BADALGAMA, Sri Lanka — Specialty tire producer Global Rubber Industries Pvt. Ltd. (GRI) is planning to bring on stream in January the radial agricultural and construction tire plant it's building in Badalgama, north of Colombo.
The 1.25 million sq.-ft. plant will have a rated capacity of 25 metric tons a day, making it the largest factory in Sri Lanka dedicated to making specialty tires and the first to produce radial agriculture tires, according to GRI.
Employment will be 200 at start-up and 350 at full capacity, the company said.
The tire maker broke ground on the $40 million facility in Badalgama, north of Colombo, in late 2016. The unit is located next to GRI's existing solid industrial tire factory.
All the products made at the new plant will be destined for export, the company said, prompting a stepped-up marketing drive with new directors for Europe and Americas.
GRI recently hired former Camso Inc. executives Kurt Verbrugge as sales director, Europe, and Maury Shnier, sales and marketing director for the Americas.
Mr. Verbrugge most recently was OEM sales director EMEA agriculture for Camso, while Mr. Shnier was executive director, sales & operations for the materials-handling aftermarket division in Canada and the US.
The company, which has sales offices and warehouses in the U.S., France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Australia, expanded its sales efforts in the U.S. about a year ago, buying control of Leffler Industrial Tire & Rubber Track Inc. and Kentucky Industrial Tire Inc.