Anyline, a global leader in AI-powered mobile data capture, is disrupting industries by enabling instant scanning of everyday data with smartphones.

In an era where data is king, Vienna-based Anyline aims to carve out a significant niche, transforming everyday data capture into a seamless, mobile-first experience. What began as a computer vision research project, exploring the intricate ways machines could ‘see and interpret the world’, has blossomed into a global commercial platform.

This evolution was driven by a clear recognition of how urgently businesses across various sectors needed reliable, efficient and mobile-first data capture solutions. Anyline’s innovative approach now empowers frontline workers across diverse industries, from the complexities of logistics and the precision of manufacturing to the dynamic environments of retail and public safety and, notably, the high-stakes world of the automotive sector.

“Anyline was founded with the vision of making everyday data – like barcodes, serial numbers, IDs and tyre codes – instantly scannable using nothing more than a smartphone,” explained Peio Elustondo, VP of Inside Sales and Growth Marketing at Anyline. “We quickly saw how urgently businesses needed reliable, mobile-first data capture. The demand was undeniable, and our technology provided a straightforward, scalable answer.”

The company’s advanced AI-powered technology is now extensively deployed in over 100 countries, serving a distinguished roster of leading brands such as Discount Tyre, a giant in the automotive aftermarket; PepsiCo, a global food and beverage leader and IBM, a technology and consulting powerhouse. Elustondo highlighted their core mission, which remains steadfast despite their expansive growth, “Whether it’s helping technicians inspect tyres, retailers manage inventory or police verify vehicle data, our mission remains the same: to empower frontline workers with smart, scalable technology that makes everyday tasks faster, more accurate and more efficient. We believe in putting powerful tools directly into the hands of those on the ground, enabling them to work smarter, not harder.”

Anyline’s global footprint and tangible impact speak volumes, with millions of scans performed each month and a continuously expanding ecosystem of enterprise partners who place their trust in its software to digitise critical operations in the field, at the point of action.

REVOLUTIONISING TYRE INSPECTIONS WITH TIREBUDDY

One of Anyline’s most impactful and strategically significant innovations in the automotive space is TireBuddy, a dedicated mobile application meticulously designed to streamline the often-cumbersome process of tyre inspections. Traditional manual methods, which have long been the industry standard, are frequently plagued by inconsistencies, subjective interpretations and outright errors. These issues present a significant and persistent challenge for businesses striving for efficiency and accuracy.

“Tyre inspections are often manual, time-consuming and prone to errors – from misreading DOT codes to inconsistent tread depth checks,” Elustondo noted, painting a clear picture of the industry’s struggle and underscoring the dual nature of the problem. “The challenge is not only speed but also standardisation. Without reliable digital tools, even experienced technicians can struggle to deliver consistent results, especially under pressure or in high-volume environments.”

TireBuddy directly and comprehensively addresses these pain points, bringing powerful, AI-driven capabilities directly to the workshop floor, all without the need for expensive, dedicated hardware.

“It was built specifically for the needs of independent tyre dealers and service teams who want to modernise their workflows without investing in costly hardware or infrastructure,” Elustondo stated, highlighting the app’s accessibility and cost-effectiveness. The app empowers technicians to effortlessly scan and capture crucial data points such as DOT codes, tyre size, brand and Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) instantly.

Furthermore, TireBuddy provides precise tread depth measurements through a guided mobile workflow, ensuring that tyre health is assessed consistently and accurately, eliminating the need for traditional, often inaccurate, physical gauges. Remarkably, all of this critical data capture and verification happens in under a minute per tyre, with the results being rigorously AI-verified for unparalleled accuracy and reliability.

“All of this happens in under a minute per tyre and the results are AI-verified for accuracy and reliability,” Elustondo confirmed, emphasising the speed and precision that define TireBuddy.

He then explained the broader and more profound benefits that extend far beyond mere operational efficiency, “Beyond just speed and convenience, the true value of TireBuddy lies in what it unlocks. It gives technicians a digital record of each tyre’s condition, streamlines compliance documentation and enables more transparent conversations with customers about when a tyre truly needs to be replaced. This boosts customer trust and opens the door to more confident service recommendations.”

This digital record not only enhances internal record-keeping but also serves as a powerful tool for customer education, allowing technicians to visually demonstrate wear and tear and clearly justify service recommendations, thereby fostering greater confidence and loyalty. Because TireBuddy is mobile-based and cloud-connected, it also integrates seamlessly into existing backend systems – whether those are inventory management platforms, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools or point-of-sale systems. For businesses, this translates into a cascade of benefits, superior data quality, a significant reduction in manual errors and enhanced overall efficiency across their entire operational spectrum. Ultimately, TireBuddy empowers tyre shops of all sizes, from small independent garages to large chains, to offer a more modern, professional and data-driven customer experience – a capability that is fast becoming essential in today’s increasingly competitive and digitised service landscape.

ACCURACY AND IMPACT ACROSS INDUSTRIES

Anyline claims its AI-powered visual inspection offers a significant and demonstrable leap in consistency and reliability when compared to traditional manual methods. The inherent variability in human performance, particularly in repetitive and detailed tasks, often leads to discrepancies.

“Manual inspections often vary from technician to technician, especially when it comes to tasks like reading DOT codes or estimating tread depth. Our technology standardises these processes, capturing data instantly and removing the risk of human error, typos or misinterpretation. This means every inspection, regardless of who performs it, adheres to the same high standard of accuracy,” said Elustondo.

While acknowledging that real-world factors such as challenging lighting conditions or extreme tyre wear can influence accuracy, he assured that “our tools are continuously trained and tested on a wide range of conditions to ensure performance is reliable in the environments where they’re used most. The result is not only faster inspections, but repeatable, verifiable outcomes that technicians and service managers can trust implicitly.”

The profound impact of solutions like TireBuddy is clearly evident in Anyline’s impressive client base, which spans a wide array of automotive industry players, including leading automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), extensive aftersales networks and crucial logistics providers. One of their most significant and long-standing partners is Discount Tyre, which stands as the largest independent tyre and wheel retailer in the US.

Discount Tyre leverages Anyline’s cutting-edge technology to streamline their tyre inspection processes and digitise key vehicle data across their vast service network, significantly enhancing their operational efficiency and customer service.

“Our ability to serve both independent dealers and enterprise-scale players is a key strength. Whether it’s through our TireBuddy app or via custom integrations using the Anyline SDK, we help clients bring mobile inspection capabilities directly into the hands of technicians – no matter the size or complexity of their operation. This flexibility ensures that businesses of all scales can benefit from our advanced AI,” averred Elustondo, highlighting Anyline’s versatile approach.

Beyond the automotive sector, Anyline’s solutions are also used by government agencies for vehicle data verification, rental fleets for efficient vehicle check-ins and commercial vehicle operators seeking to improve safety, compliance and overall operational efficiency through AI-driven inspections. This broad applicability underscores the universal need for accurate, mobile data capture.

A GLOBAL FOOTPRINT AND FUTURE VISION

Anyline’s global reach extends significantly to India, a market Elustondo described as “important for us – both in terms of talent and innovation partnerships.”

He highlighted a particularly significant collaboration that exemplifies Anyline’s impact in the region: a partnership with Tata Power Delhi Distribution (Tata Power-DDL). Through this collaboration, Anyline launched an industry-first mobile meter reading solution utilising OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and AI-powered anti-spoofing technology. This innovative solution was deployed across North Delhi, dramatically improving billing accuracy, reducing non-technical losses and streamlining field operations for an astounding 1.9 million metres.

“That collaboration showcased how AI and mobile data capture can solve real-world infrastructure challenges at scale,” Elustondo added, pointing to the measurable impact on operational efficiency and data quality. This project marked a pivotal moment, being the first time Tata Power-DDL had adopted mobile OCR for utility meter reading, demonstrating a clear shift towards digital transformation in critical infrastructure.

Looking ahead, Anyline remains steadfastly committed to its software-first approach, a strategic decision that deliberately avoids the need for specialised, proprietary hardware.

“Our focus is on delivering AI-powered software solutions that run seamlessly on everyday mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. This software-first approach eliminates the need for specialised hardware, making our technology far more accessible, scalable and cost-effective for users around the world. It means businesses don’t have to invest in new, expensive equipment; they can leverage the devices their teams already use, significantly lowering the barrier to adoption,” Elustondo affirmed.

This philosophy ensures that Anyline’s solutions are not just technologically advanced but also practically viable for a wide range of businesses globally.

The company’s future plans involve a continuous and ambitious expansion of its AI-powered capabilities specifically tailored for the automotive industry. “Expect more integrations, real-time diagnostics and predictive maintenance features – all accessible via mobile,” Elustondo revealed, hinting at a future where vehicle maintenance is more proactive and data-driven. These advancements promise to further empower technicians with instant insights, enabling them to identify potential issues before they escalate and provide even more precise recommendations to customers.

The company shared that TireBuddy, in particular, stands as a powerful testament to its responsiveness to genuine industry needs and its ability to rapidly develop and deploy effective solutions.

“One development we are especially proud of is TireBuddy. It was built in direct response to feedback from the field, where independent dealers and service teams told us they needed a faster, more accurate way to assess tyre health without investing in expensive equipment or retraining their teams. We listened and we delivered,” Elustondo stated.

The app’s success has been resounding, with positive feedback echoing across the industry. “The response so far has been incredibly positive. Dealers are telling us it is improving the professionalism of their service while also reducing the friction that often comes with inspection-based upselling. It transforms a traditionally manual process – DOT code reading, tread depth measurement, VIN capture – into a digital workflow that’s intuitive, consistent and verifiable. It helps technicians provide clearer documentation, make more confident recommendations and ultimately earn greater trust from customers,” Elustondo said.

He envisions TireBuddy as far more than just a single product: “We see TireBuddy not just as a product, but as the foundation of a broader ecosystem of AI-powered tools designed to support the future of vehicle service – where data, transparency and customer trust take centre stage. This is about building a more efficient, reliable and customer-centric automotive service industry for tomorrow.” 

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As India’s industrial sector accelerates its shift towards cleaner energy, tyre manufacturers are emerging as a critical test case for integrating renewable power into continuous, high-load operations. In this conversation, Kuldeep Jain, Founder and Managing Director of CleanMax, outlines how demand from companies such as CEAT and Michelin is reshaping renewable procurement – from conventional solar contracts to hybrid, round-the-clock solutions – while positioning clean energy as both an operational necessity and a strategic lever for decarbonisation.

Industrial decarbonisation in India is entering a more operational phase, where renewable electricity is no longer a peripheral lever but an embedded component of manufacturing strategy. For CleanMax, this shift is most visible in energy-intensive sectors such as tyre manufacturing, where continuous processes, global supply-chain pressures and ESG commitments are converging to reshape how power is procured and consumed.

Kuldeep Jain, Founder and Managing Director of CleanMax, describes a market moving beyond cost arbitrage towards structural integration of clean energy. Demand from tyre manufacturers – long characterised by high, stable electricity loads – is now influencing both project design and procurement models, pushing developers towards hybrid and round-the-clock renewable solutions. 

Energy-intensive industries are increasingly prioritising renewable electricity to manage power costs and reduce operational emissions. Manufacturing sectors with continuous loads are particularly suited to long-term renewable procurement models such as group captive and open-access PPAs, which provide cost stability while supporting decarbonisation goals,” Jain says.

That demand is already translating into project pipelines. CleanMax’s collaboration with CEAT involves developing 59 MW of hybrid wind-solar capacity to supply renewable power to its Halol and Kanchipuram plants. Similarly, its engagement with Michelin includes an open-access solar power purchase agreement supporting operations at the company’s Chennai facility.

“These projects illustrate how large industrial consumers are integrating renewables into their long-term energy strategy. For instance, globally, the International Energy Agency has already noted that industrial electrification and renewable procurement will drive the next phase of the energy transition. Tyres are firmly in that wave,” Jain notes.

FROM INTERMITTENT SUPPLY TO ENGINEERED RELIABILITY

Tyre manufacturing presents a distinctive challenge for renewable integration. Plants operate continuous processes – mixing, curing and vulcanisation – that require stable baseload electricity and thermal energy. Traditional solar PPAs, while cost-effective, are inherently intermittent, limiting their suitability for such operations.

The industry is therefore evolving towards hybrid models that combine multiple renewable sources. “Hybrid projects are gaining traction because they smooth generation across the day, improving plant load factors,” Jain says. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, such hybrid systems are among the fastest-scaling formats for industrial decarbonisation.

“As a result, the industry is moving beyond single-source solar PPAs towards wind-solar hybrid projects and open-access group captive models that provide higher plant load factors and more balanced generation profiles across the day. Wind-solar hybrid is increasingly seen as the most practical and efficient pathway to scale renewable penetration in continuous manufacturing environments,” Jain explains.

This shift reflects a broader reframing of renewables – not as intermittent substitutes for fossil fuel power but as engineered systems tailored to industrial demand curves. The emphasis is on aligning generation profiles with consumption patterns, rather than expecting operations to adapt to variable supply.

SECTOR-SPECIFIC DECARBONISATION PATHWAYS

Not all heavy industries decarbonise along the same trajectory. Jain draws a clear distinction between tyre manufacturing and sectors such as cement or steel, where process emissions form a significant share of the carbon footprint.

“If you step back, industries don’t decarbonise in the same way because they don’t consume energy in the same way. A tyre plant is largely powered by electricity. So if you clean up the electricity, you’ve already addressed a meaningful part of its emissions,” he says.

However, the challenge lies in reliability. “These are continuous operations. They don’t switch off when the sun sets or the wind drops. That’s why hybrid becomes important, as a way of shaping energy to demand,” Jain adds.

“In case of cement or steel, a significant portion of emissions comes from how the product itself is made. So the shift we’re seeing is subtle but important. It’s about redesigning the energy profile itself so that clean energy isn’t intermittent in theory but dependable in practice,” he continues.

The implication is that electrification-driven sectors such as tyre manufacturing can achieve faster decarbonisation gains through renewable procurement, provided supply reliability is addressed through hybridisation and system design.

ESG, PRODUCT STRATEGY AND COMPETITIVE POSITIONING

Renewable energy is also assuming a more strategic role within tyre companies’ ESG frameworks. What began as a cost-management exercise is increasingly tied to product innovation, sustainability reporting and global competitiveness.

“The conversation around renewable energy in the tyre industry has clearly evolved beyond cost optimisation. Many manufacturers are increasingly integrating renewable power into their broader ESG strategies and supply-chain decarbonisation commitments, particularly as global automotive OEMs push for lower-carbon sourcing across the value chain,” Jain says.

This transition is evident at the product level. CEAT’s launch of its SecuraDrive CIRCL tyre – produced with up to 90 percent sustainable materials – signals how manufacturers are aligning product design with sustainability objectives.

“Renewable electricity procurement helps reduce Scope 2 emissions and supports the development of lower-carbon products, which is becoming an important factor in both sustainability reporting and global competitiveness. As a result, renewable energy is now seen not only as a cost-management tool but also as a strategic lever for product decarbonisation and ESG positioning,” Jain explains.

TECHNOLOGY MIX AND OPERATIONAL ALIGNMENT

From a systems perspective, no single technology provides a complete solution. CleanMax advocates a portfolio approach that combines generation assets with digital tools and flexible contracting structures.

“A portfolio approach works best. For manufacturing operations with steady electricity demand, hybrid renewable systems combining solar and wind have proven effective, as the complementary generation profiles improve overall availability and plant load factors,” Jain says.

Digital energy management platforms play a supporting role by optimising dispatch and aligning supply with consumption patterns. Flexible procurement structures, including open-access and group captive models, further enhance adaptability across sites and regulatory regimes.

“In practice, hybrid setups combining solar and wind have proven effective because they smooth generation across the day and improve overall availability. That’s what makes renewable power usable at scale,” Jain adds.

The CEAT and Michelin projects exemplify this approach, integrating multiple procurement pathways – onsite solar, offsite generation and open-access PPAs – to increase renewable penetration without compromising operational stability.

POLICY VARIABILITY AND MULTI-LOCATION STRATEGIES

India’s regulatory landscape remains heterogeneous, with state-level policies shaping the feasibility and economics of renewable procurement. For tyre manufacturers operating across multiple locations, this creates both complexity and opportunity.

“Overall, the ecosystem is steadily evolving to support higher renewable penetration practically. Open-access mechanisms are becoming more aligned with industrial needs. Renewable procurement is naturally becoming more location-specific,” Jain says.

Different state frameworks enable companies to tailor their energy mix – combining onsite solar with offsite wind or solar depending on regional resource availability and regulatory incentives.

“In practice, this leads to more balanced and resilient energy portfolios. This is also where developers with experience across markets can add value by structuring solutions that are aligned to each site’s load profile, regulatory context and long-term cost objectives, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach,” Jain explains.

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND RISING EXPECTATIONS

Pressure from global automotive OEMs is accelerating the adoption of renewable energy in India’s tyre sector. As manufacturers integrate more deeply into international supply chains, emissions performance is becoming a criterion for sourcing decisions.

“As tyre manufacturers become more integrated with global OEM supply chains, expectations around emissions are becoming more defined. Renewable electricity is one of the more immediate ways to address this, especially for Scope 2 emissions,” Jain says.

“What we’re seeing is more about alignment – companies are adapting their energy mix to stay relevant in global markets, where sustainability is increasingly part of how sourcing decisions are made,” Jain says.

This dynamic is likely to intensify as OEMs tighten decarbonisation targets and extend accountability across their value chains, reinforcing the role of renewable energy in industrial competitiveness.

THE NEXT FRONTIER: TRACEABILITY AND CARBON MARKETS

As companies move towards net-zero targets, the focus is broadening beyond direct emissions to include value-chain impacts and verification mechanisms.

“Instruments such as renewable energy certificates and carbon markets help companies transparently account for the renewable electricity they procure. At the same time, there is growing focus on Scope 3 reporting as manufacturers work to address emissions across their broader value chains and align with global supply-chain decarbonisation expectations,” Jain says.

Traceability – ensuring that renewable energy claims are verifiable and auditable – is expected to become increasingly important, particularly for export-oriented manufacturers facing stringent disclosure requirements.

A DECADE OUTLOOK: ACHIEVABLE, BUT CONDITIONAL

Looking ahead, Jain is cautiously optimistic about the pace of renewable adoption in India’s tyre manufacturing sector. The fundamentals – declining costs, expanding capacity and supportive policy evolution – are largely in place.

“Over the next decade, higher renewable penetration in tyre manufacturing is well within reach, especially as clean power availability continues to expand. For electricity-led operations, increasing the share of renewable energy is already a practical pathway, not a distant target,” he says.

However, execution will hinge on system-level factors. “What will make the difference is how reliably this power can be integrated at scale – through consistent open-access frameworks, stronger grid alignment, and wider use of hybrid solutions that better match continuous industrial demand,” Jain says.

The trajectory is clear: renewable energy in tyre manufacturing is transitioning from opportunistic adoption to structural integration. For developers such as CleanMax, the challenge – and opportunity – lies in engineering solutions that convert intermittent resources into dependable industrial infrastructure.

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Wallace Instruments, a globally recognised leader in rubber testing equipment, has expanded its United Kingdom-manufactured specimen preparation lineup with the launch of the WAS3 Pneumatic Cutting Press. The new device joins the company’s range of rubber testing equipment.

Unlike manual cutting methods, pneumatic systems apply consistent force on every cycle, eliminating operator fatigue and variability. Poorly prepared specimens with uneven edges or internal stress can compromise test accuracy, while the pneumatic approach also reduces repetitive physical strain, supporting technician wellbeing during long production runs.

The WAS3 prioritises safe single-operator use through a two-button activation system requiring both buttons to be pressed within half a second, preventing any hand contact with the cutting area. Additional three-sided protective guards further enhance operational safety.

Delivering 15 kN of cutting force, the press easily cuts through 10-mm thick, 95 Shore A rubber sheet using five bar of filtered air pressure. It works with existing Wallace cutting dies, so laboratories can integrate the unit without replacing current tooling, and its compact footprint suits both lab and production environments.

Chris Norval, Managing Director, Wallace Instruments, said, "Specimen preparation is the foundation of accurate rubber testing. With the WAS3, we focused on practical safety, dependable cutting performance and drop-in compatibility. Labs get a compact pneumatic press that fits the air lines already in place, uses their current Wallace dies and delivers consistent results for every operator – because when specimen quality is controlled, you can have confidence in the results that follow."

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DUNLOP (company name: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.) has teamed up with Fujitsu Limited to create an artificial intelligence (AI) surrogate model that predicts tyre performance rapidly and with high precision. The breakthrough was validated in a proof of concept tied to DUNLOP’s digital transformation strategy. When applied to tyre deformation upon road contact, the technology slashed analysis time by 90 percent, from 45 minutes to just 5 minutes while processing nearly 600,000 mesh elements.

Based on these results, both firms will build a design support tool, aiming for deployment at DUNLOP by April 2027. The system runs on FUJITSU MONAKA, a next-generation energy efficient Arm-based CPU.

Tyre design typically relies on finite element method (FEM) analysis, where finer mesh grids boost accuracy but increase calculation time and costs. To tackle this, the partners developed an AI surrogate model that solves FEM equations using past data. The model, based on the Graph Neural Network algorithm, predicted contact shape with 87.7 percent accuracy, enabling faster decisions and lower costs.

Select findings will be shared at the 31st Computational Engineering Conference starting 3 June 2026. By December 2026, both companies will test the model on a FUJITSU MONAKA prototype to refine speed and power use.

Under its long-term strategy R.I.S.E. 2035, DUNLOP seeks to provide new experiential value from rubber. Through this co creation, the tyre maker will enhance its analytical technologies and strengthen innovation. Fujitsu will promote this approach across large scale FEM analysis in automotive and other manufacturing sectors, contributing to carbon neutrality via an AI platform combining FUJITSU MONAKA and GNN.

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Starrett-Bytewise has appointed GL Inspect GmbH as its new European sales representative. The German firm, led by Christian Lantzsch and based in Hargesheim, will oversee regional operations. The partnership aims to provide local expertise for demanding measurement challenges across tyre plants, steel mills and extrusion lines.

Lantzsch and the GL Inspect team bring a sophisticated understanding of non-contact metrology. Their technical background aligns with the diverse industrial sectors served by Starrett-Bytewise, ensuring that European customers receive support tailored to specific materials and production environments. The collaboration strengthens local technical knowledge and on-site application assistance.

Under this agreement, European customers gain direct access to local consultations and expanded on-site evaluations led by Lantzsch’s team. Laser measurement solutions can be better integrated into individual production lines. The partnership also streamlines communication and support, building on existing European infrastructure to enable seamless transitions to automated in-line inspection.

The appointment represents a significant investment in European infrastructure. Having GL Inspect on the ground shortens the distance between Starrett-Bytewise’s U.S. engineering team and local factory floors. Faster application assessments, more frequent site visits and industry-specific language support are key outcomes of the new arrangement.

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