Apollo Tyres has announced the winners of the second season of United We Play, the on-ground grassroots football competition, in association with Manchester United. The grand finale was held in Chennai. The company said the second season saw an overwhelming response with the participation of more than 5000 budding footballing talent from India. Four young footballers – Chennai’s RS Preyarhanjan, Federick Kurbah from Meghalaya, Chandigarh’s Ronald Singh and Kunal Yeole from Pune – emerged as the winners. 

Manchester United Legends Peter Schmeichel, Nemanja Vidic, Mikael Silvestre, Louis Saha, Quinton Fortune, Wes Brown and Ronny Johnsen, were also present during the finale. 

United We Play is a pan-India initiative by Apollo Tyres and Manchester United to support young footballers in India by giving them a platform to showcase their skills with the objective of motivating aspiring footballers to continue playing, by engaging with them, and introducing them to global training methodologies, the release said. 

The second season of United We Play was launched earlier this year with a virtual interaction with Manchester United legend Dimitar Berbatov.  

The four shortlisted players received an opportunity to visit Old Trafford and participate in activities like a matchday experience, training session with Manchester United Soccer School coaches, and interaction with legends.  

The second season was conducted across 19 markets in India, in a hybrid format comprising 10 virtual workshops and Masterclasses across 12 markets, and an on-ground leg across eight places in two phases. As part of United We Play, Indian coaches also underwent a development programme under the Manchester United Soccer School coaches. Later the first round of trials to shortlist the top players from each market has been conducted. The second phase of trials was conducted by Manchester United Soccer School coaches, and the four winners were subsequently shortlisted. 

Victoria Timpson, CEO of Alliances and Partnerships, Manchester United, said, “Manchester United is proud of its longstanding partnership with Apollo and the continuous work they do to encourage football amongst aspiring young players in India. In its second successful year, the United We Play programme has reached more than five thousand players across India, giving them an opportunity to express their skills and love of the game. It is a delight to see so many talented young footballers participate in Apollo’s United We Play programme and on behalf of everyone at Manchester United I congratulate all the finalists and as well as the final four winners.” 

Rajesh Dahiya, Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service (India, SAARC & Oceania), Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “Our grassroots programme for the development of football, is showing some success, as we see good talent emerging from different parts of the country. This season, the selectors have had a tough time choosing the best four out of more than five thousand participants. While the selected ones will have the opportunity to engage with and learn from one of the most iconic clubs in the world, I would also like to compliment the extremely talented kids who couldn’t find a place in the final four.” 

The theme for this edition was ‘Access to Sports’ with the aim of creating access to global standards in player development and engaging the youth via sport even without access to open spaces. (TT)

Apollo Tyres Ltd has secured a one-season shirt-sleeve sponsorship agreement with AS Monaco, one of French football's most successful clubs, to increase awareness for its premium Vredestein brand.

This partnership will leverage Ligue 1's ranking as the fifth most watched football league in the world to raise awareness of Vredestein's award-winning products among a large audience in France and abroad. On November 22, AS Monaco's home league game against Brest will have the new sleeve branding for the first time. The Vredestein brand will be heavily promoted at Stade Louis-II for the 2024–2025 season, including on player sleeves and LED screens around the field. Exclusive social media initiatives will further help make the brand prominent, reaching a large and interested audience.

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President – Commercial, Europe, Apollo Tyres, said, “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to strengthen Vredestein’s presence in one of our key markets. AS Monaco’s rich history and commitment to excellence mirror our focus on performance and innovation. We look forward to building a successful relationship with the club and celebrating its achievements this season.”

Thibaut Chatelard, Marketing and Revenue Director, AS Monaco, said: “We are delighted to welcome Apollo Tyres and its Vredestein brand to the family of AS Monaco partners. This collaboration makes sense in view of the values we share, such as the constant pursuit of performance and excellence. There’s no doubt that this new support will be precious for the rest of our season, which promises to be thrilling.”

Nexen Tire, a leading global tyre manufacturer, has launched the Nexen N´Blue S tyre, adding to its range of summer tyres and providing drivers with advanced safety, energy efficiency and superior driving stability in wet and dry conditions.

Developed using highly dispersed silica and equipped with an optimised structural design, the Nexen N´Blue S tyre provides reduced road noise and improved driving stability. The tyre features an innovative tread compound, formulated with hydrophilic fillers and microstructure-controlled polymers, and provides lower rolling resistance and exceptional dry and wet grip. The tyre also excelled in test results by demonstrating an 11 percent improvement in wet braking distance compared to its predecessor.

Apart from providing excellent performance, the Nexen  N´Blue S also scores high on the sustainability index. The tyre provides an eco-friendly solution for environmentally conscious drivers by minimising fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Nexen N´Blue S summer tyre is available in 58 sizes, which makes it compatible with different types of vehicles.

Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. is all set to expand its investment project in Binh Duong province of Vietnam, with the phase 3 of expansion commencing in early 2025. This was discussed at a recent meeting between Vo Van Minh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC), and Kim Hyun Ho, General Director of Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The meeting was held on 13 November at the Administrative Centre of Binh Duong province, as per an official statement. Apart from the company’s investment till date and the planned investment for phase 3, the two also discussed about the challenges and obstacles regarding procedures and processes to have more land funds to expand the manufacturing plant, along with taking measures to tackle the obstacles. Kim Hyun Ho also conveyed to the PPC Chairman that Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. belongs to South Korea's Kumho Tire Group and is currently ranked 10th in the car tyre manufacturing industry.

The company had invested in a tyre manufacturing plant in My Phuoc 3 Industrial Park in 2007 with a total initial investment of USD 308 million, which was supplemented by another USD 300 million in 2021. This extended the factory scale to six hectares and increased the production capacity to 12.5 million tyres annually. With the expansion in early 2025, the company will raise its total investment to USD 908 million and increase the factory's production capacity to 17 million tyres annually. The expanded capacity is expected to be operational by early 2026.

Yokohama-ATG, a leading manufacturer of all-terrain and off-the-road tyres, has expanded its Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range of forklift tyres with the launch of white, non-marking tyres.

The Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range consists of puncture-proof SDS tyres with extended wear limits designed for high-intensity working shifts and long durability. These are premium, solid rubber tyres developed for tough demands, a long service life and high driving comfort. The addition of white, non-marking tyres is specifically aimed at clean working environments.

Marked by a 3-stage construction process, the forklift tyres feature reduced heat build-up, effective shock absorption and minimised vibrations. The pattern design guarantees a smooth ride and good steerability thanks to its continuous centre lug and circumferential grooves. Furthermore, the flat walls and wide flat profile offer excellent stability when using a forklift for vertical stacking. The tyres are also equipped with anti-slip steel beads for improved rim fitment

In a case study on a CAT 2.5-tonne forklift that was used for handling heavy pallets on asphalt, the Galaxy MFS 101 SDS outshone the competitors with impressive performance. The tyre delivered an approximate 900 working hours before replacement against competitors’ 500 working hours.