Sibur-Russian Tyres Willing to Enter Minority Partnership With Leading Manufacturer

Sibur-Russian Tyres director Igor Karavaev has spoken of the company’s willingness to enter into a joint venture partnership with a leading tyre manufacturer for the production of passenger car tyres in Russia. No particular names have been mentioned in relation to the possible deal, but it is the first time Sibur-Russian Tyres has suggested that it would be willing to work in partnership with another leading manufacturer as a minority shareholder. Karavaev, Sibur-Russian Tyres’s Russian strategy and business development director, didn’t mention any particular parties but suggested that Japanese, Korean or European manufacturers may be interested in such an opportunity. Speaking at Brityrex International in Manchester this week, Karavaev told Tyres & Accessories that Sibur-Russian Tyres would also be interested in developing similar partnerships for the production of aircraft and giant OTR tyres. For the full story see the June issue of Tyres & Accessories.

The news follows SRT’s announcement that it was willing to work in cooperation with Continental with regard to its joint venture company Matador-Omskshina. The Russian-Slovakian 50/50 joint venture Matador-Omskshina was established in 1995 by Sibur-Russian Tyres and Matador to produce passenger car tyres under the Cordiant and Matador brands. Output trebled to 2.7 million units in 2006, and it is anticipated that by 2009 this figure will reach 4 million.

Following Continental’s 51 per cent acquisition in Matador it became a co-owner of the aforementioned joint venture, creating a vehicle through which mutual cooperation with Sibur-Russian Tyres can be conducted. At present the German tyremaker has not commented on the subject.