CEAT ups radial production by 72,000, exceeding half a million tyres per annum

CEAT Kelani Holdings has announced that it has increased production of Passenger Car Radial (PCR/Van) tyres by 72,000 tyres a year, adding 16 per cent to its annual capacity in this category, as part of its expansion plan to support government efforts to conserve foreign exchange through domestic production.

This first phase of the planned expansion of PCR tyre production in 2021 is the result of the commissioning of two new tyre presses at CEAT’s manufacturing complex in Kelaniya. The new presses are the first hydraulic tyre presses installed at CEAT’s manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka and come at a 45 per cent premium over their mechanical counterpart, the Company said, disclosing that this upgrade in technology will significantly improve the uniformity of the tyre, the ride and handling parameters and the overall aesthetics of the passenger car radial tyres coming off these presses.

The expansion will see CEAT- Kelani’s total Car and Van tyre production capacity going up to 500,000 tyres per annum in some of the most popular tyre sizes for rim sizes ranging from 12 to 14, that fit vehicles such as Maruti 800, Suzuki Alto, Estilo, Omni, Swift and Liana, Mahindra Maximo, Nissan Sunny FB15, FB14, N16, March, Bluebird and AD Wagon, Toyota 110, 121, Vios, Soluna, Starlet and Carina, Honda Civic, Hyundai Accent, Perodua (VIVA Elite) and Cherry QQ. Local demand for these tyres is rising, especially in the backdrop of the temporary import restrictions imposed by the government.