The second phase expansion of GRI’s production facility which began in January 2021 is progressing despite the challenges posed by the current lockdown in Sri Lanka, the company says. The new specialty tire manufacturing plant is being built next to GRI’s current facility with a total investment of USD 100 million.

According to the company, the aim is to enhance GRI’s current production capacity to 750,000 tires per year with a total capacity of 100 tons per day. With the ongoing expansion, the installed machine capacity has increased from 25 tons of tires per day in January to 35 tons per day presently. The plan is to reach a production capacity of 1,000 tons of tires per month by July. All the required machinery for this phase of plant expansion has been commissioned methodically, the company says.

GRI says protecting the environment is always at the forefront for the company, and it is focusing on reducing its carbon footprint, as well as its impact on the environment. Thus, the new facility will expand GRI’s solar panel initiative and generate 2.5 megawatts of solar power.

The company adds that despite the travel restrictions imposed with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, construction work continues on the schedule of the production facility, and progress has been satisfactory.