India
In addition to his existing remit as regional head of the Central Asia PLT replacement business within Continental’s Tires division, Samir Gupta has taken on the role of managing director of Continental Tyres India. He began in this capacity this month after relinquishing leadership of Continental Tyres Malaysia, which he’d headed since December 2019.
Trelleborg Wheel Systems (TWS) has confirmed a timetable of beginning volume two-wheeler tyre production at the SYAM Trelleborg Tires LLP joint venture factory “by early 2022” following the start of trial manufacturing last December. With the plant’s entry into operation, TWS looks forward to an increased production capacity of two-wheeler tyres that not only “contributes to consolidate market presence” in southeast Asia, a region where two-wheeled vehicles are in great demand, but also “augmenting motorcycle operations across Europe and North America.”
The Indian government’s announcement of an action plan for the management of increasing volumes of waste tyres has been welcomed by the UK Tyre Recovery Association (TRA). Despite the Indian government’s move as a “much-needed response to a growing environmental challenge”, TRA representatives commented that India’s waste tyre arisings have been “swelling exponentially but so too have imports of old tyres from many western countries”. Some of the latter have reportedly “ended up being processed in illegal or environmentally unsuitable ways”.
Apollo Tyres Ltd. has acquired a 27.2 shareholding in Indian solar energy firm CSE Deccan Solar, purchasing 1,166,250 shares for a total of Rs 93.3 million (approximately £919,000).
On Tuesday, the Marangoni Group and Indian reclaimed rubber manufacturer GRP Ltd. entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding for the sale of Marangoni’s equity shareholding in Marangoni GRP Pvt Ltd, a 50/50 joint venture established in 2015 to bring the Marangoni Ringtread system of retreading to India.
Despite delays during the pandemic, the joint venture plant set up in India by Yogesh Agencies & Investments Private Limited (YAIPL) and Trelleborg Wheel Systems (TWS) is now gearing up for deliveries of Mitas two-wheeler tyres. Paolo Pompei, president of TWS, recently confirmed that production will soon start.
JK Tyre CFO Sanjeev Aggarwal is making margin improvement in the face of inflationary pressures a top priority, according to a recent interview with India’s Economic Times newspaper. And therefore the company will pass on raw material price increases to its customers.
TVS Eurogrip, the brand that claims market leadership within India’s two- and three-wheeler tyre segment, has become principal sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings cricket team for the 2022 to 2024 seasons.
Off-highway tyre specialist BKT has set up a new facility near its existing Waluj plant in India’s Maharashtra state. The original intention was to decommission the older factory once the new one was operational, but BKT reports that due to “extremely robust” demand, it has decided to continue operations at the old Waluj plant.
Early in 2019, Apollo Tyres announced it would introduce motorcycle tyres into Europe under the Vredestein brand name, promising performance that competed with its rival’s first line products at prices competing with their second or even third line ranges. The first three models – the Vredestein Centauro ST radial for sport touring bikes, Centauro Road sports radial, and Staccata scooter range – debuted at the EICMA show in Italy later that year.
Tyre maker Ceat Limited, the flagship subsidiary of India’s RPG Group, reports that its net revenue increased 23.9 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of its financial year, the three months to 30 September 2021, to Rs 24.52 billion (£237.51 million). Despite growing revenues, EBITDA shrank from Rs 3.06 billion to 2.25 billion (£21.79 million), and the margin contracted 6.3 percentage points to 9.2 per cent. Net profit stood at Rs 420 million (£4.07 million).
Apollo Tyres has gained a further original equipment approval in its domestic market. Upmarket versions of the new Tata Punch compact SUV will wear the Apollo Alnac 4G in size 195/60 R16, while mid- and lower-range models will roll of the production line on 185/70 R15 tyres.
In a move intended to further strengthen its product offering at home, Apollo Tyres Ltd. has launched its 2009-aquired Vredestein marque in India. Products sold in India bearing this long-established European brand name will be manufactured locally, and Apollo Tyres is initially offering a line-up of car and SUV tyres that will “cater to the premium and luxury segment” as well as motorcycle tyres for the “growing superbiking segment in India.”
Although radial tyres are increasing their share of India’s light commercial vehicle sector, Apollo Tyres points out that around 165,000 cross-ply/bias light commercial tyres are sold throughout India every month. The tyre maker states it is “looking to get a share of this market” and has thus introduced a new cross-ply range, Apollo Bhim. It is offering two SKUs and says these will cater to nearly 80 per cent of the market in this segment.
JK Tyre & Industries Ltd is promoting its smart tyre technology with a high-profile advertising campaign based on the ‘Smart Tyre – Tyre With a Brain’ strapline and Formula One driver connections.
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E Bouman; Squarespace
JK Tyre