Goodyear opens brand store in Chennai

Chennai, Aug 24: Goodyear India Ltd (GIL) today formally entered into tyre retailing, by opening six "shop-in-shop exclusive retail outlets in the city as part of its strategic initiative, aimed at strengthening its presence in the tyre replacement market in the country.

Announcing the launching of "the new format shops", Mr Antonio Capellini, Managing Director said the new outlets would offer customers in the city an unmatched tyre purchase experience and for the first time, the showrooms would offer them, much more than just tyres.

He said the shops, besides tyres of various brands, would offer computerised wheel alignment and balancing, expert advise on tyre maintenance, advise on various tyre options for each car model.

In the next three years, the company would set up 300 international and multi-brand format, exclusive outlets in the country, involving an investment of more than Rs 50 crore.

By the end of this year, the company would set up 50 shop-in-shop format outlets across the country, which would provide a one-stop solution for all car needs, he said.

Mr K Mahesh, Sales and Marketing Director said there was an exiting marketing opportunity as the passenger cars segment was growing rapidly, with more than 40 models launched in the Indian market in last year itself.

"As more international brands are planning to enter the Indian market and there was an increase in radialisation of passenger cars, we expect the car tyre market to grow at 17 per cent," he said adding by 2010, every single car in the country would be on radial tyres.

The passenger radial tyre market was likely to witness a 15 per cent growth per annum in the coming years. Presently, the tyre industry was more cluttered and unorganised and there was a huge potential to upgrade the consumer expectations, he added.

He said the company had tied up with manufacturers of car accessories to provide customers value added services.

Goodyear enjoyed 15 per cent share in Indian tyre replacement market, he added.

UNI