Apollo Tyres on growth trajectory

Apollo Vredestein, the premium European brand of Apollo Tyres, has played a significant part, over the last six years, in the latter’s European growth at 10-11 per cent, twice the segment’s rate.

UK Country Manager Naylor says: “Since my arrival here just over a year ago it’s been easy to see the pace of change within the organisation, the level of ambition and the investments being made to achieve significant growth in the European market. These are the downstream results of Apollo Tyres’ global strategy.”

Vredestein’s presence largely contributes to its parent company’s 2.6-2.7 per cent market share and 8-9 per cent growth in the European aftermarket sector; it will add further impetus now that the premium tyre range has also been chosen as OE fitment to select VW Group passenger vehicles. Naylor adds: “As well as the Hungary factory going live and Vredestein becoming an OE brand, numerous other areas of infrastructure within the business have seen investment for the immediate and long-term future, all of which will have an impact on UK operations where, as much as any other European country, we are challenged with a flat, mature and oversaturated market.”

Having market-leading product quality and performance, being able to manufacture efficiently and deliver tyres to markets at competitive prices, working as business partners with distributors in all sales channels to ensure product accessibility, and establishing compelling marketing arguments about Apollo Vredestein to attract targeted consumers are all, according to Naylor, “a significant but attainable challenge, with the necessary investments being available, and the right strategic approach at all levels – global, European and country.”