French tyre maker Michelin has launched its ‘made in India tubeless’ radial truck tyres for the replacement market with a promise of 30 per cent increase in mileage and up to four per cent higher fuel savings.
With this launch, Michelin seeks to drive a shift from radial tube tyres to tubeless ones in the Indian commercial vehicle industryEven though radialisation has gathered momentum in the truck and bus segments, the company sees good opportunity for tubeless radial truck tyres.“Michelin drove the shift from bias to radial tube tyres. Now, we are driving the shift to tubeless from tubes in truck radials. The new range of tyres has been developed to adapt to Indian usage and weather conditions and will offer maximum cost benefits to the Indian fleet owners,” said Mohan Kumar, Commercial Director, Passenger Car and Light Truck and Truck, Michelin India Pvt. Ltd.
To be produced at the company’s new factory near Chennai, Michelin X Multi, the new tubeless truck radial range, will come at a starting price of Rs.20,000 plus local taxes. These tyres will be sold through its dealer network across the country.
Nour Bouhassoun, Chairman and President, Africa, India and Middle East, Michelin, said the company was on track to invest the committed investment of Rs.4,000 crore in its manufacturing operation at Thervoykandigai near Chennai as it was looking at long-term growth in India. “We are setting the right bases, and we are learning about the Indian market,” he added.
The 19.5 billion euros Michelin’s factory aims to produce 16,000 tonnes this year against 11,000 tonnes in 2014. It employs close to 1,500 people.
This article has been corrected for a factual error.
