BKT has officially opened its R&D facility in Bhuj in India – situated in the same area where only two years ago it began operations at a state-of-the-art new production plant.
Housed at the facility are the latest equipment and software, as well as a team of engineers, chemists and technicians. There is also a test track on-site. Research focuses on new materials such as nano technologies.
Dilip Vaidya, president and director of technology at BKT, said, “Starting from today, we will be innovators, providing a strong impetus for R&D in the off-highway tire sector. In this role, we feel our responsibility is to anticipate technological market trends.
“These new technologies are already partially available in the automotive and road transport sectors. Undoubtedly, in future they will also be applied in off-highway and OTR markets – for instance driverless vehicles and remote-controlled container handling equipment.
“Investments in R&D are the key to success and essential for competing within a complex global market with rapidly evolving needs. This is why we allot 4.5% of the group’s annual turnover to R&D confirming our determination to be one of the leading players in the off-highway market.”
More can be found on the Bhuji factory in the March 2016 issue of Tire Technology International.
November 21, 2017
