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Avex: Number One In Storage

Based in Otrokovice in the Czech Republic, Avex claims to be the world’s number one tyre storage rack manufacturer, as well as manufacturing racks and containers for the chemical, automotive and nuclear industries.

The company was founded in 1994 and currently employs some 245 staff. The production facility covers around 10,000 square metres and 75 – 90 tons of raw materials are used daily, giving a monthly output of between 10,000 and 20,000 racks, depending on the size and complexity of the products.

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

30 Years of Turbocharger Production in Bradford

BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems has just celebrated the 30th anniversary of the opening of its commercial vehicle turbocharger factory in the city of Bradford. Only recently, the plant underwent extensive modernisation to ensure that it can optimally meet the ever-increasing demand for turbocharged commercial vehicle engines. In the past ten years alone, output in Bradford has more than doubled to over 400,000 units a year. The main customers include Renault/Volvo, Daimler and above all Deutz, who equips all engines with turbochargers from BorgWarner.
The commercial vehicle industry has been booming for years and new markets in Eastern Europe and Asia promise further growth. Environmentally friendly technologies are required to ensure that manufacturers continue to benefit from the current positive situation. As the market leader in the commercial vehicle sector and with many years of experience, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems makes a major contribution to guaranteeing that even the strictest emissions standards can be met without any loss of driving performance.

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Close Australian Factory by End of Year

Goodyear’s sole new tyre manufacturing facility in Australia is to close, announced Goodyear Tire & Rubber on June 25. The company states the closure of the Somerton plant in the North of Melbourne, Victoria will take place before the end of the year and is occurring as part of Goodyear’s global strategy to reduce high-cost manufacturing capacity and replace this with a more cost-effective supply of products. The elimination of Somerton’s output will reduce this high-cost capacity by approximately 3 million units per annum, with annual cost savings of around US$35 million. Up to 587 workers will be made redundant.

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess Appoints Front End Loading Provider for Singapore Facility

The Jacobs Engineering Group announced on June 24 that it has received a contract from Lanxess to provide Front End Loading services for a butyl rubber manufacturing plant project located on Singapore’s Jurong Island. Jacobs will provide the services from its Singapore office.

In making the announcement, Jacobs group vice president Chris Nagel stated, “We are excited that Lanxess has involved us in this project to support their growth in Asia. We are fully committed to delivering a safe, environmentally friendly plant.” Officials estimate the project’s total installed cost will amount to approximately US$700 million. Construction is expected to start early next year and be completed by the end of 2010.

25th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Thailand’s Vee Rubber to Increase Capacity for Export Markets

Thailand based manufacturer and exporter of car and motorcycle tyres, the Vee Rubber Group, has disclosed plans to invest up to a billion Thai baht (£15.5 million) over a period of several years. According to the Bangkok Post, the company desires to increase its car tyre production output to better serve its export markets.

The first phase of the company’s expansion will take place by the end of 2008, when Vee Rubber’s factory in Samut Sakhon Province will reach a new monthly output level of 200,000 to 300,000 tyres per month, up from the current monthly output of 100,000 car and light truck tyres. Reaching this capacity will require an investment of 400-500 million baht (£6.2-7.8 million). The remaining money will, over the next two to three years, be used to further boost the factory’s output to between 600,000 and 700,000 tyres per month. All of the added tyre output will be for export, primarily to Asia, Africa and North and South America.

19th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Tyre Prices to Increase in Asia

On June 18 Continental announced that, as of September 1, prices will increase for replacement market tyres sold in Asia by up to 10 per cent. In outlining the price rises, the company commented that “the market price for natural rubber, a key component used in tyres, continues to increase, while the price of oil and derived products, such as synthetic rubber and carbon black remain at historic high levels.” It added that this increase will only partially offset the raw material cost increases.

18th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Extends TBWA Advertising Relationship to US

Michelin has announced the selection of the advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day New York to represent its Michelin brand passenger car and light truck replacement tyre business in the United States, effective immediately. TBWA currently represents Michelin’s passenger car and light truck replacement tire business in Europe and Asia, and the company has chosen to extend its partnership with the US agency network of TBWA to allow ‘greater global synergies for the brand’ including productivity, speed of operations and operational efficiency.

“TBWA will draw upon their experience with the Michelin brand in other countries,” said Claire Dorland Clauzel, senior vice president Michelin Communication & Brands, member of the Group Executive Council. “Our vision is to continually enhance the effectiveness of our communications and the addition of TBWA will help us achieve that goal,” added Scott Clark, COO, Michelin Americas Small Tires. “With this decision, we have a unique opportunity to expand the integration of our communications teams and energise a new, powerful agency team capable of reaching consumers in ground-breaking, creative ways to drive brand preference and purchase intent for the Michelin brand.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Taiwan Manufacturers Expanding Tyre Production in China

Taiwan`s three-largest tyre manufacturers, including Cheng Shin Rubber Industry Co., Hwa Fong Rubber Industry Co. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., are reported to be planning to increase investment in their facilities in mainland China.

Cheng Shin will invest between US$50 million and US$60 million to expand the production capacity of its Kunshan, Jiangsu province plant between now and the end of June 2009. Once completed, the expansion will see daily production capacity at the plant rise to 54,000 passenger car tyres from the present level of 45,000, making the facility the largest tyre plant in China. The company also noted it would invest between US$60 million and US$70 million to expand production capacity at its plant in Haiyen plant in Xiamen, Fujian Province. Daily output would be boosted from the current level of 4,000 passenger car and truck tyres up to 6,000. Expansion in production at these two facilities is anticipated to help Cheng Shin increase its annual sales by a total of NT$15 billion (US$496 million).

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Advanced ID Applauds NHTSA’s Tyre Ageing Advice

RFID developer Advanced ID Corporation has published a statement supporting the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recent Consumer Advisory on the dangers of aged tyres. On 2 June NHTSA kicked off the summer driving season with a warning to motorists to check their tyres – including the spare – for signs of wear, under-inflation and age. The season’s heat, especially in hot climates, can take its toll on worn, old or improperly inflated tyres leading to tread separations, crashes and rollovers, the advisory said.

“We believe that NHTSA’s consumer advisory on tire safety is going to have a significant effect on the rubber manufacturers – this is the first time the US government has taken a public position on the issue,” said Dan Finch, President and CEO of Advanced ID. “Our global partners around the world are poised to begin implementation of tire tags for its many benefits, including the means to identify tyres in case of failure. All the tyre tag tests being conducted in numerous markets around the world – from Asia to Europe to Latin America – have been concluded or are near conclusion and, hopefully, the US will follow suit quickly before failures result in loss of life.”

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

New ECI Website Launched

Market-leader in independent tyre, accessory and equipment shows, ECI International has launched a newly overhauled website, eci-international.com.

The site features improved graphical presentation and the ability to navigate around the site with greater ease. Also available on the site is an array of information on ECI’s three forthcoming exhibitions: Tyrexpo Asia 2009 at the Singapore Expo Centre between 24-26 March 2009; Brityrex in Central Manchester (G-MEX) from 22-24 September 2009; and Tyrexpo Africa in Johannesburg during March 2010.

The company has also relocated its European office to Speldhurst Business Park in Kent.

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Truck & Bus Tyre Prices to Rise in Asia Pacific

Ever escalating raw material, energy and transportation costs are continuing to make their presence felt with global tyre makers. The latest to announce price increases as a result of these factors is Michelin, who has announced prices for truck and bus tyres sold in the Asia Pacific region will rise by up to 12 per cent. These new prices will be implemented between July and September 2008.

The latest price increase follows a number recently announced by the Michelin Group, including up to 8 per cent for numerous US market segments and, in Europe, up to 3.5 and 3.9 per cent for passenger car and truck tyres, effective spring 2008.

10th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Establishes Thailand Sales Office

Only weeks after announcing the start of operations at its new Yokohama Asia facility in Thailand, the Japanese tyremaker has announced the establishment in May of Yokohama Tire Sales (Thailand) Co., Ltd. This new tyre sales company, also based in Bangkok, will begin trading in July 2008 and has been fully capitalised by Yokohama Rubber at a cost of 200 million baht (£3 million).

Yokohama reports that sales of its branded tyres, particularly in the high performance passenger car tyre segment, are rapidly increasing. Previously Yokohama Rubber sold its tyres nationwide through local tyre distributors. The company says, however, it has become necessary to establish its own tyre sales company so as to further expand sales of passenger car tyres and also strengthen sales of truck/bus tyres and light truck tyres that are manufactured by Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand).

10th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Ranked No.1 in J.D. Power Winter Tyre Survey

For the fifth year in a row J.D. Power Asia Pacific has ranked Michelin the top brand for Japanese motorists in terms of winter tyre product satisfaction. The J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2008 Japan Winter Tire Customer Satisfaction Index Study is also itself now in its fifth year and measures customer satisfaction in five key areas: performance on snow covered roads, icy roads and regular roads, as well as tyre appearance and quality/durability. The overall index score is calculated based on customer evaluations and scored on a 1,000-point scale.

Average customer satisfaction for all brands is 592 points, up ten points since 2006. Industry-wide, the survey has shown tyre performance in icy and regular road conditions to have improved during the past three years. However, performance on icy road conditions has consistently received low ratings during the past three years, and according to the survey results continues to be an area for improvement for the industry.

2nd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo to Build New Asia Facility, Increase Capacity in North America

A new manufacturing facility in Asia and increased capacity in North America have been announced by Toyo Tire & Rubber in order to reinforce its tyre business’s global supply system. This measure is being undertaken as part of its Medium-Term Business Plan 2008, a three-year business plan that will be in operation through to the year ending March 31, 2011.

Toyo believes that simply boosting production at existing plants is not sufficient to meet anticipated growth in global demand. Therefore the company has drawn up a shortlist of potential locations for a new tyre production plant in Asia, which will serve as an export centre for the global market. This facility is scheduled to be ready during the 2010 fiscal year and will be built at a total investment of around 24 billion yen (£115.6 million). Planned production will mainly concentrate on passenger car tyres and by March 2012 annual output at the site is expected to reach 4 million units.

30th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Klarius Appoints Paul Hannah as New Business Development Director

Klarius Group, a market-leading supplier of aftermarket exhausts and catalytic converters, filters and shock absorbers, reports that it has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Paul Hannah as Business Development Director. A qualified mechanical engineer, Paul Hannah’s appointment is being seen as a strategic appointment for the business, which acquired ArvinMeritor LVA in 2007, as it continues to build its presence as the market leader.

Paul Hannah has a wealth of experience in the engineering, aerospace and automotive sectors gained over 20 years of international sales and marketing success in Renold plc and Edbro plc. As an advocate of lean manufacturing, he has helped to build sales teams across export markets such as Far East Asia, Russia, the USA and Europe in his previous roles.

30th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors