Apollo Opens First India CV Tyre Outlet

Apollo Tyres has opened its first full-service branded commercial vehicle tyre outlet in India. Located in Salem, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the new outlet is called Apollo Trust, and is the first of a number of outlets that will be established in large trucking halt points outside city limits and along India’s national highways. Apollo reports the Salem centre is equipped with the latest commercial vehicle wheel aligning, tyre balancing and nitrogen gas inflation equipment and staffed with highly trained employees. Therefore, the company adds, Apollo Trust is best positioned to cater to the unique and demanding needs of India’s commercial vehicle operators and drivers, who currently utilise both cross ply and radial tyres.

Plans are underway to gradually increase the Apollo Trust network to five locations in the next few months, offering tyres and tyre-related services, alongside the sale of retreaded tyres and retreading materials. Apollo Tyres states in a press release it felt the need to introduce such service-oriented outlets to “assist customers move up the value proposition, enabling them to chose the appropriate application for their vehicles and operational needs through informed decision making.”

“With changing market dynamics related to newer vehicle platforms, more multi-axles and increased radialisation, consumers need to be guided through their purchase decisions,” commented Satish Sharma, Apollo’s chief, India Operations. “After fuel, tyres are the second highest expense for commercial operators, and as the leader, we want to ensure that our biggest customers are able to extract the maximum out of our products, bringing down their operational costs. Apollo Tyres Trust will play a key role in hand-holding our customers through these demanding times.”

Salem was picked as the location for the first outlet due to its status as a large trans-shipment hub in southern India and as a mineral, manufacturing, refining and export centre. Salem is also strategically located at the intersection of three national highways, making it a large trucking halt point. The opening of the Salem Apollo Truck centre extends the company’s sales and service operations – last year, Apollo Tyres began the process of opening branded service retail outlets for passenger vehicle tyres.