Tyre prices stable, local product demand rising in SE Asia – GfK survey
Market research firm GfK Asia has released a report on the performance of four emerging Southeast Asian tyre markets in the first quarter of 2012; the company found that demand for replacement tyres in the countries investigated – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand – increased 14 per cent between January and March in comparison with the October to December 2011 quarter. According to GfK’s retail tracking of replacement passenger car tyres across a number of cities within the four countries, some 2,557,600 tyres were replaced in the first three months of the year.
Continue Reading![Tyre-based protest goes awkwardly wrong](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/thampi-sml.jpg)
Tyre-based protest goes awkwardly wrong
Nothing makes a statement like sliding through a tyre. This was perhaps the logic employed by two men protesting against garbage problems in the Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram. The Hindu newspaper reports that the two-middle aged men ended up spending an “agonising hour” trapped inside a tyre after their “ill-conceived” acrobatic street demonstration went awry. What the pair attempted, it must be said, should not be tried at home.
Continue ReadingColoured tyres centre stage for Kama at Reifen
Russian tyre maker Nizhnekamskshina says that if demand for the coloured tyres it presented at Reifen 2012 is sufficient, it will begin commercial manufacture of the products. The producer of the Kama brand presented its Viatti Strada Asimmetrico tyres in white, red, green and blue. At present the coloured tyres are strictly a limited edition item.
Continue ReadingChinese tyremakers headed for consolidation?
While falling demand for truck and bus radials is putting pressure on sales of premium and import brands alike, the number of factories and the amounts of tyres each are producing continue to proliferate. Tyres & Accessories recently met with several companies in the same boat at the recent Reifen Show in Essen Germany in June. While the consensus agreed in general terms about the decline in truck tyre demand across Europe as a whole, clearly not everyone’s experience is the same and there could be key strategic reasons why production output seems to carry on regardless.
Continue ReadingNexen Tire aims for top ten
Korea’s longest-established tyre maker, Nexen Tire, recently opened its latest factory, a highly automated plant that will help the tyre maker reach its goal of almost tripling output by the end of the decade. The Changnyeong plant entered production in April and this year it will turn out some three million passenger car, 4x4 and light commercial vehicle tyres. This figure will then rise significantly over the next few years, reaching 21 million – 60,000 tyres a day – by 2018. By that date, Nexen says it will have invested a total of 1,200 billion won (£650 million) in the plant.
Continue ReadingPirelli buys Swedish tyre retail chain Däckia for 70 million euros
Pirelli has acquired 100 per cent of Däckia Holding AB, one of the main multi-brand tyre distribution chains in Sweden from private equity group Procuritas Capital Investors IV LP (and minority shareholders) for 625 million kronor (approximately 70 million euros). Reporting the news, Pirelli explained that the move is in line with its strategy of reinforcement on markets with strong growth in high-end, high margin segments. In this case this is likely to mean the sale of winter tyres.
Continue ReadingYokohama opens Russian factory
On 30 May, Yokohama held an opening ceremony for its new passenger car tyre plant in Russia. The facility, located in the Lipetsk Special Economic Zone and operated by Yokohama R.P.Z., was built with an investment of 4.8 billion roubles (£94.8 million) and is scheduled to reach full operation in the summer of 2013. Further additions will be made to the plant’s production capacity in stages, Yokohama reports. Products made in the new plant include the "C.drive2" and the studded "ice Guard iG35" winter tyre, both of which are core Yokohama products in the Russian market. These tyres will be manufactured in 13 to 18-inch rim diameter sizes and mainly sold in Russia, with some exports going to Europe.
Continue ReadingFrom Birmingham to Beijing, on Goodyear tyres
Land Rover recently produced its one millionth Discovery vehicle and, to celebrate this milestone and demonstrate the Discovery's versatility and all-round capability, the company decide to send the vehicle on a trip – from Birmingham to Beijing. For this epic, 50-day, 8,000-mile adventure, Land Rover chose Wrangler DuraTrac tyres for the three vehicles that undertook the daunting journey across more than a dozen countries. The conditions on the way were challenging and varied, including crossing mountains and driving on all sorts of surfaces.
Continue ReadingTGI to distribute Kenda in Puerto Rico
Tire Group International and Kenda are pleased to announce that they have entered into a distribution agreement for TGI to distribute Kenda branded tyres in Puerto Rico. TGI will offer Kenda’s specialty tyre segment which consists of trailer, turf, ATV and industrial tyres as well as its passenger, SUV and light truck tyres. TGI will offer both direct factory shipments as well as fill-ins from its Miami facility.
Continue ReadingHangzhou Zhongce largest tyremaker in China
Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company (ZC Rubber) was China’s largest tyre maker in 2011, according to figures published by the China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA).
Continue Reading![TestWorld building year-round winter test centre in Summer 2012](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/import/TestWorldIndoor_SNOW_web_213701684.jpg)
TestWorld building year-round winter test centre in Summer 2012
Test World Oy, the well-known winter tyre and vehicle test operation in Finland has announced plans to build a year-round winter test centre which to fulfil the needs of vehicle and tyre manufacturers. According to the company, the first phase of construction will start in May 2012 and this part of the site will be in operation before the end of the year. The three-phase project to create the 30,000 square metre test centre will be completed by the end of 2015.
Continue ReadingSibur – Russian Tires renamed Cordiant
Sibur - Russian Tires has announced that is renaming itself. According to the company, the name-change took effect on 3 April 2012 and new full name Joint Stock Company (or JSC) or just Cordiant for short.
Continue ReadingLassa producer Brisa investing US$117.5 million to expand tyre capacity in 2012
Brisa, the company producing Lassa brand tyres in a joint venture between Bridgestone and the Sabanci Group, has announced it will invest US$117.5 million expanding its tyre manufacturing units in Izmit, Turkey. The investment figure exceeds the $110 million of investment that was reported at the start of April.
Continue ReadingTurkey leads strong Eastern Europe heavy trailer demand
Automotive and transport consulting group, CLEAR has shown that there was growth of 58 per cent in heavy trailer demand in Eastern Europe in 2011. Thirteen of the fifteen countries covered in the report had growth of over 30 per cent, while three other markets grew by more than 100 per cent. The stand-out nation was Turkey, which completely recovered from the downturn of 2009 to post record trailer demand in 2010 and 2011, making it the largest trailer market in Eastern Europe.
Continue ReadingPirelli recognises suppliers’ excellence
Pirelli has introduced a Suppliers Awards for the first time, aimed at recognising quality, innovation and competitiveness, in addition to improving the company’s partner relationships. Inaugurating the Pirelli Suppliers’ Awards the company nominated its best suppliers of 2011, as chairman and CEO, Marco Tronchetti Provera and chief purchasing officer, Carlo Costa presided over the ceremony held at the company’s Milan headquarters.
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