Q: With stringent regulations on vehicular emissions, tyre testing has gained momentum. How have the testing capabilities of the domestic tyre makers evolved in the last five years?
All the tyre companies have geared up to meet customer needs and expectations. They are also ready with their individual testing to meet the current tyre labelling criterion. However, the certification industry needs a third party independent testing agency which is still not in place. I think this is the white spot where the government can chip in.
Tyre companies do not have a test track as it requires huge investment. So, whenever we need our tyres to go through testing, NATRAX provides the test track. (The National Automotive Test tracks (NATRAX) is one of the state-of-the-art automotive testing and certification centre under the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project ( NATRiP), a flagship project of the Ministry of Heavy Industries.)
At JK Tyres, we set up a tech centre as a standalone institute in 1987-88 and used simulation techniques in our manufacturing for the first time in 1995. Our labs are capable of performing rolling resistance and noise vibration checks on tyres and we are doing this even for our peers. We test tyres of Bridegstone and do noise vibration checks for MRF and Ceat.
In brief, JK tyre is ready to meet the upcoming Automotive Industry Standard – AIS-142.
However, some of the competition tyre makers are reluctant to send the tyre for testing in our labs. Therefore, to expand our testing capability we are planning to join hands with ARAI in mid-September for joint certification. In this way, if we get a government or autonomous body to collaborate with JK, then peers will come.
Q. Does tyre testing in India meet global parameters? Is JK Tyre planning to invest in the near term to revamp the tech center?
Our company’s board has approved a budget of INR 110 crore to procure state-of-the-art tools for tyre analysis. JK tyre Tech centre was started in 2016-2017 and we spent around INR 70 crore in the construction. So far, the company has invested INR 200 on equipment and machinery.
Our investment this year will be for enhancing product development capabilities that will be required in the next 5 years. This entire amount will be invested in fresh equipment such as CT Plus and Rolling resistance machine.
From a global perspective there’s no difference as all of the equipment is purchased from the US and Europe. Our certificate is accepted globally.
Q. Do you think the present infrastructure is sufficient to meet the future testing requirements?
As far as independent testing centers are concerned, I think a gap exists. Before AIS-142 implementation the central government has to ensure that sufficient third party testing is available so that there will be no bottlenecks.
Intentions are there as we see the government adopting a public- private funding type of model under which they want to spend some money. Additionally, industry associations like ATMA and SIAM also have to come forward. After Covid-19 exports from domestic tyre companies have increased exponentially. And for export obligations we need to do the certification from an autonomous body.
Q. How alarming is the problem of waste tyres in India?
Tyre scrap is a legal problem which India will face very soon. As the number of vehicles increases, the problem of tyre waste will multiply. Besides, Europe and USA are dumping waste tyres in the Gulf and countries like India. Today about 3 billion tyres are being manufactured globally out of which 1 billion tyres are scrapped every year. And this is a huge problem globally. It’s high time that we found some alternative way.
Today about 3 billion tyres are being manufactured globally out of which 1 billion tyres are scrapped every year. And this is a huge problem globallyDr. R Mukhopadhyay
Q. Is the government doing anything to address this issue?
Yes. The government is in the process of replicating the vehicle scrappage policy in the tyre industry also. Collection of end-of-life tyres at one place requires massive logistic costs. Then these scrap tyres have to go for distribution in different channels for recycling and reuse. This whole process requires huge fund and the government is looking at how to get the funds allocated.
Today the customer gets some money for scrapping tyres but with the implementation of tyre scrapping norms end users will have to pay. So a tax collection like model is coming under regulation for end-of-life tyres. Anybody changing the tyre they have to pay certain cess. As per our understanding, the government is creating INR 200 crore –INR 300 crore fund to address the issue of scrap tyre in the years to come.
Q. What will be the impact of this regulation and can you explain who will be the principal stakeholders?
Currently, we are selling the scrap tyres to the tyre dealers in bulk. What they do with those tyres nobody knows. A very large unorganised channel is functional and the Government has to organize this through this regulation. The scrap dealer will be the prime partners, then comes tyre manufacturers, companies involved in reclaimed rubbers and recycling associations. Furthermore, the state government has to be one of the partners in order to allocate land and the last nodal point will be the Ministry of Environment.
Q. What are the segments that will have the maximum technological advancement in the near-term?
In the commercial vehicle segment we are at 52% radialisation. As the demand for improved fuel-efficiency is increasing, this market will jump to 70% in the next 5 years and then the plateau will come. Secondly, all segments will move away from tubeless tyres very swiftly. Then we will see gradual penetration of smart tyres, and puncture-proof tyres in all segments, starting with higher end vehicles. With a puncture-proof tyre we might not need a fifth tyre. We are making around 200 million tyres per annum which is around 10% of the global market. The way with which the life of tyre is increasing indicates that the number of tyre changes in a vehicle’s total running life will reduce drastically.
As the demand for improved fuel-efficiency is increasing, truck tyre radialization market will jump to 70% in the next 5 years and then the plateau will comeDr. R Mukhopadhyay
Quantum change will come in the shape and designing of tyres for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers. In future these tyres will be more lightweight and noise proof.
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