Monday Dec 23, 2024
Thursday, 8 August 2024 00:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Representatives of CEAT and Abans Auto led by CEAT Kelani Chief Operating Officer Shamal Gunawardene and Abans Auto Strategy and Business Development Director Amanda Gooneratne (fourth and fifth from left respectively) at the Hyundai Grand i10 showroom
CEAT has been chosen as the original equipment tyre for the 2024 Hyundai Grand i10 assembled, sold, and serviced in Sri Lanka by Abans Auto, clinching another OEM partnership for the country’s highest-selling tyre brand.
The partnership, which brings together two significant players in domestic value addition and a leading global automobile brand, paves the way for German-engineered 15-inch CEAT radials tyres to be fitted on to Hyundai Grand i10 hatchbacks assembled at the Abans Auto plant in Seeduwa.
The tyres, designed and tested by German engineers at CEAT’s own Research and Development Centre in Frankfurt, Germany, meet the stringent original equipment manufacturer (OEM) performance criteria for the Hyundai Grand i10, and will not only enhance the vehicle’s looks but also ensure superior safety and performance, the company said.
CEAT is also the only locally-manufactured tyre brand to be IATF 16949:2016 certified by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) for compliance with the international standard for automotive quality management systems.
“We welcome Hyundai and Abans Auto to our growing list of OE customers in Sri Lanka,” CEAT Kelani Chief Operating Officer Shamal Gunawardene said. “As the largest manufacturer of tyres in the country, reducing dependency on imports is a key objective of CEAT, and our numerous partnerships with local vehicle assemblers is enhancing value addition and helping conserve foreign exchange, thereby supporting national priorities as well.”
Abans Auto Ltd. Strategy and Business Development Director Amanda Gooneratne said: “The Sri Lankan assembled Hyundai Grand i10 represents the pinnacle of Sri Lanka’s automobile assembly industry, showcasing the country’s growing capabilities in assembly and component manufacturing. Sri Lankan consumers now have access to high-quality, reliable, and globally-recognised vehicles from Hyundai, the world’s third-largest automotive brand. It is appropriate that these vehicles are fitted with CEAT car radials, which are world-class tyres that have been designed and engineered specifically for local roads.”