Asia
A book on Microcylcus uleï, the parasite fungus attacking South America’s rubber trees, has just been published by the International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) and the Common Fund for Commodities. It has been compiled following the international work group that was organised at Michelin’s Bahia Plantation in Brazil from November 26 to December 2, 2007. The book lists what is known about the disease and how to fight it.
Following the successful premiere event in 2007, the popular Asian region “Reifen China” exhibition was again held last December. Some 5,600 domestic and international visitors attended the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) between December 4 and 6, 2008, to gain information on the latest products, technologies and services available within the Chinese and worldwide tyre industry. While the fair attracted some two hundred fewer visitors than the 5,800 recorded the previous year, this decline of 3.5 per cent must be viewed in light of the current economic situation, particularly within the tyre industry, and should therefore be interpreted as a very positive result. “Actually I don’t at all want to speak of it as a decline,” commented Klaus Reich, director Trade Fairs and Exhibitions for the show organiser, Messe Essen GmbH, to Tyres & Accessories. The result, he said, was in the economic circumstances, “absolutely good.”
Leading US battery companies have teamed up with one of the country’s largest national laboratories to form the National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Battery Cell Manufacture. The object of the alliance is to manufacture advanced lithium ion battery cells for transportation applications in the United States.
The founding members of the Alliance include 3M, ActaCell, All Cell Technologies, Altair Nanotechnologies, Dontech Global, EaglePicher Corporation, EnerSys, Envia Systems, FMC, MicroSun Technologies, Mobius Power, SiLyte, Superior Graphite, and Townsend Advanced Energy. Additional battery developers and materials suppliers are anticipated to join the Alliance. The US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, a national research laboratory and leading developer of new battery technologies, has been active in encouraging the Alliance and will continue to serve in an advisory role as the Alliance begins operations.
One of Asia’s premier natural rubber events, the ASEAN Rubber Conference 2009, is to be held between June 18 and 20, in Vientiane, Laos. The promoters describe the conference as a one-stop-centre for the natural rubber industry players to learn, experience and network.
The objectives of the ARC, the organiser adds, is to bring together both regulatory authorities and commercial players of the rubber world to provide updates on current trends and future challenges faced by the naturally rubber industry, to facilitate the exchange of ideas and insight into the global rubber industry and the price discovery of rubber
When Japanese drivers Ukyo Katayama and Takuma Aoki get underway in the 2009 Dakar rally, held in South America between January 3 and 18, both men will be driving vehicles fitted with tyres specially developed for the competition. Manufactured by Yokohama Rubber, the rally tyres utilise a new material the company calls “Orange Oil”, a substance also employed in Yokohama’s latest generation eco tyre, the ‘DNA Earth-1’.
Continental has launched several products on the Indian market to cater for four-wheel vehicles and is hoping to secure OE agreements with Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, The Hindu’s Business Line news source reports. The website quotes Andrea Esser, the company’s executive vice president (replacement Asia), saying, “We are in discussion with Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra for their domestic as well as export vehicles.”
Esser commented on the launch, saying that it represents, “part of our overall growth strategy and commitment to the Asia Pacific region. With the growth in auto industry here, we believe that we should actively take part in India. We plan to develop a significant market share in India.” Questioned about where the tyres would be coming from, Esser maintained that they would all be imported and that there are no plans as yet to produce domestically: “Currently we will be importing tyres only as sales are very low. Once it attains a good volume, then we may think of locally producing our tyres.”
On December 4, one of the most influential automotive industry awards in China was announced in Beijing. Known as the “China Auto Service Golden Finger Awards”, the awards are jointly held by Auto Driving & Service Magazine (one of the authoritative auto magazine in China) and Sohu Auto Channel. Since its inception it has developed to become one of the most influential and well-known annual lists in auto service industry.
With the help of the Singapore Government’s Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board, Singapore based company Tyrepac is developing what it says is Asia’s first online tyre retailing site. The company’s first website, for the Singapore market, is already up and running, and the company states that websites for China, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea and Hong Kong will be live in late March 2009. Plans are also underway to expand into India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand.
The world’s second largest Automechanika show opens in China on December 10 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. During the three exhibition days a record number of exhibitors are expected to showcase their products in the centre’s eight halls, an 80 per cent increase in exhibition space compared with 2007. Visitor numbers are also expected to exceed last year’s figure.
Special chemicals group Lanxess AG has announced the formation of an alliance with Japan-based Tokyo Zairyo to sell rubber chemicals to Japanese companies engaged in the industrial rubber product sector within China. This cooperative agreement took effect on December 1, and the German company expects that the partnership will also help its sales in Japan and other Asian countries.
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said it has affirmed Giti Tire’s “B+” long-term corporate credit rating with a “negative” outlook, based upon the company’s weak financials going into 2009. It also affirmed Giti’s “B-” foreign-currency issue rating on the company’s unsecured notes. Furthermore, Standard & Poor’s says all Giti’s ratings have been removed from CreditWatch, where they had been placed with “negative implications” in September.
Goodyear has appointed a new vice president for the company’s Asia Pacific Consumer Product Business Unit. Daniel Smytka will be responsible for heading up all Goodyear consumer tyre products and services throughout the region, from the company’s Shanghai office.
Before joining the company, Smytka was the president of the Building Systems & Services division of Carrier Corp. in the United States. He also worked as a company officer and vice president at General Electric Co., where he served as CEO and president of the Engineered Systems Division. He was also CEO and president of GE’s Consumer and Industrial Group in the Asia Pacific region.
Seeing the positive in the current global economic doom and gloom, the organiser of next March’s Tyrexpo Asia says the exhibition is ready to act as an international tyre forum that will serve to help businesses weather the credit-crunch by introducing cash-conscious buyers to volume-chasing suppliers and manufacturers.
With tyre and equipment businesses under pressure around the world from falling automotive sales and low consumer confidence, ECI International believes the stage is set for the exhibition to deliver much-needed vitality and innovation into the global market. “Every business is looking at its costs and margins, so the opportunity to meet new suppliers and distributors who can help achieve efficiencies has never been more important,” said ECI’s Paul Farrant.
When developing winter passenger car tyres for its premium brands, Continental AG says the most important consideration is how well brakes perform in one of the most commonly occurring yet critical road conditions for motorists in Western and Central Europe – wet road surfaces. An evaluation of the latest winter tyre test results reported by leading international trade magazines, reports Conti, confirms the wet-braking properties of tyres developed by the German manufacturer, which in most cases received the best scores within this particular category. In contrast, remarks Continental in a release, several competitor products and cheap Asian imports designed primarily for low rolling resistance were marked down for poor performance on wet surfaces.
Officials from Toyo Tire & Rubber have said the company is postponing plans to build a new tyre factory in Asia and expand its tyre output in the US. This decision has been taken in light of lower vehicle sales and the global economic slowdown, and the company has not stated when, or if, these projects will now take place.
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