Apollo Tyres today announced its entry into Saudi Arabia through a tie-up with Al-Jomaih Tyres, the exclusive distributors for the country. The tyre manufacturer says it would focus on the large and growing truck-bus radial and passenger car tyre market, and aims to capture a sizeable market share, in each of the segments, in the next couple of years.

Shubhro Ghosh, Group Head, ASEAN, Middle East and Africa, Apollo Tyres said: “The entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the culmination of a long-term product planning and development programme. We are now ready with products suited to cater to the Saudi market, which is the largest and important replacement tyre market in the Middle East region, through our dedicated team of sales and service professionals, and a very able business partner in Al-Jomaih Tyres.”

“Saudi Arabia has a market potential of approximately 22 million tyres, and we have set a very aggressive target for ourselves, of selling nearly 800,000 tyres per annum, including both commercial vehicle and passenger vehicle tyres, within the next five years”, added Ghosh.

Apollo Tyres, aims to leverage its reach on the back of official global tyre partnership with English football club Manchester United. “We believe that this global partnership will further help us position our brand and the products in the minds of the consumers across Saudi Arabia, and we look forward to working with Al-Jomaih Tyres to help further engage with Manchester United fan base here," said Ghosh.

Commenting on the collaboration with Apollo Tyres, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Jomaih, CEO, Al-Jomaih Tyres said “We are highly impressed with the quality and performance reputation of Apollo’s tyres. We have noticed that the premium tier 2 market in Saudi has been expanding at a fast pace and Apollo Tyres meets the need of local customers who are seeking quality products at competitive prices.”

The tyres sold in Saudi Arabia would be customised to meet the local market requirements and would be covered under a 5-year warranty from the date of manufacturing. Apollo Tyres had set-up its hub for the Middle East and Africa region, in Dubai, in the year 2011, and has since managed to expand its presence rapidly in the entire region.