Nexen increases Italian market focus
Hot on the heels of the news that growing Korean tyre manufacturer Nexen has secured OE supply to Fiat, the firm has revealed details of its plans to expand in the well-known marques domestic Italian market. With a replacement market potential of over 30 million tyres a year in the passenger car segment, Nexen has suggested Italy is one of its key countries for expansion in Europe.
Continue ReadingYokohama Tire Corporation debuts Mexico website
Yokohama Tire Corporation has launched a new Spanish-language website for Mexico. “The website is designed to meet the needs of our growing customer base in Mexico,” said John Cooney, Yokohama's director of export. “It has been customised with many of the features found on our English-language website in the US, including an interactive dealer locator, interactive product ‘hot spots’ and downloadable bulletins in Spanish. These materials highlight the features and benefits of Yokohama's tyres ranging from our high-performance passenger car tires to fuel-efficient commercial truck tyres.”
Continue ReadingMaxxis joins EDIWheel
Maxxis has announced that it has become the most recent tyre manufacturer to sign up with EDIWheel. “The economic environment means that tyre retailers are looking to maximise their existing resources to reduce the costs involved in running their businesses and EDIWheel represents a no cost benefit to them because they do not have to upgrade their software to access it,” says Maxxis International UK’s managing director Derek McMartin.
Continue ReadingVredestein launches its “ultimate high performance tyre”
Apollo Vredestein has introduced its new ultra high performance summer tyre in Budapest, the Ultrac Vorti. The tyre, like the simultaneously launched Sportrac 5, has been designed by Italian company Giugiaro for a sporty, distinctive appearance. Vredestein says the Y-indexed tyre excels in terms of grip, handling and braking on both dry and wet surfaces. The Ultrac Vorti name was also created by Giugiaro, inspired by the powerful vortex air flow that is generated, for example, when a helicopter takes off. The name reflects the speeds and forces that the Ultrac Vorti can handle, rated for up to 300kmh, while the tread is reminiscent of the tips of helicopter blades.
Continue ReadingDouble Star embarks on “Rainbow” tyre production
At the end of 2011 Double Star Tires based in Qingdao, Shandong province, China announced plans to produce a range of multi-coloured tyres. According to local news reports, Double Star has dared to differ from the overwhelming trend towards manufacturing black tyres having developed a patented process to make tyres of any colour. This range has been appropriately dubbed “Rainbow” and is set for imminent market release.
Continue ReadingGentipak to produce motorcycle tyres
Comments made in Pakistan’s Express Tribune indicate the General Tyre and Rubber Company of Pakistan, also known as Gentipak, plans to enter the motorcycle tyre market in mid 2012. The Karachi-based tyre maker, which produces passenger car radials under the General and Euro brand names and cross-ply tyres for light trucks, trucks and agricultural vehicles, recently invested Rs500 million (£3.5 million) expanding its production facility and began manufacturing tyres for natural gas-powered rickshaws; its production of motorcycle tyres is expected to start before the end of Pakistan’s current fiscal year.
Continue ReadingHow much? Freight rates double
The world’s largest shipping company, Maersk, has just announced that its container line made a loss of US$537 million last year and is unlikely to turn a profit in 2012. The vast majority of its competitors have posted similar losses and it seems like they have now decreed that enough is enough and across the board rate increases have been announced. And we’re not talking single percentage point increases. Rather rates are said to be almost doubling their previous levels.
Continue ReadingNizhnekamskshina to lead Russian tyre market by 2014 – TechSci
TechSci Research, which recently published an analysis of the Russian tyre market covering the next five years, has predicted that Nizhnekamskshina will lead the domestic market by 2014. It says that cheaper manufacturing cost, increasing demand for premium tyres, an increasing number of automobiles on Russian roads and the sale of Sibur will allow the manufacturer to lead by financial year 2014.
Continue ReadingPirelli appoints Paolo Ferrari NAFTA region chairman, CEO
Pirelli has appointed Paolo Ferrari as chairman and chief executive officer of Pirelli’s NAFTA region. He will be tasked with driving the group’s growth and further strengthening its commitment to its US, Canadian and Mexican operations, according to a Pirelli statement. Matteo Battaini will focus on the role of NAFTA region chief operations officer.
Continue ReadingInfinity organises tyre check training for Nigeria Customs
Infinity Tyres has helped to organise a tyre identification awareness training programme with Nigeria’s Custom Service in Lagos. Infinity said it had identified the Nigeria Customs Service as a suitable gateway for checking the authenticity and quality of tyres brought into the country in the interest of “improving safety” on the country’s roads.
Continue ReadingCooper finalises Serbian acquisition
On 17 January Cooper Tire & Rubber completed its acquisition of the former Trayal manufacturing plant assets in Kruševac, Serbia. A formal signing ceremony was held to mark the official start of Cooper Tire Serbia; this was attended by Serbian President Boris Tadić, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, US Ambassador Mary Warlick, along with Roy Armes, Chairman, President and CEO of Cooper Tire. During the ceremony Armes stated that Cooper elected to invest in Serbia not only because of its significant economic potential, but also for its quality workforce, geographical advantages and Serbian government support.
Continue Reading![Open for business: T&A tours Triangle HQ and manufacturing base](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/DSCF2772.jpg)
Open for business: T&A tours Triangle HQ and manufacturing base
Although six of the world’s top 20 largest tyre manufacturers are located in China and/or Taiwan, and despite the fact that all of these have global ambitions, for the most part these companies are still developing their positions in international markets. Likewise while reams have been written about the top names and more recently there has been increased coverage of the activities of the Korean bloc (Hankook, Kumho and Nexen), far less detail is reported about the leading Chinese players. It has to be said that this is partly because of the media’s gravitation towards well-known names but is also because – and this is something of a generalisation – Chinese manufacturers don’t have the best reputation when it comes to international communications.
Continue ReadingBack in REACH – Zafco responds to ETRMA result
Brand representatives report that since its launch in 2005, Zeetex has developed a strong reputation for quality assurance, safety and compliance with environmental requirements, and holds an impressive range of certifications. However, manufacturing body ETRMA found at least one Zeetex branded tyre that was non-REACH compliant was found on the European market in March this year. However, speaking in a recent interview with Tyres & Accessories, the global product manager of Zeetex at Zafco, Zafar Jafri, explained explained the company’s perspective on this issue: “ETRMA found a so-called ‘dirty’ tyre. At that time we were running two production lines (one for international sales and one for Europe).” Explaining that the tyre question was certainly not intended for the European market, Jafri continued by pointing out that the mishandling that led to the aforementioned tyre’s arrival in the European Union could only have come as a result of the mishandling at the factory’s warehouse, similarly unintentional mishandling at Zafco’s distribution centre or via grey-imports.
Continue ReadingChinese tyre makers lost share value in 2011
With China accounting for about 34 per cent of global rubber demand in 2011 and with demand for cars slowing last year in the People’ Republic, the varied economic climate is proving to be a challenging environment for the countries fast growing domestic tyre manufacturers. According to China Daily and Bloomberg reports, China's economy is forecast to grow 8.5 per cent next year, the least in 11 years, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Vehicle sales may rise by the least in 13 years in 2011, plunging from last year's record 32 per cent, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported.
Continue ReadingReport: Cheng Shin, Kenda earnings to grow fast in 1Q 2012
Taiwan-based tyre makers including Cheng Shin Rubber Ind. Co. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., are expected to see substantial growth in earnings in the first quarter of 2012 due to declines in raw material prices, particularly natural rubber. Furthermore, according to Taiwan Economic News, the European sovereign debt crisis means tyre manufacturers have slashed inventories to get rid of the risk in the prices of stocked goods.
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