CEAT Kelani Holdings has been appointed as the official tyre supplier for Tata Ace HT series compact trucks which are assembled in Sri Lanka by DIMO in collaboration with India’s largest automobile manufacturer TATA Motors.
CEAT RHINO PLUS TL tyres in the size of 155R12 8PR, manufactured at the CEAT Kelani plant in Kelaniya are used for the TATA Ace HT series vehicles, popularly known in Sri Lanka as “DIMO Batta” under this project. The locally manufactured CEAT RHINO PLUS TL tyre features a zig zag pattern on its circumference and ribs with lateral notches that contribute towards uniformity and better wear and tear on local roads.
Commenting on this latest OEM agreement of the company, CEAT Kelani Holdings Managing Director Mr. Ravi Dadlani said: “As a brand that has been at the forefront of local value addition in Sri Lanka, CEAT is excited to contribute further to the process through its association with this assembly operation. This is particularly relevant in the prevailing situation in the domestic market. We are able to provide high-quality tyres engineered for local conditions at competitive prices and ensure uninterrupted supply, while at the same time helping to conserve foreign exchange.”
In January this year, CEAT was appointed as an OEM for a range of heavy-duty trucks, tippers and light commercial vehicles assembled in Sri Lanka by Lanka Ashok Leyland PLC (LAL), a joint venture company of Ashok Leyland India. In November 2021 the brand was chosen as the OEM for Bolero City Pik-up vehicles assembled in Sri Lanka by Mahindra & Mahindra India in collaboration with Ideal Motors.
CEAT Kelani Holdings has also been the exclusive original equipment tyre supplier for Mahindra KUV100 compact SUVs assembled in Sri Lanka since 2019. All locally-assembled Mahindra KUV100 vehicles are fitted with CEAT FUELSMARRT 185/60 R 15 tyres.
The manufacturer of half of Sri Lanka’s pneumatic tyre requirements, CEAT Kelani Holdings 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, and a further Rs 3.2 billion has been committed in 2022 for expansion of volumes, technology upgrades, and new product development. 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.
The CEAT brand accounts for 48% of the market share in Sri Lanka in the Radial segment, 80% in the Truck category, 84 % the Light Truck tyre category, 51% in the Three-Wheeler tyre segment, 36% in the Motorcycle tyre segment and 72% in the Agricultural vehicle tyre category. CEAT Kelani exports about 20% of its production to 16 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Far East.
