One Picture One Story: The Past Glory
Today I passed through the administrative gate to travel past the jasmine hedges because I live in this area.
I Immediately felt I should write a story about Modi Rubbers' past glory even if it has lost it to a great extent after selling it to Continental, Germany. I've a lot to tell you about it, as it was my first major account as a sales engineer, which evokes nostalgia, pride, and bittersweet reflection on its heyday.
But then I lived in the city, having a second-hand, made-in-Italy two-wheeler for visiting the industries in my area. I still remember the roar of the machines at Modi Rubbers like it was yesterday, the heartbeat of Modipuram pulsing through those massive factory halls. Back in the early 1980s, when I had joined Advani Oerlikon Fon as a sales engineer.
Visiting the Modi empire as a sales engineer felt like stepping into a golden age. KK Modi, the visionary behind it all, had built an industrial dynasty from the dusty plains of the then Delhi-Dehradun highway. Modi Rubber was the crown jewel.
Tires that rolled on every truck from Delhi to Mumbai and conveyor belts snaking through coal mines and steel plants across India. They weren't just making rubber but forging the nation's backbone.
My first day, in the 1980s, the air hummed with purpose. I'd walk past towering vulcanizers belching steam, workers in sweat-stained uniforms shouting in Hindi.
I was at Advani Oerlikon Ltd., selling them special alloy welding electrodes through their purchase manager Mr. Dadu at the plant and meeting the higher authorities in their corporate offices in Delhi and Modinagar.
They'd make tires that could withstand monsoons and mountain roads in the millions, truck radials, tractor tires, and bicycle tubes for the common man.
Exports? Oh, yes, they shipped to the Middle East and Africa with their bold red M logo stamped with pride on foreign shores. At their peak, they employed over 5,000 souls right there in Modipuram, a company town with schools, hospitals, and even a club.
At Advani Oerlikon Fon, where I worked as a sales engineer and helped Modi Rubber, innovation was our religion, so I remember the Modi tires as well as other industrial units in my assigned area. But I am so sorry for Modi Rubbers, which became the victim of labor unions that created unrest despite the fact that Modis paid them the best in the industry.
Modi rubber-engineered and revolutionized buses and their grippy treads for potholed highways, heat-resistant for Indian summers. They beat global giants like Michelin in durability tests; their R&D team, a mix of IIT grads and self-taught wizards, kept working on R&D formulas.
Soon Modi Rubber crossed billions annually, fueling the Modi Group's sprawl into electronics, pharma, and aviation. KK Modi jetted in on his helicopter to and from his residence, shook hands with everyone on his way to the office, praised his workforce, held weddings on the factory grounds, gave Diwali bonuses in gold, and ensured the life of his workforce was abundant.
Modi Rubbers built India, they'd boast, watching convoys of loaded lorries rumble out the gates toward NH-24. They converted the alchemy of carbon black and sulfur; they molded raw latex into an unbreakable legacy. They did it successfully. They had awards adorned on their walls; Modipuram once buzzed; their rubber fed the Green Revolution's tractors and cushioned the wheels of economic liberalization.
But glory fades like monsoon mist. By the '90s, competition from Firestone and MRF nipped at their heels. Labor unrest, policy shifts, and the group's overreach and then KK's passing in '93 left a big void. Disputes dragged them down, and the plant that once thundered now echoes silence.
They sold off their empire, splintered, and the name Modi Rubbers is forgotten forever. Today, when I bike past the overgrown gates, weeds are choking the loading docks. The tires they made still roll on some old trucks because they didn't just produce rubber but propelled dreams, the Modi Rubbers was glory incarnate.
I invite @suboohi @sualeha and @goodybest to write their story even if the contest is not on.
This was such a powerful and nostalgic story. You really brought the past to life; the energy, pride, and greatness of Modi Rubber can almost be felt through your words. It’s both inspiring and a little sad to see how something so strong could fade over time. Truly a reminder that even great empires need constant care to survive.
I clearly remember the old golden days because it was my first major assignment which gave me name and fame. But I also remember the greedy union leaders who tried to blackmail the management who elected to close the factory rather than giving up to their unjust demand.
Imagine if a company like this had gone multinational by now. Sadly, greed and jealousy among some corrupt leaders prevented it. This is the situation in most companies here in Nigeria. Hmm, what can I say but that better days are ahead.
True, the trade unions in the name communism did a lot of harm to industry in India in last century although they have lost their ground in our current leadership. The owners of Modi Rubber sold their major shares to Continental of Germany. The factory is still operative but on a limited scale.
Selling a major stake to Continental then was surely a survival strategy rather than a choice. It’s good to know the factory is still operating, even at a reduced scale; it shows resilience despite past setbacks.
I feel that the shift in today’s industrial and policy environment seems more focused on balance; yes protecting workers while encouraging business growth. Let’s hope this will leads to more sustainable outcomes going forward.
https://x.com/simaodev11/status/2035586178133749877?s=20
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