More on JK Tyre's 4th tyre plant in India

ERJ staff report (TB)

Chennai, India -- JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. has selected a site near Chennai in southern India for a $325 million radial car and truck tyre plant the company expects to have on stream by October 2011.

The factory, JK's fourth in India, would ramp up by 2012 to its full capacity of 5 million car and 600,000 truck tyres a year, company officials said at a press conference in Chennai.

JK will build the plant on 100 acres of land acquired in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, in southern India. The plant will employ 1,000 at full capacity and expand JK's capacity in India to 15.5 million units annually.

Officials for JK Tyre, India's No. 3 tyre maker and No. 19 worldwide, stressed the plant will maximise the use of natural resources and will use a modern bulk carbon handling system designed for zero carbon leakage. The manufacturing line will be highly automated for zero error production and complete traceability through bar coding system.

JK Tyre officials, led by Raghupati Singhania, vice chairman and managing director, signed a memorandum of understanding this week covering the investment with officials from Tamil Nadu state, including Thiru M Karunanidhi, chief minister, and Thiru M.K Stalin, deputy chief minister.

“With this upcoming greenfield project, which is being set up by incorporating the global best manufacturing practices,” Mr. Singhania said, “we will set newer benchmarks for the industry by having the most efficient, modern and productive tyre plant in the world and hope to cater to a large market both domestic and international.”

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)

Press release from JK Tyre