Delivering keynote address at Asian Tyre & Rubber Conference (ATRC) Chennai, Mr Satish Sharma Chairman ATMA said, Indian tyre manufacturing is converging to the world in research & development, automation and technology. Quality of natural rubber as a key determinant of end product quality needs to go up the curve to keep pace with the changing scenario in 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 Mr Satish Sharma, Chairman ATMA addressing the media raw material assumes significance, he said.

Being largest consumer of natural rubber in the country, tyre industry has a lot at stake when it comes to NR quality and consistency delivered sustainably.

The demands and expectations of Auto sector and motorists from tyres have gone up manifold.
Tyres are expected to meet the mutually diverse demands of grip, low rolling resistance, light weighting and fuel efficiency. Manufacturing of technologically superior tyres, especially new generation truck & bus radials require very high quality of rubber as a critical raw-material. Quality of NR and other raw materials is therefore paramount.