Dunlop Launches New Tyre Product

• Dunlop Launches New Tyre Product

Sumitomo Rubber South Africa Limited, manufacturers of Dunlop tyres, has introduced a new product, the Dunlop High Performance Sport SP FM800 tyre, for the Nigerian market.

The new product was unveiled at the dealers’ meeting of the company in Lagos, according to a statement made available on Thursday by Sumitomo.

It added that the product launch was made possible in partnership with Tyre Express Nigeria Limited.

It said about 50 dealers were hosted at the launch, which was also attended by the Chairman of Tyre Express Nigeria, Jaber Abbas; the Director, Mr. Govind Ram; and the Executive Director of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Mr Yutaka Kuroda.

The event was also witnessed by a number of special guests including Prince Olusegun Aderemi.

The Chief Executive Officer, Sumitomo Rubber South Africa Limited, Riaz Haffejee, said he was excited about the prospects of the growth of Dunlop and Sumitomo tyre brands in Africa.

“Nigeria’s market for tyres is approximately four million a year and the country is a key market in terms of our African strategy, which sees us focusing on countries with great growth potential and expanding markets,” he said.

The statement recalled that the Dunlop brand with its retail presence was relaunched in Nigeria two years ago.

It quoted Haffejee as saying that with the launch of the FM800 tyre coinciding with International Nelson Mandela Day, it would remind the people the impact Mandela had on the world.

“For us as Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, the famous quote attributed to Mandela ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done’ – was so apt for our relaunch of Dunlop in Nigeria and we are very proud of the progress made since then,” he said.

Haffejee also said, “We have confidence in our distributors, Tyre Express Nigeria, a subsidiary of the DWA, which operates in a number of countries in West Africa, to leverage these advantages. It is an ideal partnership in that the company caters to all segments of this market.