The CEAT brand’s retail presence in Sri Lanka has been further strengthened with the opening of three more premium outlets in the country – two in Colombo city and one in Hanwella.
The three new CEAT Shop-In-Shop (SIS) outlets are designed to drive brand premiumisation and enhance customer experience at leading dealer outlets. They are located at U&H Wheel Service and Paramount Tyre Traders, both at Prince of Wales Avenue, Colombo 14; and at Sakura Tyre Centre, Hanwella.
Part of a three-year distribution channel expansion strategy by the country’s highest-selling tyre brand, the CEAT Shop-in-Shop concept entails demarcating a dedicated area for CEAT branded tyres within existing multi-brand dealer premises. CEAT furnishes the interior, customer lobby and reception areas of this private space to augment customer comfort. Additionally, CEAT Kelani Holdings invests in interior branding, signage, and innovative product display racks to emphasise the tyre offerings available with the channel partner. Besides enhancing the visibility and positioning of the brand, this model is also known to increase the channel partners’ revenue, the Company said.
Elaborating on the company’s commitment to investing in premium retail concepts even in challenging times, CEAT Kelani Chief Operating Officer Mr Shamal Gunawardene said: “When the going gets tough, it is even more important to look for wins for all stakeholders. These SIS outlets add value for our customers, boost sales for our dealers and raise the brand’s presence in the market, benefitting the Company and all its stakeholders. They also ensure that the quality of the retail operation keeps pace with, and does justice to, the brand’s growth and the continuous improvement of the products.”
He said these premium retail outlets are also designed to bring special focus on providing all tyre-related services for passenger cars and SUVs, for which CEAT Kelani manufacturers a range of high-performance radial tyres in Sri Lanka.
Among the services common to CEAT SIS outlets are an extensive range of CEAT tyres at attractive discounts, specialised tyre care and technical expertise, computerised wheel alignment, nitrogen and air pumps for tyre inflation, dedicated customer lounge facilities and easy payment plans for credit card purchases. Some of the outlets also offer a wide range of alloy wheels and car batteries.
The manufacturer of nearly half of Sri Lanka’s pneumatic tyre requirements, CEAT Sri Lanka is considered one of the most successful India – Sri Lanka joint ventures. The joint venture’s cumulative investment in Sri Lanka to date exceeds Rs 8 billion. The company’s manufacturing operations in Sri Lanka encompass tyres in the radial (passenger cars, vans and SUVs), commercial (nylon and radial), motorcycle, three-wheeler and agricultural vehicle segments.