Apollo advances pan-India retreading plan

Mumbai, India - Apollo Tyres has inaugurated its third Apollo Retread Zone (ARZ) in Mumbai - part of plans to establish 20 branded retread outlets across India by the end of the group's current fiscal year.

The expansion of the group's retreading network  for truck and bus customers and fleet owners  is in response to demand for quality retread service, which are not widely available in the country, said a company statement. Apollo Tyres started with its ARZs in 2014; the first two outlets were opened in Jaipur and Chennai.

The increase in usage of radial tyres in the truck-bus segment, has increased the potential for retreading, and thereby the need for more such quality retreading outlets to service our customers, explained Satish Sharma, president, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Apollo Tyres Ltd.

“As a dominant player in the commercial vehicle segment, especially in India, we are committed to providing 360 degree solution to our customers, which very much includes retreading as well, to enhance the tire life of the end-user,” said Sharma.

In addition to providing infrastructural support for these retreading outlets, Apollo Tyres said it also trains the employees of ARZ at its modern Retread Research and Training Centre in Chennai, India.

All truck-bus radials, noted Apollo, are capable of multiple retreads due to the strong carcass, and each retread costs only 25-27 percent of the cost of a new tire, while providing nearly 90 percent of the mileage of a new tire.

India's retreading industry is becoming increasingly organised, with customers opting for multiple retreads on tires by tire manufacturers, instead of "unorganised" players, the group concluded.