IMME is happening after a four years hiatus. What are your expectations from the Exhibition?
Within the two-year Covid gap, we couldn’t interact with our customers’ in-person at such exhibitions. We are elated to be participating because IMME poses as a great platform where we can showcase our newest technology, interact with our buyers and strengthen our future product development according to the market needs. This International Mining & Machinery Exhibition is an incredible opportunity for us to connect with our buyers, build a stronger relationship with them and understand the needs of our customers. This always helps us to continue being customer-centric and design products that ensure increased consumer satisfaction.
The organizer (CII) of IMME is leaving no stone unturned to make it the biggest exhibition for the mining sector. What are your preparations and strategy for the Exhibition?
The International Mining & Machinery Exhibition is also India's Largest and Focused Trade Fair for the Mining Sector. Owing to the four-year gap, CII is trying its best to make this one of the biggest exhibitions focused on technological advancements. We, too, are geared up with some of the most revolutionary products that will be game-changers for the mining sector. Our focus has stayed on the all-steel radial tires and we are excited to showcase some of our state-of-the-art products. Additionally, we are delighted to be a part of this exhibition as it serves as a powerful rostrum where we can connect with our buyers and strengthen our customer base.
Which are the products you are going to exhibit at the Exhibition? Can you please brief us on the features and applications of the products you are exhibiting at IMME?
We believe that our innovation-driven products that are being showcased at the IMME will pioneer the growth within this sector. We have been analyzing the market and have noticed that the buyer and consumer ecosystem of the mining sector has been moving toward all-steel radial tires. Owing to the increasing demand within the mining industry, there is a demand for highly durable tires that have enhanced protection against wear and tear. Leaning into this demand, our R&D teams have been researching, curating, and conducting tests to design a special tread technology that decreased the heat generation within the tires, giving them a longer life. We have been enhancing our all-steel radial tires with the integration of advanced technology and conducting vigorous tests to examine their performance and resilience.
How ‘Green’ are the products you are exhibiting at IMME?
We, at BKT, have always kept sustainability at the forefront. We have ensured all of our products are REACH compliant. We are the first Indian tire manufacturer to have achieved this. We believe that all of us have a moral responsibility towards protecting the environment. Our values are rooted in preserving the Earth and we have launched various initiatives over the years to do our part. This is why sustainability forms the core of our manufacturing process and we ensure that, as a key player in the giant tire market, we are spearheading conscious efforts at forming and maintaining sustainable processes. As a global player in the OTR industry, we have always tried to lead by example by establishing sustainability at the core of our processes.
Which are the products you have introduced in the market for the mining sector in the last two years?
We are an agile company with a strong focus on R&D. We believe that constant innovation is essential for the steady growth of the sector. We have been working diligently to cater to the growing demands of the mining sector. Our teams have been focused on the all-steel radial tires. We recently launched the Giant 57” Earthmax SR 468 TL tire which is specially designed for rigid dump trucks. We also launched Earthmax SR 53 TL tire for ultra-large loaders. We have also introduced MINEFORCE TL, a bias E-4 tire, specifically curated for the limestone quarry and coal mining operations.
The economy is going through a major upheaval - Russia-Ukraine war; supply chain distribution; increase in rubber prices; volatility in steel prices, etc. How are you maintaining quality, without passing on the ‘increase in raw materials cost’ to the end customers?
While the Russian-Ukraine war has caused various challenges for many verticals of businesses and disrupted various segments of the business, we have continued to stay committed to providing the best quality products to our customers.
