Global Rubber Industries Pvt. Ltd. -- GRI for short -- officially opened its specialty tire manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka on Jan. 25, 2018.
The company celebrated the grand opening of the predominantly radial agricultural tire plant with Jegan Durairatnam, managing director and CEO of the Commercial Bank of Sri Lanka in attendance. Durairatnam, standing next to GRI Chairman Haris Premeratne and Managing Director Prabhash Subasinghe, hoisted the National Flag as vistors from more than 35 countries looked on.
The company also invited guests to plant trees on the complex. "We must continue to protect our environment and build a sustainable future," said the company.
Ag tires will comprise approximately 70% of the state-of-the-art, highly automated plant's production. The remaining output will consist of pneumatic construction tires and forklift tires.
GRI said its $40 million facility is also completely self-sufficient, and is certified by ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004. GRI’s commitment to sustainability is evident throughout the plant, which features 1.2-Megawatt solar panels, biomass boilers and fully recyclable waste and water management systems.
"This plant is a testament to the pioneering spirit and values embodied by all at GRI. GRI’s values of purposeful action, relentless drive, far-sighted approach coupled with a discovery mindset are evident in every aspect of this plant."
Looking to the future, GRI will embark on ambitious and exponential innovation programs.
“In an ever changing, complex and uncertain world, we rise to the challenge," said Subasinghe. "We understand the importance and implications of major technological shifts in our industry -- the prevalence of IOT (internet of things), the opportunity that machine learning or AI (artificial intelligence), augmented reality and virtual reality can provide in making better decisions.
"We are now well into establishing an innovation lab that will harness many of these technologies to drive our business forward. This new frontier is something that I am deeply interested and passionate about.”
GRI’s ag tires feature high load carrying capacity at low inflation pressure; little vibration during use; and self-cleaning properties. They are also designed to reduce soil compaction. GRI’s construction tires are characterized by their unique tread designs; "outstanding" machine stability in demanding operations, according to the company; and heat, cut and abrasion resistance attributes.
The company also produces specialty tires for excavators, port trailers, airport baggage handlers and skid steers. Its solid tires are used by original equipment manufacturers.
For more information on GRI, check out these links:
"GRI Hires Shnier as Sales and Marketing Director."
"GRI Debuts Solid Forklift Tire with Large Tread Width."
"GRI Guarantees Distribution in the U.S. with Acquisitions."
