Truck tire radialization to be a focus at second staging of Tyrexpo India in Chennai
A major focus at next year’s Tyrexpo India exhibition in Chennai will be the development toward increased radialization of truck and bus radial tires (TBR) in India.
Tyrexpo India 2013 will take place at the Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai, India, July 9-11, 2013.
Event organizer ECI International has identified truck and bus tire radialization as one of the most topical issues for the domestic market and will reflect this in the structure and content of the three-day exhibition.
“Indian and international tire manufacturers are making huge investments in new production capacity for TBR radials for the domestic market,” says Paul Farrant, managing director of ECI International. “We want to reflect that dynamic trend at Tyrexpo India by creating a focus on truck tire manufacturing, with tire makers, technology experts, materials suppliers and service providers making a contribution to the show.”
Due to a variety of factors, including poor road infrastructure, heavily overloaded commercial vehicles and a subsequent lack of OEM demand, TBR radials account for just 10% to 15% of the huge commercial vehicle market I India.
But with government plans to build 35,000 kms of new roads over the next two years, the 2005 Supreme Court ruling on the overloading of trucks and increased interest from CV and bus manufacturers, the picture is set to change radically, ECI International points out.
Between them, Indian tire makers Apollo, BKT, Bridgestone India, Ceat, Dunlop India, Falcon Tyres and JK Tyre are in the process of commissioning or building more than a dozen new tire factories in India, with many of them dedicated to producing truck and bus radials. Industry estimates predict that by 2013 there will be an additional 25% manufacturing capacity for TBR radial tires.
And it’s not just Indian companies that are driving this change. Michelin Groupe is reported to be investing 800 million in its new Chennai plant, which will have a capacity of 300,000 radial tires, and Continental Corp. is said to be spending 50 million euros to increase its truck radial capacity in India by 2013.
Industry sources estimate the Indian tire industry’s annual turnover at Rs 300,000 million (£3.8 billion), with exports accounting for Rs 36,000 (£455.8 million) of this. During the year to the end of September 2011 an estimated 119.2 million tires were produced in India by 39 tire companies; the 10 largest manufacturers produced 95% of the total.
Truck and bus tires accounted for 65% of tire industry turnover, with the replacement market making up around 70% of this.
ECI’s Farrant adds: “With the continued rapid expansion of the Indian tire industry there will be greater interest in and demand for associated services for tyre distribution, fitment and repair. Another of our aims for next year’s exhibition will be to reflect this trend by attracting suppliers of workshop equipment, repair and maintenance products and distribution experts to participate in the show.
“With no other event dedicated solely to the tire and service industries, we are confident that Tyrexpo India 2013 will consolidate the strong impression it made in 2011 with an even stronger show next year.”
In anticipation of a larger show ECI has taken an option for a second exhibition hall at the Chennai Trade Centre to cope with additional exhibitor demand from both Indian and international suppliers.
For more information, go to www.eci-international.com.
