Rosava installs new equipment, raising agri tyre production
Ukrainian tyre maker JSC Rosava says it has installed a new tyre building machine and universal stickers at its heavy tyre production facility. The company says the machine’s presence will enable it to raise its agricultural tyre production and expand its range by adding new, high-demand sizes. These additions include the sizes 420/70R24TL, 420/70R28 TL, 520/70R38 TL, 18,4R34, 14,9R24 and 600/65R30 TL.
Mitas acquires Australian distributor, opens local sales office
Mitas will have its own physical sales presence in Australia before the end of this year following the company’s acquisition of local Mitas tyre importer and distributor, Mityre Australia Pty Ltd. The deal will come into effect in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Dandelion rubber to feed ‘aggressive’ expansion of Sumitomo’s global production footprint
A number of tyre makers have recently shown interest in Taraxicum kok-saghya (TKS), or Russian dandelion, as an alternative source of natural rubber – one manufacturer is even looking to launch tyres containing this raw material within the next five to ten years. Now Sumitomo Rubber Industries has added its name to the list of tyre firms examining the potential of TKS as a replacement for rubber from the Hevea tree; the Japanese manufacturer has commenced joint research with emerging US-based biotech company Kultevat and is working to find practical applications for natural rubber derived from the yellow-flowered plant.
While ChemChina’s deal with Camfin to take over Pirelli officially got under way this month, not everyone connected to the economy in the People’s Republic was looking so positive. The stock market has been in freefall and industrial production looks to have taken a big hit. The Chinese state’s answer? To devalue the national currency (the yuan renminbi or RMB) three times in a week and make already cheap Chinese exports even cheaper.
First workers hired for Continental’s ‘high tech’ tyre plant
Continental has begun hiring employees for its HPTC (High Performance Technology Center), the “factory within a factory” built over the past year at its Korbach plant in Germany. Although construction work is not yet complete, the tyre maker expects to fill 24 job vacancies by the end of this year.
New automated compounder for Cooper Tire’s Tupelo plant
According to local media reports, Cooper Tire & Rubber will invest US$1.89 million in new equipment for its Tupelo tyre factory in the USA. The investment covers the purchase and installation of a new automatic compounder, along with a 1,300 square metre (14,000 square foot) extension of the facility in order to house the new equipment.
Bridgestone sponsoring New Zealand ‘road transport hero’ award
Bridgestone New Zealand Ltd. has agreed to sponsor the ‘NZ Road Transport Hero’ award, a new honour to be given by the body representing the nation’s commercial freight industry, the Road Transport Forum. The award recognises the actions of truck drivers and other industry members who attempt to save others from harm during the course of their work, and Bridgestone will serve as sponsor for a three-year period.
Shearography mooted as solution to Ghana’s used tyre problem
Shearography is often used to inspect tyre casings for damage prior to retreading, and this technology may soon be employed to check the quality of used tyres imported into Ghana. Official news agency the GNA reports that the Ministry of Transport in Ghana is considering shearographic screening of part-worns as a means of weeding out sub-standard tyres.
Continental fits latest tyres ContiPressureCheck to electric truck
Continental AG supplying its third generation truck tyres and ContiPressureCheck to a joint pilot project between BMW Group and its logistics partner Scherm Group to promote environmentally friendly trucks. Conti is equipping a Terberg YT202-EV with 355/50 R22.5 Conti EcoPlus HS3 tyres on the steer axle; Conti EcoPlus HD3 in size 295/55 R22.5 on the drive axle; and 445/45 R19.5 Conti Hybrid HT3 trailer tyres in size on the trailer.
The Kuzbass region of Russia is the site of the country’s largest coal field and two thirds of Russia’s annual production of 350 million tonnes of coal is mined there. As such, it is a fitting setting for the annual Ugol Rossii mining exhibition, held in the Siberian city of Novokuznetsk since 1992.
With 380 exhibitors from 23 countries and a total exhibition area of 66,000 sq m (40,000 sq m of which is outdoors) Ugol Rossii is the most important mining event in Russia.
Belshina aiming to start 63-inch OTR tyre production in 2016
Belarus-based tyre maker Belshina JSC says its goal of producing 63-inch tyres for mining trucks should be realised by the end of next year. The company reports that modernisation of the milling facility at its Babruysk plant is currently taking place, and according to the project’s schedule further equipment for upgrading the plant will begin arriving in January 2016. A group of Belshina specialists will also complete tyre building training at a location within Europe in the coming months and will assemble prototype tyres ahead of the first Belshina 63-inch OTR tyres leaving the factory some time in 2016.
The complete buy-out of Pirelli led by ChemChina is now fully underway, following the passing of the 11 August deal closing date. While the exact process is labyrinthine in its detail, the concise version of events is that ChemChina is buying out Pirelli with the firm’s shares being held by a number of holding companies which are themselves owned by a number of different companies. In short ChemChina, businesses owned by Marco Tronchetti Provera and the Rosneft-owned Luxembourg-based Long Term Investmentss will be the major shareholders.
Yokohama record first half sales and operating income
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. January to June 2015 financial results were the highest first-half results in the firm’s history. Net sales increased 4.4 per cent, to 296.3 billion yen (£1.522 billion; 2.146 billion euros; US$2.374 billion); operating income increased 7.3 per cent, to 25.3 billion yen (£129.966 million; 183.141 million euros; $202.702 million); and net income declined 9.6 per cent, to 16.2 billion yen (£82.253 million; 117.255 million euros; $129.668 million).
The Carlstar Group has agreed to sell its Carlstar Belts Business to Timken Company. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2015 following customary government and regulatory approvals.
Around 104,000 BFGoodrich tyres sold in the USA and a further 15,000 sold in Canada and Mexico, have been recalled as a safety precaution. The recall covers tyres from the BFGoodrich Commercial T/A All-Season, Commercial T/A All-Season 2 and Rugged Terrain T/A ranges, and BFGoodrich states that the recall was announced as a “limited number” of these tyres had experienced sidewall ruptures in the bead area under severe use, leading to a rapid loss of air pressure.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
