India Is Going To Be A Huge Market For The Rubber Industry: IRCO
- By Nilesh Wadhwa
- March 07, 2025
The International Rubber Conference Organisation (IRCO), the association of rubber societies from around the world and the organiser behind International Rubber Conference (IRC), sees India’s rubber industry booming over the last few decades. Tyre Trends recently caught up with Michael Clayton, Executive Chairman, IRCO, and Dr Matthew Thornton, Secretary General, IRCO, at the sidelines of Rubber Con 2024. Edited excerpts.
What is the underlying change you are seeing in the rubber conference globally?
Dr Thornton: I think the global rubber industry as a whole is facing similar challenges and bits. Rubber Con being a global conference, the themes have certainly changed over sort of the last 15 years and definitely we are seeing as we should, a trend and focus on sustainability, sustainable materials and sustainable practices.
What about India’s present and future role in the global rubber industry?
Clayton: I think it’s clear to see from the number of delegates at the three-day Rubber Con 2024 being nearly 1,000 that the Indian rubber sector is booming over the last 15 years. This is the third or fourth time we are in India for the IRCO event and plans are there for the future as well. Every time we come here, you can see the depth of the research that’s being done in India and the impact that that’s having globally on the international rubber sector.
Dr Thornton: I think with the population in India, the growth of the automobile sector, it’s (Indian rubber industry) got to be part of the global industry. As we move forward, it’s going to be a huge market for the rubber industry and a huge producer of rubber that goes into the automotive sector globally as well.
Given the disruption in natural rubber production and companies looking at alternative materials, will natural rubber lose its dominance?
Dr Thornton: I think natural rubber is going to play an important role, maybe more of an important role going forward. The move towards sustainability is something that we have seen over certainty in the last five years. Almost every conference now has a focus on sustainability, and being able to use natural rubber, as opposed to synthetic oil derived rubbers from fossil fuel sources, is going to play a key role. And certainly, using alternative feed stocks for natural rubber as well, like dandelion and guayule, is going to be important as well.
What is your take on repurpose, reuse or recycling of tyres?
Dr Thornton: In the UK and Europe, there’s a huge focus on recycling tyres, which I think will extend globally as well. Going forward, companies like Birla Carbon, who are part of Aditya Birla Group in India, are building plants in the Netherlands and investing EUR 100 million in a new facility in the Netherlands to recycle tyres into recovered carbon black and pyrolysis oils. I see that happening across Europe, in the UK, and I am sure going forward that will happen globally. We can’t just continue to leave old tyres in the environment; there have to be some kind of recovery mechanism. For producers and manufacturers, that is something that has to be high on their agenda and ensure that we don’t damage the environment or have an impact on the ecosystem for future generations.
Tiina Frazer Appointed To Nokian Tyres Management Team As SVP Of Brand, Marketing And Communications
- By TT News
- July 18, 2026
Nokian Tyres has announced the promotion of Tiina Frazer to Senior Vice President of Brand, Marketing and Communications, effective 1 August 2026. In addition to her new executive role, she will join the company’s Management Team, operating from the headquarters in Helsinki, Finland, and reporting directly to President and CEO Paolo Pompei.
Frazer originally joined the Finnish tyre manufacturer in September 2025 as Vice President for the same functional area. Her professional background includes a tenure as Vice President of Brands and Marketing at HKFoods Finland Oy, along with prior senior leadership roles at Lumene, Roche Pharmaceuticals and Fiskars, bringing extensive cross-industry experience to her expanded responsibilities.
Paolo Pompei, President and CEO, Nokian Tyres, said, “I am delighted to welcome Tiina to the Nokian Tyres Management Team. Her experience in building impactful brands make her an excellent addition to our team as we continue to strengthen our premium position in our key markets.”
Fornnax Secures EU Service Partnership With Industry Veteran Lukas Baur
- By TT News
- July 17, 2026
Fornnax Technology has taken a decisive step to strengthen its European footprint by formalising a service partnership with industry veteran Lukas Baur of NOBA Maschinenservice. The agreement, ratified by company CEO Jignesh Kundaria, transitions the Indian manufacturer’s support model from remote coordination to an on-the-ground operational presence. This strategic alignment is designed to address the growing demand for immediate technical intervention across the continent’s recycling sector.
Based in Worbis, Germany, Baur commands a fully integrated service infrastructure that includes a 1,000-square-metre workshop fitted with a 5-tonne crane system, a dedicated hydraulic bay and specialised tooling for bearing replacements. His mobile response unit comprises 12 Mercedes Sprinter vans and a workforce of 24 certified technicians, enabling rapid deployment across a 1,000-kilometre radius. This setup guarantees that Fornnax customers can expect emergency assistance within 24 hours of a service call.
Baur’s professional history spans over 20 years of hands-on work with prominent shredder brands such as Eldan, Lindner and Vecoplan, giving him intimate knowledge of the operational challenges faced by European plant operators. His decision to join forces with Fornnax was driven by the manufacturer’s distinctive combination of competitive pricing, rugged construction and advanced wear-resistant engineering. He recognised that the current market turbulence – marked by tight margins, postponed capital expenditures and a dwindling labour pool – demanded a partnership capable of delivering both technical depth and logistical speed.
Under the new arrangement, Baur assumes full responsibility for the entire equipment lifecycle, covering system commissioning, scheduled upkeep, urgent breakdown recovery and the supply of mechanical, hydraulic and electrical components. He has also expressed a long-term vision to transform his Worbis facility into a regional spare parts consolidation centre, particularly if Fornnax opts to stock inventory at that location. To match anticipated growth, he plans to augment his fleet and technician count by two to three units annually.
This collaboration signals Fornnax’s broader commitment to building a dedicated European service network rather than relying on generalized support structures. With Baur’s proven capabilities now formally integrated, the company aims to deliver faster resolution times and technically nuanced assistance that aligns with the high-throughput demands of modern recycling operations. The partnership ultimately positions Fornnax as a formidable contender in the European shredding equipment landscape, with service excellence as its cornerstone.
Jignesh Kundaria, Director and CEO, Fornnax, said, "We strongly believe that by continuously improving our service quality and customer satisfaction index, we can build long-term relationships with our customers. Higher customer satisfaction leads to greater trust, which significantly increases repeat orders and ultimately drives sustained growth in our sales revenue."
Apollo Tyres Steps Up Investments In AI, Mfg And Global Expansion To Drive Export-Led Growth
- By Sharad Matade
- July 17, 2026
Apollo Tyres is accelerating investments in manufacturing technology, artificial intelligence and international expansion as the company seeks to strengthen its position in premium tyre markets while expanding its global production footprint.
The tyre maker said its long-term strategy, branded Momentum 2.0, is centred on financial discipline, product premiumisation, manufacturing expansion and sustainability, following a year in which it outperformed the industry across several segments and delivered strong international revenue growth.
The company has reinforced its global manufacturing network, operating six manufacturing facilities across India and Hungary and two global R&D centres in Chennai and the Netherlands. Its products are now sold in more than 100 countries, supported by continued investments in research, development and an expanding global distribution network.
Apollo is also increasing investment in digital manufacturing, describing technology as a key driver of future competitiveness. During FY26, the company rolled out its Advanced Manufacturing Execution System (AMES) across major manufacturing plants, enabling real-time production monitoring, end-to-end traceability and greater integration between factory operations and enterprise systems.
To accelerate digital transformation, Apollo established a dedicated AI Innovation Unit that is developing artificial intelligence and machine-learning applications for manufacturing, engineering and business operations. The company said generative AI and agentic AI assistants are being deployed to improve simulations, operational planning and enterprise-wide decision-making, positioning AI as a core element of future factory operations.
Research and development remains another strategic investment priority. Apollo said it invested INR 460.87 million in R&D during FY26 while establishing advanced DoJo Centres at its Chennai and Andhra Pradesh facilities to strengthen engineering capabilities and accelerate product innovation.
International manufacturing continues to underpin Apollo's export ambitions. The company's Gyöngyöshalász plant in Hungary has become a strategic hub for serving European markets, allowing Apollo to manufacture closer to customers while strengthening supply-chain resilience amid evolving global trade dynamics.
Management said Europe remains a key growth market, particularly in premium passenger car tyres, while North America offers opportunities through higher-value products. During the year, Apollo expanded its dealer network by adding more than 250 dealers across the United States and Canada, strengthening distribution for the Vredestein brand and improving access to replacement markets.
Despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, energy price volatility and changing trade policies, Apollo said it would continue investing in innovation, operational efficiency and manufacturing excellence rather than slowing capital deployment.
Looking ahead, the company said it will maintain a disciplined capital allocation strategy while continuing investments in product innovation, brand building, manufacturing efficiency and digital transformation, with a strong focus on improving return on capital employed and supporting sustainable long-term growth in both domestic and export markets.
CEAT will invest about INR 12.05 billion to expand its manufacturing capacity by roughly 53,000 tyres a day over the next five years, as the RPG Group company prepares for sustained demand growth while reporting a weaker first-quarter profit.
The investment, which will be implemented in phases through the end of FY2031, will be financed through a mix of internal accruals and debt. The expansion comes as CEAT's existing manufacturing facilities are operating at around 95 percent capacity utilisation, with the company stating that production at its Nagpur two-wheeler tyre plant is approaching full utilisation. The additional capacity could be created through greenfield and/or brownfield expansion, depending on internal assessments.
The capital expenditure announcement accompanied CEAT's results for the quarter ended June 30, which reflected resilient revenue growth but pressure on profitability.
Standalone revenue from operations rose 18.2 percent year on year to INR 41.63 billion, from INR 35.21 billion a year earlier. However, net profit declined 27.4 percent to INR 980 million, compared with INR1.35 billion in the corresponding quarter last year. Profit before tax fell to INR 1.32 billion from INR 1.81 billion.
Material costs increased sharply to INR 28.80 billion from INR 22.39 billion a year earlier, reflecting continued input cost pressures, while finance costs and depreciation also rose. Total expenses increased to INR 40.46 billion, compared with INR 33.63 billion in the year-earlier period.
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