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Muscular Tyre Company
It was a time when the whole country, with the joy of gaining independence, was looking for a solution to the India-Pakistan partition. A man named K.M. Mammen Mappillai started a manufacturing unit for toy balloons in Madras (now Chennai) in 1946. One of his cousins operated a chain of tyre retreading plants, and foreign companies supplied the tread rubber for that. Mammen Mappillai also decided to venture into the world of tire tread. Soon after his entry, the tread rubber he created was trendy among the market. For the first time, an Indian company was battling with foreign companies in the tread rubber market. With the strength of its quality, the company acquired a large number of shares from the market. But, Mammen Mappillai was not yet satisfied. He wanted to expand the company. Thus, he tried his hand at tyre manufacturing, and the whole world is witnessing what happened next.
After independence, the Indian automobile tyre industry was in such a state that it was dependent on foreign companies like Dunlop, Firestone, and Goodyear. The report of the Tariff Commission in 1956 helped the government understand the seriousness of the situation and the extent to which these foreign companies dominated the tyre industry. The whole game was in the hands of these people. But how to drive an army truck without tyres! They thought if a war-like atmosphere might be created, these foreign companies may leave India. This was it. The government immediately welcomed Indian companies for tyre manufacturing. Mammen Mappillai took advantage of this opportunity, and that's how the MRF empire was born.
The business was still a bit new and risky for the company, so they partnered with a small American company Mansfield Tire & Rubber Company. The company was inaugurated in 1961 by the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. In the same year, the company went public with its IPO, and an office was also opened in 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon, to focus on the export market. The company even became the first Indian company to export tires to the USA. But it so happened that Mansfield's technology did not suit the Indian road. Foreign rival companies started spreading rumors that Indian companies could never make tyres. Eventually frustrated, when MRF company approached the government, they changed their policy, and all the tyre manufacturing brands got an equal opportunity.
For the first time in 1973, the company started manufacturing nylon tires. In 1978, the company also held a technical know-how collaboration with a foreign company, Goodrich. In 1979 when Mansfield sold its shares, its name was changed to MRF (Madras Rubber Factory) Ltd. With the opportunity in the Indian market, they focused on MRF's brand building. They wanted to create a brand image of MRF so that people would be forced to say 'MRF' means the best. Alyque Padamsee, the father of the Indian advertising industry, started soliciting consumer opinion for tyres. He sought the advice of truck drivers. According to truck drivers, the tyres should be durable and should show 'power.' As a result of this report, "MRF Muscle Man" was born in 1964. This 'Muscle Man' was a symbol of the strength of tyres manufactured by MRF. In the 1980s, TV commercial ads used "Muscle Man" with signature music, creating an image of MRF that people began to compare Muscle Man to MRF.
Further, MRF entered into a technical tie-up with Italian company Marangoni to create pre-cured tread rubber for the retreading industry. The tyres for India's first modern car Maruti-800 were made by MRF company. They collaborated with Hasbro International, the world's largest toy-maker, and launched 'FunsKool India' in 1989. The company then partnered with some Australian companies for polyurethane paint formulations and some Italian companies for conveyor-elevator belts. During 2004-2005, through 'Go-kart' and 'Rally Tyres & Tyres,' 2-wheelers and 3-wheeler tyres were added to the company's product range.
Its strong distribution network is also responsible for the success of the MRF brand. Mammen Mappillai was well aware that only through the distribution network made up of dealers would he be able to reach all corners of the country, and the dealers would be the real pillars of MRF. The cherry on the top was that MRF was the perfect suit for the then quality Indian road. When it came to changing the tyres of a vehicle, people started giving priority to MRF.
Partnerships, joint venture collaborations, and tie-up strategies with other significant companies worldwide proved to be very useful for MRF. Through JV (Joint Venture), MRF understood its technical weaknesses. Perhaps, thanks to this strategy, MRF has become India's No. 1 tyre manufacturing company today!
Muscular Awards to MRF: -
Let me tell you something interesting. The MRF also built its first 'Formula 3' racing car in 1997. They also have 'MRF Pace Foundation,' a coaching clinic for training emerging fast bowlers.
To date, MRF has become a brand with a market share of 24% in India and 12% globally. The company exports to more than 65 countries.
An indigenous brand like MRF, which was created from scratch and today is included in the world's top 15 tyre makers, is an inspiration for every Indian citizen.
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