The 15th Asia Pacific Carbon Black Conference Concludes With Record-Breaking Attendance!
- By Gaurav Nandi
- December 03, 2024
The Asia Pacific Carbon Black Conference 2024 – Perspectives in Asia Pacific, one of the largest and most acknowledged global carbon black industry events, unfolded in Kolkata, India, marking a historic moment for the city. The 15th edition welcomed a record-breaking 252 delegates and featured compelling discussions on the future of the carbon black market, which is projected to reach USD 30.15 billion by 2029. Over three days, industry leaders explored key trends, sustainability efforts and technological innovations, underscoring the sector’s dynamic evolution and the growing importance of India in shaping its future.
The sprawling banquet of a renowned hotel in the City of Joy was attuned to the murmuring of delegates from across the globe when the speaker on the dais invited the International Advisory Committee Chairman Amit Choudhary to address the crowd. With utter excitement, the chairman ascended the stage and opened the 15th Asia Pacific Carbon Black Conference doors to the curious assembly. Over the next three days, the event featured – workshops, intriguing sessions and panel discussions on the global carbon black market, which is slated to reach USD 30.15 Billion by 2029, according to Mordor Intelligence.
From sessions on the latest trends within the space to the use of recovered carbon black and sustainability issues, the conference was a boiling cauldron of information, coupled with an exhibition spanning different makers and associated suppliers to the industry.
Speaking to Tyre Trends exclusively, Choudhary said, “Key takeaways from the conference were impactful for both participants and delegates, with a record-breaking 252 attendees from around the globe. The exhibition, featuring 36 stalls, marked the largest in the Asia-Pacific region in the event’s 31-year history. The conference kicked off with two workshops on day one, focusing on the technical aspects of carbon black and its applications across the tyre and other industries. About 70 attendees engaged in a robust discussion, addressing numerous technical queries from leading players in the carbon black industry, including Birla Carbon, Tokai Carbon, Himadri Speciality Chemical Ltd, Epsilon, PCBL, and so on.”
He added, “For the first time in its history, the conference featured panel discussions on different topics of the carbon black industry covering marketing, raw materials, application, technology and the future of carbon black, which fostered intense engagement from participants. These sessions provided valuable insights and sparked in-depth discussions, impacting all those who attended.”
Many companies attending the conference were not direct carbon black producers but played key roles in the carbon value chain, either as suppliers to the carbon black industry or as technological collaborators or customers. This diverse representation highlighted the industry’s interconnected nature, with attendees gaining exposure to the latest technologies and processes shaping the sector.
“The conference brought together a global audience, fostering collaboration and providing significant opportunities for local suppliers to engage with emerging technologies. Carbon black production in this region, particularly in India, is experiencing rapid growth.
Companies across the country, from Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west to the east and south, are expanding their operations to meet increasing demand. This growth presents ample opportunities for suppliers of essential equipment and consumables to the carbon black industry, such as refractory manufacturers, bag suppliers and packing material providers. Ultimately, the entire supply chain stands to benefit from the increased collaboration and knowledge exchange fostered at the conference,” averred Choudhary.
Quick view
George Haines, Global Product Director and Avijit Sasmal, Chief Sustainability Officer at Himadri Speciality Chemical Limited, highlighted the carbon black industry’s progress in sustainability and circularity. They emphasised advancements such as the use of recycled pyrolysis oil and reclaimed carbon black and achievements like EcoVadis and ISCC+ certifications. Himadri already achieved the milestones and is maintaining Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) across plants. Innovations like LFP Cathode Active Material for EV batteries and renewable energy showcased Himadri’s future readiness. This session set a benchmark for aligning industry practices with global climate goals.
Senior Manager - Technology, K. Arun Kumar, and Manager, Technology and Business Development, Dr. P.M. Sivaram, at CUMI Super Refractories, discussed enhancing reactor life in the carbon black industry through condition monitoring and refractory solutions. They emphasised the need for failure analysis, material characterisation, and data-driven strategies to predict failures, improve productivity, and reduce downtime, ultimately leading to more efficient and sustainable operations in the industry.
The workshop by Himadri Speciality Chemicals Limited Plant Head Kingshuk Bose, on ‘Recent Advancements in Carbon Black Technologies’ provided an overview of carbon black, its applications, and recent technological innovations in its manufacturing processes. He discussed new technologies such as plasma and nanotechnology, which enhance production efficiency and product characteristics. Additionally, AI and machine learning were highlighted to optimise processes, improve quality and predict maintenance needs, ultimately advancing carbon black manufacturing and packaging strategies.
The former Chief Advisor of Research and Development at Apollo Tyres, P K Mohamed, an industry stalwart, addressed the future of the tyre industry, focusing on advancements in carbon black technology in his key note address. He noted that pneumatic tyres, essential for load support, require optimal structures to endure operational pressures. The industry faced megatrends such as mobility, digitisation, electrification, and the shift toward renewable materials. Key customer expectations centre on rolling resistance, traction, durability, and sustainability improvements. Enhancements in carbon black properties, including particle size and surface chemistry, are vital for achieving these goals. The industry’s evolution towards higher sigma levels indicated a commitment to quality and performance, necessitating collaborative efforts in research and development to meet future demands.
Notch Consulting Inc. Founder and President Paul Ita spoke on the outlook for 2024 and highlighted significant developments in the global carbon black and tyre industries. He noted a projected total investment of INR 27.3 billion in new tyre capacity from 2023 to 2028, with Asia, especially China and India, leading in new projects. He also discussed the impacts of EU sanctions on Russian carbon black imports. These sanctions are shifting trade flows, with India emerging as a key supplier to replace Russian volumes. The analysis included production capacity and utilisation trends with a forecast for growth in carbon black production despite current disruptions.
The AGM Strategy at Epsilon Carbon, Sagar Mathur, noted that geopolitical shifts, rapid urbanisation, climate change, sustainability, and technological advancements are shaping the future of the carbon black industry. Key trends included the growing demand for Electric Vehicle (EV) tyres, increased focus on circularity and recycling technologies, and the need for advanced speciality products. He highlighted that urbanisation is expected to strain resources while geopolitical conflicts are reshaping supply chains. The industry must adapt to these changes while addressing environmental concerns, leading to new product development, particularly in sustainable materials.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing (CBD), Kane Hanneke and Vice President of Business Development and Sales (CBD), Surge Klunder, at Himadri Specialty Chemical Ltd, focused on the current demand and supply dynamics of carbon black in North America and the European Union as of October 2024. In their presentations, they highlighted key economic indicators such as GDP growth, inflation, and the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), while discussing challenges faced by domestic producers, including import duties, geopolitical tensions, and rising oil costs. Kane also mentioned a notable production increase among leading carbon black producers, particularly in China and India, and addressed the impact of new tariffs on Mexican imports.
Executive Vice-President and Regional Head of Sales and Marketing at Birla Carbon, Shashank Awasthi, discussed the dynamics of the carbon black market in Asia and Europe with a focus on growth plans and regional capacities. He highlighted that China dominates the market with a capacity share of 47 percent and a demand share of 37 percent. He also covered competition in India, where local producers faced challenges from imports, particularly from China, Korea, and Russia. His analysis indicated a projected CAGR of 5 percent for the Southeast Asia carbon black market from 2022 to 2027, driven by rising disposable incomes. It increased automotive production, with Asia accounting for approximately 60 percent of global automobile manufacturing.
The presentation by Zircoa Managing Director Thomas Bohm focused on the role of zirconia refractories in enhancing reactor performance during carbon black production. Zirconia, a unique ceramic material, offers exceptional properties such as high thermal resistance, lower thermal conductivity, and erosion resistance, making it suitable for high-temperature applications in reactors. The advantages of zirconia include increased reactor efficiency, improved product yields, and the ability to withstand aggressive process gases. However, challenges such as degradation from thermal shock and alkali attacks were noted, emphasising the importance of proper alignment and operational practices to maximise the lifespan of zirconia linings.
In his virtual keynote session, Zhu Zilong, deputy director of design at Doright, discussed the emerging supply trends in equipment manufacturing, particularly focusing on the shift from individual equipment supply to comprehensive equipment packages.
The landmark event saw the attendance of dignitaries and industry stalwarts, including the Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal, Dr Manoj Pant, Himadri Speciality Managing Director Anurag Choudhary, Tokai Carbon President Hagime Hagasaka, Group Country Head, Aditya Birla Group Thailand, and Chief Expansion Officer Birla Carbon Asia, Sanjeev Sood, among others.
Key Speakers included Aditya Birla Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer Deeksha Vats, Former President at ALSTOM Power Energy Recovery CP Natarajan, Vidhitech Solutions Founder Vinod Taneja, ABG Trading President John Kennelly, Senior Manager Research and Development of Compound Development at CEAT Limited Dr Pranab Dey, Head - Projects Business at Thermax Limited Naveen Sadhu and Rathi Group Director Ravi Rathi among others.
The event was attended by delegates from leading carbon black producers, such as Thai Tokai Carbon Product Company Limited, Hyundai OCI, Aegean First Company, Zircoa Inc., Phillips Carbon Black Limited, CITGO Corp and others.
Curtain Call
Amit Choudhary commented about the conference, “Conferences like this serve as crucial platforms for advancing technological progress in the industry. They provide insights into global trends, revealing which players are exploring new technologies and how different governments are approaching industry expectations. These events create an opportunity for stakeholders to understand evolving needs as well as the requirements of end customers.”
He added, “For instance, during our recent conference, several customers presented compelling insights, with both in-person and online interactions offering a deeper understanding of the tyre industry’s future. The rise of EVs is a key development demanding a shift in tyre technology and manufacturing processes. Current tyres are general-purpose, but as EV adoption accelerates, specialised tyres will become necessary. In the near future, we will see the emergence of EV-specific tyres alongside innovations in related non-tyre markets.”
He also noted that India, with its significant market share, is poised for substantial growth. Established markets in the US and Europe are facing challenges with plant closures and shifting demands. The ongoing geopolitical landscape, including tensions in China and Russia, is influencing market dynamics. However, India remains in a favourable position for investment and is set to experience impressive growth in the sector.
Looking ahead, the next conference is set to take place in 2026.
Hidden Cost In Tyre Plants: How The Rubber Moves
- By Gaurav Nandi
- October 14, 2026
Interroll’s Gianmichele Piciocco argues that some of the largest efficiency gains in tyre manufacturing lie in the interfaces between machines, not only in the machines themselves.
Tyre manufacturers invest heavily in the best building machines and the fastest curing presses. The systems that connect them, however, are often specified late, inherited from earlier projects and seldom revisited, according to Gianmichele Piciocco, Global Strategic Business Development Manager at Interroll.
“Material flow is the backbone of the entire tyre industry,” Piciocco tells Tyre Trends. In his experience, engineers select and position process equipment first, and transport follows. The consequences emerge later, in energy consumption, maintenance stoppages and the cost of expansion. He argues that ‘we have always done it this way’ becomes a design constraint in its own right once technology, product mix, energy costs and safety expectations have changed. The examples that follow point to two closely connected areas: system optimisation during design and expansion, and lifecycle optimisation during operation.
THE LAYOUT TRAP
Piciocco says the pattern is consistent across the tyre manufacturers he advises. “In many cases, the layout initially proposed does not fully match what is ultimately implemented, often to contain the initial investment,” he says. Soon after start-up, plants may find that they need more buffer capacity, or that future expansion was not fully considered. With no floor space left, the remedy for material flow is often inclines, declines and additional levels, which can significantly increase costs.
The alternative is far cheaper if raised early. “At the design stage, and with possible expansion in mind, it is worth asking whether small changes in machine positioning could support more effective and flexible material flow,” he says.
The issue is especially relevant in India, where sustained market growth does not always mean new greenfield plants. Expansion often happens inside operating sites, where new capacity must coexist with several generations of equipment from multiple vendors. Without a common architectural logic, each extension can add another component family, control standard and maintenance practice, increasing complexity and the potential for integration and compatibility problems.
REOPENING THE BELT QUESTION
Green-tyre transfer illustrates how convention hardens into constraint. Uncured rubber is soft and contamination-sensitive, and belt conveyors have long been the default because a continuous surface supports the tyre and certified belt materials address contamination. Piciocco does not dismiss that logic. He argues it should no longer be treated as absolute.
Left on widely spaced rollers, a green tyre can begin to deform during relatively short stops, and contact with the wrong material can degrade quality after curing. One approach being evaluated by Interroll combines closely spaced rollers, software that keeps them ‘skating’ when the line stops and transfer materials selected to meet contamination requirements. Where a roller solution suits the application, he says, component cost can be materially lower than a belt’s. Because a belt is a continuous element, maintenance work can also take longer and be more complex.
The larger benefit, he argues, is commonality. The same families of rollers, drives and transfer modules can serve both pre-cure and post-cure sections, reducing the spare parts a plant holds and the skills its teams must learn. “Who is interested in saving money in the life cycle of the plant? The user,” he says.
SAVING ENERGY BY DESIGN
Piciocco says moving from conventional 400-volt drive systems to zoned 24/48-volt roller conveyors can reduce energy use, with savings of up to 50 percent in some applications. The low-voltage architecture can also simplify installation and maintenance and reduce exposure to hazardous voltages at machine level, subject to applicable safety standards. The advantage, he stresses, comes chiefly from the on-demand, zoned operating principle, in which only the zones a product needs are active, rather than from voltage alone.
Another example concerns a leading tyre producer that wanted a more compact layout within an existing plant while retaining sufficient buffer capacity and scope for future expansion. The initial conveyor concept required several accumulation loops, curves, inclines and declines, making both engineering and installation relatively complex.
“Working together, we proposed a solution comprising a motorised ascending spiral, an overhead bridge and a gravity spiral for the descent,” Piciocco says. “Each spiral has a footprint of roughly three metres in diameter. At a height of about 7.5 metres, the motorised spiral can provide buffer capacity for approximately 25 to 40 tyres, depending on their dimensions.”
The configuration provided the required buffer in a very compact footprint, with fewer powered components and a cleaner, more modular installation. Its cost was in line with, or slightly above, the conventional solution. Piciocco says the question he put to the customer’s technology director was simple: “Are you thinking about today, or the next 10 years?”
GROWING WITHOUT REBUILDING
A brownfield expansion is not simply a matter of adding more metres of conveyor. New sections must fit existing space, controls and maintenance organisation while the plant keeps running.
Interroll’s modular platforms, including the MCP range, are built from standard modules. RollerDrive EC5000 units, managed by MultiControl electronics, form a highly scalable and energy-efficient material handling system.
In a conventional centralised architecture, adding zones can require additional I/O, cabling and software changes. In a decentralised system, expansion means adding a module and an Ethernet connection. Independently controlled zones can also absorb small cycle-time differences and micro-stoppages without passing every interruption down the line. Upgrades follow the same logic. The 24-volt EC5000 versions rated at 20 and 35 watts with Analogue Interface (AI) can be used as replacements for the earlier EC310, supporting a more straightforward maintenance approach and the extension of existing installations.
ROUTING WITHOUT OVER-ENGINEERING
Not every route variation calls for a sorter. When tyres must be directed to testing, quality inspection, rework or the next process, Interroll’s position is that a modular conveyor backbone with targeted transfers and diverters often gives a better balance of performance, footprint and cost than a sorter built for distribution logistics. Further downstream, particularly after warehousing, higher volumes and more destinations can justify a dedicated sorter such as the company’s MC-S range.
Piciocco’s warehouse example shows the risk of getting this wrong. A large operator that stacks and stores tyres with considerable automation then needs a separate, costly sorting system to retrieve and route them. In this part of the process, he says, a solution such as Interroll’s MC-S can provide the required throughput with a more efficient layout and a significantly smaller footprint.
CONTINUITY INTO DOWNSTREAM HANDLING
Where load and duty allow, the same architecture can extend past the individual tyre. A 24/48-volt modular pallet conveyor, the MPP platform, can handle a load of up to 500 kilogrammes per metre while retaining decentralised control and zero-pressure accumulation. Rollers of 60 millimetres in diameter allow a closer pitch and more support points, which, after application validation, can reduce vertical undulation when handling tyre stacks.
Piciocco is careful not to make continuity a dogma. Above the platform’s operating envelope, robust 400-volt heavy-duty conveyors remain the correct choice.
FROM REACTION TO PLANNING
Maintenance is where Piciocco sees the most overlooked cost. When total cost of ownership and plant availability are considered, he says, maintenance and stoppage-related costs can account for around 10 to 15 percent of the overall cost associated with material flow in some applications, including labour, spare-parts inventory and lost production during downtime. “Maintenance is often treated as something that simply happens. It should not be. Much of it can be avoided,” he says.
Connected drives, such as the RollerDrive EC5000 BI with MultiControl, make more than 100 parameters available, including operating hours, cycle counts, temperature, system status and error type. If the torque required by a motor rises progressively, the system can flag an abnormal trend before it develops into a stoppage and give the maintenance team a stronger basis for planning an inspection.
Without that information, a failed motor can cause a prolonged stoppage while crews identify the source and check whether the spare part is available. With an early warning, maintenance can schedule the intervention; for an accessible RollerDrive with the spare available, replacement can take less than an hour. Piciocco calls this preventive rather than predictive maintenance. The data does not replace maintenance expertise, but it gives teams a stronger factual basis for decisions, and standard components make diagnostics and training common across the plant.
GLOBAL STANDARDS, LOCAL EXECUTION
A shared catalogue alone does not make a standard, Piciocco says. It also needs consistent selection criteria, spare-parts strategies and support after start-up. Interroll has production, engineering and service capabilities across the world’s main industrial regions, allowing global standards to be supported by local execution. Its life-cycle offering includes structured maintenance programmes, dedicated stock of critical components, periodic audits and staff training, scaled to how critical the application is.
He applies the same logic across markets. Using a smartphone as an analogy, Piciocco says the same platform can be used in a basic configuration or with more advanced functionality, depending on a plant’s needs and technological maturity. A manufacturer can therefore retain common components, diagnostics and training across sites while adapting the level of automation to local conditions.
That flexibility extends to how far automation should go. Speaking for himself, not Interroll, Piciocco says not every producer needs a dark factory. The appropriate level of automation depends on volumes, product mix, process maturity and available skills. “If people do not understand how the technology works, you can have the best technology in the world, but it will not be used properly and may even become a limitation,” he says.
REAL ISSUE
Asked what single mindset shift the industry needs, Piciocco did not hesitate. “Interface,” he says. “The machines are already quite optimised. The problem is how we serve the machine.” As individual machines become increasingly optimised, the interfaces between them play a growing role in improving productivity, simplifying maintenance, reducing energy consumption and enabling future expansion.
“Material flow should not be the last part of the engineering process,” he adds. “If it is considered earlier, we can contribute to a solution that supports optimisation of the entire plant.”
ATIRE Appoints Thierry Miche As Director Of Oem And Product
- By TT News
- October 13, 2026
ATIRE, a leading Sri Lankan Solid tyre maker, has appointed Thierry Miche as director of OEM and product, effective September 2026, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the global tyre and mobility industry to the role.
At ATIRE, Miche will lead the company's OEM and product activities, focusing on portfolio development, OEM relationships and expansion into new technical and commercial markets globally.
Miche joins from Michelin, where he spent 26 years in senior product and operational leadership positions, including roles at Solideal and Camso before their integration into the French group.
His most recent position was product Management Director for Beyond Road, with global strategic and operational responsibility for the product portfolio. He led teams across Belgium, Canada, France and the US, working with research and development, industrialisation, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket sales, and supply chain functions.
Previously, Miche was Product Line Executive Director For material handling, overseeing the global product platform and holding full profit and loss responsibility for three manufacturing sites in Belgium, Germany and the US. He also led global research and development teams in Belgium and Sri Lanka.
His career has spanned product management and engineering, technical support, warranty management, quality assurance and systems. The experience covers the development and delivery of products across engineering, industrialisation, validation, sales and supply chain operations.
The Tyre Giant That Doesn’t Want A Dark Factory
- By Sharad Matade
- October 13, 2026
ZC Rubber, China’s largest tyre maker, is running 18 AI agents across its Hangzhou 5G plant. It insists the goal is smarter manufacturing, not emptier factory floors.
Walk into the industrial conversation about automation these days and ‘lights-out’ production tends to come up within minutes: factories with no people, no lighting and machines working in the dark. However, ZC Rubber, the Hangzhou-based group that ranks among the world’s top nine tyre companies, would like to correct that impression before it takes hold.
“We see this as a 5G Smart Factory, or Future Factory V2.0, rather than a ‘dark factory’. The goal is intelligent manufacturing, not simply removing people from the production process,” the company said in an interview.
That is a notable position from a company that has just put 18 AI agents to work across its production chain and reports defect rates well under half those of its earlier operations. It is also a considered one, and the details explain a good deal about how the world’s largest tyre market is approaching the factory of the future.
PEOPLE AT THE EXCEPTIONS
ZC Rubber’s division of labour is simple. Automation, AI and real-time data are steadily taking over what the company calls ‘repetitive and highly standardised operations.’ Its people are being moved towards engineering, process management, quality assurance and the handling of exceptions, meaning the unusual problems that no model has seen before.
“We will continue to increase automation, but fully unmanned production is not the goal,” ZC Rubber said. “It is about combining intelligent systems with human expertise.”
The same logic applies to the future. Asked whether lights-out production is on the roadmap, ZC Rubber was clear. “We do not see fully lights-out production as a goal in itself. Technology will be introduced where it brings clear improvements in quality, efficiency, safety and sustainability,” it said.
EIGHTEEN AGENTS, ONE PRODUCTION CHAIN
The scale of the AI deployment is considerable. Since June 2025, ZC Rubber has introduced 18 AI agents across the full production chain. Their use ranges from AI-assisted formulation and virtual simulation to equipment maintenance, production scheduling and quality control. According to the company, they have helped shorten tyre development cycles by 50 percent and lifted production efficiency by 50 percent.
Where does the value come from? Not from any single stage, the company suggests. “The biggest value comes from using AI to analyse production data, optimise process parameters and support faster decision-making across the manufacturing process,” it said. ZC Rubber does not currently publish a stage-by-stage breakdown of the gains.
INSPECTION AND THE DEFECT RATE
Quality control is where the company’s numbers are most striking. Its latest AI-based visual inspection systems, it says, can achieve a defect detection rate of close to 100 percent, improving both the speed and the consistency of inspection. That matters most in high-volume passenger car radial (PCR) output, where human inspectors face the twin problems of fatigue and sheer throughput.
Zooming out, the company says AI and digital quality control across its smart manufacturing system have cut its product defect rate from 1.2 percent to 0.5 percent.
HOW THE SYSTEMS TALK TO EACH OTHER
“Thousands of sensors collect production data in real time, while 5G connects equipment, quality inspection and logistics systems,” the company said. The APS+MES system pulls production, quality and logistics information into one place ‘so operations can be monitored and adjusted quickly’. AI and big data analytics then help staff spot problems and make faster production decisions.
AN EARLIER SET OF NUMBERS, UPDATED
ZC Rubber’s earlier claims of a 15 percent efficiency gain, up to 40 percent lower defect rates and a 5 percent cut in energy use make one notice that the latest figures are considerably better. The company is candid about why. “Those figures reflect an earlier stage of our smart factory development,” it said.
The current numbers, for the 5G Smart Factory, are a 50 percent improvement in production efficiency, defect rates down from 1.2 percent to 0.5 percent and a 10 percent reduction in overall energy consumption.
As for which technology deserves the credit, ZC Rubber declines to rank them. “We do not break down the improvement by individual technology,” it said, naming instead the key components: AI-based process control, automated inspection, intelligent logistics, APS+MES production management and data-driven quality control.
ENERGY, MEASURED VALVE BY VALVE
The energy figure is worth a closer look, because it comes from a fairly granular system. ZC Rubber’s energy management combines 5G, IoT, big data, AI and digital-twin technologies. Smart sensors, smart meters and smart valves feed real-time data into a central energy platform, while AI supports analysis and operational optimisation.
The division of labour among the technologies is neat. “5G provides the connectivity, while AI, big data and digital twins help turn the data into better energy-management decisions,” the company said.
TWO PLATFORMS AND A DIFFERENT STARTING POINT
The manufacturing story is inseparable from the development story. ZC Rubber runs two proprietary technology platforms: the X-Tech System, primarily for truck and bus radial (TBR) tyres, and the Phecda Tech System, primarily for PCR tyres. Each integrates compound formulation, tyre structure, process engineering, simulation, testing and intelligent manufacturing within a single development framework.
Their defining feature is what the company calls the Forward-development Approach. Traditional development, it explains, “often starts from an existing product and improves it through repeated design and testing cycles”. ZC Rubber starts elsewhere: with the target performance, whether that is vehicle characteristics, duty cycle, climate, road conditions or customer requirements. The compound, tyre structure and manufacturing process are then built around those targets. “This shifts the workflow from repeated iteration to a more integrated, target-driven development process,” the company said.
That, it argues, is where the halving of development time comes from. The 50 percent reduction reflects ‘a more integrated digital development process’, combining engineering expertise with simulation, AI-assisted tools and closer links between R&D, testing and manufacturing. AI lets engineers evaluate more design options against defined performance targets, and virtual simulation cuts out unnecessary physical iterations.
How tightly these platforms are wired into live production data has not been shared publicly. X-Tech and Phecda, the company said, connect R&D, manufacturing and validation within an integrated development process, but the detailed real-time data architecture behind them ‘is not something we currently disclose publicly’.
Henry Shen, ZC Rubber’s Senior Vice President, has made the wider point in the context of the group’s recent State recognition. “Our objective is not simply to develop an individual material, tread pattern or manufacturing process,” he said. “X-Tech and Phecda are complete development systems that connect user requirements with simulation, materials, tyre engineering, manufacturing and validation.”
THE STATE PRIZE
That recognition is significant. ZC Rubber, together with Harbin Institute of Technology, has been awarded the Second Prize of China’s State Science and Technology Progress Award for a project titled ‘Key Technologies and Green Intelligent Manufacturing of High-Performance Tires’. It is one of the country’s highest state-level honours for scientific and technological innovation, and ZC Rubber says it is the only Chinese tyre manufacturer in the past decade to win it at the Second Prize level or above.
The company backs the claim with spending. In 2025, it invested around RMB 1.54 billion (approximately USD 226 million in R&D, equal to 3.43 percent of annual revenue, according to its annual report. The award, it says, recognises technologies that have ‘progressed beyond laboratory research into industrial application’.
GLOBAL FOOTPRINT
ZC Rubber has built a truly global footprint, combining a strong manufacturing base in China with an expanding network of operations across Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia and beyond. In China, the company operates through multiple sites, including its headquartered in Hangzhou and facilities in Tianjin, Chaoyang, Jiande, Qingquan, Yonggu, Anji and Jintan, supported by dedicated units for recycling technology and automotive aftermarket services in Hangzhou.
Beyond China, ZC Rubber has established a European presence through ZC Rubber Europe GmbH and its Europe Technical Center, alongside ZC Rubber America Inc. in the United States, ZC Rubber Brazil IMP EXP LTDA in South America and ZC Rubber Thailand Co. Ltd. and PT. Matahari Tire Indonesia (MTI) in Southeast Asia.
The company is also preparing for further expansion, with new projects under development in Vietnam and Mexico (Marea Tire de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.) and a feasibility study underway in Egypt. Together, these locations allow ZC Rubber to serve customers closer to their markets, strengthen supply chain resilience and combine local insight with global technical expertise.
CUSTOMISATION WITHOUT THE PENALTY
The forward-development model has a commercial payoff: tyres tailored to where and how they will be used. Asked whether the platforms allow genuine mass customisation, including regional climates and EV-specific requirements, ZC Rubber answered ‘to a significant degree’.
“X-Tech and Phecda allow us to develop tyres around specific climates, road conditions, vehicle applications and performance targets, including EV-specific requirements,” it said. On the factory floor, flexible production lines adjust output as product mix and orders change. The company does not disclose a separate efficiency figure for customised production, though ‘the goal is clear: to increase product flexibility while keeping production efficient’.
The regional examples are concrete. In Asia, X-Tech underpins the X-Elite Truck Tyre Series. In Europe, it is applied to the WESTLAKE Gen II commercial lineup, with a focus on fleet efficiency, performance and regulatory requirements. Phecda sits behind the WESTLAKE ZuperAce Z-007 and GOODRIDE Solmax 1 passenger tyres, and technologies from both platforms have been applied across ARISUN’s full TBR and PCR ranges for the Americas.
“International markets do not have identical requirements,” Shen said. “A tyre developed for European highway fleets, Southeast Asian transport operations or passenger vehicles in the Americas must respond to different vehicles, roads, climates and customer priorities.”
WHAT COMES NEXT
Much of the technology commonly billed as next-generation is already in service at ZC Rubber. Automated logistics, AI-based visual inspection, process optimisation, digital simulation and virtual testing are all in use. Digital twins are applied in areas such as energy management, and a broader digital-twin virtual factory is part of the next-stage plan.
The company frames the coming three years as a period of deepening rather than reinvention: more smart-factory applications, more AI and industry-specific models and close attention to emerging technologies such as humanoid robotics ‘as they mature’.
That phrasing may be the most revealing thing about ZC Rubber’s approach. It is chasing results rather than headlines. As the company itself puts it, the launch of the Hangzhou plant marks ‘a new opportunity and starting point’, and its stated ambition is to become a world-leading tyre company with higher standards. Whether the lights stay on, it seems, is the least of its concerns.
AMETEK Completes USD 5bn Acquisition Of Indicor Instrumentation Businesses
- By TT Bureau
- October 12, 2026
AMETEK recently completed its USD 5- billion all-cash acquisition of a portfolio of instrumentation businesses from Indicor.
The businesses, collectively known as Indicor Instrumentation, make equipment for industrial and scientific applications. Their products serve markets that overlap with AMETEK’s existing operations and generate recurring revenue from consumables, services and aftermarket support.
David A Zapico, AMETEK’s Chairman and Chief Executive, said: “We are excited to complete this highly strategic acquisition and to welcome the Indicor Instrumentation team to AMETEK. With its mission-critical solutions, deep technical expertise, and strong positions in attractive end markets, Indicor Instrumentation is an excellent fit with AMETEK. We also see meaningful opportunities to create value through integration into our proven operating model.”
Indicor Instrumentation is expected to contribute about USD 350 million to AMETEK’s sales in 2026 and to be modestly accretive to adjusted earnings for the year.
The acquired businesses will join AMETEK’s Electronic Instruments Group and Electromechanical Group, according to their products and market focus.
Comments (0)
ADD COMMENT