Pirelli honours procurement partners at Supplier Day
Sustainability, continuous innovation, competitiveness, and the quality of raw materials and services remain fundamental pillars for Pirelli, and these key themes took centre stage at the 2024 Pirelli Supplier Day. This annual event, organised by Pirelli for its global network of suppliers, took place on 10 October at the company’s Milan headquarters, where it was attended by Marco Tronchetti Provera, Pirelli’s Executive Vice President, and Andrea Casaluci, Chief Executive Officer.
Continue Reading
Lodge Tyre, Kirkby Tyres, Pirelli win the headline NTDA Tyre Industry Awards 2024
The NTDA announced its 2024 Tyre Industry Awards winners on the evening of 10 October during the association’s sold-out 95th Annual Dinner, sponsored by long-term partner Maritime Cargo Services, in Milton Keynes. The awards ceremony was sponsored for the 10th consecutive year by tyre manufacturer Sailun, and co-hosted, by international ventriloquist, comedian and TV personality Paul Zerdin. The big winners on the night were Lodge Tyre Company, which scooped the overall retailer and staff training and development prizes, and Kirkby Tyres, which prevailed in both the wholesaler and truck and agri tyre distributor categories. Tyrepress, attending the dinner, published the winners as they were announced on X, formerly Twitter.
Continue Reading
Red lamps, cybersecurity, labelling and the online tyre business headline 2024 NTDA conference
The themes of the 2024 Tyre Industry Conference were first outlined by NTDA chief executive Stefan Hay, who framed the current moment for the tyre trade as a time of flux. This period of change is characterised by opportunities to achieve strides forward in areas such as digitalisation, training, roadside safety and sustainability, but also significant threats to the sector, like cyberattacks and the difficulty in recruiting younger people to tyre industry roles. Hay said that the need for highly skilled workers has intensified, due to an ageing workforce, declining interest in engineering jobs, and increased demand for hybrid and remote working from the younger generation. Ultimately, it may be that progression in the evolution of the tyre industry may be realised by embracing perceived threats, Hay suggested.
Continue Reading
Further growth for CTS
Earlier this year, independent Swedish tyre distributor and service firm Colmec and Finland’s Lapin Kumi joined forces to create a new tyre services group – Circular Tire Services, or CTS. Other businesses soon joined, including Swedish tyre retailers Gummicentralen Säffle, Ingers Däck and Däckhuset i Norrland. Now Nödinge Däckservice has thrown its hat into the CTS ring.
Continue Reading
Doublestar may officially become Kumho’s controlling shareholder
Doublestar’s board of directors has approved a transaction plan to control Kumho. Specifically, the company plans to purchase assets by issuing shares and paying cash and ultimately achieve the goal of indirectly holding 45 per cent of Kumho’s shares and becoming Kumho’s controlling shareholder. Prior to this, Doublestar’s controlling shareholder, Doublestar Group, and several other Chinese companies jointly held this part of the equity. In other words, Doublestar can officially manage Kumho’s operations after this transaction.
Continue Reading
Thai government approves US$400 million investment in Continental tyre plant
The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) has approved an additional US$400 million investment by Continental Tyres (Thailand) Co. Ltd. in the firm’s Rayong production base. According to BOI, the funds are for the expansion of tyre production in the country, boosting output to 7.8 million tyres per year. Of course, BOI officials also noted that such an investment consolidates “Thailands status as the World’s second largest tyre production base”.
Continue Reading
Doublestar’s market focus shifts overseas
At 2.28 billion yuan (about £250 million; €290 million), Doublestar’s revenue was almost the same year-on-year in the first half of 2024. Doublestar was still in the red during the reporting period. However, compared with the same period in 2023, its losses were further reduced to 57.1 million yuan (about £6.2 million; €7.4 million). According to Doublestar, “PCR product profitability continues to improve” but “insufficient market demand for truck and bus tyres” is why the tyre manufacturer is still losing.
Continue Reading
Triangle board member resigns
Triangle board member Xiong Shunmin has resigned for personal reasons. After resigning from being director and a member of the board’s strategic development committee, Xiong Shunmin no longer holds any position at the tyre manufacturer and its holding subsidiaries.
Continue Reading
Bridgestone e-CENTRE concept ‘an evolution in the future of tyre retail’
Bridgestone has unveiled its Bridgestone e-CENTRE garage concept, calling it “an evolution in the future of tyre retail.” Using tyre retailer’s future Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) requirements identified in partnership with consulting firm Ernst & Young, Bridgestone developed an assessment including 85 different criteria. Retailers will be assessed on these standards, enabling them to achieve Bridgestone e-CENTRE status.
Continue Reading
Hankook gets FIA Three Star Environmental Accreditation
Hankook has earned the FIA Three Star Environmental Accreditation from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). The programme is designed to promote environmental management and sustainability in motorsports and the wider mobility sector. Motorsport suppliers are evaluated based on their environmental performance, energy consumption reduction, logistics efficiency improvements, waste management optimisation, and the implementation of carbon neutrality programmes. The Three Star accreditation represents the highest level of environmental and sustainability certification.
Continue Reading
Mexico imposes anti-dumping duties on Chinese-made PCR products
Effective 1 October 2024, Mexico has imposed anti-dumping duties on passenger car and light truck tyres (PCR) from China. In the list published by the Mexican investigation agency, Zodo has the lowest tax rate of 5.18 per cent. Changfeng, Haohua, and Linglong-made products are being required to pay anti-dumping duties of 7.16 per cent, 11.55 per cent, and 19.37 per cent respectively.
Continue Reading
Atire launches carbon-neutral industrial tyre range
Industrial tyre manufacturer Atire reports that its range of solid tyres has been certified carbon-neutral. Indeed, according to Atire, the tyremaker is “the first company in the world to launch a carbon-neutral solid tyre range.”
Continue Reading
Nexen develops AI-based tyre inspection system
Nexen Tire has developed and implemented an AI-based automated tyre product inspection system. Apparently the first of its kind in the tyre industry, the system has been developed in a platform format, allowing swift application to new factories or equipment.
Continue Reading
Jiangsu General considers third overseas factory
In the first half of 2024, Jiangsu General’s revenue reached 3.07 billion yuan (about £333 million; €400 million), a year-on-year increase of 36.91 per cent. During the same period, the tyre company’s net profit was 290 million yuan (about £31 million; about €38 million), an increase of 393.32 per cent over the same period in 2023.
Continue Reading
VMI opens new facility in India
VMI Group has inaugurated a new facility in India. According to the company, the centre will house an overseas extension to VMI’s global engineering operation and will also be the service maintenance and upgrade centre for India.
Continue Reading
