DECEMBER 20258CEAT TYRES TARGETS GLOBAL GROWTH WITH REGION-SPECIFIC PRODUCTSTATA STEEL PLANS MAJORITY HOLD IN THRIVENI PELLETS TO BOOST SUPPLYCeat Tyres is stepping up its global game as it prepares specialized products for markets across Europe and the United States.RPG Group Vice Chairman Anant Goenka said the company aims to grow its international presence and build itself into a Tata Steel is moving to acquire a 50.01% stake in Thriveni Pellets, marking a major shift in its raw material strategy.People familiar with the matter confirmed the development but did not share the deal value. The move strengthens Tata Steel's supply chain as iron ore pellets remain essential for blast furnace operations alongside coking coal.strong global brand. Exports already make up about 20 percent of Ceat's revenue, and the company expects that share to rise in the coming years.Goenka said the team is working on tyres tailored to the needs of each market. "What is the customer need in Italy, what is the customer need in Spain, we are developing an entire range of tyres for that specific market. It could be for the wine growing region, it could be for certain weather conditions in those countries," he said. The company is also testing its products in the Nordic region, Germany, and other areas to match varied road and weather demands.Regional behavior plays a major role in design. Goenka noted that roads in the Middle East and the U.S. tend to be straight, while Europe has more curves and shifting conditions. These differences are shaping the company's engineering approach.Demand levels remain strong across segments. "We are finding ourselves short on capacity. We sell about 60 percent in the replacement market, 20 percent internationally, and 20-25 percent to OEMs," Goenka said. Stable raw material prices are also helping the outlook, with rubber holding near Rs 185 per kg and crude around USD 60 per barrel.As Ceat Tyres moves forward, the company is focused on strengthening its Camso acquisition, valued at USD 225 million, and using the brand's premium positioning to its advantage. Thriveni Pellets operates through its fully owned unit, Brahmani River Pellets, which runs a 4-million-tonne pellet plant in Jajpur, Odisha.The plant sits close to Tata Steel's Kalinganagar facility and Neelachal Ispat Nigam, a company Tata bought a few years ago. Once the acquisition closes, Thriveni Pellets will turn into a joint venture between Tata Steel and Lloyds Metals & Energy, which recently acquired a 49.99% stake from Adler Industrial Services.Brahmani River Pellets is one of India's largest merchant pellet producers. It also owns a 4.7-million-tonne beneficiation plant in Barbil, linked to the Jajpur unit through a slurry pipeline, creating an efficient material flow. The company began commercial output in 2023 and is well-positioned in Odisha, a state that contributes over half of India's iron ore production.This isn't Tata Steel's first attempt to secure the asset. In 2016, it signed an agreement to buy Brahmani River Pellets entirely for 900 crore, but the deal fell through the next year over unmet conditions. Tata had planned to integrate the operations with Kalinganagar.For FY24, Brahmani River Pellets reported a profit of 38.67 crore on revenue of 2,473.91 crore, underscoring its growing importance within the Tata Steel supply ecosystem. TOP STORIESTOP STORIESTOP STORIES
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