Barum Increase Capacity

Czech tyre maker Barum Continental produced 18.52 million passenger car tyres last year, a growth of 7 per cent year-on-year, company representative Pavel Pravec told the Prague Daily Monitor. Production of “high-tech” tyres is said to have grown the most, increasing 81 per cent to 2.42 million units in 2005. Barum also added 300 staff in 2005. The company, which now employs 4,448 people, also reportedly plans a further hike in staff numbers for this year.

As far as production destinations are concerned, around 80 per cent of production is exported. This year, Barum is said to be planning to export up to 90 per cent of output, Pravec said, adding that the volume of supplies to the Czech market will not change much.

Besides passenger car tyres, Barum produces tyres for lorries and utility vehicles. Truck tyre output reached 395,100 units in 2005.

Barum Continental is the Czech division of German Continental group.