Vipal honoured for strong export emphasis

Brazil’s Borrachas Vipal ships its products to nearly 90 countries around the world and last year achieved US$120 million worth of export sales; around 30 per cent of the company’s production volume is exported, with pre-cured treads representing 40 per cent of this figure. All up, Vipal is responsible for 80 per cent of Brazil’s pre-cured tread exports. It therefore comes as little surprise that the company has recently been twice honoured in its homeland for export activities.

The first of this pair of accolades was delivered on 9 June when Brazil’s Association of Marketing and Sales, the ADVB RS, honoured Vipal in the ‘market diversification’ category of its 42^nd Export Awards. The retreading materials manufacturer was one of 49 companies acknowledged at the ceremony in Porto Alegre, with Vipal’s commercial and marketing director Plínio de Luca receiving the award on behalf of the company. Vipal notes that the RS Export Awards is considered the largest industry event in the south of Brazil.

Early the following month, Vipal was once again singled out for its efforts, this time at the ‘Oscars’ of the Brazilian motor industry, AutoData Editora’s ‘Best in the Automotive Sector – 2014’. The company was awarded in the Export category alongside Mercedes-Benz, MWM International and Volkswagen for its decision to solely dedicate one of its factories in Nova Prata, Rio Grande do Sul (the company operates two plants in the city where it was founded, along with a 62,000 square metre factory in Feira de Santana, Bahia) to the manufacture of products destined for export markets.

This decision to set the factory in Nova Prata aside for export products goes hand-in-hand with Vipal’s policy of producing treads for specific export regions. A new product developed according to this strategy is the VL140. This tread, designed specifically for the European market, is intended for super single tyres that are used in cargo transportation applications. The VT140 tread is said to offer high resistance to abrasive wear and thus gives better mileage and lower rolling resistance.

Another regional tread is the VT160. This recent arrival was designed with Europe and North America in mind and aims to provide good traction on snow-covered roads; Vipal adds that the VT160 tread is self-cleaning. Last but not least, Vipal launched the VT190 at this year’s Reifen show in Germany. Also produced for motorway cargo transportation, the VT190 can be used on small and medium trucks, minibuses, pickups and light commercial vehicles. Its open block and shoulder is designed for excellent traction and water drainage. Vipal says that high performance in mud and snow makes the VT190 ideal for use in weather conditions in markets such as Europe and North America.