Extending its Made-in-India range, Michelin Tyres has launched two new X Multi tubeless radial tyres for commercial vehicles in India. The new X Multi range is targeted at the aftermarket segment and has a starting price of Rs 20,000. 

The new tyres, manufactured at the company’s Chennai plant, are specially designed for Indian road and climate conditions. Michelin claims the new tyres offer a 30 percent increase in tyre mileage and up to 4 percent fuel saving and increase in operating economics for fleet owners.

Radialisation in the Indian medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) sector is growing at around 30 percent per annum and the market is also shifting from bias to radial tyres. Tubeless tyres, which are lighter, can carry the same load and also offer more safety than bias-ply tyres.

Intercity coach makers like Volvo, Scania and Daimler are moving towards tubeless radials due to safety and mileage. Similarly, trucks operating on highways and carrying fixed load are also taking to tubeless tyres in a big way. Michelin supplies to Scania, Volvo, BharatBenz and MAN trucks in India.  

Speaking about the new X Multi tyres, Mohan Kumar, commercial director, Passenger Car and Light Truck and Truck, Michelin India, said, “We tried to transform the predominantly bias tyres market to radial in India. Now with the new tyres, we are trying to bring tubeless radial tyres in this market. We see positive trends from customers for evolving technologies.”

He added that customers in India are shifting towards tubeless radial tyres and the new tyres offer better rolling resistance and lower cost per kilometer through increased mileage. The tyres have a new tread rubber compound that slows the tread rubber wear rate, thereby offering higher tyre longevity. A wider casing design also helps provide improved road grip and a safer driving experience.  

Commenting on the agreement with TVS Tyres on manufacturing two-wheeler tyres for Michelin in India, Nour Bouhassoun, chairman and president, Africa, India and Middle East, Michelin, said, “We see higher demand for our two-wheeler tyres in India and continue our partnership with TVS Tyres in India to make and deliver more tyres. We have an agreement to produce 3.6 million tyres per year.”

He added: “We are looking to set up an R&D facility in India and are training people in this regard. The R&D centre will help to develop products not just for India but also for Africa, Middle East, South East Asia, China and Japan. This is our longer-term goal and we are working towards. Globally, Michelin spends 4 percent of its turnover on R&D.”

Michelin has also started a tyre retreading business in India and currently has 19 franchise shops across India.  

Commenting on exports, Bouhassoun said, “The focus of the India plant is the domestic market but all our factories globally export. So the Indian plant has also started exports to Middle East, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, not on a big scale as the capacities are limited at the plant.”

Michelin has committed an investment of Rs 4,000 crore in its India plant which is spread across 290 acres on the outskirts of Chennai. The Indian plant started operation in the first quarter of 2014 and has its capacity increasing every year. In 2014 the plant produced 11,000 tons of tyres; this year, the plan is to produce 16,000 tons. 

The size of the Indian truck tyre market is estimated at 16 million tyres a year and growing.

L-R: Mohan Kumar, commercial director, Michelin India, and Nour Bouhassoun, chairman and president, Africa, India and Middle East, Michelin, launch the XR Multi tubeless tadial truck tyre.