This refers to the report "Ruia gets his best chance to save Dunlop" (October 9). Dunlop has been in a never-ending decline since the mid-70s, then under foreign ownership. One hopes that Dunlop is restored to some health. Even if one assumes that Pawan Kumar Ruia is sincere and wants Dunlop back as a tyre giant, and not into stripping assets, he faces huge challenges. Decades of low activity and losses mean equipment is old and poorly maintained, technology is not the latest, the brand value has fully eroded and workmen skill along with the work culture is gone. Transportation costs will be high since Eastern India is far from both raw material and automobile markets. It is unlikely that new technologists, managers, marketing people and dealers will flock to Dunlop.
P Datta Kolkata
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