Michelin to set up R&D Centre in India

French tyre manufacturer Michelin plans to set up an R&D centre in India. The facility will be set up in Gurgaon and will be its first such unit in a developing country. It is understood that the company has already started hiring Indian engineers to staff the R&D centre.  However, the level of investment Michelin will be putting into the unit is not yet known.

While the company’s focus is still on track tyres, it is optimistic about growth in India as the new government is expected to give a fillip to infrastructure, in turn generating demand for premium passenger car tyres.

Speaking to Autocar Professional at a media event in China, Jean-Dominique Senard, CEO, Michelin said: "India is a dynamic market, not easy, but we are getting familiar with it and are happy to be there." 

He added, "With good infrastructure, our work becomes difficult but from what I understand, the reforms the new government has envisaged are a step in the right direction. So it's not only making doing business easier but also improving infrastricture. This is exactly what we need."  

Michelin India recently opened its truck tyre plant in Chennai at an investment of around Rs 4,000 crore. The plant manufactures truck radials that have been designed and developed for the Indian market taking into account the road and weather conditions here.