Ceat is sharpening its international strategy by developing tires tailored to the needs of different global markets as it works to expand its presence in Europe and the United States.
RPG Group Vice Chairman Anant Goenka said the company aims to establish itself as a global brand and expects exports, which currently contribute about 20% of revenues, to rise over the next few years.
Goenka said the push for international growth reflects a broader need for the Indian industry to invest more aggressively in brand building and global expansion. Ceat is now designing tires based on market-specific requirements.
“What is the customer need in Italy, what is the customer need in Spain? We are developing an entire range of tires for that specific market. It could be for the wine-growing region, it could be for certain weather conditions,” he said.
The company is testing tires in the Nordic region, in Germany, and across varied terrain and climate zones. Goenka noted that road and weather conditions differ sharply across markets.
Middle Eastern roads are largely straight, European roads have more curved routes, and the United States also has long straight stretches. “You have to develop tires, keeping all this in mind,” he said.
Goenka added that Ceat is optimistic about demand across segments. Around 60% of its sales come from the replacement market, 20% from exports, and 20–25% from OEMs. Capacity constraints, he said, indicate broad-based strength.
The domestic tire sector also appears favorable, supported by stable raw material prices. “Rubber is at about Rs 185 per kg today. Crude has been at $60 per barrel. That’s the key raw material basket that we have. So the outlook is positive from both the demand and margin side,” he said.
Goenka added that Ceat is consolidating the Camso acquisition to turn it into a strategic asset through higher capacity utilization and effective brand positioning. Ceat acquired Michelin’s Camso brand for about $225 million.
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