The General Tyre & Rubber Company (GTR) is working with the local auto industry to develop new tyre sizes required by the industry for its new models to be introduced in near future. It is being helped by its technology supplier, Continental AG, of Germany, according to Haroon Zuberi, Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
The auto industry is now setting high standards of quality, cost and delivery and has invested heavily in modern equipment to meet these high standards.
Recently, a team from GTR tested a new tyre in Thailand, with a leading auto assembler, while another team went to Japan for further in-depth consultations with the R&D people of another auto assemb1er for its new tyres.
Passenger car tyres are built around three characteristics: durability, comfort, and economy. In Pakistan, majority of customers want durable tyres at economical price, but another class has emerged that wants comfort rather than durability. In the just concluded financial year, the GTR made a record sale of over 1,500,000 tyres - almost double its sales four years ago.