First a dissection of the tyre market in four different sectors – one that was severely affected and three that have been the mainstay of resilience.

Cowrie Shells of Trade

Initially, Cowrie shells were used as currency for trading right after the barter age. Cowrie shells were/ are still used in astrology in many parts of Africa to predict the future. Four cowrie shells held in the hand, the astrologer would then shake the shells while clenching the fist and throw them to the ground. Depending on how many shells turned upside, the astrologer would then tell the future. In my case, three have turned upside and one facing down – an ominous sign.

(Cowrie Shell number 1) The Motorcycle  Market

Also known as ‘bodabodas’, motorcycles are divided into the mid-premium, premium and commuter motorcycles. The rise in numbers in pre-pandemic times and presently is because of their ability to move efficiently in urban and rural areas, especially where the road conditions are poor. 

 Between 2011 and 2019, the number of motorcycles grew 233 percent from 500,000 to 1.7 Million. The average annual demand for motorcycles is 200,000 units – a demand that is fuelled by a relatively affluent rural population with a drive for personal mobility (Source: Kenya Automotive Sector Profile – 60 years Anniversary edition). Motorcycle tyres sales have not lagged behind in the regard, with most of the imports coming from India and China. Often these tyres are not recyclable.

(Cowrie Shell number 2) Commercial Market Truck

The shift in rules and regulations surrounding travel has come with uncertainty and border closures that were aimed at stopping the spread of the disease. Closure of some truck tyre producing plants and ensuring that the overseas parent markets demands were met before exports meant that there was a shortage in this sector. The sector has been supported by the Light Commercial Vehicle tyres from the 7.00-16, 7.50R16, 9.5R17.5, 265/70R19.5 and, more recently, 255/70R22.5 (FI engines). These vehicles are not under the spotlight of weigh-bridge restrictions as compared to their bigger rig 22 and above wheeler cousins and hence have become a vehicle of choice of up-coming and existing transporters wanting to squeeze the payload shilling to a longer mile. Even in the absence of verifiable date or research papers, it is estimated that commercial driving has dropped by about 20 percent.

(Cowrie Shell number 3) Agricultural Tyres

The sector that continues on an upturn is one that continues to feed the millions of people every day. Even with a prediction of drought at the end of the year, tractors and farmers on the road continue to grind tyres to ensure that there are products from the farm to fork. The OEM/ replacement/aftermarket sectors are experiencing a rise in demand for efficient and productive agricultural machinery that is driving the agricultural tyre market. It is primarily the technological advancements and expanding population that are propelling the agricultural tyre market. Sameer Africa, the only agricultural tyre manufacturing concern in the country, closed its doors in 2019. While the overall scenario of the market is positive, the demand is hugely dependent on the economic turmoil in the region that invariably affects the farmers’ income and purchase of farm machinery. However, a downturn in farming equipment sales is expected to continue till 2022 as Covid-19 severely impacted the automotive industries.

Changing agricultural machinery design and increasing penetration into new unexplored terrain will require tyres that have stronger rubber compounds. Flotation, forestry, trailer and compound rubber tyres with steel flex wall are now trending in the local agricultural tyre market.

(Cowrie Shell number 4) Passenger and 4x4

Regarding the future impact of personal and business travel, Bill Gates recently noted that we can ask the question “Do I have to go there personally? ” and predicted 50 percent decline for the post Covid-19 world. In addition to that, walking, cycling and motorcycling have gained preference.

In addition to the specifics of the tyre market, various factors continue to plague the East African tyre industry, and they include:

•           Uncertainty that the virus will move into the winter months and the Delta variant. With less than 10 percent of the population now vaccinated in the East African region, it is difficult to say how the disease will pan out. What is certain is that the periods of confinement will continue deep into 2022 (an election year in Kenya).

•           At some point this year, freight costs rose by 300 percent. Tyre sellers had no option but to pass the cost to the consumer. Supply chain disruptions are here to stay mainly because Kenya will be having the general elections next year. Tanzania and Uganda have already had theirs. In such times, many investors hold back on the resources waiting for regime change and the chaos that follow a general election.

Rangoli of Possibilities

Many years ago, I woke up every day to beautiful drawings made on the ground in front of a neighbour’s doorstep. Drawn by a young Indian girl, I later came to learn their meaning. Using multi-colored, ochre, dried rice sand, flour, rocks and petals, beautiful drawings were made on the doorstep as a part of an everyday Hindu household practice – even more so, during the important Hindu ceremonies such as Diwali, Pongal and Tihar (I would urge the reader to view some of these drawings on Google). The Rangoli represents happiness, positivity and liveliness of a household (nation) intended to welcome health and happiness. It is for this reason that I intend to paint here that African Tyre Market Rangoli during this very trying Covid times mostly for therapeutic purposes. 

It is in these Rangolis of possibilities that I would like to offer my predictions and possible solutions:

Prediction no. 1

In East Africa, future urban mobility will not rely on individual car traffic regardless of the propulsion system. The pandemic will cause urban planners to re-think the transport framework policy. Policy makers will nurture the momentum gained to further transform the traffic landscape towards environmentally friendly towns and cities.

Prediction no. 2

In the midst of dwindling and scarce resources, the one that remains unlimited is ‘IDEAS’. E-commerce readiness will be vital in determining the survivability of a business during the Covid-19 pandemic. The level of readiness will determine their continuance and sustainability.

E-commerce readiness can be examined on the basis of Technological readiness / Organisational Readiness and Environmental Readiness. Challenges and constraints thrown our way, such as the Covid-19 proffers, only encourage a business to adopt e-commerce and take it to another level. (Ref. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business)

Suggestions on how to weather the storm

In order to strive, thrive and stay ahead of the pandemic curve, businesses in East Africa have to adopt different business strategies:

•           Tyre business owners and managers must consider going against the previous market stock trends such as Just in Time Management. Maximise coverage, over-order on fast moving items, plan way ahead, order early, sell what your competition can offer you and pro-actively communicate with customers about impending shortage (being upfront and honest)

•           Being constantly in touch with suppliers, strategically allocate stocks, buy out of the normal circles, train front-line staff on up-downsizing-cross sizing and tyre husbandry.

•           Invest in your people in training (preferably online) and keep moral high.

•           With pricing; work around keeping your cost low and don’t raise prices when you can’t supply. This puts you up against a customer.

 What the Cowrie shells on the ground say

I would like to pen-off with the words of Kenya’s finance cabinet secretary, Ukur Yatani Kanacho:

“Last year around this time, you would think that ours was a deserted city. Life is now back to normal, the vibrancy is back. We are quite optimistic. Kenyans have accepted and adopted to the new way of living and we are quite alive to the challenges posed by Covid-19”. (TT)

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Pirelli has entered into a strategic agreement with Swedish technology firm Univrses to integrate artificial intelligence-based computer vision systems into its Cyber Tyre platform. As part of the deal, Pirelli has acquired a 30 percent stake in Univrses, with an option to increase that share to a majority holding. The collaboration will embed Univrses’ 3DAI technologies into Pirelli’s existing Cyber Tyre solutions, creating a unified system aimed at producing safer and higher performing vehicles.

The combined technology has potential applications in advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous driving. It also generates timely, actionable data for road management, helping authorities make better decisions and deploy resources more efficiently. This could lead to fewer road accidents and saved lives. The system uses onboard cameras and tyres to collect feedback on road conditions. Pirelli’s Cyber Tyre, the first integrated hardware and software system of its kind, gathers data from tyre sensors, processes it with proprietary algorithms and communicates in real time with vehicle electronics and the cloud.

Univrses originally developed its technology to help cars understand their surroundings, but it has since been adapted to turn vehicles into AI-powered road monitoring agents. The Swedish company’s 3DAI Engine provides autonomous vehicles with perception capabilities including 3D positioning, mapping and spatial deep learning. Its 3DAI system digitises roadside infrastructure using data from vehicle-mounted sensors like cameras.

A pilot project is already active in Italy. In 2025, Pirelli and the Puglia Region launched a road network monitoring system to create an updated map of infrastructure conditions. The system analyses data from tyres via the Cyber Tyre platform alongside visual data from cameras interpreted by Univrses’ technology.

Andrea Casaluci, CEO, Pirelli, said, “The agreement with Univrses further enhances our Cyber Tyre™ platform, thanks to advanced AI‑based artificial vision technologies. The collaboration between Pirelli and Univrses will make a significant contribution to the ongoing transformation of cars into true software‑defined vehicles.”

Jonathan Selbie, CEO, Univrses, said, “Continuous monitoring and data are becoming the new foundation for infrastructure asset management, and Univrses technology is able to provide powerful analytical capabilities based on reliable and frequently updated data. In this context, we are pleased to welcome Pirelli as an investor and to take our partnership to the next level: we will join forces to deliver increasingly advanced services and products.”

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ZC Rubber is preparing a major European-focused showcase at THE TIRE COLOGNE, scheduled to run from 9 to 11 June 2026. The tyre manufacturer will occupy Booth C050g in Hall 8.1, highlighting its WESTLAKE and GOODRIDE brands with a clear emphasis on products tailored specifically for regional market demands.

The display will blend imminent and future innovations. Products destined for a European launch in the latter half of 2026 will appear alongside the company’s current truck and bus radial lineup. Selected previews of developments planned for 2027 will also be on view. A featured attraction is the Westlake Sport RS2, a drift-proven ultra-high-performance tyre praised for its grip, precision and 180 treadwear rating. A renewed rubber compound, developed through work with the Red Bull Driftbrothers, now delivers steadier traction under severe driving conditions. Appearing at the stand, Red Bull Driftbrothers driver and engineer Elias Hountondji will illustrate how motorsport data directly refines ZC Rubber’s product engineering.

Additional new passenger car radial models for Europe in the second half of 2026 include the Westlake ZuperFlex Z-137, Goodride RideMax G-147, the all-season Westlake Zuper4S Z-411 and the off-road focused Westlake Terra Legend SL399 and Goodride Mud Legend SL388. On the truck and bus side, already available tyres such as the Westlake WSL2, Westlake WDL2+ and Goodride S2, D3 and D4 will be exhibited, covering steer and drive axle needs for long-haul and heavy-duty transport.

A sneak peek at 2027 offerings will feature the Westlake Z-301 commercial van tyre, Goodride All Season G-721, Goodride SnowComfort G-518 and new TBR models including the Westlake WTL2, Westlake WTR OEM and Goodride M2. ZC Rubber’s team will remain on-site throughout the event, welcoming visitors and partners to the booth for meetings and professional discussions.

Leo Liao, General Manager, ZC Rubber Europe, said, “This year’s showcase reflects a much broader and more complete portfolio for Europe. From UHP and all-season tyres to all-terrain, mud-terrain and TBR solutions, we are bringing new developments across almost every major segment. This reflects how seriously we take the European market: we are listening to local needs, investing in the right products and building a portfolio that better matches the needs of our European partners.”

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Magna Tyres has launched the MA801 TR, a new solid tyre engineered for extreme operating conditions in recycling facilities and heavy industrial settings. Designed to maximise equipment uptime while supporting high load capacities, the tyre is built to deliver dependable performance in harsh environments. The official debut of the MA801 TR will take place at IFAT 2026 in Munich, scheduled from 4 to 7 May 2026.

The new model is intended for compact wheel loaders and telescopic handlers, featuring a flat-free solid construction. Its extra-deep non‑directional tread is reinforced by a triangular structural design, which enhances traction and stability on surfaces littered with sharp debris. Available in sizes 13.00‑24 and 14.00‑24, the tyre prioritises puncture resistance and reduced maintenance needs.

Thanks to its robust architecture and deep tread profile, the MA801 TR offers an extended service life and consistent performance across demanding work cycles. By eliminating the risk of flats, Magna Tyres positions the tyre as a reliable solution for recycling and industrial operations where continuous heavy loads are standard.

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has secured validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a prominent corporate climate-action organisation, for its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets set for 2035. This endorsement confirms that the company’s goals are scientifically aligned with the standards established under the Paris Agreement. The validated targets are measured relative to the company’s 2024 emission levels.

Under the approved framework, Yokohama Rubber aims for a 63.0 percent reduction in combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which cover direct emissions from its business activities as well as indirect emissions from purchased energy. Additionally, the company commits to a 37.5 percent cut in Scope 3 emissions, specifically targeting indirect supply chain emissions from purchased products and services, along with fuel and energy-related activities not included in Scope 1 or Scope 2. To achieve these reductions, Yokohama Rubber has been expanding solar power generation and renewable energy electricity at its global plants, while also disclosing indirect emissions from product distribution, use and disposal since 2013.

The company obtained SBTi validation to accelerate supply-chain-wide emission cuts in response to intensifying climate challenges. Operating under its sustainability management slogan, ‘Caring for the Future’, Yokohama Rubber continues to create shared value by tackling social issues directly through its business operations.

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