Following tyre industry’s dialogue with the Rubber Board for improving quality of rubber in the country, a Working Group has been formed by the Rubber Board comprising all stakeholders to pursue NR quality in right earnest.
ATMA has maintained that natural rubber is a key determinant of end-product quality. The quality of NR therefore needs to go up the curve to keep pace with the changing scenario in tyre manufacturing.
The spend on R&D by major tyre companies in India has gone up three fold from 0.5-0.6% of revenue five years ago to about 2% currently. However quality of tyres is largely determined by the quality of raw materials used and that is where the quality and consistency of natural rubber, the principal raw material assumes significance.
Being largest consumer of natural rubber in the country, tyre industry has a lot at stake when it comes to NR quality and consistency.
