JK Tyres hopes to complete capacity expansion at Chennai plant by mid-2015.

JK Tyre is expecting its Rs. 1,430 crore expansion plan near Chennai is expected to be completed by mid-2015. Post the expansion company would have more than doubled its capacities of truck/bus radials and passenger radials in last three years.

Raghupati Singhania, chairman and managing director, JK Tyre & Industries told Business Standard that after completion of the expansion at Chennai, company’s passenger car radial (PCR) capacity will go up from 76 lakh tyres to 98 lakh tyres per annum, and truck and bus radial tyre (TBR) capacity will go up to 2.26 million from 1.46 million tyres per annum.

First phase of Chennai project, which was setting up a Green Site All Radial Plant at an outlay of Rs. 1,100 crore, was completed in early 2012. Subsequently, company's board approved expansion of the Chennai unit at an outlay of Rs. 1,430 crore.

Singhania said that the Chennai facility is a dedicated radial facility for truck bus radials and passenger radials car tyres. The plant will also contribute towards exports, he added.

JK Tyre currently has a domestic capacity of nearly 14 million tyres per annum from its six plants in India and 6.5 million tyres in Mexico, making a total of 20 million tyres per annum. The company's overall capacity will go upto 25 million tyres in the next few months.


BS