Apollo to Expand OTR Production Six-Fold

News that Apollo Tyres was considering some form of joint venture with Indian mining vehicle manufacturer Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML) and its most significant customer, Coal India, was first disclosed in early April 2007. Eight months later India’s Economic Times reports that the tyremaker has entered into a tripartite agreement with these two companies for the supply of OTR tyres.

“With the construction activity on the rise, the construction equipment sector is seeing a very high growth and we are keen on supplying to all major players,” said Apollo Tyres India operations chief Satish Sharma. The company’s current OTR tyre capacity of 10 tonnes per day will reportedly be increased to 60 tonnes to fulfil the terms of the arrangement. This additional capacity will be added to Apollo’s Baroda facility in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

When first reported last April it appeared that JK Tyre potentially would also be included in an agreement. However it does not seem that the third largest Indian tyre manufacturer has entered into any arrangement to supply OTR tyres to BEML or Coal India.