Apollo Tyres, the market leading manufacturer of truck tyres in India, will be using the 2017 CV Show to launch into the European commercial vehicle market.
Founded in 1976, almost half of Apollo’s global revenue of $2bn (£1.6bn) comes from the truck and bus sector, and dominates its massive home market with a 25% share of truck tyre sales in India. It already exports to 100 countries worldwide and is a global sponsor of Manchester United football club.
It acquired Dutch car and van tyre manufacturer Vredestein in 2009 and Dunlop Tyres in South Africa and Zimbabwe in 2006. Apollo is doubling the truck and bus tyre capacity of its plant in Chennai, India and investing £475m in a new plant in Hungary.
“We are serious about the European market,” said Benoit Rivallant, group head of global product management for CV tyres. “We produce a quality tyre that can be retreaded. We deal with the major OEMs in India which demonstrates our leadership in truck tyres.
Apollo has 3,500 dealers across 13 European countries and a UK sales and marketing operation based in Kettering.
Neeraj Kanwar, pictured, vice chairman and MD of Apollo Tyres, has taken the company from sales of $450m to $2bn in just five years.
He is expected to be at the NEC in April to launch Apollo in the UK and the rest of Europe.
