Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. : Sumitomo Rubber Industries to Acquire Tire Company in South Africa

Sumitomo Rubber Industries Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce that, as part of our global expansion strategy, we have made the decision to partner with Apollo Tyres (India; hereafter, "Apollo") in relation to its South African operations, Apollo Tyres South Africa (hereafter ATSA). This will involve Sumitomo taking over the following business operations in order to supply tires to growing markets in Africa, where we can anticipate even greater market expansion in the near future.

Established in 2006 with the acquisition by Apollo of the former Dunlop Tyres International, ATSA holds the sales rights for the Dunlop brand in a total of 32 countries in Africa and on the Indian Ocean and boasts strong brand recognition as well as one of the largest market shares in South Africa, especially for the Dunlop brand. 
At the same time, the Sumitomo Rubber Group owns the trademark for the Dunlop Brand in 20 different countries in Africa and is currently engaged in the export of products produced in regions outside of Africa for sale in African markets.

With the acquisition of these business operations, the Sumitomo Rubber Group will secure the rights to use the Dunlop brand throughout the entire African continent, come into possession of a manufacturing base in South Africa, greatly increase the scale of our tire sales business in Africa and thereby accelerate the pace of our global expansion and development.
Sumitomo Rubber Group will operate the Ladysmith plant as our main production base in South Africa later this year on receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals (expected to be September 2013), with a planned production capacity of 12,000 automobile and light-truck tires per day by 2016.