MUMBAI, India—Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. has assigned exclusive distribution rights to its Pirelli-brand motorcycle tires in India to Indian tire maker Ceat Ltd.
This partnership will leverage Ceat's “vast distribution and dealer network” throughout India, the companies said. This move coincides with a marked rise in recent years in demand for premium motorcycles in India, Pirelli said, without disclosing the length of the contract or sales expectations.
Pirelli Tyre Senior Vice President Uberto Thun cited Ceat's “vast experience of selling tires in the market and their vast network” as reasons that make Ceat the “perfect partner to distribute and activate our products in the market.
“India has huge potential in premium and super sport motorcycle segment and we feel we can grow very fast with our premium products,” Thun said.
Ceat Managing Director Anant Goenka said, “We at Ceat have always believed in offering world-class products to our consumers, and Pirelli's range of premium tires for specialized high end motorcycles is another step in that direction.”
Ceat is considered the flagship company of RPG Enterprises. Ceat was the 29th largest tire maker in th world in 2014 with sales of $953.9 million, according to Rubber & Plastics News' annual Top 75 Tire Makers' rankings. Ceat is active in a wide range of tire categories, including heavy-duty trucks and buses, light commercial vehicles, earthmovers, forklifts, tractors, trailers, cars, etc.