Apollo, JK Tyre pondering rubber plantation investments
Existing speculation on Apollo Tyres’ intention to branch into the natural rubber segment has been boosted by an article in India’s Business Standard newspaper. This suggests that both Apollo and JK Tyre may be in the business for plantations in Southeast Asia. The two tyre makers’ dependence, along with their competitors, upon ever more expensive spot market purchases has locked them into a situation where external factors determine the price they must charge for their products; the attractiveness of eliminating reliance upon the fickle natural rubber market is therefore very easy to understand.