CEAT launches ‘Altura’ radial tyres

Sri Lanka’s highest-selling car and van radial tyre brand CEAT has entered the ‘big league’ in the radial segment with the launch of an all new range of international Truck and Bus Radial tyres (TBRs) for the domestic market.

Branded ‘Altura,’ these high performance heavy duty tyres will be available in six sizes initially, for prime movers, trailers, luxury buses, bowsers, cement carriers and similar heavy load carrying large commercial vehicles, the company said.

These tyres are manufactured in China to CEAT specifications and tread patterns for the Indian and Sri Lankan markets, and the tyres sold in Sri Lanka would be those designed specifically for subcontinent conditions and requirements, top dealers and leading fleet owners were told at a launch in Colombo.

Speaking at the event, CEAT Kelani Holdings Managing Director Raman Rajagopalan said the company has brought best-in-class tyre technology from India and has been able to maintain market leadership through a combination of innovation and continuous improvement.

The Altura range is being imported to meet an identified need in the market for a branded radial tyre for the truck and bus segment with full service support from CEAT, he said, adding that the company has a dedicated team to handle the needs of this segment.

CEAT Kelani Vice President Sales & Marketing Ravi Dadlani said CEAT had been a leader in the Bias Ply market for the Truck and Bus category, and had comprehensively test marketed radials for the category before deciding to offer a branded TBR tyre. “We are here for the long haul, and the full might of CEAT will be behind this product, which will receive the same service and the same kind of support and warranty that applies to all CEAT tyres,” he said. Among the advantages attributed to the Altura tyres are good high-speed capacity, between 30 – 50 per cent longer life than other brands in the category, a stronger carcass, better road holding, low heat build-up, lower rolling resistance, better fuel economy, better vehicle stability, improved wear resistance and a smoother, quieter ride.

The market leader for tyres in the commercial vehicle and the passenger car and van categories in Sri Lanka, CEAT is a global tyre brand present in 110 countries. A National Business Excellence Award winner in 2010, 2011, and 2012, CEAT - Kelani Holdings is a successful Indo-Sri Lanka joint venture between the RPG Group of India and Kelani Tyre, Sri Lanka. The company operates three manufacturing units manufacturing truck, light truck, radial, motorcycle, three-wheeler and agricultural tyres and employs a workforce of 1,000 people.