GRP, an Indian rubber recycling company, reported a 20 percent year-over-year revenue growth for both Q3 and the first nine months of FY25, despite facing margin pressures from elevated raw material costs.

The company recorded total income of INR 1,327 million in Q3 FY25, with EBITDA margins holding steady at 9.8 percent. For the nine-month period, revenue reached INR 3,912 million, while EBITDA stood at INR 363 million.

"We achieved a 12 percent increase in volumes on a standalone basis, with Reclaim Rubber volumes growing nine percent despite subdued global tyre demand," said Harsh Gandhi, Managing Director of GRP Limited.

The company recognized INR 121 million in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) credits year-to-date, with an additional INR 180 million worth of credits valued at minimum support price still available for sale.

Expansion Plans

GRP is moving forward with its INR 2.5 billion expansion plan, having secured financing from French development finance institution Proparco. The company has also received shareholder approval to raise an additional INR 1.5 billion through a qualified institutional placement.

"We remain on track to commence operations for the first line of crumb rubber and continuous pyrolysis line by Q4 of this financial year," Gandhi stated, noting that INR 330 million has already been invested in the project.

Industry Developments

The expansion comes as major carbon black producers like Birla Carbon, Epsilon Carbon, and Phillips Carbon Black launch recovered carbon black products using tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO).

"With carbon black producers now actively sourcing TPO to produce their own grades of recovered carbon black, it allows us a new avenue for sale, which was maybe 6 to 8 months ago, was non-existent," Gandhi explained.

Future Outlook

The company expects margins to stabilize following recent raw material cost pressures, particularly in its synthetic rubber reclaim business. GRP's subsidiary focused on recycled polyolefins is gaining approvals from major brands ahead of new recycling regulations taking effect from April 2025.

"Once we do get into this business, there are a lot of synergies between the two businesses, and that will allow for the overall margin profile of the business to move towards mid-teens and even a little higher towards the high-teen EBITDA numbers for a consolidated level," Gandhi added.

Yokohama-ATG's Alliance Agri Star II tyre has achieved one-million-unit sales milestone globally within five years of its launch in 2020. The milestone coincides with Alliance’s 70th anniversary in 2025.

The Agri Star II was created with a particular emphasis on practical farming issues and has received praise for its overall performance, traction and durability. Even after 40 percent tread wear, the tyre's dual-angle lug design and unique Stratified Layer Technology (SLT) provide excellent grip. The lower tread layer takes over when the top layer deteriorates, guaranteeing steady grip for the course of the tyre's life. For farmers and agricultural professionals, the Agri Star II offers a plethora of advantages, including improved on-road comfort and stability thanks to overlapping central lugs, wear-resistant compound and stubble guard, superior traction with multi-angled lugs for optimal field grip and crop protection through a smooth lug design that minimises plant damage.

With a D speed rating that permits operation at up to 65 kmph, the Agri Star II is a powerful all-arounder for both field and road use. It comes in a broad range of sizes, including the more recent 65 Series. Alliance has stated that it intends to expand into more agricultural industries this spring due to the Agri Star II's exceptional performance. The goal of the extension is to increase the present tyre's popularity and offer even more fittings for the changing demands of farming today.

Angelo Noronha, President & CEO of Yokohama-ATG, said, “This milestone is a testament to the trust and confidence that farmers and agricultural professionals have placed in Agri Star II. Reaching 1 million tyres sold is not just a number – it’s a reflection of the tyre’s ability to meet the real-world challenges of modern farming. This milestone is not just about the Agri Star II - it’s about Alliance’s commitment to innovation, quality and customer satisfaction. As we celebrate 70 years of Alliance, we remain dedicated to supporting farmers with cutting-edge tyre solutions.”

Nokian Tyres is expanding its logistics centre in Nokia, Finland, with the construction of a modern and cost-effective warehouse for passenger car tyres. With this initiative, the company aims to consolidate its warehouses, which are now spread across Finland, under one roof.

In addition to reducing CO2 emissions from logistics in Finland, the new facility will be planned and constructed in line with the goals of LEED environmental certification. SEB Leasing Oy is financing the new property. The site and warehouse automation will be leased by Nokian Tyres on a long-term lease. By the end of 2027, the extension will be finished on a Nokian Tyres property next to the existing logistics facility in Nokia, Finland. Before being shipped to clients throughout the globe, all passenger car tyres produced at the Finnish plant will be stored in the highly automated warehouse. Heavy tyres and raw materials will eventually be relocated to the expanded logistics centre.

Miikka Kunnari, Head – Global Logistics, Nokian Tyres, said, "The modern logistics centre will enable efficient operation of the Finnish factory and reduce transports between the factory and warehouses as logistics operations are centralised in Nokia, Finland. In addition, the new warehouse will improve the safety and quality of warehouse operations.”

Kumho Tyre UK has expanded its commercial vehicle tyre portfolio with a broader range of truck and van tyres designed to give consistent, high-performance outcomes in a variety of operating scenarios. The reinforced CV tyre line is designed to meet UK fleets' growing needs for efficiency, durability and all-season performance. The expanded selection now includes a number of tyres designed for specific commercial applications, such as all-season van application, regional transport vehicles and mega trailers.

With a robust 160K load rating, the KLT23 tyre is aimed at mega trailers and offers a combination of heavy-load capability and consistent mileage. The tyre is suited for both long-haul and regional operations and provides excellent grip and stable handling across a range of road conditions.

The PorTran KC53, on the other hand, is aimed at highway performance and comes with a wide tread and stable block pattern for enhanced dry handling even under heavy loads. The tyre helps reduce aquaplaning risk with its broad cross-grooves and straight circumferential channels. It is available in 38 sizes, covering dimensions from 155R13C to 215/60R17C.

The PorTran 4S CX11 all-season tyre is made for light commercial vehicles like and is available in 22 sizes from 15-inch to 17 inch. Last but not least, the KXA10 and KXA11 all-position tyres are engineered for high mileage and consistent traction in both urban delivery and mixed-route settings. The tyre, available in sizes including 245/70R19.5 and 385/65R22.5, is optimised for versatility and seasonal resilience.

Bridgestone, a global leader in premium tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, will supply its premium Bridgestone BATTLAX motorcycle tyres to five teams in the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) 2025.

This year, Bridgestone will be the sole tyre supplier for five of the most ambitious teams, namely F.C.C. TSR Honda France, YART YAMAHA Official EWC Team, Yoshimura SERT Motul, and the new partners, BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM and Kawasaki Webike Trickstar. In order to further promote and uphold racing culture, Bridgestone continues to sponsor a variety of domestic and international motorsports, from elite professional race series to local amateur races. This includes its participation in the FIM EWC. Bridgestone has been providing teams competing in the entire EWC series with Bridgestone racing tyres since 2017.

Advanced materials and technology are used in the creation of Bridgestone racing tyres to maximise handling, grip and longevity. In addition to offering exceptional performance in a range of weather situations, Bridgestone racing tyres are made to provide riders the assurance they need to push themselves to the utmost in every circumstance.

Nico Thuy, Director Motorcycle at Bridgestone EMEA, said, “Bridgestone has a deep-rooted passion for motorsports, and the FIM Endurance World Championship is the ultimate test of tyre performance, durability and innovation. We’re proud to expand our support in 2025 – continuing to work with three outstanding teams and adding two more in BMW and Kawasaki, ahead of what will surely be another brilliant season. We know that our Bridgestone racing tyres will play their part and help push the limits of endurance racing once again.”

The schedule for the 2025 FIM EWC season is as follows:

    19-20 April: 24 Heures Motos, Le Mans, France

    7 June: 8 Hours of Spa Motos, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

    3 August: Suzuka 8 Hours, Suzuka race track, Japan

    20-21 September: the Bol d'Or, Circuit Paul Ricard, France