US tyre shipments expected to rise in 2018
The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) projects that tyre shipments in the USA will increase by one per cent to 319.8 million units this year. An additional 0.7 million original equipment passenger car tyres are expected to be shipped this year, a total of 45.9 million units and year-on-year growth of 1.5 per cent. Shipments of replacement market passenger car tyres were expected to be 1.5 million units higher this year, up 0.7 per cent to 211.2 million units.
Continue ReadingYokohama Rubber ends technology tie-up with Kumho Tire
A new beginning, and also an end: 6 July, the date on which Doublestar Tire’s acquisition of a 45 per cent share in Kumho Tire was officially completed, was also the day a full stop was placed behind more than four years of technological cooperation between Yokohama Rubber and Kumho Tire. In a statement issued today, Yokohama Rubber informs that it terminated these tie-ups according to their terms and condition following the change in Kumho Tire’s controlling shareholder.
Continue ReadingZhongce Rubber enters global top ten tyre manufacturers
China’s largest tyre manufacturer, Zhongce Rubber, has entered the global top ten, research published today by Tyrepress shows. Best known in Europe for its Westlake brand, the company has pushed up in the rankings past Giti Tire – manufacturer of GT Radial – which did not supply 2017 figures before the deadline, Toyo Tires, and Cooper Tire & Rubber, which fell three places. Competition in the lower quarter of the top ten places is fierce, with turnovers for tyres between 2.4 billion euros (Cooper in 13th) and 3.2 billion euros (Maxxis in ninth).
Continue ReadingLinglong completes technical assistance to Uzbek tyre plant project
The tyre plant built in Uzbekistan by Uzkimyosanoat State Joint Stock Company and partners, with technical assistance from Linglong Tire is complete, and Linglong says it is now focused on appointing a product technical team and working towards helping the plant achieve its production goal of 3 million passenger car radials and 200,000 cross-ply agricultural tyres per annum.
Continue ReadingSEMA: Trump’s tariffs ‘misplaced’
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has voiced its disapproval of US President Trump’s aim to impose 25 per cent tariffs on a range of products imported from China; the US-based association, which represents the vehicle aftermarket, says it opposes these tariffs as well as the Trump administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminium and the threatened tariffs on imported cars and automotive parts – it considers them “as misplaced and having the potential to impose significant harm on US businesses and consumers.”
Continue ReadingIRC Tire: Work begins on JV motorcycle tyre plant
A groundbreaking ceremony took place on 1 August for the joint venture tyre plant that Indonesian tyre maker PT Gajah Tunggal is setting up with Inoue Rubber Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Japan’s Inoac Corporation. The joint venture, known as IGM, is located in Tangerang, Indonesia and will manufacture motorcycle tyres sold under the IRC Tire brand name.
Continue ReadingSumitomo Rubber begins commercial tyre production in South Africa plant
Production of truck and bus tyres began at the Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. factory in Ladysmith, South Africa on 19 July. The tyre maker invested 970 million rand (£55.8 million) to add commercial tyre capacity to the plant, thereby ending Sumitomo Rubber South Africa’s reliance upon imports to satisfy demand for its truck and bus tyres in Africa.
Continue Reading30% capacity increase: Bridgestone announces investment in Poznań tyre plant
Approximately £145 million will be invested in the Bridgestone tyre plant in Poznań, Poland over the next half a decade in order to boost production capacity by around 30 per cent. Quoted in a Bridgestone press release, Roman Staszewski, plant manager and managing director of Bridgestone Poznan, said close to PLN 700 million would be invested and, by 2022, new technology would be added and current production lines upgraded in order to increase daily production capacity from 31,000 to more than 40,000 tyres.
Continue ReadingPirelli acquires 49% in Chinese tyre plant to boost APAC ‘high value’ strategy
With investment of 65 million euros, Pirelli is taking a 49 per cent share in a “technologically advanced” consumer tyre plant in China. Through this joint venture partnership with Hixih Rubber Industry Group, Pirelli says it will gain greater production flexibility in APAC, particularly within the high value segment. The new joint venture company has been named Jining Shenzhou Tyre Co.
Continue ReadingAircraft tyres: Goodyear to appeal Australian ruling on Dunlop name
Rights to use the Dunlop brand name on tyres and related products are mainly divided up around the world between Goodyear Tire & Rubber and Sumitomo Rubber Industries. In Australia, Goodyear acts as rightsholder to the Dunlop brand, and this makes a recent court decision significant.
Continue ReadingNTDA: EC anti-subsidy decision ‘no great surprise’
Following decisions on the part of the European Commission (EC) to review its Chinese truck tyre anti-dumping tariffs and to decide against implementing anti-subsidy remedies against Chinese-produced tyres for the time being, the industry itself has been responding to the news. For its part, the UK’s National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) was not shocked by the news that the EC is not planning to implement anti-subsidy (otherwise known as counter-veiling duties) and highlighted difficulties associated with their implementation.
Continue ReadingCabot changes EMEA leadership
Effective 1 October 2018, Jay Doubman, currently senior vice president, Corporate Strategy and Development, and president, Cabot Corporation Specialty Fluids segment, will assume responsibilities for leading the specialty carbons, fumed metal oxides, and aerogel product lines, as senior vice president and president, Performance Additives.
Continue ReadingBlackcircles launches Thai online tyre retail site
Well-known online tyre retail business Blackcircles has launched a website in Thailand. The business, which entrepreneur Mike Welch OBE founded at the turn of the millennium and sold to Michelin for £50 million in 2015, can be found at blackcircles.co.th.
Continue ReadingMichelin gains Paccar ’10 PPM’ award
Every year, US-based truck manufacturer Paccar Inc. recognises suppliers who meet or exceed its ‘10 PPM’ quality standard – the equivalent of ten or fewer defective parts for every million components shipped to PACCAR. This year, PACCAR acknowledged 268 suppliers in 26 countries with a 10 PPM Supplier Quality award for achieving this high level of quality performance, and additionally for meeting meet demanding criteria for delivery performance, customer support, and business impact.
Continue ReadingBridgestone: Another patent infringement win in China
A further victory for Bridgestone Corporation in its battle against patent infringement was delivered by the Shanghai Intellectual Property Court, which ruled favourably in its lawsuit against Chinese tyre manufacturer Fangxing Rubber Co., Ltd. (Fangxing).
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