Madras Rubber Factory
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Madras Rubber Factory, or MRF, is a major manufacturing company located in Chennai, India. MRF is mainly involved in making vehicle tyres. It is India's largest tyre manufacturing company, and also exports to more than 75 countries worldwide. Established in 1946 by K. M. Mammen Mappillai, the company has grown to become a INR 30 billion enterprise. It is also involved in a range of other activities via subsidiaries. Funskool India, a joint venture between Hasbro and MRF, is a major toy manufacturing company in the country. MRF Pretreads offers world class precured tyre retreading service, and MRF Muscleflex is involved in making conveyor belts. It is presently under the leadership of Vinoo Mammen, son of the late K.M. Mammen Mappillai.
Also, MRF is involved in creating fast bowlers for the Indian cricket team. With the help of former Australian pace spearhead Dennis Lillee, MRF has started the MRF Pace Foundation. Through this unique program, young aspiring fast bowlers are trained under the watchful eyes of Dennis Lillee in a world-class facility located at Madras Christian College School, Chetput, Chennai India. Fast bowlers who trained with the MRF Pace Foundation that went on to represent India include Javagal Srinath, Irfan Pathan and Venkatesh Prasad. A recent entrant into Indian cricket team from the MRF Pace Foundation is Shanthakumaran Sreesanth. MRF is also the chosen brand of yound Pakistani left-arm seam bowler Arham Karim
MRF is the bat sponsor of world-class batsmen including Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, and previously sponsored Australian captain Steve Waugh during his playing days.