Market-tailored product lines introduced in US and Canada

April 14, 2021

• Tyre range developed for the demands of North American commercial fleets

• 5 years of in-market study, development, testing and benchmarking ahead of launch

• Phased product rollout to cover 90% of the truck-bus market by 2024

• Business approach explicitly designed to empower dealer customers and deliver industry-leading customer service

Following the launch of its comprehensive passenger vehicle range in the US and Canada, as part of the ambitious North American expansion, Apollo Tyres has now entered the truck-bus tyre segment in US and Canada. While the PV range was launched under the premium European brand, Vredestein, the commercial vehicle range has been introduced under the Apollo brand. Both these launches are preceded by years of in-market research and planning.

Apollo’s North American range of truck-bus tyres will be produced in its state-of-the-art manufacturing units in Hungary and Chennai, India, which boast the capacity and technical expertise needed to ensure a steady supply of tyres to this market. The Apollo truck tyre line-up will encompass a full range of regional, super-regional, coach/urban and mixed-use applications with fitments for rims ranging from 17.5 inches to 24.5 inches. 13 SKUs are planned for this year, which will be expanded to 23 SKUs by 2nd half of 2022, and a total of 45 SKUs covering 90% of the marketplace by 2024.

“Apollo may be a new name in the US and Canada, but we are not a new company. Our market entry in North America is preceded by decades of global commercial vehicle tyre manufacturing and distribution expertise”, said Abhishek Bisht, Assistant Vice President, Americas, Apollo Tyres. “We come to market positioned to make an immediate impact by offering a tier I value proposition at a more attractive price, while setting new industry standards for service and support.”

This launch is the culmination of a 5-year research & development process that provided the insights necessary to deliver not just the right products for the fleets that depend on them, but also to develop a business infrastructure that builds trust and properly serves Apollo’s dealers and their commercial clients. Before the launch, the tyres were put into test fleet service with a US waste-removal/ haulage operation to benchmark against Tier I competition across multiple retread cycles under punishing daily use. The results demonstrated the quality levels and performance consistency of Apollo’s tyres that easily meet or exceed the typical service requirements of the North American fleet customer while delivering outstanding value in terms of total ownership cost across the tyre’s lifespan.

“Our R&D efforts made it clear that a successful North American dealer strategy had to be based on transparency,” said Bisht. “Our commercial dealers are trusted customers and partners, and we will not compete with them by selling directly to fleets. Our focus is on empowering our dealers to deliver best-in-class value, service and support to their commercial clients.

Apollo dealers in North America will have contractually guaranteed exclusive sales territories. A single invoice-pricing structure for the entire dealer network will further level the playing field, with volumes bonuses that reward sales performance.

The company guarantees 72-hour nationwide product delivery to dealers via a network of domestic regional distribution centres, and all dealers are empowered to resolve customer complaints and process adjustments on site. Apollo Tyres’ sophisticated online ecosystem gives dealer teams easy, timely access to sales and training materials, allowing them to easily onboard new employees and stay up-to-date on new products and processes.

All Apollo commercial vehicle tyres are backed by a 72-month workmanship and material warranty, and Apollo is the only commercial vehicle tyre brand to offer a standard, free road-hazard warranty in addition to that.

“This is a thrilling moment in our company’s history that will let us showcase the breadth and depth of our capabilities in one of the largest, most diverse and most demanding commercial markets in the world,” said Abhishek. “We know that we have the people, products and passion to go the distance for our dealers and their clients. Like them, we are in this for the long haul.”