JK Tyre's New R&D Centre

JK Tyre commissioned a new R&D centre atMysore.

- Bhargav TS

With a presence in 100 countries across six continents, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. has commissioned a new R&D centre at Mysore to address the changing market requirements as well as the change in perception. With 12 production plants, nine of which are in India and the remaining three are in Mexico, the company is banking on the speed at which the Indian economy is growing for its own growth. The commissioning of the new R&D centre is said to be a part of the strategy to expand the range of tyres and other services the company is offering.

At the core of the decision to invest in a R&D centre is the need for advanced technology in tyre manufacture. For a company that introduced radial tyres to the Indian market, JK Tyre is driving innovation with an eye on the future of the changes that will visit the tyre industry. Claimed to be the first of its kindin India, the Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence (RPSCOE), is laced with advanced instruments and equipment. It is also equipped with a semi-anechoic chamber for noise, vibration and harshness data analysis.

Having elaborate facilities and labs at different levels like tyre testing, noise and vibration testing, magic triangle: rolling resistance testing, and mileage and durability testing, the RPSCOE is approved by NABL. To aid the tyre maker as it experiements with new materials, compound and processes, the PRSCOE, along with the Harishankar Singhania Elastomer and Tyre Research Institute (HASETRI), which was setup by JK Tyre and Industries in 1991 as an independent research and testing center at Mysore brings together the best scientists, engineers and technicians in the field.