Ceat Ltd. has plans for a capital expenditure of INR 800 crore for FY23 towards expanding its greenfield plant at Kancheepuram, debottlenecking its plants and for renewable energy, according to a report. 

Anant Goenka, Managing Director, Ceat, was quoted as saying in a recent Hindu report, “For FY22, we had set aside a capex of INR 1,000 crore, but we had pruned it to INR 800 crore. This fiscal, we have spent almost INR 700 crore. For the next fiscal, we are setting aside the same amount for expansion and debottlenecking, among others. In the subsequent years, capex will come down, as we would have completed all the expansion work.”  

Out of the earmarked sum for FY23, INR 150 crore is meant for phase-II expansion work of the first green field plant at Kancheepuram, INR 150 crore for debottlenecking the Halol plant, INR 150 crore for IT infrastructure, INR 50 crore for renewable energy and the balance for other expenses.  

Goenka said, “We have invested about INR 2,000 crore in the Kancheepuram plant. It has installed capacity to produce 20,000 car tyres per day and plans are on to increase it to 30,000 tyres per day. It calls for an
additional investment of INR 150 crore. Currently, the plant is producing about 12,000-13,000 tyres per day. We hope to increase the production capacity 60 percent to 80 percent in three-four months. Thereafter, we will commence the phase-II work and it will be completed in 20 months.” (TT)  

A delegation from WESTLAKE MARKETING (MALAYSIA) SDN. BHD. recently visited ZC Rubber’s headquarters at Hangzhou. The visit provided a chance to deepen the understanding of ZC Rubber's operations, technology and future direction while also strengthening the collaboration.

The visitors were given a tour of ZC Rubber's 5G Future Factory to demonstrate how technologies such as automation, real-time monitoring and smart logistics are integrated into daily operations to improve efficiency, product consistency and sustainability. During their tour of the ZC Rubber Showroom, the visitors learned about the company's whole product line, technological advancements, brand history and global expansion, demonstrating the company’s dedication to performance, safety and innovation. The guests also learned more about ZC Rubber's sustainability development and corporate social responsibility initiatives. In order to strengthen market cooperation, align growth goals and investigate new prospects for the Malaysian market, ZC Rubber organised a strategy conference following the tours.

Justin Cui, Asia Sales Director, said, “Malaysia is one of our key strategic markets in Southeast Asia. We highly value our partnership with WESTLAKE MARKETING (MALAYSIA) and look forward to working even more closely to deliver high-quality products and strong support to our local customers.”

The N Vision intelligent tyre from Maxxis has strengthened its resolve for innovation and sustainability by winning the gold A’ (A-Prime) Design award. The tyre was recognised in the Vehicle Parts, Auto Accessories and Care Products design category.

N Vision, which was created for the autonomous vehicles that are expected to be commercially available in 2030, makes use of information from several sensors to forecast tyre condition, vehicle load, speed and road conditions. By modifying the spokes' stretch and bending in response to such circumstances, it gives the tread area the best possible pre-compression or pre-tension. In the end, this lowers the cost of travel per mile. In order to maximise sustainability, N Vision was built using recycled materials made from fishing nets, tyres and PET bottles, as well as bio-based components made from rice husks and sunflower seeds. Tyre scrapping is decreased by its environmentally friendly design and materials, which also give customers an inexpensive, renewable travel choice.

A jury composed of 316 top designers, scholars and prominent members of the press selected the winners of the international A' Design Award competition, which recognises excellence in design in a wide range of fields, including transportation, hospitality, furniture, beauty and much more.

The Victra Sport 6 and HP6 tyres from Maxxis have won the Red Dot Product Design Award for 2025 in the Vehicle Accessories category.

The Maxxis Premitra HP6 features improved rolling resistance, effective braking, a smooth ride, improved mileage for longer travel and accurate handling in wet situations. Designed for sport and luxury automobiles, the Maxxis Victra Sport 6 is an ultra-high-performance tyre that works well with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. It offers outstanding handling and performs quite well at sporty, faster driving. Both the tyres are available in Europe.

Red Dot Award winners are selected by a panel of 40 worldwide professionals who test, analyse and assess each entry in one of the biggest design contests in the world. The categories for awards include Design Concept, Brand Communication and Product Design. Winners will receive the Red Dot trophies during a banquet in Essen, Germany, on 8 July.

Continental's SportContact 7 tyre has emerged the test winner in this year's Auto Bild sportscar summer tyre test (issue 6/25) with an overall grade of 1.2 (exemplary).

Seven tyre models in the sizes VA 245/35 R 20 and HA 295/30 R 20 from European, Asian and American manufacturers were tested by the editors. The Lotus Emira served as the test car. The SportContact 7 scored top marks in wet handling, cornering, braking and aquaplaning. It had a 43.7-metre braking distance from 100 kmph on wet asphalt, which put it four metres ahead of the second-place tyre and eleven meters ahead of the last-place tyre. It clinched an intermediate score of 1- for the wet tests, which puts it far ahead of its rivals in the test field. After 31.2 metres at 100 kmph in the dry testing, the tyre came to a complete stop. Overall, the tyre received an intermediate 1- throughout the five dry categories.

The SportContact 7 is specifically made for high-performance sports cars that may be powered by electricity or conventional power. Several automakers have authorised it, and it comes in sizes ranging from 18 to 24 inches. Continental concentrated on achieving excellence in every performance criterion throughout development in order to maximise driving enjoyment and safety.

Andreas Schlenke, tyre expert at Continental, said, "The SportContact 7 took first place in the AUTO BILD sportscar test in both wet and dry conditions. This once again proves its leading position in the sports and UHP tyre segment.”

The final verdict from the tyre testers read: "Conti's sport tyre sets the standard for braking on dry and wet roads and offers a big plus in driving safety. Stable, well-balanced handling on dry roads.”