Thailand market dominated by 3 tyre majors – report
According to a report from market research and consulting company TechSci Research, three tyre majors account for more than 70 per cent of tyre sales in Thailand. Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear dominate a market that is expected to grow significantly in the next few years and generate revenues up to around US$17 billion by the end of 2018. However the report, titled ‘Thailand Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2018’, opines that companies such as Yokohama, Sumitomo and Continental tyres are providing these three with “tough competition”.
Continue ReadingConti SA extends Mandela sympathies
As South Africa and the world mourns the passing of Nelson Mandela, Continental Tyre South Africa has paid its respects to the former President in a statement:
Continue ReadingToyo US bolsters TBR casing warranty
Purchasers of Toyo truck and bus tyres in the US will now enjoy a more comprehensive casing warranty. Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. says its improved casing warranty for its medium TBR range sees the casing value increasing to US$110 for the first retread on many popular sizes. The company also offers a rubber allowance of up to $50.00, based on the tyre’s remaining tread depth. Toyo Tire U.S.A. opines that these latest changes to its casing warranty make it one of the best in the tyre business.
Continue ReadingReplacement segment increasingly important for JK Tyre
India’s automotive sector has slowed of late and this has impacted on the original equipment tyre business. One manufacturer says it is responding to this by investing more strongly in the replacement business.
Continue ReadingGfK: Indian replacement tyre market 5.5 million units
GfK has been carrying out research on car tyres in India since January 2013 and says that, although demand for passenger cars in India has fallen somewhat short of expectations this year, the replacement passenger car tyre market is thriving with robust sales reported for car and SUV tyres in the last three quarters. Car owners in the top 43 cities in India bought more than 5.5 million tyres in first nine months of the year; with the third quarter sales volume having surged by a substantial 11 per cent over the previous quarter.
Continue ReadingCheng Shin investing more in Indonesia project
The amount Cheng Shin Rubber will invest in its new Indonesian plant appears to be much higher than previously announced. While in a filing to the Taiwan Stock Exchange in October the Maxxis tyre brand manufacturer said it will invest NT$2.36 billion (£49.7 million) to build a plant in Indonesia in order to increase its ASEAN region presence, talk now is of investing £195 million.
Continue ReadingIndian market launch for Vredestein brand
Apollo Tyres has announced the introduction of the Vredestein brand in India. Four ranges from the Dutch tyre maker will initially be available there - the Ultrac Sessanta, Ultrac SUV Sessanta, Ultrac Cento and Sportrac. These will be sold in a range of sizes for 15 to 20-inch rim diameters. The Vredestein range sold in India will complement the existing Apollo passenger car range, Apollo Tyres states.
Continue Reading![A.T.U. sold in restructuring deal](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Topp-Hans-Norbert_Tb___EN.jpg)
A.T.U. sold in restructuring deal
German-owned fast-fit network A.T.U. reports reaching a “decisive milestone in its financial repositioning.” The loss-making company’s management and majority shareholder (private equity group KKR) have reached a lock-up agreement with more than 80 per cent of its key bond creditors to reduce A.T.U.’s debt by more than €600 million and inject some €100 million of fresh equity into the firm. In addition, A.T.U. has received a senior secured, 2018-due credit line of more than €75 million from HayFin Capital Management.
Continue ReadingBridgestone sells Sameer share, new technical partnership likely
Bridgestone Corporation has sold its 14.9 per cent share in Sameer Africa Ltd, and the Kenyan tyre maker says it has found a potential strategic investor to replace the Japanese firm as a source of technical assistance and support. To facilitate this new arrangement, the approximately 41.5 million shares Bridgestone held in Sameer Africa have been transferred to Sameer Investments Limited.
Continue ReadingRadar Tires a ‘carbon neutral’ brand
Omni United reports that its flagship brand, Radar Tires, has been certified as carbon neutral. To achieve carbon neutral status the company worked with UK-headquartered professional services firm Ernst & Young to conduct a twelve-month assessment on Radar Tires total greenhouse gas emissions; these were monitored between April 2011 and March 2012. Certification involved an independent assessment of greenhouse gas emissions, coupled with an offset-inclusive emissions reduction programme.
Continue Reading![Maloya returns – but only in Germany for now](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Maloya-Quadris_tb.jpg)
Maloya returns – but only in Germany for now
Vredestein has brought back its second brand with the introduction of the Maloya Quadris all-season tyre. The brand, which originated in Switzerland and gained a new homeland with its acquisition by Vredestein in 1993, was absent from the company’s portfolio for the last year and a half. At the time company officials said the name was by no means ‘dead’ and, true to their word, it has been resuscitated.
Continue Reading![Buy tyres, escape zombies](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/zombie.jpg)
Buy tyres, escape zombies
If better braking and handling on snow and ice covered roads weren’t reason enough to buy winter tyres, Japanese tyre dealer Autoway Tires presents a nightmarish situation that can be best escaped with the appropriate seasonal rubber. In an ad that is definitely not for the fainthearted – it is preceded by a health warning stating this – Autoway Tires demonstrates the ability of winter tyres to get you out of even the most terrifying scrape.
Continue ReadingMagna Tyres appoints exclusive Baltic dealer
Netherlands-headquartered off-road tyre company Magna Tyres has appointed Latvian wholesaler SIA Latakko its exclusive distributor in the Baltic States region. The two companies had previously enjoyed what Magna calls a “steady and fruitful business cooperation” over a period of several years, and based on this positive experience both companies agreed an exclusive dealership in order to boost the sales of Magna mobile crane tyres, earthmover tyres and port handling tyres in the Baltic region, particularly in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Continue Reading![PCR production drop planned for Goodyear Dunlop’s Wittlich plant](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Werk-Wittlich_tb-636x800.jpg)
PCR production drop planned for Goodyear Dunlop’s Wittlich plant
Passenger car tyre production at Goodyear Dunlop’s Wittlich plant in Germany will decrease by at least 30 per cent next year. In local media source volksfreund.de, Wittlich works council chairman Joachim Weberskirch confirms rumours that PCR production “will be reduced from round 4,000 a day to 2,500 to 2,800 a day next year.” Weberskirch says this lowering of production is a response to declining sales of passenger car tyres throughout Europe.
Continue Reading3 tyre makers win Japan Good Design Awards
Three tyres have been given a Good Design Award by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP) this year. These are the Bridgestone Blizzak VRX, the Toyo M929 TBR tyre and the Nexen N9000 semi street racing tyre.
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