More than a tyre company

MRF is today the most expensive stock listed on the Indian bourses – actually at the current rate more than Amazon, Google and Goodyear. But did you know that it started off as a balloon making company?

The promoter - KM Mammen Mappilai began making balloons, taking ‘seed capital’ of Rs.14,000 from his family. This was in 1946. By 1952, the company started making tread rubber and way back in 1961, the company got itself listed on the BSE by which time it was already a market leader in its field. Its interest in toys remains – Funskool belongs to MRF.

But more than tyres, MRF is very known in the field of sports. It manufactures cricket bats, gloves, pads and other accessories. The company - MRF Pace Foundation is a coaching clinic for training fast bowlers with the help of former Australian Dennis Lilee in Chennai. Through this program, young aspiring fast bowlers are trained in a special facility. Fast bowlers who trained with foundation and went on to represent the Indian Cricket Team includes Javagal Srinath, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Venkatesh Prasad, RP Singh, Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth.

Cricket apart, the company is big in car racing too and its first Formula 3 car was built in 1997.  And it also sponsors all the major karate events in the country. So, it is much more than just a tyre company – a company with great values; no wonder it is quoted at the highest value!