“Strengthening R&D Capabilities for Improved Solutions is BKT’s Business Motto”

Export oriented, off-highway tire manufacturing major, Balkrishna Tires, has developed strong manufacturing capabilities to roll out newer off highway tires mainly through joint co engineering with OEMs. Mr. Arvind Poddar, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, and Mr. Rajiv Poddar, Executive Director BKT talked to P.P.Basistha about BKT's product quality based on high levels of customization, its future strategies on strengthening the company's research capabilities and global demand trend of off-highway tires, at the company's plush head quarters in Mumbai.

How do you foresee global and Indian demand of off highway tires?
We forecast demand of off-highway tires firming up based on requirements of mobile equipments having application in construction sector. We also see major demand from cranes and material handling in India. Globally, there remains a growing requirement of newer units. However, major portion of demand continues to remain driven by replacements.

What are the newer initiatives of BKT on developing solutions for on- and off-highway mobile construction and mining equipment?
We are aggressive towards developing newer solutions for mobile construction and mining equipment. We are increasingly planning to develop the solutions by entering into enhanced co engineering alliance with the OEMs globally. This is so as to adhere to their standards, mainly to deliver total life cycle costs. This is very much in accordance with the standard and trend globally. While developing the tires in alliance with the manufacturers factors like load pressure, heat and force on the tires are studied. For medium and heavier capacities mobile cranes loads on the tires based on varied lifting patterns are also studied and evaluated.

We have developed our own full-fledged European and North American technical team to carry out tests evaluation on the tires. With any failures arising out of load or heat impact, the tires are recalled in India. However, we can proudly claim that there have been bare minimal failures in our tires supplied to the global OEMs. This has been possible based on our sound research and development capabilities, more precisely our rubber testing facility at Bhuj supported by a full-fledged team. The facility undertakes chemical, physical, and rapid control tests. The tests are undertaken to examine the character of the rubber following mixing of the final compound. The density and specific growth of the compounds are checked. Factors like weight, volumes and viscosity of the compounds in the rubber is checked by viscometers. Temperature tests are also undertaken to see that the character of the rubber post curing. Further, we have close to 450 tests undertaken across the entire line of production.

What investments have been made by BKT to upgrade its R&D capabilities for developing solutions as per the standards of the OEMs?
We spent almost seven percent of our top line on developing newer research and developing capabilities along with upgrading the existing ones. Currently, we're working to build a new research and development centre on new polymers and tread compounds at a capital investment of Rs 100 cores. The facility (to be ready by end of 2016) will have FICCI capability simulation based on external field conditions. It will also have facilities to undertake compound analysis, testing of vibration and sound levels. We have developed a highly dynamic, wide endurance test facility spread over 25 acres in Bhuj. The test track for endurance tests on the tires has got concrete, bitumen as well as farm track with pebbles. The testing track is one of its kind in India, used mainly for testing tire performance and driving comfort on different surfaces from uniform road conditions to rough terrains.


What about your human resource?
Although we now have a state-of-the-art automated plant at Bhuj, however our people are our assets. We have a complete six months training programme for our personnel so as to make them well groomed in accordance with our production, operation, distribution and product support systems. Our workers are accountable and have high levels of liberty to take decisions. This enables us to have a highly motivated workforce with attrition levels of less than one percent.

With growing demand for off-highway tires from the Indian market, how prepared is BKT to meet the requirements? How will you leverage product availability and support?
Though we're greatly focused on export markets, however we're closely looking at the Indian market. We have distributors in twelve cities across India which we are looking to increase further. Our distributors are capable of providing product support, mainly field monitoring, backed by our support. We have to enhance our presence in the Indian construction and mining sector through participation in industry exhibitions. On timely product availability, all our facilities feature production flexibility in the production cycle within shortest possible time, resulting towards faster, concept to market product roll out.