Leading Indian tyre manufacturer Apollo Tyres will now become a full-range player in the Sri Lankan market with the introduction of its two-wheeler tyres.
The company first entered the island country in 2011, aiming to make inroads into the 250,000-300,000 vehicles a year market. At present, the company’s Sri Lankan operation contributes more than 20 percent of the company’s exports to SAARC countries. The company also has an Apollo Zone in the upmarket Galle Road in Colombo, which is operated by Ideal Wheels & Tyres.
Commenting on the entry into the two-wheeler market, Satish Sharma, president, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA), Apollo Tyres said, “With Sri Lanka being the top island economy of the future, and FDIs in the country increasing nearly 150 percent in 2016, we see this is as an opportunity for us to increase our focus here. We are looking at capitalising on the increasing automotive sales, especially two-wheelers.”