TechnoMarketing Group, led by Ralph Dubbeldam, has quietly become a trailblazer in the mobile tyre service sector. From humble beginnings in manual truck tyre changing to pioneering compact, efficient mobile workshops, Dubbeldam’s vision has reshaped tyre service models globally. With the advent of mobile servicing solutions tailored to modern vehicle needs, TechnoMarketing’s products have empowered companies like Rivian and Mercedes-Benz to meet customer demands on the go. Yet, Dubbeldam’s journey isn’t just about innovation – it’s about adapting to the complexities of global markets, space constraints and evolving automotive trends, positioning the company at the forefront of the industry’s transformation.

In an unassuming Dutch town near the port of Antwerp, a quiet revolution in tyre service is underway. Roosendaal may not be the first place one associates with automotive innovation, but it’s the operational base of a company shaping how tyres are serviced globally. Ralph Dubbeldam, the founder and owner of TechnoMarketing Group, has spent the past two decades not just selling tools but reimagining the future of mobile vehicle servicing.

“I always tell people we develop, build, create and trade,” says Dubbeldam. “It’s still the best summary of what I do.”

Today, TechnoMarketing Group supplies purpose-built mobile tyre service equipment to everyone from start-ups in Seoul to automotive giants like Mercedes-Benz and Rivian. But the journey began with a chance encounter at Europe’s largest truck show and a pair of American-made tyre tools.  

Dubbeldam’s entrepreneurial journey began over two decades ago, when a neighbour invited him to the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hannover. Wandering the exhibition, he struck up a conversation with American manufacturers of tools for changing tubeless truck tyres. That serendipitous moment set him on a new path.

“I became their European partner, which I still am today,” he recalled. “That meant in the early years I was mainly changing truck tyres myself manually,” he added.

The hands-on experience wasn’t glamorous, but it grounded Dubbeldam in the practical needs of tyre service professionals. It also gave him a deep understanding of the mechanical challenges that define the industry. He soon began developing and distributing ergonomic wheel handling tools, jacks and battery service equipment, laying the foundation for TechnoMarketing Group.

In 2002, he launched the in-house Winntec brand. Two years later, he became the official distributor for CTEK, the Swedish smart battery charging company. Since then, he’s sold over one million battery chargers, anchoring the company’s reputation for innovation and reliability.

THE MOBILE SHIFT

While wheel lifts and chargers kept the company growing, Dubbeldam had his sights on a much larger transformation – mobile tyre service.

He noticed cultural shifts around car ownership, particularly among younger generations. A pivotal moment came in 2016 at the Automechanika show in Frankfurt, when a major German online tyre reseller approached him with a challenge, which was to create compact, climate-proof mobile service vans that operators could work inside year-round.

“Winter in Munich isn’t kind to tyre installers. The equipment they needed didn’t exist, so I sat down with my engineers and we built it ourselves,” he noted.

The result was ecube, a battery-driven, lightweight, emission-free power unit designed specifically for mobile service vans. That pilot project marked the start of TechnoMarketing Group’s mobile era and the brand’s global acceleration.

The company’s equipment is now used in mobile fleets across South Korea, Japan, Germany, the United States and the Middle East. Its reach expanded rapidly following a deal with Rivian in 2021, when the electric vehicle manufacturer began equipping its mobile service vans with TechnoMarketing Group’s technology.

“Rivian didn’t have a dealership network. So mobile service was their only option. They now have over 350 vehicles on the road using our equipment,” Dubbeldam explains.

Another turning point came in 2023 when Mercedes-Benz, after years of internal resistance, committed to rolling out a global fleet of mobile service vans. Its initial focus is on light services like inspections and battery maintenance but tyre service is next.

“It’s a strong signal that if a brand like Mercedes goes mobile, the rest of the market will follow,” Dubbeldam explains.

TechnoMarketing Group is also working with Pirelli Driver, Euromaster and Vergölst, a Continental-owned tyre service provider, in Germany. In Japan, it has partnered with Nitta Tire, and in the US, it sells thousands of air bottle jacks to fleets service providers through its distribution partner Gaither Tool in Illinois.

ENGINEERING FOR THE REAL WORLD

Mobile tyre service isn’t just about putting workshop equipment in the back of a van. It requires purpose-built solutions that can withstand extreme conditions, whether it’s subzero winters in Seoul or 90 percent humidity in Singapore.

“Traditional balancers weren’t designed to sit in a van baking at 40 degrees Celsius or rattling over cobblestones. “Metal shafts expand and contract. Rust is inevitable. Accuracy degrades,” Dubbeldam points out.

In Singapore, one TechnoMarketing customer services luxury sedans in underground parking lots. In Dubai, operators work night shifts to avoid the heat. And in North America, trailers are often used to reduce costs.

“These are not ideal conditions. You have to respect the local context. That’s what drives our design philosophy,” he said.

THE WEIGHT PROBLEM

One of the biggest constraints in designing mobile service vans is weight. In Europe, commercial vehicles are limited to 3,500 kilogrammes. A fully equipped van with a driver and tools leaves just 800–1,000 kilogrammes for equipment, barely enough for traditional changers and balancers.

Electric vans add another layer of complexity. For instance, the electric Renault Master offers 600 kg less payload than its internal combustion version due to the heavy battery pack.

“That’s why we focus so much on lightweight, compact systems. You don’t have the luxury of space or surplus weight,” says Dubbeldam.

The company’s integrated mobile solution featuring a tyre changer, balancer, compressor and battery box occupies just 1.1 square metres and weighs only 450 kilogrammes.

MARKET GROWTH

According to industry estimates cited by Dubbeldam, the global mobile tyre installation market reached USD 500 million in 2024 and is expected to exceed USD 1.3 billion by 2032, growing at a 10 percent annual rate.

And that’s just tyres. Broader mobile car servicing, from battery replacement to diagnostics, is expected to grow even faster as automakers seek leaner service networks and consumers demand convenience.

“Tesla was the first to really embrace it. But now you see Lucid, Rivian, even newcomers like NIO following the same model,” said Dubbeldam.

Dubbeldam’s success is as much about cultural awareness as it is about engineering. His customers span the globe and he’s quick to note that no two markets behave the same.

“In the UK, I sell thousands of air bottle jacks. In Germany, zero,” he says with a grin. “Why? It’s culture. And you have to respect that.”

He also thrives on the variety. “What drives me are those cultural differences, the diversity of requests. It keeps me curious,” he quips.

Dubbeldam shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to push TechnoMarketing Group into new markets in Asia and Africa and is investing in new emission-free power systems to replace noisy, gasoline-powered generators in mobile fleets.

“The internal combustion generator burns five litres of gasoline an hour. We’ve designed battery-driven alternatives that are clean, quiet and efficient,” he said.

He also sees untapped potential in mobile diagnostics, charging and electric vehicle maintenance. As carmakers move away from dealerships, the demand for mobile solutions will only grow.

“Car maintenance is going to change whether we like it or not. Mobile isn’t a trend anymore. It’s a necessity,” he said.

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Epsilon Carbon Pvt. Ltd. has announced the appointment of Munish Kumar Rathi as its new President and Business Head for Carbon Black.

With more than 25 years of extensive global leadership experience, Rathi brings a strong background in profit and loss management, multi-site manufacturing leadership, strategic planning and business transformation. His career is marked by a demonstrated ability to drive operational excellence and foster sustainable growth across various international markets.

The company is anticipating that his leadership will play a key role as Epsilon Carbon continues to expand its global footprint and accelerate innovation within the carbon black business segment. The organisation has formally welcomed Rathi to the team, expressing confidence in his capacity to guide future strategic initiatives. This move underscores Epsilon Carbon’s commitment to strengthening its leadership team in pursuit of long-term global competitiveness.

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TVS Srichakra has approved capital investment of up to INR 2.2 billion to expand production capacity at its manufacturing facilities in Vellaripatti, Madurai.

The expansion will cover the company’s two-wheeler tyre and off-highway tyre plants, with investment of up to INR 1.1 billion allocated to each facility.

TVS Srichakra said the two-wheeler tyre plant currently has capacity of about 21 million to 23.5  million tyres a year and operates at utilisation levels of around 80 to 85 percent. The company plans to add about 5 percent capacity, with completion targeted in the first half of FY2028-29.

The off-highway tyre plant has existing capacity of about 75 to 85 metric tonnes a year and operates at utilisation levels of 75 to 80 percent. TVS Srichakra plans to increase capacity at the plant by about 25 percent, with the addition scheduled for the first half of FY2027-28.

The company said the investment would be financed through a combination of internal accruals and debt.

TVS Srichakra said the expansion is intended to meet growing demand for its two- and three-wheeler tyres and off-highway tyre products.

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JK Tyre & Industries reported record consolidated revenue of INR 163.84 billion for FY26, registering an 11 percent year-on-year increase, supported by strong domestic demand and volume growth across key tyre segments.

The company’s consolidated EBITDA rose 25 percent to INR 20.89 billion, with EBITDA margin improving to 12.8 percent.

Profit before tax increased 46 percent to INR 10.43 billion, while profit after tax climbed 52 percent to INR 8.60 billion during FY26.

For the fourth quarter, consolidated revenue rose 12 percent year-on-year to INR 42.33 billion.

Quarterly EBITDA surged 42 percent to INR 5.46 billion, with margin at 12.9 percent, while Q4 PAT nearly doubled, rising 94 percent to INR 1.99 billion.

Chairman and Managing Director Dr Raghupati Singhania described FY26 as a year of robust performance, highlighting record volumes in both truck and bus radial and passenger car radial categories.

Domestic sales volumes during Q4 grew 21 percent overall. Truck and bus radial replacement volumes increased 53 per cent, while OEM demand in the segment rose 23 percent. Passenger car radial replacement volumes were up 26 percent and OEM demand increased 10 percent.

The company said growth momentum was expected to continue into FY27, supported by new vehicle launches, infrastructure development and sustained replacement demand.

JK Tyre also highlighted strong traction in electric mobility. More than 70 per cent of electric buses operating in India currently run on its tyres, while the company supplies EV tyres to nearly eight two-wheeler OEMs and has secured orders for electric passenger vehicle models including Renault Duster EV, Hyundai Creta EV and Tata Motors’ Nexon and Punch EV variants.

Its Mexico business, operated through JK Tornel, contributed nearly 20 per cent of consolidated revenue and is expected to maintain growth across Mexican, Latin American and US markets.

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has elected David Cichocki, Managing Director, Americas, and chief sales officer, Americas Consumer, at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, to its board of directors.

“I’m pleased to welcome David to our Board. His extensive experience and expertise across the tire and consumer goods industries will be invaluable as we navigate today’s complex industry,” said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and chief executive. “His proven leadership will strengthen our ability to seize emerging opportunities.”

Cichocki joined Goodyear in early 2026 and is responsible for overseeing the Americas region and leading the company’s Americas Consumer sales business.

He brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across industrial and consumer goods companies to the USTMA board.

Before joining Goodyear, Cichocki served as senior vice-president of US sales at Whirlpool, where he managed a portfolio valued at more than $10bn across retail and direct-to-consumer channels.

He also spent more than 20 years at Kraft Foods and Nabisco in a range of senior leadership roles.

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