The Tire Industry Project (TIP), a global tyre forum focussing on sustainability, has launched its first Open Call for Projects (OCP) initiative. TIP is a voluntary CEO-led initiative that consisting of 10 leading tyre companies, which represent more than 60 percent of the world’s tyre manufacturing capacity. 

The idea is to promote new research fields and agendas to drive sustainability practices and environmental stewardship within the tyre industry at a global scale.

Larisa Kryachkova, Executive Director, TIP, said, “The Open Call for Projects attests to TIP’s commitment to supporting high quality scientific research and evidence-based progress focused on the mitigation of tyre wear emissions and their diverse impact. We are reaching out to further broaden TIP’s relationships with researchers and experts in this field.”

To support the OCP, TIP states it intends to provide financial assistance to research projects focusing on –

• The assessment and measurement of tyre wear emissions, i.e., material produced during the use phase of a tyre. 
• The development of mitigation measures, advancing the evaluated technologies towards demonstration in the relevant environment. 

The eligible projects will need to bring novel research concepts, which can preferably be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Furthermore, these concepts are expected to be integrated in activities such as field sampling, chemical and particle characterisation of emissions, data analysis and modelling of tyre wear emissions distribution in the environment and development of TRWP and leachate mitigation measures and/or advancing the evaluated mitigation technologies.

The entries will be evaluated by a committee consisting of TIP members and external experts.

Representational image courtesy: Oxford Indices

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ZC Rubber has held its first Indonesia Distributor Conference, bringing together around 140 representatives from the company, PT Matahari Tire Indonesia (MTI) and its core Indonesian distributor network as it seeks to strengthen its presence in Southeast Asia.

The two-day event, held in Jakarta on July 23–24 under the theme "Gathering Momentum in Indonesia, Creating Success Together", focused on the company's manufacturing development in Indonesia, product planning for regional markets and closer collaboration with distributors.

Opening the conference, Henry Shen, Senior Vice President of Zhongce Rubber Group (ZC Rubber), highlighted the progress of MTI since it was established nearly three years ago. According to the company, the Indonesian plant began production 289 days after construction started and produced its first one million tyres a further 282 days later.

"MTI is an important part of our long-term development in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. It gives us a stronger local manufacturing base, closer access to market demand and greater flexibility in serving both regional and international customers,” said Shen.

Located in Kendal Industrial Park in Central Java, the 58.8-hectare facility is ZC Rubber's second overseas tyre plant. The company said Phase I has reached its planned production capacity, while Phase II has entered operation.

During the conference, Wang Xianning, Vice President of ZC Rubber and General Manager of MTI, outlined developments in production capacity, intelligent manufacturing and the plant's end-to-end quality control system.

Zhang Chunsheng, Deputy General Manager of ZC Rubber's Truck and Bus Tire Division and Director of its TBR and OTR Research Institute, presented the company's tyre technology roadmap and product development plans. These include refining products for Indonesia's road conditions, heavy rainfall, high temperatures and demanding commercial vehicle applications.

"Feedback from distributors, fleets and users in Indonesia is helping us refine products for local conditions, while ZC Rubber's global R&D platform allows those products to meet the requirements of wider regional and export markets," Zhang said.

Jeffrey Zhang, General Manager of ZC Rubber's International Business Department, and Justin Cui, Assistant General Manager of MTI, also presented localised product planning, marketing programmes and channel development strategies for the Indonesian market.

The conference included discussions with distributors covering product performance, customer demand and regional market conditions. The company said the feedback gathered would be incorporated into future product planning and market support.

ZC Rubber also announced the formation of an Indonesia Marketing Committee, comprising representatives from four national distributors. The committee will provide a forum for MTI and its partners to discuss product requirements, market developments and coordinated sales and marketing activities.

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SI Group has promoted Robert Kaiser to Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing, concurrently appointing him to the company’s Executive Leadership Team. The global developer and manufacturer of performance additives, process solutions and chemical intermediates has tasked the executive with spearheading market-focused growth efforts and enhancing the synergy between client demands and the firm’s enduring strategic vision.

Kaiser’s elevation follows a distinguished tenure with the organisation that began in 2014, during which he assumed progressively significant roles in strategic marketing and business development. His contributions have been instrumental in refining the company’s product portfolio and market positioning, as well as fostering interdepartmental cooperation on pivotal expansion projects. His professional background also includes commercial leadership stints at AkzoNobel and Arizona Chemical, now part of Kraton Corporation.

The newly appointed Senior Vice President holds a Master of Business Administration from Ruhr University Bochum in Germany. With his extensive commercial acumen, Kaiser is poised to drive alignment and execute the company’s long-term objectives in his new executive capacity.

David Bradley, President and Chief Executive Officer, SI Group, said, "Robert has consistently demonstrated exceptional strategic leadership and a deep understanding of our markets. His ability to turn information into actionable insight has been instrumental in strengthening our commercial organisation and advancing our strategic priorities. We look forward to the unique global perspective and market-centric lens he will bring to our Executive Leadership Team.” 

Kaiser said, “I am honoured to join the Executive Leadership Team. Our customers are navigating an increasingly complex business environment, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to step into this role at a time when SI Group has the global footprint and strong foundation needed to create value for our customers and the markets we serve. I look forward to working with colleagues across SI Group to deepen customer relationships and continue advancing our commercial strategy.”

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Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) has extended its partnership with Cricket Australia for a further three years, remaining the naming rights partner of the Golden Cap awards in the Big Bash League (BBL) until the end of the 2028-29 season. The renewal takes the partnership beyond a decade, making it one of the league's longest-running commercial agreements.

BKT has been an Official League Partner of the Big Bash League since 2018. The companies said the extension reflects their continued commitment to supporting the growth of Australian cricket while enhancing the experience for players and fans.

Over the course of the partnership, BKT has developed a strong presence across the Big Bash Leagues through its association with the tournament and fan engagement initiatives. The renewed agreement, the companies said, reflects a long-term relationship built on community engagement and a shared commitment to Australian cricket.

Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director of BKT, said: “The extension of the partnership with the BBL has continued to evolve since 2018, bringing us to achieve significant milestones together. Australia remains a strategic market for BKT, and cricket is one of the country's most popular and passionately followed sports, bringing together millions of fans every year. That’s why we are pleased to continue supporting one of the world's most exciting cricket competitions through the 2028/29 season. We look forward to building on the success we have achieved together and creating lasting value for our stakeholders, partners and fans around the world.”

Alistair Dobson, General Manager of the Big Bash Leagues at Cricket Australia, said: “We’re thrilled to extend our partnership with BKT, who has been such a fantastic supporter of the Big Bash for nearly a decade. The BKT Golden Bat and BKT Golden Arm caps have long been popular with players and fans and a great way to celebrate the world-class batting and bowling across both the BBL and WBBL. BKT Big Bash Tipping also adds to the fan experience, giving fans another avenue to engage with the leagues and challenge their friends, families and workplaces. We’re looking forward to continuing to build on our strong relationship with BKT as this partnership extends beyond a decade in the coming years.”

The companies said they would continue to work together as the partnership enters its second decade, with a focus on innovation, fan engagement and the long-term development of Australian cricket.

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JK Tyre & Industries has appointed Pushpak Barik as Vice President – Replacement Business, reinforcing its domestic leadership team as the company looks to strengthen its presence in the replacement tyre market, according to a report.

In his new role, Barik will lead the strategic growth of JK Tyre's replacement business, with responsibility for expanding the company's replacement market portfolio, optimising channel performance and strengthening its retail footprint across India.

Before joining JK Tyre, Barik served as Head of Sales – Commercial Mobility at TVS Motor Company, where he led initiatives to accelerate business growth in the commercial mobility segment.

He brings extensive industry experience, having held leadership positions at Continental, Ashok Leyland, Bajaj Auto and Tata Motors. His expertise spans sales leadership, channel development, commercial mobility, strategic partnerships, network expansion and business transformation.

JK Tyre said Barik's experience in driving profitable growth, strengthening distribution networks and expanding market presence will support the company's next phase of growth in the replacement business.

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