spin-off now under DL Chemical, where he initially served as Chief Financial Officer starting in February 2020. He assumed the Cariflex CEO role in April 2025 following the promotion of its former CEO, Prakash Kolluri, to President of Kraton's Polymer business.

Ryu’s deep expertise in financial strategy, investment controls and operational planning is expected to strengthen Kraton’s standing as a reliable leader in global Pine Chemical and Polymers markets. In his new position, he will collaborate with Kraton’s Executive Leadership, Board of Directors and Cariflex Leadership to guide strategic decisions and operational excellence, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustained growth and organisational stability.

Ryu said, “I want to express my gratitude towards the members of the Board of Directors and the Kraton Leadership Team for their unwavering dedication to Kraton’s success. I’m looking forward to leading Kraton into the next era of excellence, building upon the strong foundations and principles set forth in our vision and values.”

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As part of its strategic growth into Central Europe, FORNNAX TECHNOLOGY, a global leader in recycling equipment manufacturing, has established a new sales partnership in Germany. The company has appointed industry veteran Dieter Jerschl as its representative for the region to drive the promotion and implementation of its recycling systems. Jerschl’s extensive expertise, built over two decades with prominent firms like BHS, Eldan and Vecoplan, encompasses a deep understanding of diverse waste streams such as tyre, cable, municipal solid waste and e-waste.

This collaboration, initially targeting Germany, Austria and adjacent countries, is designed to be flexible and scalable. Its primary aim is to cultivate a strong project pipeline and solidify FORNNAX’s regional footprint. The partnership extends beyond sales to include comprehensive technical support, with Jerschl’s team providing vital value-added services like installation, maintenance and spare parts assistance. This local service framework is intended to ensure efficient project execution, minimise operational downtime and elevate customer satisfaction.

By leveraging Jerschl’s profound market insight and established networks, FORNNAX seeks to accelerate the adoption of its high-performance shredding and pre-processing technologies. The move underscores the company’s global strategy of embedding local expertise within key markets, which it deems crucial for developing technically sound solutions tailored to specific regional waste challenges. This initiative reinforces FORNNAX’s dedication to innovation and environmental stewardship, advancing its mission to deliver sustainable recycling solutions worldwide.

Jerschl said, “I’ve known FORNNAX for over a decade and have followed their growth closely. What attracted me to this collaboration is their state-of-the-art technology; it is powerful, sustainable, and economically viable. There is great potential to introduce FORNNAX’s innovative systems to more markets across Europe, and I am excited to be part of that journey. We are committed to increasing market awareness and establishing new reference projects across the region. My goal is not only to generate business but to lay the foundation for long-term growth. Ideally, we aim to establish a dedicated FORNNAX legal entity or operational site in Germany over the next five to 10 years.”

Jignesh Kundaria, Director and CEO, FORNNAX, said, “We see tremendous potential in the Central European market. Partnering with someone as experienced and well established as Jerschl gives us a strong foothold and allows us to better serve our customers. This marks a major milestone in our efforts to promote reliable, efficient and future-ready recycling solutions globally.”

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Dr Gerard Nijman of KraussMaffei Extrusion has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the prestigious Fernley H. Banbury Award, one of the rubber industry’s highest international honours, presented by the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS). This award annually recognises outstanding scientific and technological contributions to the field.

The award commemorates the inventor of the internal mixer and highlights sustainable innovations in production technology, instrumentation, process control and the development of processing methods for rubber and similar materials. Dr Nijman’s career exemplifies such innovation, having significantly advanced rubber rheology, pioneered new mixing and multiplex extrusion technologies and modernised the production of silica compounds for the tyre industry.

His work has effectively bridged the gap between scientific research and industrial application. Notably, in the 1990s at Vredestein, he introduced novel mixing technologies and multiplex extrusion to tyre manufacturing. He also contributed to pioneering processes for silica compound processing, foundational to technologies like Michelin’s ‘Green Tyre’. Furthermore, his rheology-based designs for extruder screws and flow channels have helped shape enduring industrial standards.

Dr Nijman, who joined KraussMaffei Extrusion in 2017, brings decades of expertise from previous roles at Apollo Tyres Ltd and Vredestein Banden BV. His ongoing collaborations with the German Institute for Rubber Technology (DIK) and the University of Twente have also profoundly influenced his approach. KraussMaffei Extrusion itself is globally recognised for its tyre technology, building on longstanding Berstorff expertise to deliver advanced extrusion solutions for treads, sidewalls, innerliners and other components, as well as high-performance multiplex and calender systems.

The award acknowledges not only his specific technical achievements but also his distinguished career and lasting impact on rubber processing. The official presentation will be held in September 2026 during the Global Polymer Summit in Louisville, Kentucky, US.

Dr Nijman said, “It is a great honour for me to receive the Fernley H. Banbury Award. This recognition confirms the importance of the close connection between research and industrial practice in rubber processing and motivates me to continue to drive forward innovative solutions for our industry.”

Ralf Benack, Managing Director, KraussMaffei Extrusion, said, "We warmly congratulate Dr Nijman on this outstanding award. With his in-depth knowledge, many years of experience and tireless dedication, he has had a decisive influence on the rubber and tyre industry and has further developed our technologies in a targeted manner. This recognition is more than deserved. We are very proud to have Dr Nijman in our team!"

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Michelin has appointed James Dimmock as its new Commercial Communications Manager for the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Based at the company's Stoke-on-Trent headquarters, he will report to the Northern European Communications team. In this capacity, Dimmock will oversee all commercial communications, including public relations, social media and influencer partnerships.

His mandate involves crafting the brand's commercial narrative, fostering stronger connections with media and content creators and producing innovative digital content to support the brand's growth. He brings more than two decades of extensive experience with Michelin to the role, having held various senior marketing and communications positions both internationally and domestically. His most recent role was as Social Media and Influencer Manager. He will now lead these efforts locally while integrating with the broader communications team.

John Howe, Managing Director, Michelin UK, said, “James has already made a significant contribution to Michelin communications activity in the UK & ROI. His deep understanding of our business and products, combined with his strategic and creative approach, makes him ideally placed to lead our commercial communications as we continue to evolve our brand.”

Dimmock said, “I am excited to be taking on this new role at Michelin. It is a privilege to continue building on the work we have already achieved and to help drive the next phase of our commercial communications strategy across the UK & ROI.”

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