Malaysia For Model Sustainable Rubber Industry - Dr Zairossani Bin Mohd Nor, Director General, MRB

The Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB), the powerful arm of the Malaysian Rubber Industry, is currently engaged in a concerted effort to make the domestic rubber industry self-sustainable amid challenges aplenty such as steep fall in prices, labour shortage, climate change etc. In an exclusive interview to Rubber Asia, Dr Zairossani bin Mohd Nor, the new Director General of the MRB and a world-renowned rubber scientist, says that the Board has come up with a series of innovations as well as plans to consolidate smallholdings, project environmental sustainability and unite the industry together through a self-sustainable rubber industry. The ultimate goal of MRB is to produce high-value jobs and increase revenue in the rubber sector, Dr Zairossani says. EXCERPTS:

Technology For Smallholder Survival

The only available option for rubber smallholders to survive and prosper in the coming days is to adopt established and viable technologies, and for the Government, to provide them monetary grants to invest in such technologies

Tripura Rubber Park Facilitates Industry Growth - V George Jenner, MD, TIDCL

Tripura Rubber Park, the second of its kind in India after the one in Kerala, situated at the Industrial Growth Center of Bodhungnagar in West Tripura, is playing a key role in furthering the growth of the rubber industry in the State which is accelerating its socio-economic development. Development of the rubber sector in Tripura has created a lot of employment opportunities for the State’s unemployed youth who were earlier involved in anti-social activities. In an interview to Rubber Asia, V George Jenner IFS, Special Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Tripura and Managing Director, Tripura Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCL), talks at length about the infrastructural facilities being provided to the Industry Units in Tripura Rubber Park, the major expansion plans, the marketing strategy and the challenges that lie ahead. EXCERPTS:

RSDC Ties Up With NSDFC & Sharda University

Continuing with its drive to extend the benefits of skilling to the marginalized strata of society, RSDC has tied up with National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), under the aegis of India’s Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Apollo Can Grow More In Europe

As part of a bid to expand global presence, the Indian tyre giant, Apollo Tyres Ltd., is currently concentrating more and more on Europe as well as other geographies. At present, Apollo is fast moving ahead with the construction of a Greenfield facility in Hungary which would be rolling out tyres within 2 months. In an exclusive interview to Rubber Asia at a time when the formal inauguration of the new Greenfield facility is scheduled for early April 2017, Apollo Vice Chairman & MD Neeraj Kanwar shares some of the key facts about the upcoming company such as the multiple factors for choosing Hungary to set up the facility, the initial investment, the most advanced machinery and updated manufacturing technology of the plant and its other unique features. He also explains Apollo’s efforts towards enhancing its global marketing operations and its latest R&D activities across the world. According to Neeraj, while Apollo is confident of further growth in Europe, the company will invest upwards of Rs 35,000 million in India towards adding capacity and setting up a new manufacturing unit. Excerpts:

It's Interesting Times For Tyre Recycling Industry

Mike Hinsey, International Vice President, Granutech Saturn Systems, USA, a leading industrial recycling systems manufacturer, is widely considered to be a legend in the tyre recycling industry. He has been with Granutech for 33 long years and has been instrumental in taking the company to the world’s Top 3 position. Among the awards and accolades won by him include the coveted award from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI), USA, the largest recycling association in the world, for his outstanding contribution to the recycling industry. In an interview to Rubber Asia on the sidelines of India Rubber Expo (IRE) 2017 in Chennai, he explains the high points of his 33-yearlong association with Granutech and shares his views on wide-ranging issues such as the current status and future prospects of tyre recycling industry, the problem of mounting tyre wastes, recent innovations/improvements made in tyre recycling technology etc. He says that the new developments in processing and product applications augur well for the industry, which continues on a path to produce finer and finer powder, find opportunities to blend rubber with plastics, and expand other traditional granulate markets. He feels that India is a unique case where demand for rubber granulate exceeds supply of scrap tyres and the scrap tyres have a value where processors are paying to receive the tyres. Excerpts from the interview:

Iran Tyre Industry On Revival Track

There is a cautious optimism on the economic horizon of Iran which is gearing up to emerge as a powerful economy in the Middle East following the progressive lifting of sanctions since January 2017. The Iranian tyre industry is also now looking forward to fresh investments, technology collaborations and joint ventures in a bid to reviving, modernising and expanding the industry. Yes, these are challenging times for the tyre industry in Iran, especially as uncertainty prevails in the country’s relations with the US.

Protect Tyres From Winter's Harshness

Extreme precaution is taken to safeguard against the dangers of winter driving in Europe.What is often neglected is the protection of the tyres and alloy wheels from the damage that winter's sub-zero temperatures can inflict on them

The US Rubber Industry Challenging Times

The might of the US rubber industry over the years has grown by leaps and bounds. Changing with the times, the region continues to be a major force in terms of rubber and tyre consumption apart from being a major producer and consumer of synthetic rubber (SR), a host of speciality rubber chemicals and home to a booming US$130 billion medical devices market, the largest in the world. The region is also fiercely competitive in all aspects of the wider tyre market -- passenger car tyres, truck and bus tyres, agricultural tyres and OTR tyres.

Invest In Training Benefits Are Aplenty

Investment in training has multiple benefits. Training increases productivity of the employees in manifold ways. Tyres, like training, provide a long-term return when treated with appropriate care. Ignore them and they come back to bite very quickly

Development Of NR Industry - A Tale Of International Cooperation

Development of the global as well as the Brazilian natural rubber industry as we see today was made possible through international cooperation. We must be grateful to all those who cooperated for the development of rubber cultivation

Key Rubber Industry Organisations In The US Rubber Division, Acs

The Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is an international association of chemists, engineers, technicians, scientists, plant managers, sales and marketing professionals and others in the rubber, polymer or related fields within industry, academia and government.

AKRON: World's One-Time Rubber Capital

Akron, the fifth-largest city in the U S, has long been known as the Rubber Capital of the world thanks to the presence of a host of major rubber and tyre companies and industry organisations. It is also popularly known as Rubber City and City of Invention

Doing Business With Us

Besides having a more conducive regulatory environment to start and operate business, the US, the world’s largest trading nation as well as the second largest manufacturer representing a fifth of the global manufacturing output, can also attract businesses on account of some of its special attributes

BKT Opens New R&D Centre In Gujarat

Balkrishna Industries Ltd (BKT) has opened its new Research & Development Centre at Bhuj, Gujarat, close to its existing production site.

GRI Steps-Up Technology, Installs Marangoni Machine

GRI has taken full advantage of new technological trends in its factories; new machines that are globally recognized as the best have been procured to bring about an increased degree of precision, less operator dependency and increased automation resulting in enhanced consistency in quality, shorter cycle times, increased efficiency, reduced waste and increased safety.

ATMA Partners Summit 2017 - Calls For Better Industry-Raw Material Partner Synergy

The second edition of ATMA Partners Summit culminated with a call for better synergy and collaboration between the tyre industry and the raw material partners with a view to developing products that set a new benchmark of quality, technology, fuel efficiency and environmental protection.

End of Tunnel not in Sight?

The European truck tyre retreading is passing through a dull phase in the wake of inaction by the European Commission to prevent import and dumping of cheap truck tyres into Europe, mainly from China. The immediate future of the industry in Europe does not look bright

Iran New Era of Investments

With sanctions being lifted, Iran, which has the largest automotive industry among the Middle East countries, is likely to emerge as a hot spot for foreign investments in a variety of sectors including Automobiles, Tyres and Auto Components. However, the re-emergence of Iran as an integral part of the world economy is likely to take time as the country has to prove its credibility as an investment-friendly nation

Trump Effect Volatilizes

NR MARKET The sudden volatility in natural rubber prices in the Brazilian market is unequivocally linked to the elections results in North America.

Maxxis to Begin Tyre Production in Gujarat Soon Leonard Liao

The Taiwan-based $7.5 billion Cheng Shin Rubber Company Ltd, makers of internationally known Maxxis tyres, world’s ninth in global tire brands in 2015, will start producing twowheeler tyres first, and then for four wheelers and other vehicles, from its under construction plant in Sanand II Industrial Estate in Ahmedabad from next year. In a candid interview to Senior journalist, Jose Kalathil, at the company’s headquarters in Changhua, Leonard Liao, Vice President, Domestic Sales Groups, Maxxis, explains about his company, its achievements and his future plans. Disclosing his love for India, Leonard said he likes the well-known Bollywood star Aamir Khan. 

Indian Glove Industry Must Raise Capacity

From a Production Foremen with Mysore Rubbers Pvt Ltd (M M Foam) in the early seventies, G Narayana Pillai has gone a long way to become a much-sought-after global Consultant on latex products such as gloves, condoms, balloons and catheters. His long and varied experience with a number of latex foam products manufacturing companies have stood him in good stead to help many companies set up latex manufacturing facilities in India and abroad. Of late, G N Pillai has forayed into cultivation of rubber in Mexico, which is emerging as a new destination for rubber growers and rubber products manufacturers.

rishiroop group trend-setter in products innovation

a trailblazer in launching innovative new products having applications in diverse industry segments, this renowned mumbai-based group has scaled new heights over the past sixty years and become a trusted global partner for its customers and suppliers all over.

Indian Tyre Industry in for Formidable Growth

The Indian tyre industry, with an unprecedented Rs 400,000-million ($6 billion approx) investment in the last few years, is at the threshold of major leap forward. With the new Greenfield facilities set up in recent years, the most technologically advanced domestic industry can vie with the best in the world, says Rajiv Budhraja, the highly proficient Director General of Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA). India, with sheer diversity of road profiles and weather conditions, is a challenging country for tyre manufacturers. That even international OEMs prefer India-made tyres to roll out their vehicles in India is a better endorsement for quality of the Indian tyres which are being exported to over 100 countries, including the most discerning ones such as the US, he says. In an interview to Rubber Asia, Rajiv Budhraja, the authoritative spokesman of the Indian tyre industry, asserts that, if the Indian tyre manufacturing industry is to blossom, dumping of the Chinese tyres needs to be curbed forthwith. Inverted duty structure needs to be addressed and import of raw materials, be it NR or Synthetic Rubbers, needs to be allowed duty-free to the extent of domestic deficiency. The industry has presented these primary demands before the Government. According to him, India’s seasoned entrepreneurship, globally integrated industry, large skilled manpower, verdant NR plantations and a fast-growing economy are enough to give a big boost to the domestic tyre sector provided the bottlenecks are removed. EXCERPTS:

Will EV Revolution Impact SR Price?

With aggressive targets set by many nations to phase out emission-spewing internal combustion-powered vehicles, the sales of electric vehicles (EV’s) are expected to overtake the sales of the former by 2040. However, it remains to be seen whether the EV revolution will lower the global oil usage and the consequent lower price for SR.

Helping Tyre Technicians Stay Safe

Amid ongoing reports of tyre technicians being seriously injured or killed at the roadside during work, it is encouraging that employers in the tyre market sector are investing heavily in the REACT Training programme which helps their fitters stay safe when changing a vehicle tyre at a busy road side

Train & Share Knowledge, Help Industry Grow

Training and knowledge sharing help industries grow beyond where they are now, engage people to become more productive and generate income to maintain their families

Positive Trends Help Tyre Stocks Recover

After seeing a decline in September 2017, stocks of most Indian tyre companies made gains in October in tandem with record high levels on the bourses triggered by a buying spree by FIIs and Mutual Fund houses, encouraging government announcements on recapitalisation of PSU banks, ambitious road building programme etc

Tyre Safety Services Yet To Gain Priority

Tyre safety services are not so much of a priority for dealers and garages though ultimately it is the dealer’s responsibility to ensure that worn and dangerous tyres are replaced when found on inspection

NR Market A Breather, No Turn Around

The present slight breather in global NR market is, of course, a welcome relief though it can in no way be considered as the beginning of a boom. All indications are that the market will be balanced in the medium term and price volatility may continue till the turn of the decade when prices are likely to surge thanks to healthy market fundamentals.