Apollo Vredestein
A Dutch tyre manufacturer and brand business owned by India's Apollo Tyres, producing and selling Apollo and Vredestein tyres from its European base.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Apollo Vredestein B.V. is a Netherlands-based tyre manufacturer and brand business owned by Apollo Tyres Ltd. of India. It represents the continuation of the Dutch Vredestein tyre operation, whose industrial origins date to 1908 and whose brand name was established after the business moved to Loosduinen in 1909. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam and operates its principal production facility in Enschede, where it also maintains important research and development capabilities. The business designs, manufactures and sells tyres under both the Apollo and Vredestein names. Its portfolio covers passenger-car, van, SUV, agricultural, industrial and bicycle applications. Vredestein has traditionally been especially associated with European road tyres and with a design-led approach to passenger-car products. A significant part of the car-tyre range has been developed in collaboration with the Italian design house Giugiaro Design, linking the brand with styling as well as handling, safety and seasonal performance. Vredestein began as a broad rubber-products manufacturer rather than a tyre-only company. Its early output included shoe heels, tennis balls, floor coverings, boots and indoor footballs. Over time, particularly from the 1960s through the 1970s, the company increasingly concentrated on tyres for cars, agricultural equipment, industrial uses and two-wheelers. Its products reached international markets, with the business eventually developing a presence across Europe and North America. The corporate history includes periods of foreign ownership, Dutch state participation and private Dutch ownership. In 1971 Vredestein became wholly owned by B. F. Goodrich. During the following decade the Dutch state acquired a substantial shareholding, while a foundation established to continue the company later took over the remaining interests. In the early 1990s, three Dutch investors acquired the company from the state. A design collaboration with Giorgetto Giugiaro began in the late 1990s and became one of the recognizable features of the passenger-tyre business. Apollo Tyres acquired Vredestein in 2009 and renamed the company Apollo Vredestein B.V. The acquisition gave Apollo Tyres an established European manufacturing and distribution platform and preserved Vredestein as a distinct brand while adding Apollo-branded products to the business. In 2013, Apollo announced a global research and development centre in Enschede for car and van tyres. In 2015, it moved its European headquarters from Enschede to Amsterdam. In 2020, the company announced a planned reduction of 750 jobs over two years and stated that regular car-tyre production was intended to end within that period; the available reference does not establish the complete later outcome of that plan. Apollo Vredestein sells through offices and commercial operations in numerous European countries, as well as through a North American presence. Public references sometimes use Apollo Vredestein to mean the legal company, the Dutch operation, the European business unit or the combined Apollo and Vredestein brand portfolio. This dossier follows the Wikipedia subject and treats the entity as the Dutch tyre manufacturer and associated brand business owned by Apollo Tyres.
History
Apollo Vredestein traces its origins to the Nederlandse Guttapercha Maatschappij in Delft. Emile Louis Constant Schiff became the company's owner on 6 November 1908. In 1909, the business moved to Loosduinen and adopted the name N.V. Rubberfabriek Vredestein. The Vredestein name came from a farm in Loosduinen that Schiff had purchased and where the company began producing rubber goods. The early company was diversified. Before it became primarily known for tyres, it manufactured products including shoe heels, tennis balls, floor coverings, boots and indoor footballs. A major fire destroyed most of the Loosduinen factory on 13 September 1934. Reconstruction began promptly, and the business established a bicycle-tyre factory in Doetinchem during the same year. The company's later tyre-centred development was closely connected with Enschede. In 1946, N.V. Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Autobanden-fabriek Vredestein was founded there, with the American company B. F. Goodrich holding slightly more than one-fifth of the shares. Schiff laid the foundation stone for the Enschede plant a year later. The operation expanded in 1962 through a merger with N.V. Rubberfabrieken Hevea in Raalte. Globalisation and changes in the tyre industry during the 1970s encouraged Vredestein to focus more strongly on tyres for passenger cars, agricultural equipment, industrial applications and two-wheelers. In 1971, B. F. Goodrich became the company's sole owner. Vredestein products subsequently reached a large international network of markets, reportedly extending to 125 countries. The Dutch state became involved in 1976, taking 49 percent of Vredestein. A further two percent was obtained by the Stichting tot Voortzetting van Vredestein, while the remaining 49 percent initially stayed with B. F. Goodrich. The foundation later acquired the remaining shares for a symbolic amount. In the early 1990s, three Dutch investors bought the company from the state. Vredestein added a notable design dimension to its passenger-tyre activities in the late 1990s through a collaboration with the Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and Giugiaro Design. The relationship helped distinguish selected products through exterior design while the company continued to develop tyres for road, seasonal, agricultural, industrial and bicycle applications. In 2009, Apollo Tyres Ltd. of India acquired Vredestein. The Dutch company was renamed Apollo Vredestein B.V., becoming part of Apollo Tyres' European operations. The structure allowed the group to sell products under both the Apollo and Vredestein names and to use the Dutch business as a base for manufacturing, product development and distribution. Apollo Tyres announced in January 2013 that it would establish a global research and development centre in Enschede for the development and testing of car and van tyres. In June of the same year, Apollo Tyres announced a proposed acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company. The transaction, which would have substantially expanded Apollo's global scale, was called off on 30 December 2013 and therefore did not alter the ownership of Apollo Vredestein. In May 2015, Apollo Tyres announced that its European head office would move from Enschede to Amsterdam, and the relocation took place over the following months. The Enschede site continued to be associated with manufacturing and research and development, while Amsterdam became the stated headquarters of Apollo Vredestein B.V. On 5 March 2020, the company announced plans under which 750 jobs would become redundant within two years. The announcement also stated an intention to stop producing regular car tyres within that timeframe. The cited reference does not provide enough information to determine the full subsequent implementation or long-term effect of the plan. Apollo Vredestein remains associated with Apollo and Vredestein tyres sold through European and North American offices and other international channels.
- 2020
Workforce reduction and proposed product-mix change
[1]The company announced plans for 750 redundancies over two years and an intention to stop producing regular car tyres within that period.
- 2015
European headquarters relocate to Amsterdam
[1]Apollo Tyres announced and implemented the move of its European head office from Enschede to Amsterdam.
- 2013
Global research and development centre announced
[1]Apollo Tyres announced a global R&D centre in Enschede for car and van tyre development and testing.
- 2009
Acquisition by Apollo Tyres
[1]Apollo Tyres acquired Vredestein and changed the company name to Apollo Vredestein B.V.
- 1997
Giugiaro design collaboration
[1]Vredestein established a collaboration with Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro in the late 1990s.
- 1990
Return to Dutch private ownership
[1]In the early 1990s, three Dutch investors acquired Vredestein from the state.
- 1976
Dutch state investment
[1]The Dutch state acquired a 49 percent shareholding, while a continuation foundation acquired a further two percent.
- 1971
B. F. Goodrich takes full ownership
[1]B. F. Goodrich became the sole owner of Vredestein.
- 1962
Merger with Hevea
[1]Vredestein merged with N.V. Rubberfabrieken Hevea in Raalte, accelerating the company's growth.
- 1946
Enschede tyre company established
[1]N.V. Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Autobanden-fabriek Vredestein was founded in Enschede with minority participation by B. F. Goodrich.
Products and positioning
A European tyre manufacturer and brand portfolio combining Vredestein's Dutch engineering and design heritage with Apollo Tyres' international manufacturing and distribution network.
Automotive tyres
Passenger-car tyres
Passenger-car tyres are a central part of the Apollo Vredestein portfolio. The range reflects Vredestein's long-established European road-tyre business and includes products designed for everyday driving, seasonal conditions and performance-oriented applications. Selected car tyres have been developed with Giugiaro Design, giving the brand a design-led identity alongside its engineering and handling claims.
Commercial-vehicle tyres
Van and light-commercial-vehicle tyres
Tyres for vans and light commercial vehicles form part of the company's development and testing activities. These products address the load, mileage and road-use requirements of commercial operators and extend the Apollo and Vredestein portfolio beyond private passenger vehicles.
Automotive tyres
SUV tyres
SUV tyres serve the passenger-vehicle segment represented by heavier and higher-riding sport utility vehicles. They are designed around the combination of road comfort, handling, load capacity and wet or seasonal-road performance expected from this vehicle class.
Seasonal automotive tyres
Winter and all-season tyres
The Apollo and Vredestein portfolio includes tyres intended for different seasonal conditions, including cold, wet and winter roads. These products support European customers who choose seasonal or year-round tyre solutions according to local climate and vehicle-use requirements.
Agricultural tyres
Agricultural tyres
Agricultural tyres are part of Vredestein's specialist product heritage. They are intended for agricultural machinery and are developed for the traction, load and field or road operating conditions associated with farming equipment.
Industrial tyres
Industrial tyres
Industrial tyres extend the business into specialist equipment and industrial operating environments. They address applications that require durability and load support beyond ordinary passenger-car use.
Bicycle tyres · 1934
Bicycle tyres
Bicycle tyres are part of the historical Vredestein product range. The company established a bicycle-tyre factory in Doetinchem in 1934, demonstrating that two-wheel products were an established part of the business before its later concentration on automotive and specialist tyres.
Brand decisions
2020
Workforce reduction and planned end of regular car-tyre productionStrategyBackground
The company announced a restructuring affecting employment and its product mix.
Action taken
Apollo Vredestein announced that 750 jobs were expected to become redundant within two years and stated an intention to stop producing regular car tyres in that period.
Aftermath
The cited reference does not establish the complete implementation or long-term consequences of the plan.
2015
Relocation of the European head officeStrategyBackground
Apollo Tyres reviewed the administrative organisation of its European operations after acquiring Vredestein.
Action taken
The European head office was moved from Enschede to Amsterdam.
Aftermath
Amsterdam became the stated headquarters of Apollo Vredestein B.V., while Enschede remained associated with production and research activities.
2013
Enschede global R&D centreStrategyBackground
Apollo Tyres sought to strengthen global product development while maintaining a technical base in the Netherlands.
Action taken
The group announced a global research and development centre in Enschede for developing and testing car and van tyres.
Aftermath
Enschede continued to serve as an important technical location for the Apollo Vredestein business.
2009
Apollo Tyres acquires VredesteinM&ABackground
Vredestein was an established Dutch tyre manufacturer with European production, product-development capabilities and a broad specialist portfolio.
Action taken
Apollo Tyres Ltd. acquired the company and renamed it Apollo Vredestein B.V., retaining the Vredestein brand while adding the Apollo group structure.
Aftermath
The Dutch operation became part of Apollo Tyres' European business and continued to develop, manufacture and sell Apollo and Vredestein products.
Recent events
- 2020
Apollo Vredestein announces planned reduction of 750 jobs[1]
Other
The company announced that 750 jobs were expected to become redundant within two years and said it intended to halt production of regular car tyres during that period.
- 2020
Apollo Vredestein announces restructuring and planned changes to regular passenger-car tire production[1]
Other
The company announced that 750 positions would become redundant over two years and stated an intention to halt production of regular car tires within that period.
- 2015
European headquarters move from Enschede to Amsterdam[1]
Other
Apollo Tyres announced the relocation of its European head office from Enschede to Amsterdam, with the move taking place during the following months.
- 2015
Apollo Tyres announces relocation of European headquarters to Amsterdam[1]
Other
Apollo Tyres announced that the European head office would move from Enschede to Amsterdam; the relocation took place over the following months.
- 2013
Apollo Tyres announces global research and development centre in Enschede[1]
Other
Apollo Tyres announced that its Enschede operation would host a global research and development centre focused on developing and testing car and van tyres.
- 2013
Apollo Tyres announces proposed acquisition of Cooper Tire[1]
M&A
Apollo Tyres announced a proposed acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company. The transaction was later abandoned, and it did not result in a completed change to Apollo Vredestein's ownership structure.
- 2013
Apollo Tyres announces global research and development center in Enschede[1]
Other
Apollo Tyres announced a global research and development center in Enschede focused on developing and testing car and van tires.
- 2009
Apollo Tyres acquires Vredestein[1]
M&A
Apollo Tyres acquired the Dutch tire business, after which the operating company became known as Apollo Vredestein B.V. and continued to develop products under both Apollo and Vredestein brands.
Sources2 sources
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