MRF first Indian company to develop aviation tyres

"MRF is the first Indian tyre manufacturer to have developed aviation tyres. The product is the outcome of our research and development unit at Chennai. The Defence Ministry has approved our product after vigorous tests," K.M. Mammen, chairman, MRF, said.

The new tyre called "Aero Muscle," Mammen said, has undergone rigorous testing under international standards and has received certification from CEMILAC (Center for Military Airworthiness Certification) and RCMA (Regional Center for Military Airworthiness).

"We got the approval for the project about 3 weeks back. Now we are set to enter the stage of production," Koshy Varghese, executive vice president, MRF, said.

According to Varghese, the company is talks with the government for seeking partial funding for the project.

The new project will commence at MRF's Arakkonam plant in Tamil Nadu, Varghese said, adding that a second facility for manufacturing the tyres will also be set up in Medak in Andhra Pradesh.

It will reduce the Defence Ministry's dependence on imports and will help save foreign exchange, he added.

The company will initially supply tyres for Chetak, the military helicopters manufactured by state-run military aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd or HAL, at a competitive rate.

The company is also in talks with the Air Force, the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard and a host of defence services for supply contracts, a company source said.