TESS Conference Sets the Agenda for Technology, Safety and Skilling in Tyre Sector

The first edition of 2-day TESS Conference which culminated recently in New Delhi focused sharply on Technology, Environment, Safety and Standards aspects in tyre sector. Organised by Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA) on the occasion of golden jubilee of its technical wing Indian Tyre Technical Advisory Committee (ITTAC), the event was attended by over 350 participants from India and abroad. In one of the biggest such gatherings, around 20 chosen international experts made presentations on topics ranging from tyre regulatory framework to standards implementation and environment conservation. An entire second day of the conference was focussed on road safety where experts from Indian Institutes of Technology and leading research institutes participated.

Secretary Ministry of Road Transport Mr. Sanjay Mitra with ATMA Chairman Mr. K. M. Mammen, Past Chairman Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Vice Chairman Mr. Satish Sharma and senior ITTAC Committee members

Given India’s rising stature in the automobile ecosystem, delegations from European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO) and Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA) held parleys with their Indian counterparts on the sidelines of the conference with a view to share the agenda for international regulatory framework and the way ahead for sharing experiences, technologies and practices.

Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union Minister for Skill Development made a keynote address with an impassioned plea for making Indian tyre sector more competitive through robust skilling framework. Guest of Honour Ms. Sheela Thomas, Secretary General Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) exhorted the industry to help increase efficiencies in rubber plantations and other raw materials so as to make the most of  raw material availability. She admired industry’s contribution in increasing quality of domestic natural rubber. Mr. Sanjay Mitra, Secretary Ministry of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping  asked for a collaborative approach by all the stakeholders for improving road safety in India. 

About Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA)

ATMA is amongst the most active National industry bodies in India representing Rs. 53000 crore (US$8.5 bn) automotive tyre industry. Eleven large tyre companies comprising mix of Indian and International tyre majors and representing over 90% of production of tyres in India are members of the Association. ATMA members include Apollo Tyres, Birla Tyres, Bridgestone India, Ceat, Continental India, Goodyear India, JK Tyre & Industries, Michelin, MRF, TVS Tyres and Yokohama.

ATMA is a key link between the tyre manufacturers and the government and assists in relevant policy formulation on the sector. As true voice of tyre sector, ATMA regularly publishes Industry Data and brings out status notes on various industry issues. ATMA is governed by a Managing Committee which is assisted by expert groups in areas like Marketing, Exports, Purchase of Raw Materials, Taxation and Technical.