t was registered as a private limited company in 1959, and by 1961, it became a public company;

the very next year, the decision to enter tyre manufacturing was taken, and a Rubber Research
Centre was set up at Tiruvottiyur in 1963.
It was a bold decision, as the tyre industry in India was then dominated by multinationals like
Dunlop and Goodyear. To compete with them and produce products that would be equally good
if not better, MRF entered into a collaboration with the Mansfield Tire and Rubber Co.
Experts from Mansfield imparted training to the MRF staff; the tyres they manufactured were sold
under MRF-Mansfield tyres. The unfamiliar brand name was promoted through exhibitions, first
in Chennai and later in other cities.
International presence
By 1964, an overseas office had been set up at Beirut and by 1967, the company’s tyres were
being exported to the US — a first for an Indian company. More manufacturing facilities followed,
producing nylon tyres and tyres for heavy-duty trucks and two-wheelers.
In 1979, Mansfield Tire & Rubber Co. sold out its share and the company became MRF Ltd.
Later, it also ventured into other fields like toys, paints and conveyor and elevator belting (in
collaboration with US-based Hasbro, Australia’s Vapocure and Pirelli, respectively).
Being market leader
Through undeniable quality and planned expansion, MRF continues to remain the market leader
in India in the tyres category. There are three market segments in this industry — the original
equipment manufacturers (OEM), the replacement market, and exports.
MRF has a commanding presence in all three segments (In fact, it has a very high rating on
customer satisfaction and also won the Most Ethical Company award in 1999).