Apollo investing in India tyre factory
Apollo Tyres is reportedly investing in a new two wheel and light truck tyre factory in Andhra Pradesh. The news followed the publication of the company’s second quarter results.
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Ceat introduces anti-puncture motorcycle tyres
A new range of anti-puncture motorcycle tyres from Ceat Ltd. has been introduced in India. The Hindu Business Line states that the manufacturer is rolling out these products in the south of India and will gradually introduce the range into other parts of the country. Ceat is initially targeting the aftermarket as, so reports Nitish Bajaj, the company’s vice-president of marketing, OEMs are “price sensitive and take time to decide on anything new.”
Apollo Tyres aiming for “dominance” in India’s TBR segment
Despite being a latecomer to India’s truck and bus radial (TBR) tyre market, Apollo Tyres says it currently produces one in every four TBR tyres sold in the country. The tyre maker has now stated its intention to “move from leadership to dominance in the fast-growing TBR segment,” and aims to achieve this dominance through capacity increases scheduled to kick in before the end of this year and by introducing several new product lines.
BFGoodrich launches truck tyres in MEA region
BFGoodrich Tires has launched its truck and bus tyres in the Middle East and Africa. The range includes highway, regional and on/off-road applications. According to the company, BFGoodrich will initially offer the Route Control tyre for regional and highway use and the Cross Control for on- and off-road use. The Route Control will be available in 14 sizes and the Cross Control will be available in five sizes. Both are mainly manufactured in Europe.
Truck/bus radial production reaches 10M mark at JK Tyre
Radialisation of the truck tyre segment in India has been a major subject over the past decade, and JK Tyre and Industries Limited considers itself the “undisputed leader” in this field. The tyre maker produced its first truck and bus radial in 1999 and currently holds the capacity to produce 3.5 million units per annum. On 22 August, the 10 millionth radial truck tyre produced rolled off the line at the company’s Vikrant plant in Mysuru (Mysore).
TVS Srichakra to up tyre output by 200,000 units
TVS Srichakra reports that it is planning to increase total tyre production capacity from 2.3 million tyres per month to 2.5 million. The Madurai, India-based firm told local news sources that it do so by the second quarter of the current financial year.
JK Tyre to consolidate, boost R&D activities
India’s JK Tyre reportedly intends to bring its research and development teams together into a new RS 1 billion (£11.4 million) centre at its Mysuru (Mysore) site. According to IANS, company chairman Dr Raghupathi Singhania disclosed yesterday that facilities “currently spread over different locations” will be “brought under one roof” in a “world-class” centre.
Chinese tyres drive 12% increase in imports into India
Tyre imports into India grew 12 per cent in the 2016 financial year, reports ICRA. The India-based ratings agency, which is majority owned by Moody’s Investor Service, comments that this growth was driven by an “unabated flow of cheaper Chinese tyres in the truck and bus radial, passenger vehicle and two-wheeler segments.” The 12 per cent increase witnessed in the 12 months to 31 March 2016 followed a 17 per cent rise in imports the previous year.
TBR imports into India soar to meet rising demand
India’s Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association reports that imports of truck and bus radials into the country increased 57 per cent year-on-year to 280,000 units in April and May 2016. The 150,000 tyres imported in May alone accounted for almost 40 per cent of India’s replacement market demand, according to association figures.
Point S hints at Indian market involvement
Fabien Bouquet, CEO of Point S International HQ, took part in the Tyre & Rubber industry Leadership Acknowledgement TRILA Awards that took place in parallel with Tyrexpo India on 15 June.
Sameer Africa switching to Chinese/Indian contract manufacturing
On Wednesday 8 June, Sameer Africa CEO Allan Walmsley told local newspapers that the firm, which makes Yana brand tyres, would earn higher margins contracting-manufacturing with tyre producers in China and India. No names were overtly mentioned, but an unnamed Indian firm that bid unsuccessfully Sameer during the last year is thought to be a key suitor. No date for the closure of production and transition to contract manufacturing has been given, but judging by the nature of speculation surrounding Sameer’s ownership and business in general it is likely to be an ongoing process.
Apollo Tyres annual net profit up 12 per cent, but European sales slide
On the occasion of publishing its full-year 2015/2016 financials, Apollo Tyres has reported sales of 117 billion rupees (£1.214 billion; 1.537 billion euros; US$1.757 billion) compared with 127.256 billion rupees in 2014/2015. During the same period (2015/2016) operating profit grew 3 per cent to close at 20.4 billion rupees, up from 19.8 billion rupees. Net profit increased 12 per cent to 10.9 billion from 9.8 billion rupees the year before.
Dumping investigation against truck tyres from China starts in India
India’s government has begun investigating allegations that Chinese-made truck and bus radials are being sold at dumping prices in India. The Ministry of Commerce’s Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) claims to have found sufficient “prima facie” evidence of dumping activities, and national industry association the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) has filed an application for the start of an anti-dumping investigation on behalf of several domestic tyre makers. The ATMA seeks the introduction of anti-dumping duties.
Surender Kandhari acknowledged at Punjabi Icon Awards
Earlier this month, the annual Punjabi Icon Awards were held in Mumbai, India, and Surender Singh Kandhari was amongst those honoured at the ceremony. The Punjabi Cultural Heritage Board (PCHB), an organisation representing Sikhs and Punjabis in the city of Mumbai and state of Maharashtra, awarded Kandhari for his achievement in the global corporate sector.
Imports creating disquiet within India’s tyre industry
Recently, the mouthpiece association for tyre dealers in India released statistics that appear to contradict concerns expressed by the body representing the country’s tyre manufacturers. After the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) petitioned India’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry in March to increase duties on truck and bus radials imported from China, the All India Tyre Dealers Federation (AITDF) responded with figures that show quantities of imported tyres arriving in India are falling rather than rising. The ATMA has in turn hit back, claiming that the AITDF numbers don’t tell the full story.
