MRF continues to lead the tyre industry with a strong focus on quality, innovation and customer satisfaction. With a presence in over 70 countries, MRF’s dominance spans across categories including commercial vehicles, two-wheelers, electric vehicles (EVs) and aircraft tyres. As India’s economic growth drives increased demand for commercial vehicles, MRF capitalises on this shift towards larger trucks and the expanding EV market. Additionally, the company’s technological prowess is evident in its supply of defence aircraft tyres. Despite challenges like rising rubber prices, MRF’s commitment to development and sustainable practices ensures its continued growth and global expansion.

MRF Vice Chairman and Managing Director Arun Mammen opined that India’s economic prosperity is leading to a demand for original equipment, which in turn is driving the volumes for commercial vehicle tyres upwards. Speaking to Tyre Trends on the sidelines of the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, Mammen noted, “The commercial vehicle tyre segment is primarily driven by OEM demand. India’s economic performance is increasing commercial activity, leading to a higher number of trucks being sold. A notable trend in this segment is the shift towards larger trucks. This shift is primarily due to improved road infrastructure. Additionally, these trends see tyre volumes grow even in the replacement market.”

He added, “Government policies over the last 5–6 years have also played a crucial role in shaping the industry. The transition from BS4 to BS6, changes in axle load norms and various other regulatory developments have influenced tyre design and performance requirements. We have remained ahead of these changes, ensuring our products fully comply with government guidelines.”

The company theme for this year at the expo was ‘Muscle in Motion’, which highlighted MRF’s leadership, technology, innovation and sustainability.

MRF has been a leader in the tyre industry for 37 years, covering all categories. The executive noted that while competition was close in some segments, the company continued to have a leading position in tractors, trucks, light commercial vehicles, commercial vehicles and three-wheeler tyre segments. Its market leadership was further reinforced by its financial performance in FY 2023-24 with turnover of over INR 250 billion.

The company is experiencing double-digit growth, particularly in the first half of CY25, while most of the industry had struggled to achieve similar momentum. “We have consistently grown across all tyre categories including infrastructure, farm, two-wheeler and truck tyres,” revealed Mammen.

“Our ability to maintain market dominance for nearly four decades is rooted in a simple yet powerful philosophy, which is quality, customer focus and continuous innovation. We prioritise understanding customer needs and delivering better-thanexpected performance. This relentless pursuit of excellence ensures that we provide the best value for money,” said the official.

EXPANDING PORTFOLIO

A recent media report mentioned that MRF is seeing significant progress in the EV tyre segment, covering both OEM supply and the replacement market.

Exuding confidence for its EV tyre portfolio with the evolving automobile space in India, Mammen noted, “We are actively innovating in this space and a great example is our new EV tyre, recently supplied to Mahindra for its latest EV launch. This tyre incorporates a unique foam technology that significantly reduces noise, offering a quieter and more comfortable driving experience. With the growing adoption of electric vehicles, such advancements are crucial as EVs inherently produce less mechanical noise, making tyre noise reduction even more essential.”

He added, “Our tyres are fitted on several OEM vehicles including that of Maruti, Toyota, Honda and Bajaj models. The EV space will continue to grow as charging infrastructure improves, making electric mobility more convenient for consumers. While passenger vehicles and two-wheelers are currently leading the shift, we expect commercial vehicles to gradually follow suit as fleet operators gain confidence in battery technology and cost efficiency.”

Moreover, the company exclusively supplies tyres for Indian defence aircraft and helicopters with plans to expand the portfolio. Commenting on the same lines, Mammen revealed, “MRF supplies aircraft tyres to India’s defence forces including the Air Force and Navy. The majority of defence aircraft flying today are equipped with MRF tyres. The Indian Government does not import aircraft tyres unless we do not manufacture a specific type, further reinforcing our dominant position in this critical sector.”

MARKET TALK

MRF set up a new plant in Gujarat recently and ongoing expansions across multiple facilities are in process. Mammen noted that factories were continually being upgraded to meet evolving market demands. The company’s export business contributes between 10 to 12 percent in its total revenue, said Mammen.

The company currently exports to 70 countries worldwide. When asked about exploring new regions, the executive highlighted, “We are always looking for new opportunities for growth. A key example is our dominance in rally racing. We have been European champions for two years, beating multinational competitors, and in Asia Pacific, we have been rally champions for nine consecutive years. These victories highlight our engineering excellence and performance capabilities, opening doors to further expand our brand presence.”

Another trend within the Indian tyre market is Tyre-as-a-Service. Commenting on whether MRF plans to foray in the segment, he said, “Tyre-as- a-Service currently accounts for less than a single-digit percentage of the overall business. The limited adoption is due to challenging operating conditions. While some companies initially ventured into this space, many later exited due to difficulties in scaling the model. We continue to monitor this segment and will assess its potential for expansion in the future.”

TALKING ROADBLOCKS

The official identified the rising prices of rubber as one of the largest problems facing the tyre industry. Mammen explained that raw material costs account for about 70 percent of tyre production costs. As crude oil prices increase, the cost of production also rises, which is further impacted by fluctuations in the rupeedollar exchange rate.

“The price of natural rubber has remained high for a while and this is a challenge for many tyre manufacturers including us. India does not produce enough natural rubber to meet domestic demand, so we rely on imports to supplement local supply. This dependency on imports means we are exposed to fluctuations in global rubber prices, which can impact our overall cost structure,” said Mammen.

Despite the challenges, the company’s near-term research and development focus will involve both recycling raw materials and exploring green energy solutions such as energy and water recycling while also controlling wastage.

The company had made a Capex of over INR 21 billion in the previous financial year and nearly INR 7 billion in the first six months of the current financial year. These investments are directed towards areas with growth opportunities in truck, passenger and two-wheeler markets.

When asked about retail expansion, Mammen noted that there is always room for growth, both in expanding the dealer and retailer network and in online retail.

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PCBL Chemical has named Rituraj Singh Kalra as Executive Director and Chief – International Markets (Rubber Blacks), effective 9 November. The Kolkata-based company disclosed in a regulatory filing that Kalra will also serve on its Senior Management team and will be based in Belgium.

Kalra brings roughly three decades of expertise in international sales, marketing and business strategy, with senior leadership roles at Bekaert, GKN Driveline and MAHLE. He will oversee operations across Europe, the Americas and key Asia-Pacific markets, lead the Innovation Centre and drive Green Carbon initiatives, prioritising close customer relationships, resilient supply chains and commercial and technical partnerships built on shared sustainability goals. He previously served as Senior Vice-President of Global Sales, Marketing and Strategy at Bekaert in Belgium and holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Leeds and an MBA from Warwick Business School.

The appointment strengthens PCBL's global ambitions as a unit of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, a conglomerate tracing its roots to 1820 that now generates about USD 5 billion in annual turnover and employs more than 55,000 people. With over six decades of operations behind it, PCBL stands as India's largest and the world's sixth-largest carbon black manufacturer, positioning itself as a global partner across carbon black, speciality chemicals and advanced materials.

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Tyrecycle CEO Jim Fairweather has stepped down after more than 10 years as President of the Australian Tyre Recyclers Association (ATRA), passing the role to Leigh Cometti, Managing Director of CTS Tyre Recycling. Fairweather will remain involved with ATRA and the wider industry.

His departure closes a period in which the association and Tyrecycle jointly pressed government to adopt the prohibition on exporting whole-baled waste tyres. That measure stopped such shipments reaching developing markets, where poor handling, storage or disposal could endanger human health and the environment, and it pushed the sector towards more accountable end-of-life tyre management and more processing and recovery on Australian soil.

Tyrecycle describes engagement with bodies like ATRA as central to its aim of building up the country's tyre recycling and resource recovery sectors. The company argues that recyclers, governments, regulators and other parties must work together if tyre recovery is to rise and end-of-life tyres are to be handled better nationally.

Looking ahead, ATRA has flagged several priorities: lifting off-the-road market recovery volumes, tightening compliance and enforcement, maintaining close ties with State and Federal regulators and pursuing regulatory changes that leverage existing Australian recycling capacity. Tyrecycle says it will keep contributing its experience, expertise and national outlook to ATRA and its members.

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The Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA), the apex body representing tyre companies in India, has requested the Government of India to allow temporary duty-free imports of natural rubber under a Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) mechanism.

The request follows an increase in domestic natural rubber prices to INR 300 per kg, representing a rise of nearly 62 percent from the November 2025 average of INR 186 per kg, alongside supply shortages during the peak production season.

In a letter submitted to Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, the association proposed limiting the duty-free import quota to the assessed deficit between domestic demand and supply until market conditions stabilise.

During FY2025-26, India produced 905,000 tonnes of natural rubber against a consumption volume of 1.42 million tonnes, creating a supply gap of nearly 37 percent. Tyre manufacturers are simultaneously managing cost increases in synthetic rubber, carbon black, petroleum-based inputs and freight expenses driven by crude oil price movements linked to events in West Asia.

India's tyre industry generates an annual turnover of approximately INR 1,000 billion and exports exceeding INR 270 billion, having recorded 16 percent YoY export growth in Q1 of FY2026-27.

Arun Mammen, Chairman of ATMA, said, “Tyre manufacturers rely on the peak tapping season to secure domestic rubber for their production schedules. This year, supplies are falling short even during these months, while procurement costs have risen sharply. A temporary duty-free quota, limited to the assessed shortfall, would help manufacturers maintain production while protecting the interests of domestic rubber growers.”

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The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced that Mark Stewart has stepped down from his roles as Chief Executive Officer and President of the company and has also left its board of directors, effective immediately. In his place, the company has installed board member Roger Wood as interim Chief Executive Officer, with Wood leading the tyre maker while a leading executive search firm helps the board identify a permanent successor.

Wood joined the board in 2023 and has spent over 30 years leading businesses in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. He was previously Co-Chief Executive of Tenneco Inc., which designs, manufactures and distributes clean air, powertrain and ride performance systems worldwide for vehicle manufacturers and the aftermarket, and he holds board seats at PHINIA Incorporated and Brunswick Corporation. As part of taking the interim role, he has given up chairing the board's human capital and compensation committee.

Earlier this year, the board set up a special committee to scrutinise the company's businesses and operations, seeking ways to lift performance and deliver more value to shareholders. Directors and management are pursuing that effort through a wide-ranging assessment of strategic and operational options, among them refining the business mix and footprint, sharpening efficiency and funding new products and capabilities that underpin long-term growth. No further updates are planned unless and until the board concludes that more disclosure is warranted or required.

In a separate announcement dated 27 October 2026, Goodyear said Jerome Rouquet will become Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer on 1 December 2026. Rouquet, now Chief Financial Officer at Visteon Corporation and formerly a senior finance executive at Tenneco and Federal-Mogul, takes over from interim Chief Financial Officer Scott Deakin, who will help ensure a smooth handover.

Joe Hinrichs, Goodyear Board of Directors Chair, said, "Goodyear has made meaningful progress in becoming a more efficient and focused company, and the board believes this is the right moment to transition leadership to accelerate that progress and capture additional opportunity. Roger brings extensive automotive and industrial CEO experience, deep operational expertise and strong relationships across OEMs and aftermarket customers. He knows Goodyear, understands the opportunities ahead and has the board's full confidence to bring heightened focus and urgency to execution while we conduct a thorough search for a permanent CEO. We thank Mark for his contributions to Goodyear.

"The board formed a special committee earlier this year to conduct a rigorous strategic review of the company to help strengthen performance and create shareholder value. The board, together with the Enterprise Transformation Office, is evaluating a broad range of strategic and operational opportunities, and we are committed to taking the right actions to position Goodyear for stronger performance and long-term success. We look forward to providing an update as this work progresses."

Wood said, "Goodyear has iconic brands, talented people and significant opportunities to improve performance and deliver long-term value. As I step into this role, my immediate priorities are to support our associates and customers, sharpen execution and build on the work already underway to advance Goodyear's transformation. I look forward to working closely with the board, leadership team and the Enterprise Transformation Office to advance the strategic review and translate that work into actions that strengthen performance and position Goodyear for long-term success."

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