Meet on rubber quality Standards begins

KOCHI: The 57th annual meeting of the International Standards Organisation ISO) TC 45 (rubber and rubber products) started here for preparation and developments of quality standards for the rubber industry. Discussions began on issues relating to the creation, revising, updating and deletion of standards pertaining to all sectors of rubber industry and the materials that are used by the industry.


The meeting, hosted by Bureau of Indian Standards, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, was inaugurated by ISO TC 45 chairman Christie Roberts.

Madhulika Prakash, deputy director general, Bureau of Indian Standards, welcomed the delegates.

The delegates are senior techno commercial personnel drawn from all facets of international rubber industry and includes natural and synthetic rubber production sectors, tyre sector and non-tyre (dry and latex) sectors.

Representatives from top eight international tyre companies, including Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continental, Sumitomo, Yokohama and Kumho as well as Indian tyre companies are attending the meeting.

Christie Roberts told mediapersons here that the record attendance from international participants reflects the growing interest in the potential of the Indian rubber industry, which is expected to come into the top three within the next decade behind China and the US.

In spite of the global economic recession, the rubber industry recorded a 24 percent export growth in the last financial year. The working progress of various stages of quality standards of rubber will be discussed at the meeting, which will conclude on October 30. Around 150 proposals for quality standards are being discussed and some of them are in the final stages.

The quality standards are revised each time along with the new proposals which will be accepted only after reaching a consensus with the representatives of each country. The meeting is supported by Indian institutions connected with the rubber industry, including The Rubber Board, Rubber Research Institute, The Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association, The All India Rubber Industries Association and the Indian Rubber Institute.