Apollo commissions greenfield tire plant in southern India

Chinnapanduru, India - Apollo Tyres has commissioned its seventh manufacturing facility globally, with the first tire rolling out from the plan in Chinnapanduru, in the southern province of Andhra Pradesh, today.

The phase 1 of the greenfield facility will have a total investment of INR38-billion (€450 million) and at full capacity can produce 15,000 passenger car tires and 3,000 truck and bus radial tires per day, said Apollo in a 25 June statement.

The factory, which marks Apollo’s fifth tire production plant in India, spans over 256 acres and will gradually ramp up in the next 12 to 18 months, as demand improves.

“This ultra-modern facility is a reflection of our growth aspirations and manufacturing capabilities, showcasing some of the best practices available across the globe in tire manufacturing,” said chairman Onkar S Kanwar at the opening ceremony. 

The “highly automated” plant, he said, uses IT-driven systems and robotics, and currently employs 850 people. 

Products from the “state-of-the-art” factory will target “premium OEMs and after-market customers in India, according to Apollo.

The environmentally friendly unit has been designed to accommodate roof-top solar panels, which according to Apollo will be introduced in a phased manner. 

In addition, the facility uses natural light for the shop-floor, has “an eco-friendly power source” and features an in-built effluent treatment plant to avoid water discharge.

To improve productivity and reduce human fatigue, Apollo said it used an “ergonomically balanced and weight optimised material handling equipment” across the facility, while a ‘Spine’ like central utility corridor services both passenger car and truck radial units.

Apollo’s other tire production units in India are located in Kalamassery and Perambra, Kerala; Limda, Gujarat and Chennai in Tamil Nadu. In addition, the company has a manufacturing facility in Gyöngyöshalász, Hungary and one in Enschede, The Netherlands.