February 9, 2013: Apollo Tyres has been conferred the Tire Manufacturer of the Year award, at the Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence 2013. The ceremony took place in Cologne, Germany, at the Tire Technology Expo. The jury comprised an expert panel of tyre industry professionals and thought leaders.

Commenting on the recognition, Onkar S Kanwar, chairman, Apollo Tyres, said: “Manufacturing excellence, innovation and sustainable business practices have long been our cornerstones for progress and we have made considerable progress around each. Six Sigma initiatives, emphasis on automation and state-of-the-art machinery manned by skilled resources, product innovations and service solutions are now an integral part of our value proposition to customers. A global recognition like Tire Manufacturer of the Year strengthens our resolve to make even more aesthetically superior and technologically advanced tyres for our consumers worldwide.”

Starting 2011, Apollo Tyres commenced its second strategic five-year growth programme with the goal of securing a place in the world’s Top 10 tyre makers. The company is considering both organic and inorganic routes to expansion beyond its 3 domestic markets in Asia, Europe and Africa.

Graham Heeps, Editor, Tire Technology International, said: “This is a deserved first win for Apollo Tyres. The company’s rapid growth over the past decade has been impressive, but for me it’s Apollo’s commitment to meeting the specific challenges of local markets – exemplified by the newly opened R&D centre in Europe – that really stands out.”

In a bid to reach out to its customers across the globe and offer them products which are suitable for their specific needs, Apollo Tyres has also decentralised its R&D structure with centres in India and the Netherlands; the former focusing on commercial vehicle tyres, while the latter geared exclusively to develop passenger vehicle products. The company is also looking at establishing its operations in South East Asia and Australia, after the Middle East last year.

Photograph: Jan Mos, director (personnel & organisation), Apollo Vredestein BV (left) and Michael Lutz, managing director, Vredestein Germany, with the award