OTR tyre specialist Techking Tires came to the Reifen Essen show armed not only with new products, such as the 335/80R20 MPT (Multiple Purpose Tire) – the Chinese company brought news of impressive growth and numerous new programmes it is introducing. Techking marketing specialist Benjamin Zhang reported the latest developments to T&A.

“We have set up six private meeting rooms for existing and new customers at our stand,” he said. “For the whole week they are always busy.” This is hardly surprising considering Techking’s explosive growth during the past few years. Evidence of this can be seen from the fact that in 2006 Techking had 5 tyre specifications. Today it has 140, in 20 individual patterns. All tyres are manufactured at the company’s 35,000 square metre Dongying, Shandong Province factory, which was built in 1994.

Amongst Techking’s new offerings for 2008 are combined tyre and rim combination packages. “This has come as a result of customer feedback,” explains Mr. Zhang. “Customers asked for a tyre/rim package. It is easier for us to choose the right rim for a particular tyre.” The Techking marketing specialist reported that the building of a new 330,000 square metre factory for manufacturing OTR and TBR rims is currently in progress, The facility is due to be completed at the start of 2009 and within three years a capacity of 50,000 to 70,000 pieces per annum is planned.

Also new is Tire Watch, Techking’s TPMS project initiated last year. Testing for the Tire Watch project will continue until July and its market introduction is not far off. Tire Watch, Mr. Zhang explains, offers real time monitoring of tyre pressure. A third new product from Techking, introduced this year, is Tire Armor, protective chains for loader tyres, that can be easily damaged on rocks. “New items such as Tire Armor show we not only provide products; we also provide solutions,” said Mr. Zhang.

Yet another significant development for Techking is the introduction of the TSC – the Techking Service Center – Techking is building showrooms in conjunction with local partners in key markets and will provide training to local dealers. The TSCs will offer maintenance services and advice on correct tyre choice, while enhancing the Techking brand image in various local markets. “We have chosen Europe, Africa and Australia as the markets in which to begin rolling out the TSC concept, as in these regions we have stronger partnerships with local dealers,” Mr. Zhang added. The first TSC is scheduled to open in July 2008, and in addition to these centres the company continues to visit its global partners on site. In 2007 Techking representatives visited 50 such partners in various countries.

Techking tyres are sold in approximately 55 markets around the world, with Europe, South Africa and Australia the strongest. European sales account for 25 per cent of the total, Mr. Zhang comments, and currently South Africa is the market undergoing the fastest growth. A new market for Techking is Russia, and it is one that, says Mr. Zhang, presents its own challenges: “It is a different situation from our traditional key customers. The market in Russia is mostly for bias tyres, radials are only being introduced. In Russia we provide potential customers with our ‘Fuel Save Technology’ programme, which includes statistics on the fuel saving benefits of radial tyres.”

On the topic of world markets, much has been said recently about the US decision to impose duties upon Chinese manufactured OTR tyres. While Mr. Zhang confirms the duties charged on Techking products are not as high as for some other Chinese based manufacturers, he admits the US remains a smaller market for the company.

After conquering numerous world markets, Techking is now making itself at home, in its home market. In a situation that is completely in reverse to most Chinese manufacturers, Techking, a traditionally strong exporter of radial products, has only very recently launched its products onto the domestic Chinese market. “Most Chinese mining companies still use bias tyres,” Benjamin Zhang explains. “Most sales in China are for overseas brand equipment. We hope this situation will change soon but realise it takes time to adopt radial technology.” Even more amazingly, in April 2008 the company that has for so long embraced radial technology launched a range of bias OTR tyres. “The first tyres produced after heavy involvement from Techking will serve OE manufacturers in the domestic market,” stated company president Tech Wang in a Techking newsletter. A company representative further comments on the decision to introduce this older technology. “We are not in pursuit of high volume. We feel that giant bias OTR is a necessary supplement to the market at the moment.”

The testing of such new giant OTR tyres, like all the Techking range, can be performed on the company’s drum test machine, which can test up to 63-inch tyres; Techking is the only Chinese manufacturer to have such a machine. And in terms of tyre development, the process at Techking is very customer centred, adds Mr. Zhang: “Techking collects research and development feedback from different markets, and develops custom products for key markets, such as the 29.5R29 ETNT for Canada or 35/65R33 ETNT for Australia.”