The Fighter Brand Gambit: Why APL Apollo is Sacrificing Margins to Kill the Competition
APL APOLLO TUBES: Launching a "low-margin" brand like SG Premium while you are trying to move toward high-margin "Value-Added Products" (VAP) seems like a contradiction. However, in the world of industrial commodities, this is a classic "Flanking Strategy." According to recent analyst meetings and the Q3 FY26 earnings call, here is why APL Apollo is doing this: 1. The "Patra" Problem (Protecting the Mother Brand) There is a massive unorganised market in India for "secondary steel" or patra—low-quality tubes made from scrap or inferior coils. The Conflict: If APL Apollo cuts the price of its main "APL" brand to compete with these cheap players, it destroys the brand premium it spent decades building. The Solution: They launched SG Premium as a "fighter brand." It is sold at a ₹3,000–₹5,000 per ton discountcompared to the APL brand. This allows them to fight for the "price-sensitive" volumes without dilutin...