JK Tyre & Industries, a leader in tyre technology and innovation, has inaugurated India’s first precision Tyre Buffing and Grinding Machine for Wet Grip on Worn Tyres at NATRAX, Pithampur. The breakthrough marks a major step toward strengthening tyre safety testing and reducing dependence on international facilities for performance validation.
The machine was formally inaugurated by Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries, along with Dr. Manish Jaiswal, Director, NATRAX, and senior officials.
The new system complies with the ECE R117 global regulation, which evaluates wet braking performance of tyres worn close to the mandatory tread depth of 1.6mm. With this capability, India will now be able to prepare and test worn tyres across all categories—including passenger cars (C1), light commercial vehicles (C2), and heavy trucks and buses (C3)—for Wet Grip on Worn Tyre (WGWT) certification at NATRAX.
Dr. Singhania said, “With the inauguration of the Precision Tyre Buffing and Grinding Machine at NATRAX, JK Tyre has taken yet another step forward in advancing tyre testing and safety innovation in India. It reflects our commitment to technology leadership and creating world-class testing infrastructure.”
The machine enhances JK Tyre’s long-standing collaboration with NATRAX, where the company already conducts extensive vehicle-level testing for handling, braking, noise, and wet grip. JK Tyre has dedicated facilities at the proving ground, including two workshops, specialised test rigs, and a skilled engineering team supported by a fleet of vehicles.