From a Production Foremen with Mysore Rubbers Pvt Ltd (M M Foam) in the early seventies, G Narayana Pillai has gone a long way to become a much-sought-after global Consultant on latex products such as gloves, condoms, balloons and catheters. His long and varied experience with a number of latex foam products manufacturing companies have stood him in good stead to help many companies set up latex manufacturing facilities in India and abroad. Of late, G N Pillai has forayed into cultivation of rubber in Mexico, which is emerging as a new destination for rubber growers and rubber products manufacturers.
In an interview to Rubber Asia, Pillai looks back at his tryst with the latex industry and shares his views on wide-ranging issues relating to latex products manufacturing, opportunities for rubber cultivation in new regions, latex vs nitrile gloves, protein allergy etc. He feels that Indian glove manufacturers need to invest substantially in augmenting production capacity as India doesn’t have the volume, especially in examination gloves, to compete with countries like Malaysia. Excerpts from the interview:
Please explain how you strayed into the latex products manufacturing industry
In 1988, the outbreak of AIDS led to huge demand for medical gloves in the United States. The demand supply gap was so huge that it cost up to $140 for 1,000 gloves. I saw a great business opportunity therein. With the expertise earned while working with a number of latex foam products manufacturing firms such as Mysore Rubbers Pvt Ltd, Ruby-Marrat, Enfield India ancillary unit etc I decided to specialise in glove manufacturing.
Enrolling myself as a Primary Member of Plastics and Rubber Institute, India Chapter, I did a course in Rubber Technology and appeared for the Licentiate (LPRI) examination. In 1988, I joined Polymer Consultancy Services, Chennai, as a Junior Consultant, a position which gave me the opportunity to assist many latex products manufacturing facilities in India and abroad. This period was the start of the examination gloves manufacturing boom due to the AIDS scare.
Denne historien er fra March-April-2017-utgaven av Rubber Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March-April-2017-utgaven av Rubber Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
EVS: What's In Store For Rubber Auto Components?
Evs are going to rule our roads sooner or later. The crucial question here is: How far will this affect the rubber auto components sector? Though there are no clear estimations of the impact of EVs on the auto components industry, indications are that innovative and light-weight rubber and plastic components will have immense scope in the EV era.
TECHNOLOGY IS DISRUPTING TRUCK TIRE MAINTENANCE
Companies that adopt disruptive technologies like Cloud-based, TPMS 2.0 systems position themselves to be extremely successful in a fastchanging and highly-competitive environment by utilizing the data and visibility this technology provides to optimize tire performance and maintenance and expedite operations.
SLOWDOWN HAS NO IMPACT ON AUTO RUBBER COMPONENT INDUSTRY
FROST & SULLIVAN EXECUTIVES
PROVIDING SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL RUBBER COMPOUND REQUIREMENTS WITH STATE OF THE ART MIXING FACILITY: MR. ADITYA GUPTA, CEO, GB GUMMI LLP
GB Group has been a leading innovator, manufacturer and supplier of rubber molded, rubber to metal bonded and sealing products for automotive and industrial applications for over three decades. With experience and foresight of more than 37 years with GB rubber products, GB Gummi LLP is a strategical move of entering into the rubber compounding business with its expertise in the manufacturing of rubber products, realizing the growing demand for the high-quality rubber compound. In an interview with Rubber Asia, Aditya Gupta, CEO of the company, says that GB Gummi LLP is poised to make significant strides in the global rubber compounding market. According to him, the company will closely monitor the current and future demands of the automotive industry. “As far as compounding is concerned, we are future-ready in terms of recipes and production capabilities for any form of industry,” he adds. EXCERPTS:
INDIAN NR MARkET GETS A BREATHER
After the recent spell of poor prices mainly on account of growing imports and lower international prices, the Indian natural rubber market is witnessing a resurgence of late. The trend is attributed to the slump in production in the major NR producing countries like Thailand and Indonesia due to widespread fungal infection in rubber trees. Against this backdrop, indications are that domestic prices are all set to bounce.
HOW OLD IS TOO OLD?
Following the UK proposal for a ban on heavy duty tyres over 10 years of age and the possible extension of this to tyres used on taxis as well, most new tyre manufacturers are more cautious of setting an age limit on the use of their products than stressing the importance of regular checking and good maintenance.
FOR WIDENING SKILLING REACH RSDC & NSKFDC JOIN HANDS
Continuing with its drive to extend the benefits of skilling to the lowest strata of society, RSDC has tied up with National Safai Karamcharis Finance And Development Corporation (NSKFDC), a Government of India undertaking.
EFFICIENCIES & SURVIVAL
What other low hanging fruit is available to the modern transport operator that compares with the savings that can be generated by real time monitoring of tyres? Give the humble tyre that supports the loads you impose the only thing it requires to perform for your gain -- the appropriate level of inflation. It is only air, it costs little and provides far greater returns than any other “improvement”
BATTLE RAGING AGAINST PART-WORNS IN EUROPE
Recently organisations around Europe have stepped up their ongoing campaigns against the continued totally illegal and irresponsible practice of promoting and selling part-worn tyres
APOLLO TYRES JOINS WITH GARC FOR FIRST TYRE TEST TRACK IN INDIA
This test track will be used for testing wet grip of tyres as per standard specifications
