Indian tyre manufacturer BKT has revealed that it plans to expand its production capacity by more than two-thirds as it looks to double its turnover to $2 billion per year by 2026.
The off-highway specialist told T&FME last week that it will look to expand its black carbon manufacturing capability as well as its range and size of its tyres to open up new opportunities on the global market.
It added that this year, it expects to achieve a production capacity of 360,000 tonnes across its units.
T&FME was in its $500 million production facility of Bhuj week last week, and the focus will now be on doubling the footprint of the plant to help reach its 2026 target of 600,000 tonnes within the next three years.
When the first tyre rolled off the Bhuj production line in 2012, the plant was located on an area of 123 hectares. By the end of 2023, the forecast is to reach a total surface area of 323 hectares, of which 283 have already been acquired.
BKT commented: “More space thus means more possibility to install new machines, to accommodate more test areas, to increase volumes and all that goes with it. A forecast for growth which does not stop and which, on the contrary, is the basis to meet the increase in demand. Just to mention the most recent trends, BKT’s business has increased by 49% compared to the pre-pandemic period, a remarkable peak that bears witness to how the Indian multinational is always ready for new opportunities and challenges
“And again in concrete terms, from the distant 92 MT production per day in 2015, Bhuj ended 2022 with its best result ever, 436 MT daily.”