CEAT Archives

April 25, 2024

Kurunegala has become the latest location to receive the CEAT premium retail experience with the opening of a new-concept Shop-in-Shop (SIS) outlet in this busy north-western metropolis by CEAT Kelani Holdings, Sri Lanka’s leading pneumatic tyre manufacturer.

The seventh CEAT SIS outlet to be opened in Sri Lanka, the new outlet is located at Rohana Enterprises Kurunegala (Pvt) Ltd., at No 288C, Negombo Road, Kurunegala.

Part of a three-year distribution channel expansion strategy by Sri Lanka’s most-used tyre brand, the CEAT Shop-in-Shop concept is designed to drive brand premiumisation and enhance customer experience, and entails demarcating a dedicated area for CEAT branded tyres within existing multi-brand dealer premises.

CEAT Kelani furnishes the interior, customer lobby and reception areas of this private space to augment customer comfort. Additionally, the Company invests in illuminated brand boards in-store and outside for enhanced brand visibility, roofing, glazing, lighting and furniture, as well as 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 known to increase the channel partners’ revenue.

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 produces a range of high-performance radial tyres that are engineered in Germany.

The CEAT SIS outlet in Kurunegala will offer an extensive range of CEAT tyres with attractive discounts, tyre care and technical expertise, wheel balancing and alignment, nitrogen and air pumps for tyre inflation as well as alloy wheels, automobile batteries and vehicle accessories, the Company said.

CEAT’s investments in the new distribution channel upgrade programme in Sri Lanka have resulted in the opening of the three flagship Customer Invested Dealer Operated (CIDO) outlets at Etul Kotte, Madampe and Mirihana, as well as the opening of seven Shop-In-Shop outlets at Borella, Pamankada, Malabe, Colombo 14 (two outlets), Hanwella and now Kurunegala.

CEAT’s emergence as the top brand in Sri Lanka’s tyre sector is the result of substantial investments over several years that have seen not just exponential increases in volumes but expansion of the product range, the deployment of new technology and quantum improvements in quality. The Company’s new retail concepts are designed to ensure the customer experience keeps pace with the brand’s growth.

The CEAT brand originated in Italy and is backed by German manufacturing technology and extensive research and testing facilities in India and Europe. CEAT Kelani Holdings currently manufactures half of Sri Lanka’s pneumatic tyre requirements, exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries and plays a significant role in helping the national economy conserve foreign exchange by reducing dependence on imported tyres. The joint venture’s cumulative investment in Sri Lanka over the past decade alone exceeds Rs 8.5 billion.

March 11, 2024

CEAT Kelani Holdings has opened its third Company Invested Dealer Operated (CIDO) outlet in Sri Lanka in Mirihana, providing this busy suburb on the south eastern boundary of Colombo City with a sophisticated flagship store for all tyre-related products and services.

The new CEAT CIDO outlet was formally inaugurated recently at Prime Tyre & Auto Services at No 17, Old Kottawa Road, Mirihana, Nugegoda.

The CEAT CIDO outlets are part of a three-year distribution channel expansion strategy designed to drive CEAT’s brand exclusivity, visibility and premiumisation and enhance customer experience at partner outlets in tandem with product improvements. The Mirihana outlet is also the first to display CEAT’s new branding and visuals that reflect its ‘Engineered in Germany’ theme for passenger car and SUV tyres.

Designed and equipped to focus on providing services for passenger cars and SUVs, the new outlet will offer an extensive range of CEAT tyres with attractive discounts, tyre care and technical expertise, wheel balancing and alignment, nitrogen and air pumps for tyre inflation as well as vehicle servicing and interior and exterior detailing. A feature of the CEAT CIDO outlet is a comfortable customer lounge designed and furnished to CEAT’s specifications.

CEAT Kelani provides these new flagship stores with the elements of their modern interior design, the roofing, lighting and furniture, tyre display and sample racks, the customer lounge with sofa, illuminated brand boards in store and outside including pylon signage for visibility from a distance.

CEAT’s investments in distribution channel upgrades and expansion in Sri Lanka have resulted in the opening of the three CIDO outlets at Etul Kotte, Madampe and now Mirihana, as well as the opening of six Shop-In-Shop (SIS) outlets at Borella, Pamankada, Malabe, Colombo 14 (two outlets) and Hanwella.

CEAT’s emergence as the top brand in Sri Lanka’s tyre sector is the result of substantial investments over several years that have seen not just exponential increases in volumes but expansion of the product range, the deployment of new technology and quantum improvements in quality. The Company’s new retail concepts are designed to ensure the customer experience keeps pace with the brand’s growth.

The CEAT brand originated in Italy and is backed by German manufacturing technology and extensive research and testing facilities in India and Europe. CEAT Kelani Holdings currently manufactures half of Sri Lanka’s pneumatic tyre requirements, exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries and plays a significant role in helping the national economy conserve foreign exchange by reducing dependence on imported tyres. The joint venture’s cumulative investment in Sri Lanka over the past decade exceeds Rs 8.5 billion.

February 19, 2024

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.

December 21, 2023

CEAT Kelani Holdings has launched a new community project to support the education of children of rubber cultivators – a critical element of its supply chain.

The manufacturer of half of Sri Lanka’s pneumatic tyre requirements with 100 per cent of its natural rubber needs sourced from local producers that support some 10,000 cultivator families, CEAT has begun distributing schoolbags, stationery and other educational requisites to schools in rubber growing areas.

Part of the ‘CEAT Cares’ portfolio of good citizenship initiatives, the programme’s first phase focusing on the Matugama Educational Zone, is executed with the support of the Sri Lanka Army, a major user of CEAT tyres.

The first two schools to benefit from the programme were the Pallegoda Tamil School in Pallegoda and the Miriswatta Tamil School in Ittapana, which were visited by representatives of CEAT and the Sri Lanka Army recently. A total of 119 children received school bags, shoes and stationery items as well as a nutritious lunch after the distribution ceremony.

Commenting on the programme, CEAT Kelani Managing Director Mr Ravi Dadlani said: “Because rubber cultivators are integral to our tyre manufacturing process, the challenges they encounter in their daily lives must concern us. The education of children is becoming increasingly expensive and we believe we can help offset some of the costs and help reduce the rate of dropping out. This aligns well with our Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.”

The launch of the programme at the two schools was attended by Mr Dadlani, CEAT Kelani Chief Operating Officer Mr Shamal Gunawardene and senior management of CEAT Kelani Holdings, Major General R. A. J. N. Ranasingha, Brigadier M. W. S. Millagala and other senior officers of the Sri Lanka Army, officials of the Matugama Zonal Education Administration, and CEAT dealers from the area.

In a separate initiative, CEAT Kelani has also started hosting rubber cultivators for conducted tours of the company’s extensive manufacturing complex in Kelaniya, providing them with an insight into the intricacies of producing high-performance tyres for the domestic and export markets.

The largest domestic manufacturer of cross-ply and radial tyres in Sri Lanka, CEAT Kelani’s manufacturing operations encompass pneumatic tyres in the radial (passenger cars, vans and SUVs), commercial (Bias-ply and radial), motorcycle, three-wheeler and agricultural vehicle segments. The CEAT brand originated in Italy and is backed by German manufacturing technology and extensive research and testing facilities in India and Europe. CEAT Kelani Holdings exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries and plays a significant role in helping the national economy conserve foreign exchange by reducing dependence on imported tyres.

June 1, 2023

CEAT Kelani Holdings has invested in a second Company Invested Dealer Operated (CIDO) outlet in Sri Lanka, persevering with its plan to establish CEAT flagship stores around the island to create exclusive spaces for the brand.

The new CEAT flagship store was formally declared open recently at Asanka Tyre House, Madampe, located at Irattakulama on the Chilaw – Colombo main road.

The CEAT CIDO outlets are part of a three-year distribution channel expansion strategy designed to drive brand exclusivity, visibility and premiumisation and enhance customer experience at partner outlets in tandem with product improvements.

CEAT Kelani provided the new flagship store with the elements of their modern interior design, the lighting, furniture, tyre display and sample racks, a customer lounge area with sofa and television, pylon signage for visibility from a distance and illuminated external and internal brand signage.

Designed and equipped to focus on providing all tyre-related services for passenger cars and SUVs, the new outlet will offer an extensive range of CEAT tyres with attractive discounts, tyre care and technical expertise, vehicle batteries, computerised wheel alignment, automobile spare parts and nitrogen and air pumps for tyre inflation.

Commenting on the company’s continuing investment in new retail concepts, CEAT Kelani Managing Director Mr Ravi Dadlani said: “The economic downturn has resulted in a significant drop in demand for new tyres, but as the largest supplier of Sri Lanka’s tyre requirements, CEAT remains steadfast in its commitment to the market. This includes our obligation to consistently enhance the customer experience by upgrading the retail network, while at the same time helping our key dealers to maintain sales volumes.”

CEAT’s emergence as the top brand in Sri Lanka’s tyre sector is the result of substantial investments over several years that have seen not just exponential increases in volumes but expansion of the product range, the deployment of new technology and quantum improvements in quality. The Company’s new retail concepts are designed to ensure the customer experience keeps pace with the brand’s growth, Mr Dadlani added.

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.

The CEAT brand accounts for market shares in Sri Lanka of 48 per cent in the Radial segment, 80 per cent in the Truck category, 84 per cent Light Truck tyre category, 51 per cent in the Three-Wheeler tyre segment, 36 per cent in the Motorcycle tyre segment and 72 per cent in the Agricultural vehicle tyre category. CEAT Sri Lanka exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East.

April 17, 2023

CEAT Kelani Holdings has gifted traffic safety equipment to another 20 schools located close to main roads and in high congestion zones in the first three months of 2023, as part of the Company’s continuing commitment to make commuting safer and smarter, especially for school children.

The donation of 330 items comprising of 150 road safety related signboards, 160 traffic cones, and 20 school traffic warden jackets to schools in several districts was done under the ‘CEAT Cares – Road Safety for School Children’ programme, also known as ‘Maga Yana Maga.’ This flagship community initiative was designed to reflect CEAT’s commitment to safety on the roads, which is also a key element in all its products, which are engineered with safety in mind, the Company said.

The schools that benefitted from the donations included Ananda College in Colombo 10, Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda, Bandaranayake Central College Veyangoda, Dhammissara National School Nattandiya, Kelani Maha Vidyalaya Kelaniya, Ladies’ College Colombo 07, Mahamaya Balika Maha Vidyalaya Kadawatha, Mahanama College Colombo 03, Maharagama Central College Maharagama, Maris Stella College Negombo, Peliyagoda R.C.V Kelaniya, President’s College Homagama, President’s College Kelaniya, Rathnawali Balika Maha Vidyalaya Colombo 08, Siddhartha College Weligama, St. Joseph’s Balika Vidyalaya Nugegoda, St. Joseph’s College Nugegoda, St. Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, Subharathi Mahamathya Maha Vidyalaya Homagama, and Viharamahadevi Balika Vidyalaya Kiribathgoda.

CEAT resumed the ‘Road Safety for School Children’ programme last year adopting an equipment-only model after a short hiatus necessitated by the pandemic. In its original phase, the programme directly engaged with students, parents and transport providers, principally school van drivers via road safety workshops, and was coupled with the donation of traffic management kits comprising traffic cones, safety jackets, traffic signs and other aids to the traffic squads in each of the schools visited.

This community programme was initiated in 2010 and has to date covered 270 schools in Colombo and the Southern, Northern, North Western, Central and Eastern regions of the country. It was launched in response to the alarming statistics of deaths and injuries caused by road accidents resulting from negligence and non-observance of rules, making road safety a significant challenge in Sri Lanka.

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.

The CEAT brand accounts for market shares in Sri Lanka of 48 per cent in the Radial segment, 80 per cent in the Truck category, 84 per cent Light Truck tyre category, 51 per cent in the Three-Wheeler tyre segment, 36 per cent in the Motorcycle tyre segment and 72 per cent in the Agricultural vehicle

tyre category. CEAT Sri Lanka exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East.

January 26, 2023

IATF members include BMW Group, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Renault Group & Volkswagen AG

Three manufacturing plants of CEAT Kelani Holdings have been awarded IATF 16949 that verifies that their products meet exceptionally high quality standards and supply chain efficiency, making CEAT Sri Lanka the first tyre manufacturing group in the country to qualify for this prestigious international certification.

The certification covers CEAT Kelani International Tyres (Private) Limited, CEAT Kelani Radials (Private) Limited and Associated CEAT (Private) Limited as well as the CEAT Kelani Head Office and CEAT R&D India as the remote supportive locations for the three manufacturing plants.

Awarded by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF), IATF 16949 is an automotive quality management system standard, that certifies that CEAT Sri Lanka has met the extensive requirements to create high standard quality products with a process of continuous improvement that focuses on defect prevention and reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.

Applicable to automotive production and service part organisations, the certification also defines how an organisation could meet the requirements of its customers and other stakeholders. To qualify for this certification, CEAT Sri Lanka had to comply with ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949:2016 quality management system requirements and implement five core tools, including Advance Product Quality Planning (APQP), Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA) to ensure potential problems are considered and addressed throughout product and process development with the help of control plans, and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) that ensures products consistently meet customer engineering specification requirements.

The Company also actioned a series of initiatives such as Quality Based Management, Customer Insighting Approach, lean manufacturing principles, problem solving processes using the seven Quality Control (7 QC) tools, Six Sigma using the ‘define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC)’ approach, supplier integration, and corporate policy changes, among others.

Commenting on achieving the IATF 16949 certification, CEAT Sri Lanka Managing Director Mr Ravi Dadlani said: “The IATF journey for CEAT Sri Lanka entailed a well-crafted integration of existing and new auto industry-specific requirements while maintaining customer satisfaction and continuous improvement, which have always been our top priorities. Obtaining this certification demonstrates CEAT Sri Lanka’s ability to cater to automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) across the world.”

In 2022 alone, CEAT Sri Lanka was appointed as the official tyre supplier for locally-assembled Tata Ace HT series of compact trucks and as the Original Equipment Manufacturer for Ashok Leyland’s range of heavy-duty trucks, tippers and light commercial vehicles, and began manufacturing the CEAT Secura Drive SUV 215/55 R17, the first of a range of high-performance 17-inch replacement tyres for medium-sized SUVs like the Honda Vezel. CEAT is also an Original Equipment Manufacturer for Bolero City Pik-up vehicles assembled in Sri Lanka by Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) India in collaboration with Ideal Motors.

CEAT Sri Lanka recently conducted a series of track tests at India’s state-of-the-art National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) in Indore and at CEAT India’s corporate R&D facility in Halol, to benchmark six radial tyres and five motorcycle tyres the company manufactures in Sri Lanka against major competitor brands based on multiple key value propositions.

Developed by the International Automotive Task Force, IATF 16949 certification is an industry requirement that aligns automotive quality management systems throughout the world. The IATF is a group of automotive manufacturers and their respective National Automotive Industry Associations. IATF members include the BMW Group, Ford Motor Company, Geely Group, General Motors, IVECO Group, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Limited, Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Renault Group, Stellantis (ex FCA), Stellantis (ex PSA), Volkswagen AG and their respective National Automotive Industry Associations – AIAG (USA), ANFIA (Italy), FIEV (France), SMMT (UK) and VDA (Germany).

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.

The CEAT brand accounts for market shares in Sri Lanka of 48 per cent in the Radial segment, 80 per cent in the Truck category, 84 per cent Light Truck tyre category, 51 per cent in the Three-Wheeler tyre segment, 36 per cent in the Motorcycle tyre segment and 72 per cent in the Agricultural vehicle tyre category. CEAT Sri Lanka exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East.

October 25, 2022

Benchmarks six made-in-Sri Lanka car and SUV tyre variants against major competitor brands at NATRAX in Indore

Six sizes of locally-manufactured CEAT radial tyres were recently tested rigorously against the major competitor brands as part of an ongoing process to further develop CEAT’s existing product range and assess individual product performance by key value propositions identified by customers.

To fulfil this mission, CEAT commissioned a series of track tests at India’s state-of-the-art National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) of the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) in Indore. CEAT Kelani Holdings conducted similar tests for the Company’s motorcycle tyres at this location earlier this year.

The latest benchmarking process took place to score the selected CEAT radial tyres in four value drivers – low noise, ride comfort, handling stability, and dry and wet braking stability. The tests pitted the chosen CEAT radials against counterparts from USA, Japan, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

The final test scores revealed that CEAT 185/70R14 Fuelsmarrt, 195/65R15 Secura Drive, 185/65R15 Secura Drive, 205/55 R16 Secura Drive, 175/65 R15 Secura Drive, and 265/70 R16 Czar HP tyres were superior in some key aspects, and on par in terms of other features with the products of the competitor brands, the Company disclosed.

More specifically, the track tests affirmed that in comparison to the competitor brands, the CEAT Secura Drive, Fuelsmarrt and Czar HP tyre patterns are better for wet and dry braking and offer superior braking stability. Additionally, all six of the CEAT tyre sizes were rated superior or comparable for ride comfort, while the Secura Drive and Fuelsmarrt tyres were declared on par with their counterparts in generating minimal noise.

It was also observed that the 175/65 R15 Secura Drive performance could be marginally improved in the handling stability parameters. The Company said these findings have now been incorporated in the pattern architecture for new and improved products that will lead to enhanced performance.

Commenting on the latest NATRAX track tests, CEAT Kelani Managing Director Mr Ravi Dadlani said: “As a brand that supplies almost half the tyre requirements of the country, CEAT is committed to listening to voice of consumers and delivering products that are suited to their needs and local conditions. These tests we conduct enable us to consistently fine-tune our offerings, meet the expectations of our consumers, and release products that are on par with competitor tyres, if not better. The heavy investments we make in such testing even in difficult times like the present, demonstrate our commitment to quality above all else.”

The four Key Value Propositions around which the track tests revolved were dictated by consumer insights from research findings that highlighted the main drivers in the customers’ purchase decisions in the radial tyre segment.

The tyre variants and sizes that were tested fit vehicles such as the Honda Civic, Civic EK3 and Jazz, Hyundai i20 and Venue, Mahindra Thar, Mitsubishi Montero and Sportero, Nissan Leaf and Patrol, Renault KWID, Suzuki Spacia, and Toyota Allion, Aqua, Axio, Corolla, Hilux Vigo, Land Cruiser, Premio, Prius and Vitz which are popular cars and SUVs on Sri Lankan roads.

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. 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 market shares in Sri Lanka of 48 per cent in the Radial segment, 80 per cent in the Truck category, 84 per cent Light Truck tyre category, 51 per cent in the Three-Wheeler tyre segment, 36 per cent in the Motorcycle tyre segment and 72 per cent in the Agricultural vehicle tyre category. CEAT Kelani exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East.

July 25, 2022

§ Takes trophies, cash prizes and certificates to doorsteps of dealers who contributed the most to Company’s performance

CEAT Kelani Holdings has honoured 99 leading tyre dealers in Sri Lanka by presenting them with award trophies, cash prizes and certificates at their doorsteps, adapting to the challenges of the times to continue its tradition of recognising those who contributed to the Company’s growth.

Substituting the usual gala awards weekend at a five-star hotel with visits to the top performing tyre dealers of 2020-21, CEAT has presented a total of 14 trophies, 85 certificates and 85 cash cheques to reward overall excellence as well as top sales performances under four product categories – Radial tyres, Truck tyres, Light Truck tyres and Three-wheeler tyres.

The trophies were presented to the Top 10 dealers who generated the highest sales revenue for the brand, and to the Gold award winning dealers in each product category.

CEAT also presented cash cheques to the highest performing dealers in lieu of the customary overseas trips they usually enjoy according to their respective loyalty ratings of Platinum, Gold and Silver.

“The circumstances we are in are not conducive for the conduct of a conventional dealer awards night, but we felt strongly that it is important to acknowledge our loyal dealers, who are also facing many challenges,” CEAT Kelani Managing Director Mr Ravi Dadlani said. “We look forward to interacting with them and their families once again whenever the situation permits the hosting of an awards event.”

The theme chosen for the unusual dealer awards initiative was ‘Striving for unity to conquer’ highlighting the importance of working together to overcome the challenges confronting businesses in Sri Lanka.

CEAT’s top 10 dealers of 2020-21 were the Dealer of the Year U&H Wheel Service of Colombo 2, Sumith Marketing – Ambalangoda, Nanda Tyre House – Vavuniya, Sumidag Tyre Co – Kurunegala, Paramount Tyre Traders – Colombo 14, Sripali Tyre House – Anuradhapura, Supiri Tyre House – Kandy, Crown Tyres – Colombo 14, Tyre Link – Walasmulla and Asanka Tyre House – Madampe.

The manufacturer of half of the 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 another 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 market shares in Sri Lanka of 48 per cent in the Radial segment, 80 per cent in the Truck category, 84 per cent Light Truck tyre category, 51 per cent in the Three-Wheeler tyre segment, 36 per cent in the Motorcycle tyre segment and 72 per cent in the Agricultural vehicle tyre category. CEAT Kelani exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East.

June 16, 2022

A series of gruelling field tests commissioned by CEAT Kelani Holdings for some of its top-selling motorcycle tyres has concluded that they hold their own against those of the two biggest competing brands, one from Sri Lanka and the other from India.

The benchmarking exercise was conducted at India’s state-of-the-art National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) of the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) in Indore, and at CEAT India’s corporate R&D facility in Halol, the Company said.

Matching tyres from a leading Sri Lankan motorcycle tyre brand and a top Indian brand were tested alongside five motorcycle tyres manufactured in Sri Lanka by CEAT, on multiple key value propositions (KVPs) – handling stability, ride comfort, straight line stability, character curves, limit handling, brake stability, dry and wet braking index and distance.

The final test scores indicated that the CEAT 140/70-17 Zoom XL, 90/100-10 Gripp X3, and 100/90-17 Gripp tyres were superior in some aspects, and on par in terms of other features with the products of the competitor brands, the Company disclosed. The tested tyres are those that fit the Yamaha FZ, Honda Activa, Bajaj Pulsar, Bajaj Platina and Hero HF Deluxe motorcycles.

Commenting on this exercise, CEAT Kelani Managing Director Mr Ravi Dadlani said: “Lives literally ride on motorcycle tyre, and we periodically invest in rigorous testing of key aspects of our products on purpose-built tracks. This is part of CEAT’s continuous product development strategy that is closely integrated with consumer insights and research findings. Insights suggested that tyre pattern features that support ride and handling, traction and grip, and better cornering capability are some of the key requirements of motorcycle tyre users. These requirements defined the parameters of our latest KVP tests. The test results drive our product development and performance enhancement processes and lead to the introduction of a new and improved tread patterns.”

The latest KVP test report revealed that overall, the CEAT motorcycle tyres excel in dry and wet grip features when compared with the leading competitor brands. Specifically, the CEAT Gripp and Gripp X3 patterns are superior in their dry and wet grip features, ride and handling and breaking stability, and display exceptional wheel balance in comparison to the two leading brands they were benchmarked against.

Furthermore, the Zoom XL tyre pattern emerged on par in performance with the two competitors with regards to ride and handling, braking stability, dry and wet grip, and wheel balance.

Meanwhile, it was observed that the Secura Zoom and Milaze tyre patterns could improve in the ‘ride and handling’ parameter which has prompted CEAT to develop a new product by adapting a superior pattern technology based on the findings. Subsequently, the improved Zoom X3 tyre pattern was launched which shows enhanced performance in ‘ride and handling.’ Additionally, CEAT is also in the process of developing another product for this segment with a new variant of compound that promises further improvement in performance, Mr Dadlani disclosed.

The manufacturer of half of the 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 another 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 market shares in Sri Lanka of 48 per cent in the Radial segment, 80 per cent in the Truck category, 84 per cent Light Truck tyre category, 51 per cent in the Three-Wheeler tyre segment, 36 per cent in the Motorcycle tyre segment and 72 per cent in the Agricultural vehicle tyre category. CEAT Kelani exports about 20 per cent of its production to 16 countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East.

CEAT’s 7th premium ‘S-I-S’ outlet in Sri Lanka opens in Kurunegala

CEAT’s third flagship store in Sri Lanka opens in Mirihana

CEAT fortifies brand presence in Sri Lanka with 3 new premium Shop-In-Shop outlets

CEAT launches programme to support education of rubber farmers’ children

CEAT sticks with Sri Lanka retail chain upgrade plan opening new flagship store in Madampe

CEAT covers 20 more schools with ‘Road Safety for School Children’ initiative

CEAT first tyre producer in Sri Lanka to be IATF 16949 certified

CEAT revisits Indian test track to put its radial tyres through their paces

CEAT adopts new model to honour top dealers of 2020-21

CEAT pits its motorcycle tyres against competitors’ at Indian test track