Federal launches latest winter line

It’s always refreshing to speak with Jamie Ma. The CEO and president of Federal Corporation abounds with enthusiasm for his company’s products and the tyre industry in general, and this certainly proved the case when he was on hand at Reifen 2012 to launch Federal’s latest winter tyre, the Himalaya Iceo. “This year the Himalaya Iceo will be a big hit,” he declared before explaining the tyre’s pertinent features.

The non-studded winter fitment, he said, utilises the latest cold weather tyre innovations in its compound, construction and tread pattern. Ma said the compound is “very soft” and rich with high-distribution silica in order to maintain elasticity and the ability to grip in extremely low ambient temperatures, while the tread blocks feature three-dimensional sipes for increased traction and effective removal of water and slush. In addition, he pointed out the grooves cut into the tread elements in the Himalaya Iceo’s centre tread block, which function by locking together and enhancing grip in cold weather. Sipes in the shoulder area are intended to provide a solid footprint for handling in snow and icy conditions, while three different circumferential tread pitches help reduce vibrations and road noise.

The Federal CEO and president said the new range is produced in the tyre maker’s homeland, Taiwan – a country he describes as the “best partner for European countries” – and is produced by a company with nearly six decades of history in tyre production, a fact Ma shows clear pride in. Federal Tire was founded in 1954 and exported its first tyres eleven years later. Over the years the company benefitted from technical collaborations with two Japanese tyre makers; with Bridgestone Corporation from 1960 to 1979 and Sumitomo Rubber Industries) between 1981 and 2000. “Federal tyre has almost 60 years of history in tyre production,” Ma commented. “We are pioneers of our nation’s tyre industry, and our without experience gained at Federal our Taiwanese competitors wouldn’t be here today.”

Jamie Ma shared that the Himalaya Iceo line was tested in China – “on the boarder with Siberia” – and will initially be adapted to the particular needs of several specific markets, including the Nordic countries, Russia and the CIS, and Japan, with the size range covering 155/70R13 through 245/45R18. “The range will grow in the coming year,” he added.

As for the label performance of the new range and the rest of the Federal portfolio, Ma wasn’t revealing any secrets. The results will be released on 1 July, but at Reifen 2012 in the first half of June he only went as far as saying “we don’t want to worry about the label right now – we have more important things to worry about, such as overall the economic situation in Europe. We’re ready for the label, and we’ll all find out who cheated when everyone reveals their results on 1 July.”

Europe is a large export market for Federal and it’s therefore no surprise Jamie Ma shared his unease with the current troubles facing economies in our region. The Federal CEO and president voiced particular concern about the euro’s stability. “I’m sceptical about the euro – we view US dollars as a safer currency. All this label regulation – it is not a challenge for Federal. Our challenge is to ensure we receive a currency that lasts. We are concerned as the European market is important to us. We want to keep our presence in Europe, and bring products drivers want to the market. During a recession, consumers need a quality, affordable product.”

When asked about Federal’s experiences at Reifen 2012, Jamie Ma commented that “we’ll be back in 2014 for sure.” Henry Lin, director of the tyre maker’s global sales division, added: “We are really pleased with how popular the Federal and Hero stand was this year at the 2012 Reifen show. We have a six year history of attending the event, and we valued our participation as a great platform for establishing new contacts, reinforcing relationships with veteran partners, and placing orders.”