MRF or MRF Tyres, is an Indian multinational tyre manufacturing company and the largest manufacturer of tyres in India. It is headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.[2] The word MRF comes from the company's initial days when it was called as Madras Rubber Factory. The company manufactures rubber products including tyres, treads, tubes and conveyor belts, paints and toys.[3] MRF also runs the MRF Pace Foundation, Chennai and MIDD – MRF Institute of Driver Development in Chennai. MRF Limited has emerged as the world's second-strongest tyre maker, with a AAA− brand grade.[4]
History
MRF was started by K. M. Mammen Mappillai as a toy balloon manufacturing unit in 1946 at Tiruvottiyur, Madras (now Chennai). In 1952, the company ventured into the manufacture of tread rubber.[2] Madras Rubber Factory limited was incorporated as a private company in November 1960 and ventured into manufacture of tyres in partnership with Mansfield Tire & Rubber company based in Ohio, United States.[5] The company went public on 1 April 1961 and an office was established in Beirut, Lebanon to develop the export market in 1964 and its current logo of the muscleman was born.[5] In 1967, it became the first Indian company to export tyres to USA.[6]
In 1973, MRF started manufacturing Nylon tyres for the first time. The company entered into with a technical know-how collaboration with B. F. Goodrich in 1978.[7] The Mansfield Tire & Rubber Co sold out its share in 1979 and the name of the company was changed to MRF Ltd in the year. The company finalised a technical collaboration agreement with Marangoni TRS SPA, Italy for the manufacture of pre-cured tread rubber for retreading industry. MRF tyres supplied tyres to Maruti 800, India's first modern small car.[5] In 1989, the company collaborated with Hasbro International, the world's largest toy maker and launched Funskool India. Also, they entered into a pact with Vapocure of Australia to manufacture polyurethane paint formulations and with Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli for conveyor and elevator belt manufacture.[7] During the year 2004–05, the product range of the company expanded with Go-kart & rally tyres and tyres for two/three wheelers.
Products
Tyres manufactures various tyres for passenger cars, two–wheelers, trucks, buses, tractors, light commercial vehicles, off–the–road tyres and aero plane tyres,[3] MRF ZVTS[8] and MRF Wanderers for cars and SUVs, MRF Meteor all terrain tyres, MRF Steel Muscle for trucks and buses.[7]
MRF ZLX is the latest one which is well known for its comfort in passenger segment
Conveyor Belting – manufactures its in-house brand of Muscleflex conveyor belts.[7]
Pretreads – MRF has the most advanced pre-cured retreading system in India. MRF forayed into retreading in 1970 and manufactures pretreads for tyres.[7]
Paints - manufactures polyurethane paint formulations and coats used in automotive, decorative and industrial applications.[3]also indigenous Air craft tyres like Su 30 MKI fighter for Indian Air Force.
Funskool India was established in 1987 in collaboration with Hasbro toys, US. Funskool manufactures and markets toys, board games among others. It has a manufacturing facility in Goa, India. The company has manufacturing licenses for toys and games from Disney, Warner Brothers, Rummikub, Dora and Funskool also has partnerships with renowned toy brands Hasbro, Lego, Hornby, Ravensburger, Tomy Toys, LeapFrog, Siku, Jumbo, and New Bright for manufacture and marketing in India.[10]
MRF remained in ERC for 2021 and also joined several other rally championships. Craig Breen, along with Italian Simone Campedelli are set to participate in European Rally Championship. Campedelli, along with eleven-time Italian rally champion Paolo Andreucci and the 2017 ERC Ladies champion Tamara Molinaro will use the tyres while competing in the Italy Gravel rally championship. Emil Lindholm left ERC and instead will focus entirely on testing the tyres on the gravel roads of Finland. After the 2021 Rally di Roma Capitale, Breen was replaced by other Hyundai drivers, Jari Huttunen and Dani Sordo, as well as Nil Solans later on.
MRF entered Norbert Herczig, Simone Campedelli and the 2021 runner-up Efren Llarena for the 2022 campaign, with Llarena taking his first win during 2022 Rallye Azores.
MRF Motocross
MRF promotes a national motocross championship, a form of all-terrain two wheeler racing held on enclosed off-road circuits annually across several cities.[11]
MRF Karting
MRF sponsors major karting championships in India. MRF is the first Indian tyre company to develop FIA approved karting tyres.[11]
MRF won the JD Power Award for the record 11th time in 2014.[22] The company has won several awards and accolades including the All India Rubber Industries Association's (AIRIA) award for 'Highest Export Awards (Auto Tyre Sector)', 'Top Export Award' from Chemicals & Allied Products Export Promotion Council (CAPEXIL) for 2009–10. In 2014, MRF was ranked 48th among India's most trusted brands according to the Brand Trust Report, a study conducted by Trust Research Advisory.[23]
Anti competition practices
In April 2022, the Competition Commission of India raided the headquarters of MRF along with other tyre companies like Apollo Tyres, CEAT and Continental Tyre at multiple locations. Earlier in February the anti trust watch dog had released a statement about fining these tyre companies a total of Rs 1788 crores (of which MRF fined Rs 622.09 cr.) for sharing price sensitive information among themselves to manage their cartelization of tyre prices for supplies to the public transport corporation of Haryana state. Earlier the All India Tyre Dealers Federation had complained to the Ministry of corporate affairs about this cartelization of these companies to increase the tyre prices. The ministry had then referred the case to the CCI.[24]
₹23,261.20 crore (US$2.9 billion) (2023)[1]
