Leading Indian tyre manufacturer JK Tyre & Industries Ltd unveiled their state-of-the-art ‘global technology centre’—Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence (RPSCOE) at Mysore, to reemphasize their commitment for innovation and excellence. HD Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister of Karnataka inaugurated the global research and technology centre with Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. Also present were Jitendra J Jadhav, Director, National Aerospace Laboratory, Bangalore as Guest of Honour; GT Devegowda, Minister for Higher Education & District in Charge Minister; Sa Ra Mahesh, Minister for Tourism & Sericulture; Pratap Simha, MP, and other distinguished members of the legislative assembly and senior officials of the Karnataka government, including Dr. Girish Sahni, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR and stalwarts of the Indian auto industry.
The RPSCOE Centre is part of the Harishankar Singhania Elastomer and Tyre Research Institute (HASETRI), and is a conglomeration of the best scientists, engineers and technicians in the industry who have come together to optimise product performance and product design cycle time through simulation and predictive techniques. JK Tyre has invested enormous resources in the development of the centre that takes root in the company’s ethos of placing best-in-class technology at the heart of its products.
Welcoming the opening of the centre, HD Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister of Karnataka, said, “Mysore has been known for reputed institutions like CFTRI, DRDO, BEML, Infosys and the Raghupati Singhania Centre of Excellence is another feather in the cap of Mysore. I greatly appreciate JK Tyre for setting up this “Global Technology Centre” that will provide technology to its identities in India and abroad. JK Tyre has had a presence in Mysore for the last 21 years, and that too as the only tyre manufacturing company of large tyres in Karnataka. I urge the company under the able leadership of Dr. Raghupati Singhania to continue its good work by providing tailormade courses through HASETRI and RPS Centre of Excellence to the youth of Karnataka and contribute to the economic and social development of Mysore.”
Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd, said the new R&D Centre reiterated his company’s trust in technology. “RPSCOE is a celebration of excellence, it is testimony to JK Tyre’s ethos of investing in technology,” he said. “Ever since we introduced India to radial tyre technology in 1977, we have continued our search to stoke the scientific temperament. A year ago, we rolled out our 10 millionth truck/bus radial tyre from our plant in Mysore, becoming the first company in India to do so. Today, it gives me immense joy to say that with this Centre we have added to the list of the many firsts for JK Tyre. We want RPSCOE to become an aspiration not only for the people of Mysore but for the whole country. It has been a good beginning, now the people of Karnataka and Mysore will have to support us in building this Centre, making it one of India’s treasured institutions for R&D.”
Research at RPSCOE is focussed on multiple aspects of tyre technology, including developing advanced laboratory predictors for tyre performance and providing key inputs for life prediction of rubber products. Among the many areas researched at the Centre include material and compound development, future technology development, computational mechanics and tyre characterization. One of the special features of the Centre is the Semi-Anechoic Chamber, a first in the Indian tyre industry, which uses specialised software for noise vibration and harshness data analysis. RPSCOE collaborates with and supports suppliers and manufacturers globally, and is predicated on the company’s thrust on constant learning and reskilling of technical manpower.
