Crude Shock and Gas Crunch: MRF, Tyre Industry Face Strained Production and Rising Costs Leading tyre manufacturer MRF said the industry is significantly dependent on natural gas and any shortage could affect production and the supply of key raw materials. The Chennai-based company, however, does not see any immediate impact on its operations. “Industry uses natural gas in significant quantities as a source of energy especially in applications like steam generators in the manufacturing process,” Arun Mammen, Vice Chairman and MD, MRF told FE. He added that some raw materials would also be impacted due to the shortage of gas. “We don’t find an immediate threat as we have some inventory coverage which may last for a month,” Mammen said. He further said that while some applications can be substituted with fossil fuels such as furnace oil, LSHS oil or to some extent coal, these fuels may have a higher carbon footprint than natural gas, which is a cleaner fuel.