Admin – Laugfs Industrial Tyres – USA

LAUGFS Rubber Honoured as ‘Most Outstanding Exporter of the Year 2022’

Admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:17:10 +0000

Reiterating its commitment to excellence, LAUGFS Rubber, Sri Lanka’s leading exporter of industrial tyres and rubber products, was recently bestowed as the ‘Most Outstanding Exporter – Overall” at the 30^th NCE Annual Exports Awards 2022. Through its pioneering efforts, the company was able to continue its winning streak, by also being awarded ‘Gold’ for the ‘Rubber Tyre and Accessories Sector. This marks the 2nd consecutive year that LAUGFS Rubber has been awarded this prestigious honour, after winning the Gold Award in 2021 in the same sector and 2020 achieving the Silver Award.

“We are humbled to have been recognised as the ‘Most Outstanding Exporter’ for 2022 and receive a ‘Gold’ Award at the NCE Awards ceremony. This is a testament of the hard work and continuous dedication put forth by all our employees throughout our journey over the past 17 years. Despite the recent macroeconomic challenges, we faced many roadblocks, nevertheless we were able to strive through and achieve our goals, fueled by our passion as a customer-centric company. We will continue to innovate and adopt the best sustainability practices to improve our product offerings and cater to the growing demand of global markets,” commented LAUGFS Rubber CEO, Mr Chinthaka Wegapitiya.

The Annual Export Awards are organized annually by the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka and is specially designed to recognise and reward the outstanding performance of exporters of our country. NCE follows a stringent and comprehensive evaluation criteria process to screen the applicants. LAUGFS Rubber was thoroughly evaluated on the following categories: Financial performance for the past 3 years, statistics related to export performance, value additions, foreign exchange earnings, effective management techniques, branding – managing and evaluating brand performance, innovativeness (product, process, service, market) and research & development.

LAUGFS Rubber, a subsidiary of LAUGFS Holdings, operates with a specialized focus on industrial tyres, exporting to customers in over 36 countries. Venturing further into international waters, LAUGFS Rubber also operates two subsidiaries; one in the United States (LAUGFS USA LLC) and the other in Europe (LAUGFS EUROPE B.V). Functioning at high capacity, both companies are equipped with warehouses and distribution points, effectively catering to the growing demand across the regions.

In line with international best practices, the company boasts a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly manufacturing facility, which generates 40% of its energy requirement through solar panels. This facility uses the finest rubber compounds and the globally recognised Total Quality Management (TQM) processes to produce REACH-compliant, solid tyres of international standards. Given its strong commitment to quality and environmentally sound manufacturing practices, the Company has received the ISO 9001-2015 certification for policy management, ISO 50001-2011 certification for energy management and ISO 14001-2015 for environment management.

Greener, Cleaner and Leaner

Admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 05:09:05 +0000

Greener, Cleaner and Leaner

Societies across the world have learnt many things over the past few months in which the world has experienced an unprecedented calamity. One of the more positive things that has been noticed is the power of human impact on the environment. In just a few months of global lock-downs, pollution levels fell exponentially all across the world. This truly shows how much of a difference we can all make if we collectively work towards one goal: A greener tomorrow.

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) makes it a point every day to take extra steps to minimize its impact on the environment. We believe it is our responsibility as an organization to do the right thing not just for Sri Lanka, but for the world as a whole. In its dedication to this philosophy, the LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Factory in Miriswaththa has established a wide variety of processes to reduce, reuse and recycle wastage throughout its manufacturing operations.

Tire Flash

Tire flash, in its many forms, is the factory’s primary waste output. Over the course of the manufacturing process, LAUGFS tires go through rigorous quality checks and trimming procedures, which often produces wastage.

If left unchecked, tire flash can build up very quickly and in large quantities throughout mass-scale production. However, this is exactly what makes it ideal for the factory’s recycling processes.

In order to ensure wastage is minimized as much as possible, the factory utilizes its uncured tire flash in the process of manufacturing other molded products such as riser rings and components for LAUGFS industrial tires. This helps the factory optimize its manufacturing costs while simultaneously reducing wastage.

Usage of Recycled products in compounds

Consumption of recycled materials from tires is a vital factor in solid tire manufacturing to optimize cost without affecting product quality. It allows for easier processing during manufacturing and as a result, also assists in saving energy. In fact, the quantity of recycled materials used in the process could increase as much as 25% in certain recipes, which leads to cost and quality optimization. The various types of recycled materials used in the process include de-vulcanized rubber, reclaimed rubber, fiber reinforced rubber compounds and tire crumb rubber powder.

Carbon Black Recycling

The dust collecting system within the factory’s main mixing chamber stores a large quantity of carbon dust, containing a mixture of all carbon grades. This carbon dust is collected and then reused as filler for the main tread compound of tires and if there is any remaining dust at the end of the process, each carbon grade is then blended with the carbon compounds. Similarly, cured and uncured tire flash and any tire scrap generated in the process are utilized for making Crumb Rubber, which is then re-used as raw material during tire production. This helps to cut down on costs and manufacturing time. It also means none of the dust is disposed of, which is a significant benefit to the environment as carbon can be very difficult to break down and recycle.

Efficient Systems in Energy Optimization

In addition to enhancing the sustainable capabilities of the manufacturing process, the factory is also equipped with a variety of mechanisms that allow it to reduce the wastage of resources used in its day to day operations.

The first of these is its Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), which has been commissioned to treat the waste water used by the factory. The treated water is then reused in gardening within the general area surrounding the factory, helping to sustain the plant life.

With the global demand for water consistently increasing every year, LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) understands the importance of minimizing water wastage. The factory has also installed a rainwater harvesting system to make use of heavy rainfall in the area, which is particularly effective during the monsoon season.

Combined with the ETP, the rainwater harvester ensures that water wastage is minimized as much as possible, while simultaneously optimizing the quantity of water drawn by the factory for its daily operations and ensuring that clean water goes back into nature.

In addition to these systems, the factory has also been outfitted with a series of machinery and engineering modifications to optimize energy usage. The first of these systems are motion sensors linked to the lighting and ventilation systems, which allows the systems to operate only in the active presence of employees. Skylights have also been installed to reduce the consumption of energy for lighting during day time. The critical machines that were installed recently were ordered with a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) system which helps to improve the machine’s energy usage efficiency. Additionally, a rotary-type sand blasting machine was installed to reduce the usage of compress air. Further to this, the rams of thefactory’s kneader machines were converted from compressed air operations to a hydraulic system to reduce the usage of compress air. The fans and pumps of factory’s cooling towers were also modified to activate by sensing the water temperature.

Operational control criteria are set for all significant energy users to reduce energy consumption and to reduce kilovolt-amp (kVA) demand from the national grid. To supplement this, three capacitor banks are installed with the capacity of 440kVA each and efficiency is maintained at 0.99 continuously.

These activities obviously help to reduce operational costs in terms of electricity and helps minimize the factory’s energy wastage.

Generation of Solar Energy

The factory also maintains a network of solar panels, taking full advantage of Sri Lanka’s sunny climate for clean energy generation and storage. In addition to using this energy as a part of the factory’s own operations, excess energy generated is then supplied to the national grid.

A Green March

Further to these steps, the factory personnel consistently collect waste paper, cardboard, plastic, metal and any waste equipment such as printer cartridges and ensure that these materials are recycled and reused where possible or are safely disposed of in collaboration with environmental authorities.

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber), is deeply committed towards maintaining and expanding its sustainable practices. We boldly accept our responsibility to do our part in preserving our world for generations to come, which is why our organization consistently looks into new methods and systems which can be utilized to minimize the factory’s environmental impact while giving back to the community around it.

National Business Excellence Awards 2018

Admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 09:36:34 +0000

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Limited was bestowed another award at the recently held National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA) 2018.

The company, which has distribution centres in USA and Netherlands, was awarded Runner – Up Under the export sector at the ceremony for the fist time.

The National Business Excellence Awards was organized by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) for the 15th year and is a much sought-after awards competition in the corporate sector in the country. It is an annual awards competition that recognizes business organizations for demonstrating excellence and contribution to the country’s economic progress.

LAUGFS Rubber launches initiatives to minimise environmental impact

Admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 09:29:17 +0000

LAUGFS Rubber recently marked the completion of a number of key initiatives as part of a company-wide project launched to enhance operational excellence by minimising the environmental impact. These initiatives are expected to minimise energy consumption and wastage at the LAUGFS Rubber factory in Horana.

In collaboration with LAUGFS Power, a grid-tied rooftop solar PV system was installed at the LAUGFS Rubber factory, generating 40% of power required for factory operations. It is expected to generate 490 MWh of clean energy to the national grid on an annual basis, while offsetting 350 MTs of CO2 emissions to the environment. This initiative will reduce LAUGFS Rubber’s dependency on non-renewable energy sources for electricity, minimising the overall environmental impact and strengthening the company’s investments in renewable energy.

In its efforts to minimise the overall energy usage in its production processes, LAUGFS Rubber has further implemented a number of initiatives including regular energy audits, infrastructural changes etc., which have enabled the company to enhance the overall operational efficiency. Skylights are used to effectively utilise natural sunlight, while capacitor banks are used to curtail the energy wastage when activating machinery. With strong processes in place, by following international standards and best practices to ensure responsible and efficient energy consumption, LAUGFS Rubber has also received the ISO 50001:2011 Energy Management System certification.

In line with these initiatives, an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) was commissioned to purify and recycle water, optimising the overall water wastage. Dust collectors have been installed within the factory premises to remove contaminants, while strict noise limits are maintained when operating factory machinery to minimise noise pollution.

The rubber mixing, transportation and other production processes have also been assessed to identify and effectively address any environmental impacts. LAUGFS Rubber has also received the ISO 14001: 2015 certification for its environmental management system and processes.

The company has further received the ISO/TS 14067: 2012 Product Carbon Footprint certification, where the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been transparently calculated across the industrial solid tyre manufacturing process.

“LAUGFS Rubber is one of the leading manufacturers of high quality industrial tyres for international markets. By employing the latest technologies and processes, the company provides a range of superior quality products to meet existing and potential client needs.

Launching these environmentally friendly initiatives ensures that LAUGFS Rubber consistently delivers value through a sustainable organisational value chain. This outlook will steer the company forward as LAUGFS Rubber continues to strengthen its reputation globally,” commented LAUGFS Rubber Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Antony.

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of LAUGFS Holdings Limited, and specialises in manufacturing industrial solid tyres since 2008. Exporting to 35 countries across five continents, the company has established a widespread global presence, with its product portfolio utilised by numerous original heavy equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Its state-of-the-art manufacturing plants follow globally recognised Total Quality Management (TQM) processes, in order to produce the highest quality solid tyres to international standards. Maintaining strict quality parameters consistently across its manufacturing processes, LAUGFS Rubber is also certified with the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management certification.

“As a responsible corporate, we are committed to reducethe environmental impact across our operations. With growing pressure to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs, integrating sustainable practices across the value chain have created multiple opportunities for us to optimise our resources for improved efficiency with continuous sustainable value creation,” commented LAUGFS Rubber Deputy General Manager, Chinthaka Wegapitiya.

LAUGFS is one of the largest diversified business conglomerates and a trusted name in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1995, LAUGFS today has expanded across 20 industries in Sri Lanka and overseas, establishing a strong presence as a leader and pioneer in the power and energy, retail, industrial, services, leisure and logistics sectors. With over 4,000 employees and an annual turnover exceeding Rs.37 billion, LAUGFS continues to expand and empower millions as a trusted Sri Lankan brand.

SEMA 2018

Admin — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 03:10:58 +0000

SEMA 2018

Press On ULTIMA

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Ltd. will exhibit its new Press On ULTIMA at SEMA , a press-on tire designed for highly intense applications, to be launched later in 2018.

LAUGFS Press-On ULTIMA Tyres have been designed for extra durability and made with high quality natural rubber compounds. ULTIMA POB tyres are engineered to be highly compliant in aspects of heat resistance, energy efficiency, and long-lasting life in high intensity applications. The compound resists chunking and cutting in the most demanding applications, while delivering maximum life and stability.

Cured ON

In addition to the Press On ULTIMA, LAUGFS will showcase its new series of Cured On tires at SEMA 2018.

LAUGFS ULTIMA CURED ON STD : designed for very intense applications with long runs, heavy lifting, and minimal forklift idle time.
LAUGFS XT CURED ON NON-MARKING : the ideal choice for applications that require medium and heavy loads.

LAUGFS cured – On solid tyres mainly designed for scissor lifts and engineered using excellent natural rubber tread compound together with super adhesion strength between compound and steel.

The release of these new solid tires is part of a new product position LAUGFS has recently taken for its material handling business.

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive speciality products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and more.

The SEMA Show takes place October 30 – November 2, 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center located at 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109.

To learn more about LAUGFS products, visit booth #44331.

Sri Lankan Solid Rubber Tires -Steering the globe ahead

Admin — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 10:30:49 +0000

Sri Lankan tire manufacturers cater to nearly 20% of the global solid tire demand, with many Sri Lankan producers developing specialised moulding methods and compounds to serve the growing technical specificities of the industrial world.

One of the most technically specified tires made in Sri Lanka are the non-marking white solid rubber tires, that does not makes black marks on the ground when in use. Specially designed to be used indoors for specified hygienic and industrial functions such as at pharmaceutical, food manufacturing, paper pulp manufacturing, textile manufacturing and aerospace facilities.

Suitable for forklift applications the value added qualities of non-marking white solid tires include puncture and cut resistance, heavy load bearing capacity, heat resistance, superior shock absorption, reduced rolling resistance and minimum downtime.

Sri Lankan Solid Tire Manufacturers also produce resilient white or black solid tires with three layers, that provide extra high durability. With steel rings in the base section to ensure extreme grip and skid prevention, resilient solid tires allow extra heavy loads to be carried over longer distance at high speeds, while providing high abrasion resistance.

High quality raw material and meticulously developed natural rubber compounds form the base of Sri Lanka’s solid tires, that are being exported across the globe for cargo and heavy load handling under extreme conditions.

Among the other specialised Sri Lankan made solid tires are the skid steer tires that are used in heavy vehicles like loaders and excavators. These premium and standard wide solid tires and two layer press on band tires are designed to perform high level operation at most demanding environments.

Produced to meet the technical guidelines of the European Tire and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO) on capacity, geometry and design of the tire, Sri Lankan industrial type solid rubber tires are currently exported to a large number of importers in USA, Germany, France, UK, Belgium and Italy.

With supreme quality material and expert knowledge and skills, Sri Lankan solid tires manufacturers drive the global industrial world literally single-handed.

LAUGFS EUROPE BV presented its comprehensive portfolio

Admin — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 12:49:19 +0000

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Ltd. collaborated with LAUGFS EUROPE BV presented its comprehensive portfolio of high quality industrial solid tires at this year’s CeMAT Exhibition held recently in Hannover, Germany. CeMAT is one of the largest international trade fairs in the world for the intra-logistics industry that features globally renowned brands from across the world with over 1,000 international exhibitors. LAUGFS Rubber, one of the leading manufacturers of high quality industrial tires for international markets, once again took part in this global event displaying its broad portfolio of customised solid tires.

Presentation of the Achievement of Certifications

Admin — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 13:08:45 +0000

LAUGFS Corporation (Rubber) Ltd – has been awarded with 3 ISO international standards for its outstanding contributions towards quality, environment, and energy management processes. LAUGFS will continue to thrive in maximizing value proposition to all its stakeholders.

ISO 9001 – 2015 – Quality Management Systems
ISO 14001 – 2015 – Environment Management Systems
ISO 50001 – 2011 – Energy Management Systems

Solid Growth: Equipment Operators Move Away From Foam-Filled Tires

Admin — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:23:09 +0000

More people are choosing solid industrial tires for forklifts, skid steers and even farm equipment, according to manufacturers. They cite a variety of reasons, beginning with affordability.

On average, a solid tire contains three times the amount of tread rubber compared to a pneumatic of the same size,. Although the cost of acquisition is higher, the cost of ownership over the life of the tire represents a significant saving.

Solid tires also improve safety as there is no need to monitor air pressure, which affects both tire wear and the stability of a lift truck.

Once you start adding up the cost of ownership, reduced downtime and maintenance, and added safety, the benefits are clear and this is something most fleet operators know very well.

China’s solid tire market

Admin — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 16:53:14 +0000

THE INTERNATIONAL market demands for solid tires show the continuous rising trend, according to China-based consulting and market survey firm, in its latest report, In-depth Research and Development Forecast of China Solid Tire Market, 2013-2018.

It says: “In 2012, the world’s demand for solid tires reached 393 million. In terms of the global market, Europe and Southeast Asia are the major places of production of solid tires.

Vietnam and Sri Lanka and other countries with large rubber output in Southeast Asia,have developed rapidly in the solid tire manufacturing field in the recent years by virtue of their resource advantages.