Another year has gone by, and once again it’s time to share our experience at the latest OTR Conference.
From February 18 to 21, we attended the 71st conference organized by the Tire Industry Association: the annual event that brings together companies from across the Off-The-Road tire industry.
If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you already know that this event is a recurring milestone for VM Rubber. Over the years, we’ve moved from simple attendees to sponsors, a role we confirmed again in 2026, with a small upgrade.
But what does it really mean to be a sponsor, beyond having your logo on display?
It means having a real space to tell your story. The tabletop is the most valuable moment: an opportunity to showcase products, but above all to show who we are and what we stand for.
This year, we brought our core OTR products:
- The VMR Giant Bosch extruder, combining the power of a Bosch drill with VM Rubber engineering, designed to handle even the most demanding OTR tire applications.
- The VMR OTR bead breaker, launched less than a year ago, already proven to be a solid and reliable tool, built to work on rims up to 49″.
- Our consumables, including the concave rasp, compact in size, but anything but overlooked. Its design and performance on OTR tire skives drew plenty of attention at the table.
The conference runs over three days plus one: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with a final breakfast on Saturday to close the circle.
- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 – Hugs and tabletop
- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19 – Economic updates and rockets
- FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 – Speakers and Casino
- SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21 – The most important meal of the day… and the Conference
Wednesday, February 18 – Hugs and tabletop
Pablo and I arrived early Wednesday afternoon, just in time to register, set up our table, catch the opening sessions, and take part in the first tabletop.
A full-on day, and one immediately warmed up by countless hugs.
A small cultural note: we Italians greet each other with a kiss or two; Americans go straight for the hug. And the hugs started the moment we walked into the hotel. Before the front desk, stepping off the elevator, outside the rooms. They didn’t stop until Saturday.
That probably says everything about the spirit of this event: a simple but powerful gesture. People who know each other, work together, and reconnect after a year, gathered in the same place to exchange ideas and discover new opportunities.
Thursday, February 19 – Economic updates and rockets
Thursday started early, though jet lag worked in our favor for once.
After a generous breakfast, the morning was dedicated to legislative and economic updates, closing with a welcome surprise: an interactive survey that brought energy and a lighter tone to the room. For me, it was the highlight of the session. More dynamic, more engaging than the standard format.
A slight disappointment on the economic side, though. In 2025, the focus had been sharp and concrete: inflation, interest rates, emerging tariff policies. Topics that have since played out with very real consequences.
In just one year, the world has shifted considerably, and a deeper look at those consequences would have been welcome. Tariffs are no longer a forecast. They’re a reality everyone is navigating.
The morning wrapped up early, leaving the rest of the day open for the golf tournament and other recreational activities. We chose something off-menu: a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. Our philosophy has always included a healthy dose of Carpe Diem. When you find yourself somewhere new, with the chance to experience the unexpected, seizing it feels almost like an obligation. Last year it was Old San Juan; in 2023, the giant cacti of Arizona. This year: space.
The Space Center blends the atmosphere of a theme park with a genuine sense of history, and the result is something worth seeing.
Then, almost on cue, a SpaceX rocket launch was scheduled during the evening Mix & Mingle. Between conversations and cocktails, we watched that trail of fire rise into the sky. An unplanned moment, and one that’s hard to forget.
Friday, February 20 – Speakers and Casino
The final day came with a packed agenda.
Among motivational speakers and communication experts, one session stood out: “How AI can help, not hinder your work.” At VM Rubber, we’ve been following digital developments closely for a few years now, and we have no intention of falling behind, even in a field that moves faster than most can keep up with. Topics like “Grok” came up, along with a specific Word feature that many in the room seemed to be discovering for the very first time.
The last tabletop, from 12 to 2 PM, gave us the chance to meet new people and open the door to potential collaborations. Some clients introduced us to companies we hadn’t crossed paths with before, and new developments may well follow.
Every edition leaves something tangible behind: negotiations started, partnerships beginning to take shape. This one was no exception, and that’s also a reflection of the position VM Rubber has built within the OTR sector, as an increasingly recognized technical partner in tire retreading and repair.
After packing up, we joined Neuma Peru‘s breakout session on thermography: an insightful look at how monitoring temperature variations in tires can prevent serious damage, cut downtime, and raise operational safety standards.
Friday evening brought the biggest surprise of the edition.
After we had our portrait taken, we were swept into a casino setting. No formal gala dinner, just a relaxed atmosphere, drinks, and chips to try your luck at the tables. The top prize? Free registration for the 2027 conference.
Spoiler: we didn’t win. But we had a genuinely good time, rolling dice, piecing together the rules on the fly, with friends cheering us on at every turn. And this year, we even made it back to the dance floor.
Saturday, February 21 – The most important meal of the day… and the Conference
The “+1 day.”
Those who stayed, and made it through Friday night, gathered one last time for breakfast. Final conversations, final goodbyes. A moment that often goes underestimated yet tends to be one of the most valuable of the entire conference for building lasting connections.
The years of participation speak for themselves: this event matters to us.
In just a few days, it draws together a significant share of the industry, creating space to meet clients, suppliers, and new contacts in one place.
The focus is clear: the OTR world.
But what makes it truly unique is the balance it strikes between content, relationships, and informal moments. Every company can find its own way to be part of it: as a delegate, sponsor, exhibitor, or speaker, with an audience that draws largely from the North American market.
It’s not a trade show. It’s not just work. It’s connections.
And it’s from those connections that real growth opportunities are born.
If you work in the OTR sector and attend these conferences, chances are we’ve already met. And if not, there’s always a next edition.
