Tyrexpo India to focus on truck tyre radialisation

The second staging of Tyrexpo India in Chennai next year will see the event tackle the topical issue of the increased radialisation of truck and bus tyres in India, event organiser ECI International says. The company says it is to reflect this in the structure and content of the three-day exhibition. “Indian and international tyre manufacturers are making huge investments in new production capacity for TBR radials for the domestic market,” says Paul Farrant, managing director of ECI International. “We want to reflect that dynamic trend at Tyrexpo India by creating a focus on truck tyre manufacturing, with tyre makers, technology experts, materials suppliers and service providers making a contribution to the show.”

Due to a variety of factors, including poor roads infrastructure, heavily overloaded commercial vehicles and a subsequent lack of OEM demand, TBR radials account for 10-15 per cent of the huge commercial vehicle market. However, this is ready to change with government plans to build 35,000km of new roads over the next two years, the 2005 Supreme Court ruling on the overloading of trucks and increased interest from CV and bus manufacturers in the market.

Between them, Indian tyre makers Apollo, BKT, Bridgestone India, Ceat, Dunlop India, Falcon Tyres and JK Tyre are in the process of commissioning or building more than a dozen new tyre factories, with many of them dedicated to producing truck and bus radials. Industry estimates predict that by 2013 there will be an additional 25 per cent manufacturing capacity for TBR radial tyres. External manufacturers are investing in the change too. Michelin is to invest US$800 million in its new Chennai plant, which will have a capacity of 300,000 radial tyres, and Continental is said to be spending 50 million Euros to increase its truck radial capacity in India by 2013.

Industry sources estimate the Indian tyre industry’s annual turnover at 300,000 million rupees (£3.8 billion), with exports accounting for 36,000 rupees (£455.8 million) of this. During the year to the end of September 2011 an estimated 119.2 million tyres were produced in India by 39 tyre companies; the ten largest manufacturers produced 95 per cent of the total. Truck and bus tyres accounted for 65 per cent of tyre industry turnover, with the replacement market making up around 70 per cent of this. 

Farrant adds: “With the continued rapid expansion of the Indian tyre industry there will be greater interest in and demand for associated services for tyre distribution, fitment and repair. Another of our aims for next year’s exhibition will be to reflect this trend by attracting suppliers of workshop equipment, repair and maintenance products and distribution experts to participate in the show. 

“With no other event dedicated solely to the tyre and service industries, we are confident that Tyrexpo India 2013 will consolidate the strong impression it made in 2011 with an even stronger show next year.”

In anticipation of a larger show ECI has taken an option for a second exhibition hall at the Chennai Trade Centre to cope with additional exhibitor demand from both Indian and international suppliers. The show will take place on 9-11 July 2013.