CEAT, one of the leading tyre manufacturers in India today expanded its presence in the country with its first greenfield plant in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. The plant was inaugurated by Edappadi K Palaniswami, chief minister of Tamil Nadu in the presence of M C Sampath, Minister of Industries Tamil Nadu.

The plant is spread across 163 acres, and has a manufacturing capacity of 28,500 passenger car radial tyres and 2,500 motor-cycle radial tyres per day. The company says the new facility is one of the most advanced tyre plants in South Asia with a capability of serving developed markets and high-end automobile manufacturers. An investment of Rs 1,400 crore has been made, which will offer employment to over 1,000 individuals in the next few years. The company also plans a further overall investment of around Rs 4,000 crore in the next 10 years.

CEAT says it is one of the first tyre companies to employ women on the shop floor and plans to further increase women employment in its Chennai factory. The Tamil Nadu plant marks CEAT’s 6th manufacturing facility in India with other plants located in Mumbai, Nasik, Nagpur, Ambernath and Halol.

Edappadi K Palaniswami said, “We are delighted that CEAT and the RPG Group have decided to launch their manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu, India's largest tyre manufacturing state. CEAT's factory will be a jewel in the crown of Tamil Nadu. We are certain that this will bring many new job opportunities. I congratulate Anant Goenka and his team at CEAT for commissioning this plant within 18 months from the date of MoU. This goes on to show the efficiency and managerial capabilities of CEAT.”

Anant Goenka, MD, CEAT Tyres said, “We are proud to inaugurate our state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Kanchipuram. Tamil Nadu offers the unique benefit of having many automobile manufacturers, proximity to Port and a favourable labour environment. We aim to positively enhance the ecosystem here by creating more job opportunities and contribute towards the overall betterment of the society and community.”

CEAT says the expansion will create skill development opportunities for people of Tamil Nadu along with amenities such as specialised training, uniform, canteen and transport.