Africa
Following a successful opening day, with a steady stream of visitors in attendance, Automechanika Middle East 2011 continued today with a series of tyre-related seminars dominating the day’s Automechanika Academy sessions.
Following a successful Tyrexpo Asia Zafco, the Dubai based tyre manufacturer, importer and exporter of tyres, batteries and lubricants, is also exhibiting at Automechanika Middle East. Founded in Dubai in 1993, Zafco is one of the world's leading importers and exporters of car tyres, batteries and lubricants. The company is based in the Jebel Ali Free Zone and its UAE storage facilities, which cover 43,100 square metres, can accommodate 1 million tyres.
Automechanika Middle East 2011 will feature a strong showing from Al Dobowi when the company will further promote a new pattern for its Infinity range of tyres, which the firm began promoting at the recent Autopromotec event in Bologna. Al Dobowi Group will be on-show in the dedicated tyres section of the exhibition located in Hall 7.
Dunlop Motorsport, IRTA and Dorna Sports have signed a contract for the exclusive supply of tyres to the Moto3 Championship, a deal which will run from the introduction of the new category in 2012 until the end of the 2014 season. An agreement has also been made to extend the existing Moto2 Championship contract until at least the end of 2014. Dunlop will supply tyres and technical support to every competitor in Moto3, the replacement for the 125cc World Championship. Dunlop has exclusively supplied tyres to Moto2 since its inauguration in 2010. Dunlop’s supply has been ratified by Dorna and the International Road Racing Teams Association (IRTA).
Logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel has assumed management of warehouse operations at Continental’s Port Elizabeth tyre making facility in South Africa. Within the scope of the new contract, Kuehne + Nagel will support Continental Tyre S.A. (Pty) Ltd’s original equipment and aftermarket dealer business in the South African market through receiving tyres from production, carrying out quality control checks, storage, inbound and outbound handling, picking and packing, inventory management as well as management of empty containers. In addition, Kuehne + Nagel will provide an external warehousing solution for overflow volumes in Port Elizabeth.
The top job at Continental Tire the Americas, vacant since Matthias Schönberg’s July 1 transfer to the company’s ContiTech division was confirmed, has been filled by Jochen Etzel. In a statement, Etzel declared his appointment as CEO of Continental Tire the Americas “an excellent opportunity,” and added: “I am excited to take this next step with the CTA team. Matthias Schoenberg guided CTA to a strong and successful business model in manufacturing, product and sales. I look forward to the challenge of continuing to lead CTA to further volume growth, as well as significant new product launches."
At the Michelin Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on May 13, the French manufacturer reported its position strengthened in every geography during 2010 and particularly in mature markets. “Last year at this same time we were observing how the exceptional crisis of 2009 had had an impact on our business,” observed Michelin managing general partner Jean-Dominique Senard. “I think that this year we need to admit that the 2010 context is different and it was a buoyant situation. We had a much stronger market recovery than we could have envisioned at the time.”
The year has started well for Lanxess. After achieving what it calls its “best-ever quarterly result in the first quarter,” the German specialty chemical company says it is on track to achieve EBITA pre-exceptionals in excess of one billion euros in 2011; during the first quarter its EBITA pre-exceptionals rose 38 per cent year-on-year to 322 million euros, with double-digit growth recorded in all its segments and regions. The company’s sales increased 29 per cent year-on-year in the three months to March 31, 2011 due to higher volumes and price increases that helped offset rising raw material costs. EBITDA margin pre exceptionals rose to 15.5 per cent in the first quarter from 14.4 per cent a year earlier and net profit increased 60 per cent year-on-year to 166 million euros.
Apollo Tyres Ltd has approved the company’s audited financial results for the fourth quarter (January to March) and the financial year 2010 – 2011. Consolidated annual revenues, taking into account manufacturing bases in India, South Africa and the Netherlands, grew 9 per cent to reach net sales of 88.6 billion rupees (£1.205 billion; 1.386 billion euros; US$1.983 billion). Net profit fell to 4.4 billion rupees from 6.5 billion rupees the previous year.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has reported record sales and higher unit volumes for the first quarter of 2011 – and a net profit for the quarter. The tyre maker’s first quarter 2011 net income was US$103 million, up from a net loss of $47 million for the same period in 2010.
Goodyear has announced the appointment of Jean-Pierre Jeusette to general director of the Goodyear Innovation Center in Luxembourg (GIC*L). Jeusette was previously director, Technology Consumer Tyres for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and has 21 years’ experience with Goodyear on a variety of assignments in both Luxembourg and Akron. Jeusette replaces Marc Junio, who has elected to retire after 34 years of Goodyear service.
Apollo Tyres’ managing director Neeraj Kanwar is expecting European aftermarket sales of its Apollo-branded tyres to grow to between 60,000 and 65,000 units a month by the winter season. According to an interview published in the India’s Hindu Business Line, the company is currently selling around 50,000 of these tyres a month in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and Italy, meaning the proposed uptick in sales will be in the order of 20 – 30 per cent. According to the reports these figures are “over and above the sales of Vredestein branded tyres manufactured in Europe.”
Apollo Tyres South Africa, formerly known as Dunlop Tyres South Africa, has invested in a specialist budgeting solution from Synergy Business Intelligence. Urekha Venketas, associate manager business Analysis at Apollo Tyres South Africa explained why the company sought such a system and her comments also give a flavour of the now Indian-owned firm’s approach: “In a global business, of which the South African operations are a part…means being able to very closely track performance in a highly unpredictable market.”
Elgi Rubber International Limited has announced the acquisition of a 100 per cent interest in Rubber Resources B.V. on 16 March, 2011. Elgi, headquartered in India, has operations in the USA, Brazil, East Africa and other parts of the Indian Subcontinent, focusing on rubber recycling, especially in tyres and retreading. Elgi says the acquisition “means a strong presence in Europe and big step towards being a worldwide supplier of reclaim to the rubber industry”.
Triangle Group, one of the largest tyre makers in China and arguably the largest producer of radial OTR tyres in the country, is celebrating winning a SQEP platinum supplier award from well-known off-road vehicle manufacturer Caterpillar.
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