Goodyear Tyres

Origin and Expansion

Based in Akron, Ohio, Goodyear is one of the oldest and trustworthy tyre manufacturing brands in the world. The American tyre company founded by Frank Seiberling in 1898 finds itself among the top four tyre manufacturers across the globe. The company was christened after Charles Goodyear - the man behind the discovery of rubber vulcanization. In the initial years, the brand tyre shot to fame as they were easily detachable from the vehicle.

In India, the company dates back to 1922 and in the year 1961, the name was changed to Goodyear India Ltd., from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (India). Headquartered in New Delhi, Goodyear in India has been one of the fastest-growing companies commanding about 3 per cent of the total market share. The company currently manufactures and supplies tyres for different segments including passenger, performance and SUV. The brand is continuously expanding its footprints in the Indian market.

Globally, besides manufacturing tyres for passengers and commercial segments, the company also offers a wide range of products for motorcycles, aeroplanes, earth-moving machinery and farm equipment. Before quitting the Formula One space in 1998, it has been one of the dominant tyre names for a long time with numerous titles in its pocket. The brand is not only the sole supplier of NASCAR stock car racing but also the longest sponsor of the sport.

In 2005, Goodyear developed the RunOnFlat tyre technology, which was the first of its kind offering about 80kms of travel after a puncture. In 2012, the company discovered that the use of soyabean oil in tyres can extend the tread life by 10 per cent. Goodyear with NASA collectively invented energy-efficient tyres for the moon known as ‘Spring Tyre’ that would not go flat in any conditions.

India is one of the largest investment destinations of the company. With wide acceptance in the Indian market, Goodyear entered into a joint venture with South Asia Tyres Ltd. of CEAT to set up a manufacturing facility at Aurangabad worth Rs. 367 crore. The production capacity of the facility was further expanded by investing Rs 80-crore to produce 1.8 million units annually. In the farm segment of India, Goodyear provides tyres to all the major tractor companies.

R&D Facilities

One of the biggest tyre makers in the world, Goodyear has presently two Technical Centers in Akron, Ohio and the other one in Luxembourg. Both these innovation centres aim to create cutting-edge products and services, setting a benchmark in the field of performance and technology industry. It also established its first R&D centre in China at its Pulandian plant in Liaoning Province.

Achievements

• Goodyear India was awarded the Superbrand status in 2011.
• Time Magazine recognized Goodyear’s Air Maintenance Technology as one of the best inventions of 2012.
• Won Golden Peacock Award for excellence in corporate governance in the rubber sector in the year 2016
• Received the 2016 Secretary of Defence Employer Support Freedom Award given to employers for exceptional support of Guard and Reserve employees
• Tops Forbes Magazine’s 2019 List of America’s Best Employers for New Grads
• Awarded 2019 America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek
• Entered the Forbes Magazine’s list of World’s Best Regarded Companies in 2019
• The Ohio Committee for Employer Support of the National Guard’s Extraordinary Employer Support Award
• Won 2019 International Busplaner Sustainability Award
• Goodyear Chile grabbed the United Nations Global Recognition Award for Good Practices of Employability for Workers with Disabilities
• Consumer Reports’ Top Automobile Chain Service Destination for Consumers in the United States
• Won the most sought after ‘Company of The Year in Environment & Sustainability’ award in 2018
• Tyre & Rubber Industry Leadership Acknowledgement (Trila) awarded Goodyear with ‘SUV tyre of the year for Wrangler AT/SA award in 2018

Passenger Car Tyre

Goodyear offers tyres in every category right from small hatchbacks to premium sedans, racing cars and SUVs. Some of the notable names in the passenger car tyre segment include Goodyear Assurance Duraplus, Goodyear Assurance Triplemax, Goodyear Ducaro, Goodyear DP series, Goodyear Wrangler Series, Goodyear Efficientgrip Series, Goodyear Eagle series, among others. All these tyres come with exceptional grip, superior steering feedback and optimum stability.

Motorcycle and Scooter Tyre

Goodyear is currently evaluating opportunities to enter into the booming two-wheeler segment of the Indian market. However, it does have a presence in the automotive lubricants produced for all kinds of vehicles including two-wheelers and commercial.

Truck Tyre

Although globally, Goodyear offers a range of tyres in the commercial automotive segment, in India, the company is still assessing the market before officially announcing anything in this space.

Manufacturing facilities in India and abroad

Goodyear presently has two plants in India one in Ballabgarh in the Faridabad district of Haryana and the other in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. Goodyear was the first global tyre brand to enter Chinese shores where it invested in a manufacturing facility in 1994. The brand currently manufactures its products in 48 plants in 21 countries across the globe.

Goodyear Sales Network

Goodyear has a huge network of around 2,000 dealers across the country. The company is continuously making efforts to expand its presence and aims to produce quality tyres and ensure its availability across the country.