Rubber, Chemical & Petrochemical Skill Development Council (RCPSDC) celebrated its Annual Awards on 16 December, 2022 in New Delhi, India. The award ceremony was held to facilitate the best performers in the rubber, chemical and petrochemical skilling ecosystem.

RCPSDC claims that the yearly awards ceremony drew active participation from government departments, the rubber, chemical and petrochemical industries, training partners and assessment agencies and important stakeholders from across the country.

KK Dwivedi, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, was the Chief Guest at the event. Dwivedi recounted his first-hand experience of working closely with the rubber sector in Assam in his earlier innings as Principal Secretary of the state. According to RCPSDC, Dwivedi stated that there was an urgent need to equip the fast-growing rubber sector with skilled workforce, both in tapping and processing. “The rubber and chemical sector is expected to grow at eight to ten percent in the next few years and will require a continuous supply of a large skilled workforce. By upskilling one of the largest segments of the economy comprising the rubber, chemical and petrochemical sectors, RCPSDC is best placed to be a driver of India's economic growth. For that, all the stakeholders need to come in support of the sector skill council. The government is taking rubber, chemical and petrochemical as a priority sector and is committed to creating an empowering ecosystem,” said Dwivedi.

Furthermore, at the event, Vinod Patkotwar, Chairman, RCPSDC, emphasised in his welcoming speech the necessity to expand the skilling programmes in the country in order to meet the demand for a trained workforce, both domestically and internationally.

Hena Usman, IPoS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, also honoured the occasion as the guest of honour. RCPSDC states that Lt Col Gunjan Chowdhary, Director, National Corporation for Vocational Education & Training (NCVET), Dr Maneesh Mishra, Executive Vice President, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Dr Deepak Paliwal, Joint Director, Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal and Dr Vinay Swarup Mehrotra, Professor, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) were also the guests of honour.

Besides celebrating excellence, RCPSDC claims that it exchanged three MoUs at the awards ceremony, with Government Tool Room & Training Centre (GTTC), Karnataka for the execution of dual certification programmes and with Rabindranath Tagore University (RNTU), Bhopal for B Voc, and dual certification programmes. A further significant MoU was inked with the Bahadurgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI), Haryana for the implementation of re-skilling and upskilling programmes under various state/central government schemes.

RCPSDC further states that it launched the project ‘Utthaan’ at last year’s Annual Awards in 2021. ‘Utthaan’ is one of the ambitious projects aimed at the upskilling of workforce (unorganised or organised) in plastic waste segregation, processing and recycling job roles and to help them perform their jobs more effectively and enhance their productivity. Through an audio-visual presentation this year at the Annual Awards 2022, the participants were updated on the achievements of the project ‘Utthaan’ and how the same is transforming the lives of neglected strata of the society, according to RCPSDC. In the first phase, 205 sanitation workers have been trained under the project. On the occasion, special recognition was conferred on Dr Pradeep Mehta, State Head, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the Utthaan project, the training being imparted by Lok Bharti Group (an affiliated training partner of RCPSDC) and Rajiv Pandey, Assistant Director, Urban Development Directorate, State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), Government of Uttarakhand, as per RCPSDC.

Amongst industry partners, special awards were presented to JK Tyre & Industries (Best Industry Partner – Rubber), Varroc Polymers (Best Industry Partner – CPC) and Bridgestone India (Best CSR Project). Training partners across different training methodologies were recognised as well, claims RCPSDC. Prerna Group (Best Training Partner – RPL BICE), Yashaswi Group (Best Training Partner – NAPS), Wayline Management Consultants (Best Training Partner – RPL) and VDA Technologies (Best Training Partner – STT) were adjudged the winners. Mercer Mettl (Best Assessment Agency – First Prize) and Trendsetters Skill Assessors Private Limited (Best Assessment Agency – Second Prize) received awards as best assessment agencies, according to RCPSDC.

The best trainers and assessor’s awards were bestowed on Abhinav Swami (Best Trainer – CPC), Abdul Raoof A (Best Trainer – Rubber), Pushpendra Singh Arya (Best Assessor – Rubber) and Manash Jyoti (Best Assessor – CPC). RCPSDC states that the best trainees were chosen from a large number of entries – Sunita Devi (Best Trainee – Plastic Waste Management and Segregator, First Prize), Shobha (Best Trainee – Plastic Waste Management and Segregator Second Prize), Sandeep Prajapati (Best Trainee – CPC, First Prize), Azad Mansuri (Best Trainee – CPC, Second Prize), Dipali Das (Best Trainee – NR Plantation, First Prize), Sudip Sarkar (Best Trainee – NR Plantation, Second Prize), Kanchan Dashrath More (Best Trainee – Rubber Manufacturing, First Prize), Akash (Best Trainee – Rubber Manufacturing, Second Prize).

Sharing his views, Saif Mohammad, CEO, RCPSDC, said, “I congratulate all of the awardees and give my best wishes to RCPSDC for completing a successful decade of hard work in the skilling ecosystem. We are committed to continuing our efforts to boost the efficiency of the rubber, chemical and petrochemical sector through skill training, and unlock the sector's growth prospects. RCPSDC is actively pursuing excellence in the rubber, chemical and petrochemical sectors, and we look forward to acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of our stakeholders in the coming years.”

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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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