Yesterday the Competition Commission of India (CCI) finally made public the news that back in 2018 it found five tyre makers and India’s tyre industry association guilty of contravening the provisions of India’s Competition Act by indulging in cartel activities in 2011 and 2012. All protagonists have been fined for their actions.
The lockdown now in place across India is one of the most radical measures seen to date during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, tyre production has come to a standstill at plants across the country. While India’s government exempts the manufacture of “ essential commodities” from the three-week lockdown it hasn’t provided clarity as to what products it considers essential. Therefore it is unclear when tyre manufacture will recommence within the country.
The organisation representing India’s tyre makers has a new chairman, with KM Mammen being appointed to the role. Mammen, who is chairman and managing director of MRF Ltd., is joined in the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association’s (ATMA) leadership team by Anshuman Singhania as vice chairman. Singhania is a director at JK Tyre & Industries Ltd.
MRF Tyres has selected 42Gears EMM Solution to provide secure access to MRF product application on the tablets in the exclusive stores. 42Gears solution allows MRF to remotely manage the MRF application and push app updates. Further, the digital signage solution enhances customer engagement by turning the Lenovo tabs into kiosks during idle time.
MRF tyres has posted a 22 per cent decline in net profit to 300 crore rupees (£34.772 million) for the second quarter, which ended September 2017.
MRF Tyres scored a hat-trick of sleeve sponsorships deals with Premier League football teams in September – signing Newcastle United, West Ham United, and West Bromwich Albion in one-season deals that last until May 2018. The move can only be seen as a concerted effort to raise brand awareness ahead of the widespread introduction of MRF car tyres in the UK
In something of a coup for the French manufacturer, Michelin has regained both the global and UK crowns in Tyres & Accessories’ annual report on social media influence. Meanwhile, India’s largest tyremaker, MRF Tyres, will have surprised many by rising six places into third place on the global table.
According to the JD Power 2017 India Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study 34 per cent of customers in India cannot recall their tyre brand. Furthermore, only 58 per cent of these customers say they “definitely would” repurchase the original brand, as compared to 65 per cent of those customers who could identify their brand.
MRF Tyres has been named the official tire supplier for the CAMS Australian Rally Championship (ARC), Australia’s national rally championship series.
A year after leading Indian tyre manufacturer MRF Tyres launched its MRF Motorsport business at the Autosport Show in Birmingham this time last year, progress is said to be going well. The latest addition to the European motorsport division’s portfolio is the Honda Civic Cup.
MRF Tyre has confirmed it will exhibit at Tyre & Rubber Indonesia 2017 from 29 March – 1 April 2017 at JIExpo Kemayoran Jakarta, Indonesia.
Volkswagen Motorsport India has confirmed its appointment of MRF Tyres as sole tyre supplier to the Vento Cup race series. MRF takes over from JK Tyre, who served as tyre partner for the past six years.
The global profile of sport in India has been growing with the country’s economic prosperity, signified primarily by the wealth and interest of cricket’s Indian Premier League. Now the potential for it to become a significant global player in motorsport has been trumpeted by tyre manufacturer – and sporting equipment supplier – MRF. The manufacturer suggests a podium from the final races of the MRF Challenge series at Chennai symbolises India’s emergence; on the top step is Pietro Fittipaldi (grandson of Emerson), 2nd is Harrison Newey (son of Adrian), and 3rd is Mick Schumacher (son of Michael).
Not only has leading Indian tyre maker MRF Tyres, launched its MRF Motorsport Tyres Europe operation during Autosport International 2016, the firm is also considering importing its passenger car tyres into Europe in the years to come. While MRF has been exporting to between 60 and 70 countries worldwide for some time now the majority of these are in Asia, with others in the Middle East, Africa and South America. A few speciality products aside, MRF hasn’t really been exporting to Europe before now.
Leading Indian tyre maker MRF Tyres is launching its MRF Motorsport Tyres Europe operation during Autosport International 2016. This means the Indian brand, which is well known on the sub-continent, but has yet to make such a big splash outside Asia, will now be available to UK and European customers.
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