Apollo Tyres Archives - Page 31 of 48 - Tyrepress

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Rubber plantation acquisitions a possibility for Apollo

Management at Apollo Tyres are considering the purchase of rubber plantations as a potential means of countering ever increasing rubber prices. On May 27, the tyre maker’s vice-chairman and managing director Neeraj Kanwar told Indian publication The Economic Times that “as far as buying rubber plantations, or for that matter any kind of backward integration, is concerned, we are always open to possibilities depending upon the need of the hour.”

27th May 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian trucking organisation threatens Apollo boycott

Indian media sources report that the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), an organisation said to represent around seven million trucks, has announced plans to cut supplies of raw materials to Apollo Tyres’ factories in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Gujarat. On top of this, the AIMTC apparently intends to block the supply of Apollo products to the market. The reason for this action is said to be discontent with the price increases Apollo has implemented in recent times, and other tyre makers are also under threat of boycott.

25th May 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Measuring tread depth at speed possible with new Apollo Vredestein facility

To underline the company’s emphasis on road safety and the environment, Apollo Vredestein has unveiled a state-of-the-art laser tread depth measuring station at its Enschede site in the Netherlands. The addition of this new unit, says the tyre maker, will make visitors more aware of the importance of having the correct tread depth in terms of both their safety and the environment. The station was built in accordance with Apollo Vredestein’s ISO 14001 environmental certification, as was the tyre pressure station installed by the company in 2008.

2nd May 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Vredestein helping ‘Superbus’ get up to speed

Before you next gripe, Jeremy Clarkson-style, that the bus is a slow and cumbersome form of transport worthy of your finest sneer, you should take the time to acquaint yourself with the Superbus project. The 15 metre long, 23 seat vehicle is now under development and its Dutch builder claims a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) for the vehicle. The first Superbus prototype was presented in Dubai on the opening day of the World Exhibition of the International Association of Public Transport on April 10, 2011, and project developer Superbus B.V. aims to have the high speed vehicle ready for commercial use in 2015. To keep the bus rolling at its anticipated top speed the company is drawing upon support in the tyre department from Apollo Vredestein.

11th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo begins radial service centre rollout

Apollo Tyres currently lays claim to a 30 per cent share of India’s commercial vehicle radial market and to accommodate the after sale needs of its customers is establishing fifty ‘Apollo Radial Service Assistance’ (ASRA) centres throughout the country. On April 4 the tyre maker opened the first such centre in Jaipur, a region with a level of radialisation far above the national average.

11th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

‘Green’ Vredestein Quatrac Lite launched

A new addition to Vredestein’s Quatrac all-season family, first established in 2007 with the Quatrac 3, is scheduled for release at the Geneva International Motor Show. This new product, the Quatrac Lite, is described by Apollo Vredestein as being “revolutionary” and the “first ‘green’ all-season tyre.” In announcing its imminent launch the tyre maker says the Quatrac Lite “meets all the environmental regulations due to be implemented across the European Union in 2012, and is focused on fuel efficiency.” Apollo Vredestein further comments that the new range “meets the premium quality and safety standards for which Vredestein is renowned.”

1st March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

New Apollo factories: First Eastern Europe, then Indonesia

In the last year or so conflicting reports on Apollo Tyres’ plans to set up a factory in Eastern Europe have circulated; in March 2010 it was said plans for a new plant there had been dropped in favour of a focus on expanding the former Vredestein facility in the Netherlands, while later in the year talk from Apollo management turned again to international investments. Recent news from Chennai, India based newspaper the Economic Times indicates a new factory in Eastern Europe is indeed still on the cards.

22nd February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

European operations a highlight of Apollo results

During the most recent quarter turnover at Apollo Tyres increased by just 3.2 per cent to Rs 23.68 billion (£319.39 million), and this modest growth in turnover in the three months to December 31, 2010 is in line with growth throughout the first nine months of the current financial year. During the nine months to the end of last year the company achieved net sales of Rs 61.38 billion (£827.89 million), a year-on year growth of 2.7 per cent. The strongest performer in Apollo Tyres’ global operations proved to be the Netherlands based former Vredestein unit, whose turnover grew 11.7 per cent to Rs 6.49 billion (£87.54 million) in the third quarter and 13.1 per cent to Rs 16.11 billion (£217.29 million) in the nine months to December 31, 2010. Apollo Tyres’ net profit for the third quarter decreased 36.8 per cent to Rs 1.2 billion (£16.19 million) while it decreased 35.9 per cent to Rs 2.5 billion (£33.72 million) in the first months of the year.

14th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Signs Chennai MoU as Million Milestone Reached

Less than ten months after entering commercial production Apollo Tyres’ Chennai facility has produced its millionth passenger car tyre. The milestone tyre, an Acelere in size 185/65 R14, rolled off the production line on the evening of January 17 – one of some 7,000 PCR tyres and 1,300 TBR tyres manufactured that day.

18th January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Launches Commercial Range in Bangladesh

India’s Apollo Tyres has begun commercial vehicle tyre exports to neighbouring Bangladesh. Initial sales will focus on cross-ply tyres for heavy and light commercial vehicles and these products will be distributed through the Rahimafrooz Group, Bangladesh’s largest manufacturer and distributor of automotive and industrial batteries.

4th January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Vredestein Expands East European Business

During recent years Vredestein has steadily built up its Eastern European business and overseen this region from its operation in Poland, which was established three years ago. Now, from January 1, 2011 onwards, Apollo Vredestein’s markets in Eastern Europe and the CIS will also be serviced by a second “Area Manager Export”, who will take on the responsibility of building up the company’s activities and structure within the region. Stepping into this role is Thomas Mittendorf, who is currently Apollo Vredestein’s public relations and media manager. Mittendorf explained to Tyres & Accessories that he will mainly take care of tyre markets in the Baltic States, the Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Belarus – markets where Apollo Vredestein currently operates no marketing organisation of its own.

14th December 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Recipient of India Manufacturing Excellence Awards

The manufacturing practices employed by Apollo Tyres have been recognised at The Economic Times India Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2010. These awards, instituted by The Economic Times, the largest read financial daily in India, and global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, are intended to identify the best manufacturing facilities in India and map manufacturing capability, highlighting areas for improvement, through an objective and well-structured assessment process. The key considerations for a good score include global benchmarking, performance as compared to competition, supply and service to customers, quality focus, manufacturing discipline and excellence, and areas of improvement across functions.

7th December 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Industry Association Votes Apollo SA ‘Manufacturer of the Year’

South Africa’s Tyre Dealer and Fitment Association (TDAFA) recently named Apollo Tyres South Africa its ‘Tyre Manufacturer of the Year’ at its annual gala dinner. The South African manufacturer of the Dunlop tyre brand received this distinction based upon its performance in a tri-annual TDAFA members’ survey in which manufacturers are nominated in five key criteria; product quality, customer service, stock rotation, availability and warranties.

12th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Rubber Prices May Force Production Cuts in India

Natural rubber prices have been the bane of tyre makers in India of late, and on November 12 the New Delhi based Financial Express reported that major tyre manufacturers in India are considering production cuts to minimise on losses arising from prices that have risen above Rs 200 (£2.77) a kilogram.

12th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Awards Judges Pumped About Goodyear Airless Tyre

Should NASA ever get round to popping back to the moon or decide to dispatch a wheeled vehicle to Mars, it can make arrangements secure in the knowledge it has an award winning tyre to draw upon. On November 11, US based publication R&D Magazine held its 48th Annual R&D 100 Awards and named Goodyear Tire & Rubber, together with the NASA Glenn Research Center, a winner in its ‘mechanical devices’ category. The award was given for both parties’ work on the ‘Spring Tire’, an airless tyre capable of transporting large, long-range vehicles across the surface of celestial bodies.

11th November 2010/by Tyrepress Editors