COLOMBO: The Gurgaon-based Apollo Tyres of India is to help Sri Lanka switch over to radial tyres from cross ply tyres, in partnership with the Sri Lankan company, Ideal Motors.
“We plan to bring here our radial services proposition in the form of training and education in commercial vehicle radial tyres, working together with end users to enable them to extract the best cost per kilometer. Radial tyres have numerous advantages. However, they require proper fitting and maintenance at all times,” said Satish Sharma,Chief India Operations of Apollo Tyres.
Ideal Motors has formed a new company “Ideal Wheels and Tyres” to distribute and retail Apollo Tyres. This company will also undertake to train people in the use of Apollo’s radial tyres.
Apollo Tyres is a $2 billion company having the largest market share of the truck and bus tyre segment in India. Lanka’s Ideal Motors is aiming at a total turnover of LKR 12 billion ($110 million) in 2011-12.
Sri Lanka’s commercial vehicle tyre market is 55,000 tyres a month, while the passenger car sector is of the order of 75,000 tyres per month.