Africa
English language daily Arab News reports that Al-Amoudi Group company, the Al-Muwakaba for Industrial Development & Overseas Commerce (Holding), will establish a 194,000 square factory in the Saudi Arabian port city of Yanbu. The project will cost an estimated SR900 million (£148 million), and the facility is expected to employ 600 workers and have an annual output of 1.8 million passenger car and commercial vehicle tyres.
While the Formula One season currently involves 20 long weekends across most of the world’s continents – Africa and Antarctica continue to hold out – tyre supplier Pirelli is adding a mid-week run at Mugello, Italy from 1-3 May; the first time that in-season testing has been seen in Formula One since September 2008 (excluding last year’s Abu Dhabi young driver test). The manufacturer explains that the test will allow for greater understanding of the way the P Zero, and Cinturato if rain is forthcoming, tyres work, “accumulating more data” and allowing some of the team’s “third drivers to get time in a Formula One car on the current tyres.” This is the first mid-season test since Bridgestone completed a session in 2008, though pre-, and post-season sessions are common practice.
Michelin Tyre PLC has announced a successor to Martin Covington, who retired as head of Truck and Bus Marketing after a 37-year career at Michelin. Tyre industry newcomer Sharn Samra has been appointed to the role, with responsibility for the UK and Ireland. She joins Michelin from Wolverhampton-based lock and home security firm Yale, where she had worked since 2004, initially as the company’s head of Product Management and Marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa before taking over as head of Business Development in 2009. Prior to working at Yale, Samra spent three years as a product manager at Staffordshire-based Newell Rubbermaid.
Sales at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company during first quarter of 2012 were a record for the period, the US tyre maker claims. Announcing the company’s results for the opening three months of the year, Goodyear chairman and CEO Richard J. Kramer commented “I'm pleased with our results as our businesses posted solid operating income.”Our teams delivered these results in the face of a difficult volume environment and high raw material costs, with a strong focus on price/mix.
Last November, Pirelli signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesian automotive component manufacturer PT Astra Otoparts Tbk regarding a joint venture factory. Now, on 24 April, the tyre maker reports it has signed an agreement with Astra to build a new factory in Indonesia – its first in this country – for the production of cross-ply motorcycle tyres.
Nissan's factory at Sunderland has been awarded the Queen's Award for continued achievement in International Trade. The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance, recognising and rewarding outstanding achievement by UK based companies.
Jean-Louis Schlesser won the 2012 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge for a record-breaking sixth time on Cooper’s Discoverer STT tyre. Cooper says the tyre excels in these extreme conditions, with an aggressive tread pattern and tapered stone ejectors, which help prevent stones and debris lodging in the tread, keeping them clear and maintaining traction. Schlesser’s victory meant he took the overall points lead in the 2012 FIA World Cup Cross-Country Rallies Championship.
A plan by government-backed REDISA (Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa) to help deal with the growing problem of waste tyres in the country is “back on track”, according to local news sources. The government announced that the Integrated Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IIWTMP) had been signed by Minister Edna Molewa, and will deal with close to 200,000 tons of waste tyres produced in South Africa per year. The country currently recycles an estimated five per cent of tyres.
Goodyear's 2012 annual shareholder meeting was held on 17 April at the company’s headquarters in Akron, and chairman and CEO Rich Kramer told those in attendance that he was “pleased” with the tyre-maker’s 2011 performance, outlining the company’s “strategy roadmap”, Tire Review reports. Pointing to record sales of $22.8 billion and record segment operating income, Kramer said, “What is most gratifying is that our record results across all global businesses were achieved in the midst of continued economic uncertainty around the world through successful execution of our strategy. Our ‘strategy roadmap’ is the foundation for decisions on every aspect of the business, from marketing and product development to investment and team building.”
Tyrecor has announced that it will display Infinity’s branding on six taxis in the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg. The South African distributor of the brand says that it wants to increase and promote Infinity Tyres brand awareness; the campaign will last 12 months with the taxis placed strategically around the cities.
Apollo Tyres has launched the first of its self-branded Super Zone outlets outside India in Dubai. Designed to provide customers with a feel for the brand and its products, the Apollo Super Zone is located in Al Qiyada, near the Dubai Police General Headquarters and is operated by Middle East Tyres LLC, Apollo Tyres’ business partners. The Apollo Super Zone was inaugurated by chairman of Apollo Tyres, Onkar S Kanwar.
Singapore’s Stamford Tyres was awarded the 'Gold Award' for the most innovative stand at the recent Tyrexpo Africa Show 2012 in Johannesburg. Stamford says it prioritises visual presentation and the latest accolade further emphasises its dedication to the highest standards in its show stands. Daniel Eng, Stamford Tyres assistant vice president for international distribution says: “Receiving this prestigious award is a rewarding conclusion to a very successful show for Stamford tyres and South East Asia in the global tyre industry.
Michelin Group has announced plans to increase its production of economy tyres at the firm’s Tigar Tyres subsidiary in Pirot Serbia by 50 per cent. Currently the tyre manufacturing operation is set to produce 8 million tyres in 2012 but, according to a memorandum of understanding with Serbian authorities and the City of Pirot, the Tigar Tyres which is 300 km southeast of Belgrade, will be producing 12 million tyres annually by the end of 2016. Overall, the project will represent an investment of 170 million euros for the period 2012-2016. This reportedly equates to the creation of 700 jobs in Pirot.
Al Saeedi Group, a leading UAE-based tyre company, opened new offices and tyre service facilities at Dubai Investments Park (DIP) on 25 March 25. Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, vice chairman of DP World and group CEO of Port & Free Zone World, inaugurated the multi-million facility that features most advanced equipment and technology to offer one-stop solutions to all tyre related services. H.E. Sanjay Verma, consul general of India, Dubai also attended.
During the first couple of months of 2012 Belgian firm Deldo has, like others active in the European tyre wholesaling scene, observed that this year may be different – more complicated – than the past couple of years. However the Antwerp-based wholesaler is not unduly concerned; during a recent visit, Deldo’s international sales and marketing manager Rutger Veerman discussed the company’s growth plans for 2012 and beyond.
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