Despite decades of presence and proven sustainability benefits, the global truck tyre retreading industry remains mired in perception problems and systemic inertia. As raw material costs rise and environmental pressures mount, retreading should be a no-brainer. Yet, it continues to be sidelined by outdated mindsets, customer ignorance and a lack of cohesive industry messaging. Tirecore CEO Garry Drisdelle, in a candid interview with Tyre Trends, paints a picture of a sector at risk – not because it lacks value, but because it has failed to communicate it. The stakes, he warns, are too high for complacency.

Despite decades of existence, the retreading industry still wrestles with fundamental challenges across the world – not least the stubborn perception among customers and stakeholders about the true value of retreaded truck tyres. Tirecore Chief Executive Officer Garry Drisdelle pulls no punches in diagnosing the sector’s issues and outlining the uphill battle ahead.

Speaking to Tyre Trends, he said, “Tirecore is primarily a supplier of quality truck tyre casings to the retread industry. But while retreading should logically form the cornerstone of sustainable tyre use, the industry remains far from mainstream acceptance.”

“Educating the customers really as to how much upcycling, how much can we save – it’s beyond the pennies or pounds you save on the initial purchase,” Drisdelle said. Yet, frustratingly, many customers remain fixated on upfront costs instead of the total lifecycle value of a tyre.

This fixation, he implies, represents a systemic failure within the industry. “The industry has to do a better job towards educating the consumers, which primarily are fleet owners, beyond the initial purchase,” said Drisdelle. The inability to shift consumer mindset threatens to leave retreading as a niche rather than a necessity.

Tirecore positions itself primarily as a global supplier of high-quality truck tyre casings to the retread industry, operating across markets that include the United States, Canada and India. Rather than manufacturing or retreading tyres directly, the company serves as a critical node in the circular economy of commercial tyres, ensuring that valuable casings find extended life through retreading.

“We are in the business of preserving 85 percent of the tyre components existing material’s value saving valuable resources,” said Drisdelle.

The company’s operational model is rooted in the principle of upcycling over replacement, focusing on longevity and material reuse rather than disposability. While Tirecore’s precise logistical affiliations remain unspecified, its strategic direction is clearly aimed at aligning with sustainability mandates and evolving global market demands.

DISPOSABLE TREATMENT

Drisdelle highlights a critical contradiction. Tyres are one of the most safety-critical components on the road, yet they are taken for granted at a staggering scale. “Picture a truck is rolling down the highway at 100km/h pulling 20,000 kilogrammes of freight, riding on just 6-8-10 rolling rubber contact points. Tyres are one of the most critical transportation components, yet we treat them like disposable goods. How taken for granted is that product?”

Even as raw material prices surge and truck tyre costs climb, the entrenched perception treats tyres as disposable consumables. “We need to reframe the conversation – a tyre should be seen as an asset and not a consumable,” Drisdelle emphasises.

This disconnect reveals deeper issues prevalent within the industry. Retreading has not been effectively communicated as a financial and environmental beneficial in the long tome. Moreover, legislative inconsistency and lack of incentives for the industry as a whole is a deterrent that needs to be addressed immediately.

Drisdelle insists that retreading should be the environmental rallying point for the sector. “We have 85 percent of the material in the original product that is quite capable of being reprocessed and upcycled many times,” he said.

He contrasts upcycling favourably with recycling, which he argues requires more energy and effort than the original production process, especially in plastics and other materials: “By the time you just recycle something, the energy to recycle it is more than the process.”

Yet these arguments come with an implicit critique that the industry has failed to effectively translate this environmental rationale into a compelling value proposition for customers and regulators alike.

LEGISLATIVE MOMENTUM

Drisdelle points to potential legislation requiring truck tyres to be recyclable or retreadable as a possible catalyst for change. “Picture if legislation comes out that you’re not allowed to sell truck tyres unless they’re recyclable from their ingredients unless they’re retreadable,” he noted.

However, he quickly tempers this with realism stating, “We can never get to zero. That’s a cool little marketing thing but it’s an impossibility in the world of physics and science.”

This admission highlights the gap between aspirational sustainability goals and practical realities, a gap that leaves retreading vulnerable to accusations of greenwashing or insufficient progress.

ADAPT OR STAGNATE

Looking to the future, Drisdelle’s plan is pragmatic but cautious. “Our future plans are to keep up with the market demand, to evolve as the market evolves. Pivot and prosper,” he said.

Such a measured approach reflects the uncertainty and fragmentation within the industry. The promise of retreading remains strong, but without decisive action on education, regulation and innovation, the sector risks losing ground to cheaper, new tyres or alternative technologies.

The recurring theme throughout Drisdelle’s commentary is education, or rather, the lack of it. “The education of the fleet owners is primary to everything. The education of the industry to build a better tyre is somewhat secondary,” he stated.

This stark admission speaks volumes. Despite retreading’s environmental and economic advantages, a fundamental communication failure continues to hobble the industry.

Drisdelle points out the irony stating, “Without a widespread cultural shift in perception, retreading will struggle to move beyond a cost-saving niche for price-sensitive fleets to a mainstream standard.”

Drisdelle’s blunt assessment of the retread industry reveals a sector caught between its potential and its persistent shortcomings. Tirecore’s role as a global supplier to retreaders is clear but the wider challenge remains.

Without significant progress on education and regulatory backing, the retread industry risks remaining on the margins, overshadowed by the convenience of new tyres and the pressures of market inertia.

Retreading’s promise is substantial. But, as Drisdelle’s comments underscore, fulfilling that promise demands a candid reckoning with the industry’s educational failures and a relentless push for change or face stagnation in a rapidly evolving tyre market. n

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The German Rubber Industry Association (wdk) has sounded an alarm over an exceptionally difficult economic situation facing the rubber sector. Soaring raw material prices and persistently high energy costs, exacerbated by the Iran war, are coinciding with weak industrial demand. wdk Chief economist Michael Berthel noted an almost unprecedented economic disparity, as raw material costs approach historical highs from 2011 and 2022 while a lack of demand prevents any offset for manufacturers.

Since the final quarter of 2025, prices for key inputs have risen sharply. Natural rubber has jumped more than 40 percent within months, while butadiene-based synthetic rubbers have increased over 30 percent. EPDM synthetic rubber, carbon black and oil-based plasticisers have all risen more than 20 percent, with some individual chemicals exceeding 40 percent cost growth in just a few weeks.

Energy prices remain a major burden, with Middle East developments fuelling market uncertainty. Risks to international transport and supply chains persist, and German rubber companies are closely watching potential impacts on raw material availability and global logistics flows.

Berthel warned that firms face mounting pressure from high costs, geopolitical instability and structural disadvantages in Germany, with no short-term relief in sight. The industry depends heavily on fair and reliable partnerships across the value chain, as processing companies alone cannot absorb the current strain. He called for fair solutions and a shared understanding of this exceptional situation.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Rubber Board of India has confirmed the continuation of all existing central sector schemes for the 2026-27 fiscal year at unchanged rates. Financial aid for new planting will be restricted to estates utilising poly bag or root trainer plants sourced solely from Board-approved nurseries, with applicants required to submit the original purchase bill. This mandatory verification step aims to ensure quality and authenticity of planting materials used across the sector.

Support for rain guarding and spraying operations will be channelled exclusively through Rubber Producers’ Societies. These societies must include GST bills for all acquired materials when applying. The official timeline for submitting applications will be announced separately by the Board, giving producers adequate time to prepare documentation and coordinate with their respective societies before the deadline.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Rubber Board of India has announced a temporary engagement for a young professional within its Market Promotion Division, located at the RRII campus in Puthuppally, Kottayam. The selected individual will assist with division activities and promote ‘mRube’, the electronic trading platform for natural rubber.

Candidates must hold an MBA in Marketing or Agri Business Management with computer knowledge, while skills in digital marketing, sales or market research and proficiency in English and Hindi are preferred. Applicants aged up to 30 years as of 1 May 2026, will be considered for the one-year role, which offers a consolidated monthly pay of INR 25,000.

Interested individuals should send their applications to the Deputy Director (Marketing) at the Central Laboratory Building, RRII, Rubber Board PO, Kottayam – 686009 by 19 May 2026. Shortlisted names will appear on the Rubber Board’s website with interview details, as no separate communication will be sent.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Bekaert has officially finalised its acquisition of Bridgestone’s tyre reinforcement operations in China and Thailand, after securing all necessary regulatory approvals and meeting standard closing conditions. The deal, now fully completed, marks a significant step in the Belgian company’s expansion strategy.

The transaction brings under Bekaert’s control two production facilities: Bridgestone (Shenyang) Steel Cord Co., Ltd. in China and Bridgestone Metalfa (Thailand) Co., Ltd. in Thailand. These plants specialise in manufacturing high-quality tyre cord products exclusively for Bridgestone tyres, and they will continue to supply Bridgestone under the new ownership, further deepening the longstanding partnership between the two firms.

Financially, the acquisition is expected to add roughly EUR 80 million to Bekaert’s annual consolidated sales. The EUR 60 million cash consideration for the deal was funded from the company’s available cash reserves.

Curd Vandekerckhove, CEO Rubber Reinforcement, said, “With the completion of this acquisition within our Rubber Reinforcement division, we are pleased to officially welcome the plant teams in China and Thailand to Bekaert. Our immediate focus is on a smooth transition and operational continuity while continuing to serve Bridgestone as a key strategic partner. The completion of the acquisition further strengthens the position of Bekaert in the tyre cord market, expands the global manufacturing footprint and deepens our longstanding partnership with Bridgestone. A long-term supply agreement ensures continued delivery of high-quality tyre reinforcement within a trusted supplier model.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!