GRI gives novel idea a green light

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — It's one thing for a tire maker to produce a "green" tire: in other words, a tire made with sustainable materials that performs as well or better than its predecessors.

But it's a completely novel idea to produce a green tire (note the lack of quotes), period.

That's exactly what Global Rubber Industries Pvt. Ltd. (GRI) has done: manufacture a green tire that doubles as a "green" (sustainable) tire.

The Colombo-based specialty tire maker produces several green tires, including its flagship Green XLR Earth tire line, a radial agriculture tire introduced a year ago, available in about 80 sizes, that uses 87.3% sustainable materials, while being constructed to deliver superior function, performance and productivity for tractors.

Another green line is the Ultimate Green XT material handling solid tire, composed of 93.5% sustainable and bio-sourced material, according to the company.

The tires have an earthy green color, and GRI said the XLR Earth is made with a high percentage of recycled carbon black to reduce its carbon footprint.

It also incorporates renewable and sustainable soybean oil, ensuring natural rubber maintains more of its original qualities to enhance overall performance.

The tire contains next-generation HD silica, a sustainable material that improves performance, as well as reclaimed rubber, sourced from end-of-life tires used to enhance the tire's sustainable attributes and minimize its carbon footprint.

Just how did the Sri Lankan tire maker decide to produce a "green" tire that literally is green?

GRI Managing Director Prabhash Subasinghe said the idea germinated from a research/development discussion a decade ago on a simple premise: What is the next generation tire?

Subasinghe said the GRI team considered several scenarios.

"Is it a tire that can fly? It is a tire that can be fitted in a different way? Is it a tire that can be produced in a different way?" he said.

Within two or three years into the journey, he said his team concluded that the most innovative way to produce a next-generation tire is by using more sustainable materials.

"And also it was close to our heart. ... Sri Lanka has more than 2,500 years of agriculture heritage. So we come from such a strong history, deep-rooted background, about farming and whatnot, and how we can give back to the planet?"

He said it was "natural advantage for us to be thinking about something like this, in this journey of the next generation tire."

The need for a green tire, he said, is still in its infancy.

"But when you're coming up with the production, you can always be a little bit ahead on time. So I think being a pioneer, it gave us the edge for us to be able to launch that."

The tire's color certainly attracts attention while delivering the message of sustainability.

"So somebody looks at it," Subasinghe said, "and says, 'OK, why is it great? What's going on behind it?' And for us that was really part of our message, standing out and saying, 'Hey, this is what we're doing.'"

Most customers believe the tire is painted green, when in reality, GRI uses a green pigment in production.

Some customers love the color and how the tire is innovative and stands out.

Other customers, well, not so much. That's why GRI produces both green and black versions of the tire, both priced the same.

No matter, Subasinghe said the concept is the same: "We offer tires that are sustainable," he said.

Subasinghe called his father a "serial entrepreneur" who was heavily involved in the agricultural business. And he said, sustainability and helping farmers prosper always has been important for his family.

Subasinghe noted that the current management makeup of GRI includes family — daughter Saanya Subasinghe is GRI's marketing manager — as well as other non-family professionals.

"Being deep rooted from Sri Lanka, being so artisanal in the way we are coming from a background of agriculture influenced by my father, those were all things that shaped me in terms of what I wanted to do," he said, "and about how to create an impact."