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PROFILE
DSI TYRES
Kavinda Rajapaksa
Managing Director
Q: DSI Tyres has built a strong reputation in Sri Lanka’s mobility sector. How is the brand positioning itself to meet evolving market demands, particularly through innovation and digital transformation?
A: DSI Tyres has grown with Sri Lanka’s mobility journey for decades. Our strength has always been built on quality, reliability, local manufacturing expertise and a strong understanding of Sri Lanka’s road conditions.
As the market evolves, we are also evolving. Today, our focus is not only to manufacture trusted tyres but provide better mobility solutions through product innovation, dealer strength, export growth and digital transformation.
A key example is our e-commerce platform – dsityreshop.com – which has improved customer access, convenience and flexibility. The platform alone has won six awards so far including being recognised as Online Brand of the Year (bronze), making it one of the key achievements in our digital journey.
In addition, we continue to invest in customer centric technologies, digital marketing innovation and data driven strategies to better understand consumer behaviour, improve service standards and strengthen our connection with customers across Sri Lanka.
Q: Looking back at DSI Tyres’ journey, how would you describe the brand’s progression and growth potential moving forward?
A: DSI Tyres has had a strong and consistent brand journey. Over the years, the success of our brand has been reflected across multiple award platforms with over 20 awards won across SLIM Brand Excellence Awards, SLIM Digis, Dragons of Asia and Effie Awards. For us, these awards are not mere recognitions. They reflect the trust, relevance and strength the brand has built with consumers over time.
We have also received strong recognition in the export segment, winning more than 25 export awards across the Presidential Export Awards (PEA), National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) Export Awards and National Business Excellence Awards (NBEA), which further highlights the quality of our products and our ability to compete beyond Sri Lanka.
Moving forward, our growth will come from strengthening local market leadership while expanding through innovation, digital platforms, dealer development and export opportunities.
Q: During periods of financial strain, consumers tend to prioritise value. How do you balance affordability with maintaining a strong brand identity?
A: In challenging times, customers naturally look for affordability. But with tyres, they cannot compromise on safety, durability and reliability. For us, value is not simply about offering the lowest price; it is giving customers a product they can trust.
We support this through efficient manufacturing, strong distribution and products designed for Sri Lanka’s road conditions. At the same time, dsityreshop.com gives customers greater flexibility through online purchasing and ‘buy now, pay later’ options.
This helps customers access trusted DSI Tyres quality with more convenience and financial flexibility while we continue to protect the brand’s core promise of reliability and trust.
Q: Consumer expectations continue to evolve rapidly. How does your brand stay relevant while remaining true to its core identity?
A: The core of DSI Tyres has not changed. Quality, durability, reliability and value remain at the heart of the brand.
What has changed is the way customers engage with brands. Today, they expect convenience, information, transparency, flexible payment options and stronger service. We are responding through better dealer support, clearer product communication, digital engagement and our e-commerce platform.
Our focus is to remain meaningful to customers, different through our local manufacturing strength and market understanding, and visible across the touchpoints where customers make decisions.
We also continuously monitor changing customer lifestyles and purchasing trends to ensure our products, services and communication remain modern, relevant and accessible.
Q: How important is storytelling in building a strong and memorable brand, and how has DSI Tyres approached this?
A: Storytelling is important because strong brands are remembered not only for what they sell but what they stand for.
For DSI Tyres, the story is real. It is a Sri Lankan brand story built through decades of trust, local manufacturing strength, export quality, dealer relationships and millions of journeys on Sri Lankan roads.
Our campaigns and customer engagement continue to bring this story forward in a consistent way. The recognition we have received across different award platforms further strengthens this journey but the real measure of our brand is the trust customers continue to place in DSI Tyres year after year.
Q: How does your organisation ensure a seamless and unified experience across all customer touchpoints?
A: For us, a seamless experience means customers should feel the same DSI Tyres promise wherever they meet the brand – through a dealer, retail outlet, campaign, customer service channel or digital platform.
Our dealer network remains one of our greatest strengths in delivering islandwide access and on the ground service. At the same time, digital platforms help us improve convenience through product information, online ordering, delivery options, dealer pickup and flexible payment solutions.
By connecting our physical and digital touchpoints, we aim to deliver a consistent customer experience built around reliability, value and trust.
