MOST LOVED BRANDS
LMD READERS’ CHOICE
PROFILE
CEAT
Q: From its early beginnings to becoming one of Sri Lanka’s most loved tyre brands, what factors have shaped CEAT’s growth journey?
Ravi Dadlani (RD): Our journey to becoming Sri Lanka’s highest selling tyre brand – with over 1.2 million tyres sold annually – has been shaped by a blend of heritage, local insight and reach.
A primary factor is our customer first approach, which is backed by a 100 year Italian heritage and a strategic collaboration with our R&D centre in Frankfurt, Germany. This
allows us to bring global innovation to Sri Lankan roads.
Having operated in the country for over 30 years, we understand local roads better than anyone else, and we combine that deep-rooted insight with German engineering expertise and international standards to deliver products
specifically engineered for local conditions.
Our growth has also been defined by accessibility. With a presence spanning more than 110 countries, we have successfully scaled our local operations through a network of over 550 dealer partners. This gives us the widest distribution reach in the country and recognition as Sri Lanka’s most loved tyre brand by LMD for the second consecutive year.
Managing Director
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Q: How has CEAT evolved over the past 12 months and what key strengths have contributed to its growth? What opportunities do you see in the market for further expansion, and how does the company plan to enhance its market share and growth potential?
Shamal Gunawardene (SG): Over the past year, CEAT Kelani has strengthened its foundation for long-term growth with a Rs. 4.5 billion investment planned over the next 18 months to further enhance product quality, manufacturing technology and performance.
Growth has been driven by the expansion of our premium portfolio including the CEAT Europe range for cars and SUVs, and an upmarket motorcycle tyre range. In the commercial segment, the LOAD MAX Pro range has further consolidated our position in Sri Lanka’s transport sector.
Our focus remains on deepening dealer partnerships and broadening our network of premium outlets through the ‘shop in shop’ concept to elevate the tyre replacement experience. Meanwhile, digital transformation remains a priority – streamlining efficiency, enabling better decision making and improving customer experience.
Q: In a crowded market, how does your brand differentiate itself beyond price and product?
RD: We follow an ‘outside in’ approach to product development, understanding customer needs directly from the market and feeding those insights into our innovation process. This ensures our products are truly designed for Sri Lankan roads.
Customers also need to see that we are present in the market, which builds trust in both the product and organisation. They choose our tyres knowing the brand is established locally, not one that comes and goes.
By combining global R&D capabilities with local market understanding, we deliver performance tailored to Sri Lankan conditions, supported by continuous improvements in tread design, construction and technology.
This is further reinforced by our quality standards. We are the only tyre manufacturer in Sri Lanka with International Automotive Task Force (IATF) 16949:2016 certification, enabling us to supply original equipment tyres to new vehicles meeting rigorous standards of global automotive brands.
Q: What does customer loyalty mean to your organisation, particularly when purchasing power is under pressure?
SG: In times of constrained purchasing power, loyalty is built on superior value – balancing performance, durability and total cost of ownership rather than merely upfront price. Customers stay with brands they trust for consistent quality that reduces replacement frequency and unexpected costs.
We focus on educating customers on life cycle value. In the commercial segment, this includes mileage, cost for every kilometre, the loadable factor, fuel efficiency and reliability. In the passenger segment it centres on control, comfort and safety over the tyre’s life.
Strong dealer and corporate partnerships, supported by targeted trade promotions, help maintain affordability and access. At the same time, we are deepening our network through a more relationship driven approach and a robust dealer loyalty programme.
Q: Public opinion reflects consumer trust. How has your brand earned and sustained this trust over time?
RD: We are guided by a clear purpose – Making Mobility Safer & Smarter. Every Day – which shapes everything for us from product development to customer service, helping us consistently deliver on our promises and earn recognition as one of the country’s most loved and awarded brands.
At the core of this is consistent product quality and service, underpinned by strong governance and regulatory compliance, reinforcing confidence among stakeholders including public institutions and the tri-forces. Our financial strength – reflected in an AA+ (LKA) stable rating for four consecutive years – further
assures financial stability.
Beyond business, we strengthen this trust through CEAT Cares, promoting road safety among schoolchildren and supporting education in rubber growing communities, reflecting our commitment to inclusive and sustainable growth.
Q: How important is storytelling in brand building and how effectively has your
organisation leveraged this in its strategy?
SG: Storytelling plays a critical role in building a memorable and differentiated brand especially in low engagement categories with long purchase cycles. In such markets, the challenge is to remain emotionally relevant throughout the ownership journey.
Recognising that vehicles are closely tied to personal experiences, we positioned our brand around safety, comfort and confidence – the essential role tyres play as the only point of contact with the road.
This shaped our core idea, ‘the road is yours,’ which is built around empowering consumers to enjoy every journey with confidence. We strengthened this positioning through our ‘engineered in Germany’ proposition, leveraging the credibility of our R&D centre in Germany.
Telephone: 7780380
Email: info@ceatsrilanka.com
Website: www.ceatsrilanka.com
