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.   

Material solutions company UPM has named Sangeeta Pandey as its new Executive Vice President, Human Resources. She will join the Group Executive Team and report directly to Massimo Reynaudo, President and CEO. Based in Helsinki, Finland, Pandey will take up the position on 1 January 2027.

Bringing extensive international HR experience to her new role, Pandey holds a Master of Science in Executive Coaching, an MBA in Human Resources and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She previously served as an Independent Executive Advisor & Coach and worked at Metro AG from 2018 to 2025, most recently as Senior Vice President, Global Talent & Organisational Development, overseeing Global HR Centers of Expertise for over 100,000 people across more than 30 countries. Between 2009 and 2018, she held several senior leadership positions at AkzoNobel, including Global Director, Talent, Culture, Learning & Development. She has also worked in senior HR roles at Mahindra & Mahindra, Xerox and Bharat Petroleum/Bharat Shell.

Pandey succeeds Riitta Savonlahti, who has reached her contractual retirement age after leading UPM's human resources function since 2004. Savonlahti will remain in her role and on the Group Executive Team until the end of 2026, leaving the company in the first quarter of 2027 following a successful transition to her successor.

Reynaudo said, "Sangeeta joins us with over 30 years of broad HR leadership experience across Europe, Asia and the Americas and strong business acumen. Her experience in large, complex and multicultural organisations provides a strong foundation to support UPM's strategy and people agenda.

“On behalf of the entire company and the Group Executive Team, I would like to thank Riitta for the significant impact she has had in the strategic transformation of UPM during the past two decades. Her vision, dedication and determination has been instrumental to UPM's performance-led, value-based and human-centric leadership and company culture.”

India’s retreading industry remains caught between its economic potential and structural neglect. Despite commercial vehicle tyres being designed for multiple lives, low casing preservation, rampant overloading, fragmented retreading operations and limited policy attention continue to restrict adoption. Balkrishna Industries Senior President & Director – Business Development and Strategy Satish Sharma believes regulation rather than incentives alone could change that trajectory. He argues that stronger enforcement and casing management could eventually push India’s retreading rate towards 90 percent.

Balkrishna Industries Ltd (BKT) has called for regulatory intervention to expand tyre retreading in India, arguing that market forces alone are unlikely to unlock the potential for extending commercial vehicle tyre life.

Speaking to Tyre Trends, BKT Senior President & Director – Business Development and Strategy Satish Sharma said that India could substantially increase the proportion of tyres receiving a second or subsequent life if policymakers create a supportive regulatory environment and enforce restrictions on commercial vehicle overloading.

“Obviously, to my mind, it needs government intervention. Regulatory intervention is a must to make this flourish,” told Sharma.

He said stakeholders across the tyre and retreading industries need to come together to develop an appropriate policy framework rather than pursue isolated initiatives. While stopping short of prescribing the exact structure of such regulation, Sharma said the fundamental objective should be to make retreading mainstream while tackling overloading, which damages casings and reduces their suitability for subsequent lives.

“The simplistic thing is a mandate that retreading is to be done and the corollary point is that overloading has to be checked,” he said.

Sharma estimated that only around 20–30 percent of the potential retreading opportunity is currently being realised in India and said the proportion could ultimately reach around 90 percent. However, he acknowledged that such a transition would have to take place gradually.

He argued that commercial vehicle tyres are designed to deliver multiple lives, but poor operating practices can destroy casings before they reach the retreading stage. Despite improvements in India’s road infrastructure, Sharma said retreading has not progressed correspondingly.

POTENTIAL CAUSE

According to Sharma, overloading sits at the centre of the problem. Excessive loads can damage not only tyre casings but also vehicles, components and road infrastructure, undermining the economics of extending tyre life.

Sharma said stricter enforcement against overloading could itself provide a major stimulus for retreading without requiring the government to initially introduce financial incentives.

“I think incentives could be phase two. The trade will just flourish if you do the right thing, have good regulation and create the right environment,” he stated.

The call comes as BKT expands into India’s commercial vehicle radial tyre market. The company does not intend to enter the retreading business directly, Sharma said, but views retreading as an integral part of the commercial tyre lifecycle.

BKT has consequently spearheaded its ‘Save the Casing’ programme aimed at helping fleet operators preserve tyre casings during their first life so they remain suitable for retreading. The initiative involves working with end users to identify and avoid operating practices that can prematurely damage casings. “Once they are done with that, we will guide them to go for a retread and get the next life of the product,” Sharma said.

Beyond operating practices, Sharma identified fragmentation as another obstacle facing India’s retreading sector. He characterised much of the industry as cottage-scale with relatively few large, quality-conscious branded operators.

He also questioned recent changes to India’s GST structure. Sharma said new tyres previously attracted 28 percent GST compared with 18 percent for retreading, giving retreading a 10-percentage-point tax advantage. With the rates now aligned at 18 percent, he argued that the previous incentive has disappeared.

“Whatever little incentive was there has also been taken away,” Sharma said, describing the change as potentially an oversight that policymakers could reconsider.

SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE

However, Sharma maintained that neither technology nor technical expertise is the fundamental constraint on the industry’s development. Modern inspection technologies such as shearography can identify internal casing defects, while experienced operators already possess considerable expertise in manually determining whether casings are suitable for another life.

“Casing inspection remains critical. Shearography detects internal defects including trapped air and separations that may not be apparent during conventional inspection. However, the relatively high cost of such equipment means it may remain beyond the reach of many smaller retreaders,” he noted.

He sees the challenge as creating an ecosystem that rewards casing preservation, improves operating practices and gives retreading greater prominence within transport economics.

Sharma also linked the case for retreading with India’s dependence on imported crude oil and rubber. Extending tyre life reduces the requirement for new material and could therefore deliver benefits beyond individual fleet operating costs, he argued.

Retreading also carries a measurable resource advantage. By extending the life of an existing casing, the process reduces the need for fresh inputs and energy-intensive production. Industry estimates suggest that each retreaded tyre can save around 57 litres of oil and 44 kilogrammes of natural rubber, while avoiding roughly 136 kilograms of carbon emissions compared with a new tyre. In that sense, retreading is not just a cost lever for fleets but a straightforward way to improve resource efficiency across the tyre lifecycle.

With tyre prices having increased in recent months, Sharma said the economics of extracting additional life from a casing are becoming increasingly relevant to transport operators.

Sharma also sees an opportunity to improve not only the number of tyres being retreaded but the quality of casings entering the retreading ecosystem. He said the condition of a casing at the end of its first life depends significantly on how the tyre has been operated, with driving behaviour, loading and road-related damage influencing whether it can be used again.

“The casing must come out clean. The wear should be uniform. It should not have irregular, patchy wear,” Sharma said, adding that road abuse and improper repairs can further compromise its suitability for retreading.

PRESENT AVENUES

He nevertheless reiterated that India already possesses considerable human expertise in casing inspection. Experienced operators at retreaders, fleet accounts and casing dealers can manually assess whether a tyre remains suitable for another life.

“If you were to educate them, invest in their training, like the skill programmes that the Government of India is running, that ecosystem can be developed,” Sharma said.

He estimated that experienced casing inspectors can achieve a 95–96 percent success rate in determining whether a casing can be retreaded. Sharma also highlighted the classification of casings into different quality grades, arguing that better tyre management during the first life could improve the economics of subsequent retreading.

“Even if, let’s say, 30 percent of retreading has happened, but if through our programme the C casing can become an A casing, for example, that itself will improve the economics,” he said.

Sharma believes a stronger market could eventually encourage greater investment and consolidation in what remains a fragmented retreading industry. Once businesses recognise a viable commercial opportunity, he expects entrepreneurs to invest in modern retreading facilities and build larger operations.

“There is no dearth of entrepreneurship which will go bigger and get into putting state-of-the-art retreading plants across the length and breadth of the country,” he said, adding that the underlying technology is already well understood.

Sharma pointed to international markets where an established casing supply chain allows retreaders to procure used casings rather than operate solely on a job-work model in which a fleet sends its own casing for retreading and receives the same tyre back.

Such a model, he suggested, could eventually support branded retreaded products in India, with companies sourcing suitable casings, processing them and offering finished retreaded tyres independently.

Sharma said such products can be offered at around half the cost of a new tyre, strengthening the commercial case for building a more organised retreading ecosystem.

For BKT, the objective is not to compete with retreaders but to make the casing and the value embedded in it a more important consideration throughout a commercial tyre’s operating life.

“Retreading needs to be popularised in our country. It will benefit multiple stakeholders. It is good for consumers, the government, transporters and for the tyre industry as well,” Sharma said.

BEYOND RETREADER’S LENS

Sharma believes the debate around retreading needs to move beyond the commercial interests of retreaders and be considered in the wider context of resource utilisation, road infrastructure and transport efficiency.

“Don’t just look at it from a retreader’s lens. Look at why retreading is important,” he said.

According to Sharma, extending the useful life of a tyre casing can reduce the requirement for fresh resources while allowing transporters to extract greater value from an asset already in operation.

He questioned the consistency of promoting recycling and sustainable material use while failing to adequately encourage the reuse of tyre casings that are already designed for multiple lives.

Sharma also linked the issue to India’s broader transport ecosystem, arguing that overloading prematurely consumes resources embedded not only in tyres but across commercial vehicles.

“There are bushes, axles, wheels – and everything is getting impacted. We are talking about recycling in one place and we are destroying the metals and other resources of the planet which can get an extended life,” he said.

This, according to Sharma, is why changing operating behaviour is more important initially than providing financial incentives. He argued that voluntary change has not occurred at the required pace and regulation will therefore have to play a role.

“You have to change behaviour now by regulations,” he said.

Sharma also challenged the industry to reconsider the apparent contradiction between sustainability commitments and the relatively limited attention paid to retreading. While tyre manufacturers increasingly discuss recycled, natural and biodegradable materials in new products, he questioned whether extending the useful life of existing products has received comparable attention.

For BKT, that makes retreading a wider resource-efficiency proposition rather than simply an alternative tyre market. Sharma described it as a ‘low-hanging fruit’ capable of benefiting transporters, tyre companies, government and end users simultaneously.

The challenge, he argued, is getting the subject discussed beyond the relatively small retreading community and into the wider tyre, automotive and policymaking ecosystem.

“It just needs enough contemplation and discussion and conversation in the right rooms, right corridors of power,” Sharma said.

India’s retreading challenge, therefore, is less about technological capability than creating conditions in which preserving a casing makes economic and operational sense.

BKT’s intervention puts regulation and overloading at the centre of that debate; meanwhile, its own casing programme tests whether manufacturers can influence tyre use beyond the first life.

Moving from today’s limited adoption towards Sharma’s 90-percent ambition, however, will require more than advocacy as policymakers, tyre makers, retreaders and fleet operators will need to turn resource efficiency into routine operating practice.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Jerome Rouquet as Chief Financial Officer, effective 1 December  2026, as the US tyre maker seeks to improve operational performance and maintain financial discipline.

Rouquet will report to Chief Executive Mark Stewart and join the company’s senior leadership team. He currently serves as CFO of Visteon Corporation, where he oversees global financial activities.

Before joining Visteon in 2020, Rouquet held senior finance positions at Tenneco and Federal-Mogul. At Federal-Mogul, he served as CFO, chief accounting officer and controller.

"This is an important addition to our leadership team," said Stewart. "Jerome combines deep financial expertise with a proven ability to help organizations improve performance and navigate transformation. As we continue building momentum and executing our long-term strategy, his leadership and experience will help position Goodyear for success."

Rouquet’s experience spans financial strategy, operational performance, investor relations and public-company finance. His appointment supports Goodyear’s focus on operational improvement, financial discipline and capital allocation to increase shareholder value.

He holds a Master of Business and Management from Institut Supérieur de Gestion in Paris and completed the International Business Management Program at the Manhattan Institute of Management in New York.

Scott Deakin, who has served as interim CFO, will remain in the role until Rouquet joins the company and will support the transition.

Dunlop Tires North America (DTNA), a Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. subsidiary, has appointed Robert Liu as Assistant Vice President of Product Management. Liu brings more than three decades of varied experience in the tyre and automotive sectors to guide the Dunlop and Falken brands through their next stage of product innovation and expansion.

Liu started his career as a simulation engineer at General Motors before spending 27 years at Continental Tire, where he held positions in Product R&D, Sales and Product Management. He also completed a five-year expatriate assignment in Shanghai, leading Product Management and R&D for Asia-Pacific, and most recently directed R&D for the American region with a focus on replacement Passenger Light Truck tyres. In his new role, Liu will lead product development, overseeing PLT and Truck & Bus Radial products with a skilled Product Management team.

Ken Hsu, Vice President – Marketing, DTNA, said, “We are excited to welcome Robert to our team. His extensive experience and proven leadership in the tyre industry align perfectly with our goals for innovation and growth. We believe his insights will greatly benefit our product strategies as we move forward.”