Production at the Apollo Tyres’ Kalamassery unit has been suspended following a fire that broke out at its Banbury unit Sunday night.
Various raw materials for tyre manufacture are mixed together in the Banbury unit, which caught fire.
The fire that began at 10.30 pm on Sunday was brought under control by the Fire and Rescue personnel after one-and-a-half hours by engaging over a dozen fire tenders.
The fire was noticed on the first floor of the mixer unit during the shift change. No one was injured.
Meanwhile, the company in a statement issued here said that alternative arrangements have been made for sourcing the mixed compound and normal production is expected to be resumed in the next few days.
While the cause of the fire is being ascertained, there would not be a loss to the company as it is covered under insurance.
The daily capacity of the plant, which manufactures agricultural and industrial tyres, truck and bus tyres is 100 tonnes.
The Kalamassery unit, which was originally Premier Tyres, was acquired by Apollo in 1995. The company has another production unit at Perambra near Chalakkudy in Thrissur district.
It may be recalled that the company chairman Onkar S. Kanwar during his visit to Kochi last month had pointed out that that they had plans to invest Rs 300 crore in the Kalamassery unit in the next two years to make it an export unit for industrial tyres for Europe and American markets.