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- Once On The Verge Of Being Sold For Just One Rupee, Apollo Is Now One Of The Top Tyre Manufacturers In The Country.
New Delhi1 minute ago
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Today, Apollo is the second largest tire company in the country in terms of revenue. According to a report of December 2025, Apollo produces about 3.17 crore tires annually. – file photo
1978, the then Janata Party government of the country took control of the management of Apollo Tires Company, which was in serious financial crisis. The situation of economic crisis was such that by 1978-79, this company, which was started in 1972, had a loss of about Rs 30 crore on a capital of Rs 8 crore.
According to reports, the company did not even have money to pay salaries to its employees. However, the management started a legal battle against government control. Founder Raunak Singh became so troubled with the legal troubles that he advised his son Omkar Kanwar to sell the company to the government for Re 1, so that he could be free from the hassles of debt and legal troubles. However, instead of selling the company, Omkar Kanwar himself took charge and today it is among the top tire manufacturing companies of the country.
Today it is the second largest tire company in the country in terms of revenue. MRF is in first place. According to a report of December 2025, the company produces about 3.17 crore tires annually. Especially in the matter of manufacturing tires for trucks and buses, it is in the leading position. Importantly, about a quarter of the revenue comes from Europe.
Current status: Market cap of more than Rs 25 thousand crores
The company’s revenue in the financial year 2025-26 was around Rs 28,471 crore, which is more than its current market cap of around Rs 25 crore. About 26% of the company’s revenue comes from Europe. Currently it has a total of 6 plants, out of which 5 are in India and one in Hungary.
However, they also had a plant in the Netherlands, the production of which has stopped in June 2026. In 2025, Apollo became the jersey sponsor of the Indian cricket team. This agreement of about two and a half years is worth Rs 579 crore and includes 121 bilateral and 21 ICC cricket matches.
Beginning: Industrialist Raunak Singh laid the foundation along with his colleagues.
Apollo Tires was incorporated as a public limited company on 28 September 1972. Its promoters included industrialists Raunak Singh, Mathew T. Marattukalam and Jacob Thomas. Raunak Singh was a refugee from Punjab, Pakistan after partition. The company’s IPO came in 1975. The first plant started in 1977 in Perambra, Kerala.
New steps: Plan to increase passenger car tire capacity in Hungary
The company is expanding capacity to manufacture passenger car tires in Hungary, production of which is expected to begin in the second half of this financial year. New capacity in India will start coming by the end of financial year 2026-27. The second super-premium outlet is opened in Jaipur in July 2026. The company has set a target of net zero carbon by 2050.
Lesson… Instead of running in every direction in a crisis, it is important to focus on the strong side and win the trust of the people.
this kind of return
bet on truck tires
Despite the losses, Omkar Kanwar set a big target and focused on truck tyres. By 1986, Apollo’s truck tire ‘Hercules’ had become number one in the market. This gave the company a way out of the period of losses.
Plants started at different places
Kanwar started new plants to deal with the unions. Established a third plant in Limda, Gujarat in 1991 and a third plant in Kochi in 1995 with the acquisition of Premier Tyres.
end of controversy
Omkar Kanwar’s thinking won in the father-son dispute. Instead of becoming a conglomerate with many businesses, the company remained focused on Apollo Tyres.
production at cheaper places
The production of truck-bus radial tires manufactured in the Netherlands is being shifted to Indian plants. Expansion is also taking place in Hungary.
Company facing these challenges
Initial loss, production crisis
As soon as the plant started, the company got stuck in losses. When Omkar Kanwar took over in 1979, the company had lost more than its entire net worth in just two years and was facing serious production problems.
strikes and lockouts
The entire production of Apollo then rested at the Perambra plant. The conflict between management and union led to many strikes in the 80s. The lockout lasted from December 1989 to 15 January 1990.
father-son dispute
In the 90s, there was an open dispute between Raunak Singh and son Omkar Kanwar regarding control. Raunak Singh made many serious allegations.
High costs, weak demand in Europe
Due to high costs and weak demand in Europe, the company had to close the Enschede plant in the Netherlands in June 2026.
Company in figures…
– Company doing business in more than 100 countries.
– There were 17,517 employees in the company in the financial year 2025-26.
Revenue was Rs 7,398 crore in April-June 2026.
– Rs 1,372 crore. The company will be profitable in the financial year 2025-26.
Big rivals: The biggest competition in the country is with MRF. Whereas in Europe, Apollo competes with global giants like Michelin, Continental and Bridgestone.
The name came like this: In some sources it is said to be named after the Greek god Apollo, but this is not authentically recorded anywhere.
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