Apollo expanding capacity and R&D in India

Chennai, India – Apollo Tyres is in expansion mode, with plans to set up a new manufacturing facility in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, and the recent opening of a global R&D centre in southern city of Chennai.

The tire-maker, on 10 Nov, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Andhra Pradesh to build the Rs525 crores (€72-million) plant in the south-eastern Indian state.

The proposed plant will be Apollo’s fifth facility in India, in addition to two sites in Kerala and one each in the states of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

Apollo did not give further details on the exact location and types of tires to be produced at the plant. However, a source close to the company has told ERJ that the the facility will most likely be set upt in the Sri City in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, producing two-wheeler and TBR tires.

Additionally, on 9 Nov, Apollo formally inaugurated its ‘global R&D centre, Asia’ just outside of Chennai.

The facility is the company’s second R&D centre, after the ‘global R&D centre, Europe’ in The Netherlands, which has been operational since 2013.

The European centre, with over 150 employees, services the Europe and America region.

The new facility in India, inaugurated by Onkar S Kanwar, chairman and Neeraj Kanwar, vice chairman & managing director, will employ 140 people, developing products for the entire Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa region.

The Chennai facility “will break new frontiers and accelerate our R&D vision for India and the region,” said Onkar S Kanwar, at the opening ceremony.

In addition to the two global R&D centres, Apollo Tyres also has set-up two satellite R&D centres in Bengaluru and Germany.

The engineering centre in Bengaluru is focused on developments around the integration of electronics into tire technology.

The other base in Raunheim (Frankfurt) works towards establishing ties with leading German OE customers for both Apollo and Vredestein brands.