We are the leaders in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility.

Sunil Puri

Head – Commercial Business, Bridgestone India

What is the current demand supply scenario in the OTR tire sector, especially in the construction and mining equipment space? What has been the impact of the current Covid pandemic on the same as well as the supply of raw material?

Infrastructure development is gaining good traction due to Government spending & focus on mining sector through commercialization. This has definitely been a catalyst for demand and will benefit Bridgestone drive business in catering to new upcoming markets. With the announcement & online bidding for commercialization of coal mining, the mining segment is certainly bound to grow in the coming years. The infra/construction segment is slowly catching up on radialization. The demand across sectors are pretty much stable amid the Covid situation. Lockdowns and allied restrictions did impact the supply chains and raw material availability & price increase led to gaps in demand-supply situation. There is pent up demand in the OE business & major global markets due to which supply has become constrained.

What is the current size of the OTR tires market and what is it expected to grow to in the next two years? What will be the driving factors for this growth?

The market size in India for OTR tyres is substantial, with usage across various categories. However majority of the market is catered with bias tyres. The demand for radials is growing gradually. Bridgestone has a strong presence in mining segment offering across various applications from dumpers, loaders, underground equipment, wheel loaders & other support equipment. Infrastructure and mining sectors have seen heightened activity and this has spurred demand across OTR categories. Bridgestone Japan also offers Firestone radial products for the mild operations like roads, material handling, etc. This product will be offered in India across price points and would be competitive in the market viz both price and performance. 

What are the OEMs expecting from players like you in terms of technology and / or materials used since their machines are used in difficult terrains and extreme weather conditions?

We are very happy that we are strongly associated with our OEM’s & closely working with them to offer the best products based on their end use. We also extend support with technical inputs/site visits for extending tire life. Bridgestone OTR plants have earned “Platinum Level” in Caterpillar Supplier Quality Excellence Process Certification. The certification recognizes suppliers’ commitment to quality excellence, and drive a “zero defects” culture demonstrating continual improvement in quality, productivity, and efficiency in support of customers.

We have supply agreement with the major manufacturer who are deploying radial tires in their equipment. Depending on the application & terrain, we cater to the needs of the OEM’s. We have a range of products to suit particular applications, underfoot conditions, terrains, etc with various specifications to ensure optimal tire performance. Extreme application like coal mines, iron ore mines, underground mining for metals, tunnels, etc demand high spec radial tires due to the intense nature of application.

What is your take on the demand shifting towards radial tires from bias ply given the additional benefits that come along with the technology?

Radials are cost effective investments leading to high productivity & performance requirement leading to demand of radial tires. Mining demands performance. Segments like Mining, Underground, Metals, etc. demand high radialization due to nature of operation. Mining demands performance-oriented tires with low cost of operation which has helped achieve a niche for Bridgestone products.

Radials have major advantage in this space due to higher life, higher load conditions, Better fuel consumption, puncture resistance, lower wear & tear, operator comfort to name a few. Bridgestone MasterCore tires feature a new casing design to achieve ultra-high durability and increased productivity. The objective of this new technology is to give fleets greater utilization of their haulage assets and achieve lower cost-per-ton of production. The technology will ensure the key performance attributes such as faster speeds, increased payload and/or maximized uptime that meet customers’ specific site and haul road needs. Bridgestone Japan has recently developed a new Technology MasterCore  for  the mining segment to achieve ultra-high durability and increased productivity.

What are the technologies adopted by your company in terms of automation in manufacturing, services, product designing, etc?

Technology will undoubtedly play a significant role in improving the tyre performance and add to productivity enhancement for our customers. Bridgestone Corporation is a leader in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility and with this focus has developed a technology capable of estimating a wheel axle load and tire wear condition by using newly developed sensors attached inside tires that measure the change in a strain that occurs when a tire makes contact with the road while in motion. This technology is unique to Bridgestone and the first of its kind in the world.

Bridgestone group recently acquired “iTrack” which is a globally preferred provider of tire management solutions for the off-the-road vehicle market. This technology provides customizable geofencing, speed alerts and more to help mining customers optimize their operations for increased productivity and profitability.

Can you tell us about your future plans in terms of capex in enhancing manufacturing capacity, expanding dealership network, adoption of technology, etc.?

Currently, we do not manufacture OTR tires in India. We import these tyres, catering to our customer needs, and demand across the various segment.  Our global supply chain is well equipped to manage this demand.  For Bridgestone, it is very critical to keep on working on product development, and improvement as per the customer needs and in line with customer performance requirements.  We believe in not only just supplying the tires but to be there working with our customers and partner with them to improve their operational efficiency through various initiatives.

We keep our global plants well informed on the developments in sectors to ensure we can service the business demand as it arises.

Hits: 50