The last word: 6 insights from tire, industry experts

Sometimes, something just sticks with you: An idea, insight or a few words of wisdom.

Throughout 2022, there were plenty of opportunities to find the inspiration, insights or ideas that would stick. After two years of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, the rubber industry conference schedule returned to its full strength.

Here's a look at six key points from 2022 conferences that stuck with us this year.

1. Sustainability demands zero compromises.

Sustainability isn't an option. Not for Michelin, the tire industry or the rubber industry at large.

No, sustainability is the call to action. And, given the implications, particularly on the environmental side, it's time to act. Quickly. And without compromise.

Alexis Garcin, CEO and president of Michelin North America Inc., told those attending the Tire Society's 41st Annual Conference, that true sustainability isn't just about bringing to market products made with sustainable materials. Sustainability also demands that products perform as good or better than they always have.

No compromises.

"The circular economy," Garcin said, "contributes to making mobility and products more sustainable, and we believe it has to be neutral or positive on tire performance. Not detrimental. Remember, it is performance—a proxy for profit—and planet. It's not or."

That, Garcin said, means finding scalable solutions that allow Michelin products to perform—or outperform—their predecessors.

"(It's about) maintaining performance of our tires, particularly the quality in terms of safety and this famous culture of no compromise," Garcin said. "Second, (it's) ensuring the incorporation of new materials results in an overwhelming improvement of the tires and environmental impact, whether in terms of design, simulation, production, transportation, use or recycling."

2. Honestly, sustainability is a juggling act.

When it comes to sustainability, the environment matters. People do, too.

And, honestly, so does profit.

"I am going to talk about it a lot," Ellis Jones, Goodyear's chief sustainability officer, said during a keynote speech at the International Tire Exhibition & Conference, "but (profit is) a critical element of being a sustainable business. If you don't make money, you are not going to be in business very long."

Goodyear, which is poised to celebrate its 125th anniversary next year, has plans to be in business for a long time. So as it works to build itself into a more sustainable company, it seeks the best possible solutions from its supply chain, partners, material science and product technology.

"It's all about doing business today and, again, you have to look at the environmental impacts, those social impacts and those financial impacts, and you have to balance those," Jones said. "But you can't jeopardize future generations. You have to ensure that future generations can do business and can sustain business and make money."

3. Don't forget circularity.

By all means, let's get sustainability right. Let's develop the new and innovative materials, find the right sources, improve product performance and longevity, and ensure net-zero emissions operations.

Do all of that. And circularity, too.

"Half of the path is sustainability, but there is the other half of the path, which is circularity," Lehigh Technologies CEO Jason Stravinski said during the Smithers' Traction Summit. "So as we start to judge things that are sustainable, I ask the question: Is it circular?"

Building a truly sustainable tire will take more than just one or two breakthroughs, he said. It's going to take a whole lot of ingenuity.

"So when you look at circularity, we talk about things like micronized rubber powders, recovered carbon black and pyrolysis," Stravinski said. "And the holy grail would be complete and total devulcanization where we sever the sulfur bonds, keep the carbon chain intact, and we are full circular. If you figure that out, you will be rich."

But for now, he said, let's take circularity one innovative step at a time.

4. It's time to rethink supply chains

Cost-effectiveness can only go so far.

Because when it comes to supply chains, the money you save doesn't matter if you can't get the materials you need to manufacture parts and meet customer demands.

"I don't know that we all realized how much we were single-sourced before," Jim Hill, CEO of ContiTech North America, said in a keynote presentation at the Hose and Belt Conference in April. "That was a big eye-opening for us as we were looking through a lot of our materials, trying to find things as supply chains got extended as availability got tougher, how many items were single-sourced on."

Addressing that supply chain weakness, he said, involves taking a more aggressive approach to ensuring the stability of your supply chain. This means prioritizing the supply chain's ability to navigate challenges ahead of the most cost-effective solutions.

"We are also getting a lot of materials from certain other parts of the world, and many times we are trying to source boldly for savings, but I think savings has to go on the back burner," Hill said. "Now you are sourcing for stability. Savings is still important, but you can't shop, in my opinion, fully on cost."

5. A new theory: Survival of the flexible.

There's a labor shortage lingering. And it's not going to change if businesses don't find ways to be flexible.

We're looking at you, manufacturing.

"It is a job-seekers market," Sara Tracey, managing director of workforce services for the Ohio Manufacturers' Association, told those attending the International Silicone Conference. "They can be choosey. We have to think about, 'how do we adjust for that? Can we be more flexible? … Do we have policies that are making our job of hiring and recruiting folks harder? And can we change those?' "

To do that, companies will have to take deep, exploratory dives into their company policies and cultures. Are they flexible enough? Do they encourage and seek diverse work forces? Is there room for professional growth?

Because for better or worse, COVID-19 changed worker expectations. They may need to work four, 10-hour shifts or they may require a flexible start time.

And more than that, they need to feel welcome, included and poised for something bigger. Because when that happens, employees stay.

"Some (turnover can be attributed) to a tough market. People have multiple job offers, and they are going to be continuing to look for another 50 cents or another dollar an hour," Tracey said. "But, sometimes, it's because the culture sucks."

6. The best leaders live their ideas.

Our messages matter. And our most effective communication tool is, well, us.

Kristin Kelley, head of corporate marketing and communications for Amcor Rigid Packaging, told those attending Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum that our messages aren't words alone. 

They're wrapped up in how we carry ourselves, the way we dress, the tone we use, the inflection of our voices and the mannerisms we innately lean into. 

According to Kelley our visual language—posture, body language, clothes we wear—accounts for about 50 percent of the way our message is perceived. Our speech accounts for about 40 percent and the words we choose to say account for about 10 percent.

That's why its important for leaders to live out—not just talk about—their expectations, ideals and biggest ideas.

"A lot of times, leaders say 'we are going do this or we are going to be this—here is what we are going to be in the marketplace'—before they take the appropriate actions," Kelley said. "Sometimes our 'say' gets ahead of our 'do.' Like, just trust me, it is going to work out. And people have a hard time following that.

"I counsel leaders to lead with the 'do' before the 'say.' And when you start to do that, you've already got equity in the bank," Kelley said. "So by the time you come out with the 'say,' people think: OK that feels right because I have already seen actions consistent with that."