Introduction
Welcome to Two Degrees Podcast, a Fitsol initiative focused on sustainability and climate action, where we invite industry veterans who have worked extensively at the ground level to drive meaningful change.
I’m your host Anand Pathak, Founder & CEO of Fitsol.
Today, we are joined by Mr. Anil Makkar, who brings nearly five decades of experience across the global tire and manufacturing industry. From leading large-scale manufacturing operations to now steering group-wide sustainability initiatives, Mr. Makkar’s journey offers deep, practical insights into how sustainability actually works inside large industrial organizations.
We’re delighted to have you with us.
Career Journey: From Manufacturing to Sustainability
Anil Makkar:
Thank you for having me. I come from a small town—Agra, where the Taj Mahal was built. My father served in the defense forces, and my mother was a schoolteacher.
I completed my early education in Agra and later pursued Chemical Engineering from Punjab University, Chandigarh. I began my career around 46 years ago with JK Tyres at their Kankroli plant, before moving to Goodyear International in 1982. Over the next two decades, I worked across India and internationally, largely in tire design, process control, and technology development.
In 1999, I transitioned into manufacturing leadership, heading multiple plants across Aurangabad, Rajasthan, Gwalior, Mysore, and Mexico. Eventually, I became Director – Manufacturing, overseeing operations across 13 plants in India and Mexico.
Around 2023, after nearly a decade in this role, I was asked to take on group-level sustainability, covering sectors such as tires, cement, paper, dairy, and food. It has been a deeply rewarding and learning-driven transition.
Sustainability Before It Was a Buzzword: The Rajasthan Water Story
One of the most defining experiences of my career was during my tenure at the Rajasthan plant (2006–2010).
At the time, the plant depended on a large man-made lake—the Asia’s largest artificial lake—as its sole water source. That lake went completely dry. We were transporting water from 80–85 km away, using bullock carts and tankers, to meet daily consumption of nearly 1,400–1,500 KL.
This was not about sustainability as a concept—it was about survival.
In 2007, we launched an internal initiative called “Operation 500”, targeting a reduction in water consumption from 6 KL per ton to below 2.5 KL per ton. Through better controls, monitoring, and operational discipline—without major capital investment—we reduced water usage by nearly 60% within 6–8 months.
We optimized cooling systems, reducing nine cooling towers to just one, and eventually brought the plant to near-zero process water consumption. Today, that facility is a global benchmark for water efficiency, with water used only for domestic needs.
This wasn’t sustainability by design—it was risk mitigation, which later became sustainability leadership.
Entering the Sustainability Journey at Scale
In 2013, when I took charge as Manufacturing Director, we conducted our first-ever carbon footprint assessment.
- 2013–14: 1.82 tCO₂ per ton of production
- FY25: ~0.74 tCO₂ per ton
- JK Tyre standalone: ~0.54 tCO₂ per ton
This represents nearly a 60% reduction over a decade.
We achieved this by focusing on:
- Energy efficiency
- Steam optimization (from ~3 kg steam/kg to ~1.1–1.7)
- Reduced coal consumption
- Lower power intensity (34–35% reduction over 10 years)
Sustainability, for us, started as cost optimization, but evolved into a comprehensive environmental strategy.
Core Philosophy: Resilience and Continuous Learning
If I had to summarize my journey in a few principles:
- Resilience: You will have good and bad phases. Never give up.
- Continuous learning: Stay curious; read, observe, and adapt.
- Balance: Professional growth is not just about position or money.
I am a passionate music and theatre enthusiast, and creative outlets have always helped me stay grounded.
Advice to Young Professionals
Pick one excellence goal and pursue it relentlessly.
When we focused on water excellence, energy efficiency followed.
When energy efficiency improved, carbon reduction followed.
One excellence goal drives the remaining ninety-nine automatically.
Compliance alone will never get you there. Excellence must be the objective.
View on India’s Carbon Trading & CCTS Scheme
CCTS is an evolution of the earlier PAT (Perform, Achieve, Trade) scheme and is a step in the right direction. However:
- Coverage is currently limited (only 4 sectors initially)
- Targets vary widely between plants
- Inefficient plants risk staying inefficient without stronger benchmarks
We need:
- Faster rollout
- Uniform benchmarking
- Stronger integration of energy transition and renewables
Carbon pricing works—but only when it moves at the right speed.
Role of Digital & AI in Sustainability
Digitalization improves visibility, awareness, and decision-making.
Real-time data allows:
- Faster corrective action
- Granular performance monitoring
- Continuous improvement
However, technology providers must ensure long-term support, affordability, and upgrade pathways. Manufacturing operates on thin margins—digital solutions must respect that reality.
Sustainability Reporting Evolution
- First sustainability report: 2016–17
- Integrated reporting since 2020–21
- Third-party assurance from day one
- Indicators increased from ~180 to 500+ KPIs
Reporting is not about disclosure alone—it’s about measurement enabling improvement, especially across governance and social metrics.
Rapid Fire Round
- Sustainability in one word: Balance & harmony
- Most underrated practice: Continuous improvement
- ESG is compliance or culture? Culture
- Transformative technologies: Energy storage & carbon capture
- Overhyped sustainability trend: CCTS (so far)
- Book recommendation: Drawdown by Paul Hawken
- Toughest metric to track: Scope 3 emissions
- Companies admired for sustainability: Tata Group, Mahindra, ITC
Closing
Anand Pathak:
Thank you, Mr. Makkar, for sharing such deep, experience-driven insights. Your journey shows that sustainability is not a cost—it is operational intelligence, resilience, and long-term value creation.
Anil Makkar:
Thank you. It was a pleasure being part of this conversation.