Michelin has announced that it is doubling up the capacity of its truck tyre plant which is located in northern Chennai.
The company now makes nearly 15,000 tonnes of tyres a year at the plant. “We will double this to 30,000 tonnes by the end of 2018,” Jean Dominique Senard, CEO of Michelin group said. T
he quantum of investment for this doubling of capacity was not disclosed. The company will recruit another 150 persons to operate the expanded capacities as direct employees.
Michelin’s plant now employs 850 people directly. Till date the French firm has invested nearly Rs 3,500 crore both in plant and an R&D centre.
“To us India is experiencing strong growth and the need for mobility is only increasing. We are bound to grow,” he said.
Therefore the company has undertaken this capacity expansion. “We were very small few years ago and we have decided to change that.”
French Ambassador to India inaugurated a new manufacturing line which will make X Guard range of truck tyres. The company on Tuesday announced that it has also signed up an agreement to supply X Guard range of tyres to Ashok Leyland, India’s second largest truck maker.