Quick Response Manufacturing in the Tyre Industry

Having spent several years in automotive component supply, and in particular the tyre industry, the authors of this chapter have witnessed at first hand the radical changes which have hit the industry in recent years. This chapter will examine the background and historical context of the growth of manufacturing which has led to its present position. It will then seek to describe some of the relevant practices and theoretical frameworks prevalent in the 1990s; in particular, the techniques that are used within manufacturing. This will then be followed by a more detailed description of the tyre manufacturing process, its components and raw materials and their suppliers. Finally, the authors will demonstrate how different parts of the tyre making process are more adaptable to quick response manufacturing than others.