At a critical juncture for India’s automotive sector, Arun Mammen, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, MRF Ltd, takes over as Chairman of ATMA (Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association) on its Golden Jubilee Year 2025. At a time when the Indian tyre industry is faced with stringent global challenges, Mammen, with experience of more than three decades, takes over to lead the association through a stage of change with technology revolution, sustainability and strategic expansion. In this one-to-one interview, he presents his thoughts on the industry scenario presently, the challenges in the future that lie ahead and what is India’s vision for the tyre manufacturing industry.

How did the Indian tyre industry fare in FY2025?

FY2025 has been a year of consolidation wherein Indian tyre industry showed much resilience. Despite global headwinds, the domestic market showed steady growth, buoyed by robust demand in the replacement segment and gradual recovery in OEM demand. Infrastructure and road development, focus areas in successive budgets, contributed positively to the industry’s performance. While raw material costs remained volatile, prudent cost management strategies helped the companies ride through a challenging year.

The Indian tyre industry has faced persistent challenges with raw material volatility. What concrete steps will ATMA take under your leadership to reduce dependency on imported natural rubber (NR)?

Reducing reliance on imported natural rubber is a key priority of the government as well as the industry. The planting under the INROAD project, a public private partnership aimed at new rubber plantations in 200,000 hectares in North East for enhancing domestic NR production, has entered well into the fifth year. The original target of planting 200,000 hectares of land with rubber will be completed by next year. Plantations supported by INROAD will start yielding from 2027 onwards, which will substantially reduce the production consumption gap of NR in India. Once these trees enter the yielding phase, the domestic NR output will certainly help in reducing NR imports. Meanwhile, ATMA will continue to work closely with the Rubber Board to enhance domestic production through means such as scientific farming practices. We are also working with Rubber Board through INROAD to identify the untapped rubber plantations in the country with an objective to find a way to start tapping them.

In spite of government efforts, the demand-supply gap of domestic natural rubber persists. How do you envision bridging this underlying supply hurdle?

Bridging the demand-supply gap requires a multipronged approach. First, improving productivity through agri-extension services and quality planting materials. We are promoting climate-resistant and high-yield clones through the INROAD project. Second, increasing farmer income by improving NR quality to make rubber farming viable. With iSPEED, a project of INROAD to improve quality of rubber produced in the country, we aim at significantly improving the quality of rubber produced in the country within next five years, which will substantially improve the income generation of the rubber farmers. Third, a long-term roadmap involving plantation expansion is essential. ATMA will continue to advocate for policy reforms and a long-term vision to build domestic industry and farmer confidence.

Indian export front has witnessed a peak in exports of tyres in recent years. Still, most export markets are fighting hard now. What will happen to export trends in coming months?

Global uncertainty may temper growth in the short term, but the structural competitiveness of Indian tyre manufacturers – cost efficiency, quality and compliance with international benchmarks – remains intact. While exports may stabilise in traditional markets, we expect opportunities to emerge in new geographies, particularly in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. ATMA is actively engaging with the government to improve export competitiveness and bilateral trade facilitation.

There have been no tyres from China in the last two years. How has that benefitted the Indian tyre industry?

The restriction of Chinese tyres has helped provide a level playing field for domestic players, especially in the truck and bus radial (TBR) segment and also helped in stopping import of poor quality, cheap truck bias tyres which were unsafe to operate under heavy loading conditions in India, compared to the Indian bias tyres which are designed to meet the domestic service conditions. It has accelerated capacity utilisation, encouraged fresh investments and enabled Indian brands to increase their footprint in both replacement and OEM markets. More importantly, it has strengthened the ecosystem for local innovation and quality standards.

Now BIS certification is compulsory for tyre machines being sold in India. How will it help the industry? Also, there are numerous foreign tyre machine manufacturers who are finding it difficult to register and get the certification. As the apex body of the Indian tyre industry, will you assist them in this regard?

BIS certification ensures consistency in machine quality and enhances safety, efficiency and reliability in manufacturing. As tyre production gathers momentum, more avenues will open for machine manufacturers. ATMA, with the support of Department of Heavy Industry (DHI) has facilitated knowledge sharing sessions and interaction between the policy makers and machinery manufacturers, both domestic and international suppliers.

Global leading tyre manufacturers are shifting away from large-scale production of small-size tyres (14” to 18”) towards larger tyres or establishing a stronger presence in premium segments. Is there a sweet spot for Asian tyre companies, particularly Indian, in the global market?

With our cost advantage, strong engineering base and growing R&D capabilities, Indian companies are well positioned to become reliable suppliers in the volume segment, even as we continuously scale up in the premium niches. End-of-life tyre disposal is still not organised in India, even with regulations. Why has the industry failed to develop efficient recycling infrastructure, and what’s your strategy to deal with this environmental risk? The EPR regulations are a step in the right direction, but the ecosystem is still evolving in the country. ATMA is working on creating an industry-wide platform for end-of-life tyre traceability, supporting sustainable disposal technologies and partnering with recyclers to build a viable circular economy model. We are liaisoning with the authorities to create pollution-free ELT disposal by the recyclers. ATMA member companies are helping the pollution control department through auditing the process of recyclers to speed up setting checks and balance in this sector. ATMA is also following up with the government to ban import of used tyres, for the purpose of pyrolysis, into the country.

Increasing logistics costs are tightening industry margins. What are the infrastructural bottlenecks that most deeply affect the tyre industry, and how are you approaching government stakeholders to resolve them?

High road freight costs, port congestion and insufficient rail-freight linkages are key concerns. We are in discussions with the government to improve multimodal transport connectivity, optimise freight corridors and simplify port logistics. Faster clearances and digital infrastructure can significantly lower turnaround time and costs. ATMA continues to be an active participant for policy formulation in this domain.

Some of the world’s major tyre makers have become carbon neutral in their businesses. Why are Indian companies not following suit, and how will ATMA propel sustainability?

Sustainability is a top priority, and many Indian tyre majors have already made significant strides in renewable energy usage, water recycling and carbon reduction. While carbon neutrality takes time and scale, we’re moving in that direction. ATMA is working on a sustainability roadmap to support industry players with benchmarks, best practices and technology collaboration to accelerate green transitions.

What could be the major challenge for the tyre industry in the near future and how do you plan to overcome it?

We need to look at the challenges for tyre industry along with that of the auto industry. With sustainability gaining traction and Euro 7 and BS7 standards likely to kick off in 2026/27, auto industry may have to work overtime to meet the proposed deadlines. Transition to non-fossil fuel combustion engine, hybrid engine and EV will gain traction. There could also be some standards on tread road wear particle emission (TRWPE) although there is no clear statistics to establish the current quantity of TRWP emission. In this regard, we should be careful not to copy / paste any European legislation without considering India specific challenges. For example, India is still a major bias tyre market and there are a large number of loyal customers for this product. Instead of replacing bias tyre entirely by radial tyre, we should focus on specific interventions to make bias tyre bridge the gap with radial tyre.As far as TRWP is concerned, we will have to admit that Indian road surface as well as road terrain is totally different from Europe. So this subject need a much larger study. To begin with we need to establish a proper data base to understand and work on the problem. We are sure that we will soon find a solution for all the above problems.

How do you see FY2026?

FY26 is expected to be a growth year, supported by robust infrastructure spending and sustained vehicle demand. While global macro challenges remain, the Indian tyre industry’s fundamentals are strong. Digitisation, innovation and sustainability will be our key focus areas as we aim to position India as a global hub for quality tyre manufacturing.

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Kumho Tyre UK has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Luke Emery as Sales Director for South East England, a move that coincides with the company’s expanding product range and reports of growing demand across the region. Bringing 22 years of deep-rooted experience in the tyre sector, Emery’s background spans both motorsport and passenger car applications, positioning him well to drive commercial performance in this key territory.

His appointment forms part of Kumho’s ongoing investment in its UK operations, reflecting a continued commitment to reinforcing the domestic team as demand rises for an increasingly diverse product portfolio. In this new role, Emery will work alongside the existing UK management and sales teams to deliver dedicated support to customers throughout the South East, ensuring the business remains responsive to evolving market needs.

Richard Lyons, Managing Director, Kumho Tyre UK, said, “We are delighted to welcome Luke to the Kumho team, adding to the enrichment of our team that we have seen over the past few months. The UK market has shown excellent acceptance of our latest products and Luke’s appointment reflects our commitment to building a talented, future-focused team that can support our customers and continue driving the growth of the Kumho brand across the UK.”

Emery said, “Having worked at Kumho in the past, I’m delighted to return at such an exciting time for the brand. Kumho has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality tyres that offer excellent value and performance, and the market response to the new products has been extremely positive.”

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Clemson University has announced the appointment of Dr Saied Taheri to the External Advisory Board of its Mechanical Engineering department, strengthening ties between academia and research leadership. The move highlights the institution’s continued focus on advancing engineering education through experienced global contributors. Dr Taheri’s longstanding association with Clemson, where he completed his undergraduate, master’s and doctoral studies in mechanical engineering in 1984, 1986 and 1990, respectively, positions him as a deeply connected figure familiar with the university’s academic values and institutional goals.

Currently a professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Dr Taheri also serves as Director of the NSF-supported Industry–University Cooperative Research Center for Tire Research (CenTiRe). His career spans both academia and industry, including a tenure as a senior engineer at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and an adjunct faculty role at the University of Akron between 1998 and 2007. Since joining Virginia Tech in 2007, he has mentored a significant number of scholars. His research contributions have focused on tyre and vehicle dynamics, simulation technologies, intelligent tyre systems and chassis control.

In his new advisory capacity, Dr Taheri is expected to contribute to shaping departmental strategy and fostering innovation-driven initiatives. His combined expertise in research, teaching and leadership is anticipated to support Clemson’s efforts to enhance student outcomes and maintain excellence in mechanical engineering.

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Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. has announced the promotion of four veteran sales management team members to director-level positions, effective 1 March 2026. Ken Cole, Shawn Blythe, Bill Carroll and Steven Shearer each assume expanded responsibilities across distinct areas: Cole steps into commercial accounts sales, Blythe takes on strategic accounts distribution, Carroll now oversees national retail channel, car channel and motorsports tyres and Shearer moves into sales operations and training. These leadership changes underscore the company’s dedication to cultivating internal talent and adapting to an evolving tire industry landscape.

Ken Cole, who joined Toyo in 2017 as Senior Manager for Truck Sales in the eastern region, brings over 25 years of industry experience to his new post as Director of Sales for Commercial Accounts. He succeeds Bill Barfield, who retired at the end of 2025. Shawn Blythe, a more than five-year Toyo veteran previously serving as Senior Manager for Strategic National Accounts Distribution, continues in a similar vein as Director of Strategic Accounts Distribution, focusing on driving success alongside company partners.

Bill Carroll’s new role as Director of National Retail Channel, Car Channel and Motorsports Tyres follows a tenure marked by progressive leadership, including positions as District Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager and Senior Manager for Strategic Retail Accounts. Meanwhile, Steven Shearer, a Toyo team member since 2012 who most recently served as Senior Manager of Marketing Communications, transitions to Director of Sales Operations and Training. In this capacity, he replaces Anne Holland, who is set to retire at the end of March.

Mike Snyder, Vice President – Sales, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp., said, “Ken, Shawn, Bill and Steve have shown strong leadership as senior managers of their respective teams and have been integral in the success of Toyo over the years. Their promotions are well deserved and have enabled Toyo to solidify the mid-level management team that carries the organisation into the future. I’m confident that their leadership will ensure the company’s continued growth over the coming years.”

Cole said, “I am honoured for the opportunity and look forward to helping lead Toyo’s continued growth in the commercial tire business. We have a great sales team, and we will continue to focus on delivering high-quality commercial tyres through the best servicing dealers in the industry.”

Blythe said, “Toyo’s success has been built on strong partnerships with our customers, our dealers and our talented team at Toyo. I look forward to continuing to grow those relationships and deliver results and the reliability that our customers trust every day.”

Carroll said, “I will continue to bring my passion forward in my new director role and expand Toyo’s presence in the market. Toyo makes a fantastic product, and I am passionate about supporting our dealers, consumers and commercial needs.”

Shearer said, “My goal is to continue advancing sales programmes, tools and communications that improve the ease of doing business and drive success for both Toyo Tires and our customers. I am committed to supporting our dealers, and their success is central to everything we do.”

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Apollo Tyres Ltd has secured the second position among BW Businessworld India’s Top 5 Most Sustainable Companies in the Automotive Components sector, marking a significant recognition of the company’s dedication to responsible and future-oriented business operations. The ranking underscores the organisation’s consistent efforts to embed sustainability into its corporate framework, highlighting its progress in aligning industrial performance with long-term environmental and social accountability.

In addition to this sector-specific accolade, Apollo Tyres has been named among BW India’s Top 60 Most Sustainable Companies for the 2024–25 edition, a distinction drawn from a broader evaluation of the country’s top 200 corporations. Further cementing this achievement, the company has also been featured within the Top 30 most sustainable organisations among that select cohort. The assessment involved a comprehensive review across a wide range of Environmental, Social and Governance parameters, providing a holistic evaluation of Apollo Tyres’ sustainability initiatives and their measurable long-term impact.

The BW Sustainability World platform continues to serve as a key forum for industry leaders, fostering the exchange of insights, inspiration and actionable strategies aimed at accelerating sustainable transformation across sectors. Apollo Tyres remains steadfast in its commitment to driving meaningful change and contributing to a more sustainable future, building on these recognitions as benchmarks of its ongoing journey.

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