1.  Please identify one significant development in the tire industry in the last 2-3 years, and explain its importance.

Development of a RFID vulcanization label which identifies each unique tire during the total life cycle of the tire 

2. What do you see as main obstacles to the development of the tire manufacturing industry in the coming years?

lack of a worldwide RFID tire standard 

3.  Which technologies will play the biggest role in shaping the ‘tire factory of the future’, and why?

RFID, because of process quality, data integrity and cost efficiency improvements 

4.  What major changes do you expect to see in tire manufacture and supply over the next few years?

The use of RFID treadlabels wrt to improve supply chain management, diminish fake tires and grey imports, Proof of Delivery etc. 

5. Any other points?

Wrt environmental issues and tires, cradle to cradle concepts and recalls several governments including the USA are thinking about mandating the use of RFID because of its specific benefits