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CIO TYRES FOCUS ON ODISHA AND JHARKHAND MINING BELTS CIO Tyres Private Limited, an established Indian mining tyre retreader since 1952, is expanding its operations in the mining belts of Odisha and Jharkhand. Their research in these critical regions revealed that contractors often discard mid-size radial tyres, overlooking the benefits of retreading. COMPANY REPORT “The lack of proper equipment and expertise in retreading radial casings leads to casing damage, which forces the end user to either opt out of pur- chasing or retreading radial tyres, es- pecially with mid-range OTR”, stated K. Muralidharan, CIO’s chairman and director. CIO has now embarked on a campaign to educate customers on re- treading loader tyres such as 23.5R25 OTR multiple times, saving long-term costs. “Our focus is to onboard large private accounts who can meet on-ti- me payment schedules.” CIO targets 40-50 vehicle mining contractors, strengthening relationships to build regional clientele. An OTR specialist, CIO is among the few with the expertise to retread and repair large earthmover tyres, serving customers in industries like iron and steel, cement, mechanised coal fields, iron ore mines, limestone quarries, copper mines, electricity – hy- dro and thermal – irrigation dams and canals. DEVELOPED CUSTOMISED TREAD Interestingly, CIO has worked with leading Kerala-based tread manufac- turers to develop a rubber compound specifically for iron ore and coal PCTR applications. “We have received posi- tive responses from the market as our compound offers almost 70-80% life of a new tyre, in some cases even more,” said K. Muralidharan. Rubber prices in the domestic market have stabilised this year compared to last year’s vola- tility, leaving room for tread producers to invest in R&D improvements. A NEW LOCATION CIO relocated to a new facility in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, in 2019, which became fully operational in 2020 af- ter the pandemic. This new site offers enhanced space utilisation and syste- matic operations, improving the com- pany’s capacity to handle retreading processes. Vinod Menon, director and CEO of CIO, mentioned the addition of Monaflex technology, enabling the re- pair of tyres up to 57 inches in size. The company processes 500-600 pre- cure and 70-80 hot cure OTR tyres monthly. Its plant includes a 63-inch dual-fired curing chamber and advan- ced machinery, ensuring precise and careful tyre treatment. CIO also utili- ses mould cure technology for larger earthmover tyres, recently showcasing its capability by retreading the coun- try’s largest OTR tyre, a 40R57, with a payload capacity of 240 tonnes. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Looking ahead, CIO is exploring oppor- tunities in tyre management. Menon disclosed ongoing discussions for po- tential collaborations with tyre OEMs, aiming to offer comprehensive tyre maintenance services. Additionally, the company is considering establishing small retread operations in remote, strategically essential locations. This initiative aims to mitigate the logistical challenges of transporting tyres back to a central hub, bringing retreading services closer to the customers. CIO’s journey reflects its commitment to innovation, customer education, and technological advancement in tyre re- treading. By focusing on strategic ex- pansion and addressing market needs, CIO Tyres is set to strengthen its posi- tion as a leader in the mining tyre re- treading industry. P. 12