ONTARIO, Calif.—Ceat Ltd., the No. 3 tire maker in India and No. 23 worldwide, is launching a range of radial truck/bus tires for the North American market, starting with iterations tailored for regional and urban applications.
The products being launched for North America have undergone testing with independent agencies in the U.S. "to ensure excellent performance and durability for American trucking professionals," according to Vishal Pawar, senior vice president, Global Sales & Supply Chain.
The launch of a line of truck/bus tires comes seven years after the Mumbai-based company opened a U.S. office in Charlotte, N.C., to handle the launch of Ceat-branded radial agricultural and specialty tires in the U.S. That office has since moved to Fort William, Mo.
Ceat launched the new line at the California Trucking Show in Ontario in early October. At that time, the company introduced its U.S. sales team, headed by Naveen Mendon, general manager – international business, and also comprising Daniel Fields and Marvin Banks, regional managers.
Mendon has been with Ceat for nearly 24 years in various sales and product positions. Fields joined Ceat recently after eight-plus years with Nokian Tyres P.L.C. while Banks brings 13 years of tire industry experience—with Michelin North America and Hankook Tire America Corp.—to his new position with Ceat.
The Ceat truck/bus tire line launch comprises eight lines:
- WinMile S—A steer axle tire designed for regional/long-haul service, offering high traction and durability;
- WinMile D (closed- and open-shoulder designs)—Drive axle tires optimized for traction, stone ejection and extended tire life;
- WinMile T—Trailer-specific tire designed for uniform wear in regional applications;
- WinSuper LHT—Long-haul trailer tire designed for enhanced mileage and retreadability; and
- WinMile AW and D in 19.5- and 17.5-inch rim diameters—All-position tires suitable for urban and regional applications, featuring scrub-resistant sidewalls and optimized tread designs for improved stability.
Ceat did not disclose sizing availability or pricing for the various lines, saying only that it benchmarked the development of the truck/bus tire range against Tier 1 competitors in the North American market.
"Ceat's entry into the USA TBR market marks an important milestone for us," Pawar said. "We are excited to introduce our range of products developed keeping in mind customer centricity by leveraging our global expertise and local market insights."
The company is pitching potential U.S. customers by stressing Ceat's "world-class" manufacturing and product quality and the experience of its North American sales team.
Business is being conducted initially via container-load orders only, although Ceat said it is evaluating the need and opportunity for U.S. warehousing.
Ceat is offering a limited treadwear warranty on the new products that offers free replacement for failures within the first 12 months of the tire's life (from the date of manufacture) or within the first 60 percent of usable tread depth, along with a $60 or $70 casing warranty covering manufacturing defects within the first five years of life.
Based on fiscal 2023 sales revenue of $1.42 billion, Ceat is considered the world's No. 23 tire maker. The company derives 19% of its annual sales/ revenue from exports—or roughly $270 million—but the company does not provide a breakdown by region.
Ceat is the latest Indian tire maker to bring truck/bus tires to North America.
Others include:
- Apollo Tyres Ltd., which expanded its North American portfolio in 2021 to inclue a range of Apollo-branded truck/bus tires in the U.S. and Canada after several years of testing its products throughout the continent.
- JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., which broadened its portfolio for the U.S. market in 2021 with radial truck tires with the launch of a range of Jetway and Jetsteel products.
- Ralson India Ltd., which launched its Ralson and Accelus brand truck/bus tires in the first quarter of 2023.
With these entries, India has grown into the sixth largest source of imported truck/bus tires, according to Census Bureau data. Imports from India are on track to exceed 650,000 units this year.
