Rishi Raj Singh, Head OE sales, APAC, Balkrishna Industries

Could you tell us about the key components/technologies you are displaying at Excon 2025?

At Excon 2025, we are showcasing our next generation of off-highway tyre solutions, meticulously designed to meet the evolving needs of the construction, mining, and material-handling sectors. Our flagship EARTHMAX all steel radial ranges showcase BKT’s years of intensive R&D, deep market insight and precision engineering.

Within the EARTHMAX lineup, models such as the BKT EARTHMAX SR53 L-5 and BKT EARTHMAX SR468 E-4 stand out for their superior load-bearing strength and reliable performance under the toughest working conditions. Also showcasing the BKT MULTIFORCE BK T92 MC rubber track is engineered for exceptional traction and stability, delivering smooth handling across both paved and uneven terrains to ensure optimal productivity even in demanding operations.

By combining cutting-edge technology with real-world application insights, BKT continues to create solutions that maximise performance, efficiency, and longevity. Excon 2025 offers the perfect platform for us to demonstrate these innovations and connect with partners who are shaping the future of India’s infrastructure growth.

How are your products helping OEMs and contractors improve equipment performance and lifecycle?

For the products improved performance OEMs and contractors’ needs to get the right fitment of tyre. Choosing the right tyres starts with understanding the terrain and matching load capacity to the equipment’s gross vehicle weight rating. The right tread design ensures better grip and a smoother ride, while high-quality rubber compounds improve resistance to cuts and wear. Low rolling resistance boosts fuel efficiency, and superior ride comfort reduces driver fatigue. These factors help operators make smarter, safer, and more efficient tyre decisions. BKT’s tyres and tracks are engineered to deliver better traction, optimised rolling resistance and longer service life, so that both OEMs and contractors benefit through fewer replacements and improved total lifecycle cost. 

Co-creation lies at the heart of BKT’s innovation and customer engagement strategy. Guided by our ‘Growing Together’ philosophy, we actively partner with OEMs to design and develop tyres tailored to their exact machinery and application needs. BKT tyres are more than just components, they are performance enablers, empowering OEMs and contractors to achieve higher productivity, lower total cost of ownership, and lasting operational excellence.

With sustainability gaining focus, what innovations are you bringing in terms of energy efficiency, durability, and recyclability?

Sustainability is central to BKT’s long-term strategy, driving innovation across both our products and manufacturing processes.

Our strong leadership in India is supported by complete vertical integration, covering in-house carbon black production, mould and drum manufacturing, and state-of-the-art R&D facilities. In FY2024-25, 32 per cent of renewable raw materials are being used in our products. Alongside advancements in material science, we’ve made significant strides in resource efficiency, boosting renewable energy usage, achieving over 98 per cent process waste recycling, and reducing dependence on non-renewable energy sources. At our Waluj plant, water use dropped 25 per cent over two years, and in October 2025 the plant achieved record-low scrap, improved energy and material efficiency, better FTQ, and enhanced safety. This integrated manufacturing and sustainability framework allows us to accelerate innovation, maintain uncompromised quality, and deliver performance-driven products that align with our long-term environmental vision.

We continue to expand renewable material usage, replacing petrochemical components through ongoing R&D. Sustainability guides every stage of our product lifecycle. By leveraging renewable energy, optimising manufacturing, and developing sustainable materials, we reduce environmental impact while preserving the uncompromising quality, and value that define every BKT product.

How important is India as a manufacturing and sourcing hub for your global operations?

India plays a pivotal role in BKT’s global operations, serving as the heart of our manufacturing and sourcing ecosystem. Since our inception with the first plant in Aurangabad in 1987, India has been the foundation of our growth story. Today, our major plants located in Bhuj (Gujarat), Waluj (Maharashtra) and Bhiwadi and Chopanki (Rajasthan) form a robust network that powers our global supply chain. 

How is your R&D focused on supporting electrification, hybrid, or alternative-fuel machinery?

We have e-ready tyres in our range designed to support electric equipment, and we are introducing several new tyre sizes with reduced rolling resistance to meet the needs of modern electric machinery. To meet these challenges, our teams are experimenting, actively tracking ongoing research, continuously learning from new developments, and keeping a close watch on industry updates to ensure BKT’s solutions remain at the forefront of innovation. 

How are you working with OEMs and contractors to ensure faster aftermarket support and availability of critical spares?

After-sales service has become a decisive factor for both OEMs and contractors, often influencing the final purchase decision. 

At BKT, we provide strong on-site service support to ensure tyres deliver optimum performance throughout their lifecycle. Our commitment to proper after-sales assistance helps customers maximise product utilisation, reduce downtime, and achieve significant cost savings.