Brazil
In its latest market figures, published 13 June, Michelin reports that Europe’s original equipment and replacement passenger car tyre markets were stable in May, with demand approximately the same as in May 2012. Year to date, original equipment and replacement market demand is down four and five per cent year-on-year respectively.
European retreading industry organisation Bipaver is one of the five latest entities to join the Retread Tire Association. Membership in the US-based retreading association has now passed the 300-mark and, upon announcing the latest additions, Retread Tire Association managing director Harvey Brodsky commented that “we continue to be very pleased and gratified at the amount of support our exciting new association continues to receive from retreaders and others in the retread and tyre industries.
A landfill site in Kuwait is the resting place of 7 million used tyres, making it the largest of its kind in the world, according to the Daily Mail. While the Mail points out that such a site couldn’t exist in the UK owing to landfill directive, the newspaper does point out the Kuwaiti site is now actually visible from space.
Brazilian retread materials manufacturer, Vipal used Autopromotec as the platform to announce that it is re-purposing one of its Brazilian production plants. At the same time the firm launched a couple of new treads. The 25th edition of the show coincides with the fact that Vipal itself turns 40 this year, making it something of a multi-celebration for the company.
Perhaps the most important news for European and other export markets is the Brazilian company’s decision to repurpose one of its three manufacturing sites to focus exclusively on products destined for international exports. “This is an important decision that Vipal is taking regarding the foreign market. Thus, we will be able to provide all the required structure to serve with excellence over 90 countries around the world," said Plinio de Luca, Vipal's sales and marketing director say before the show.
Leading European aftermarket trade associations Aica, Anfia, Airp, Clepa, Egea, Feda, Federpneus, Figiefa met at the IAAM13 conference that ran as part of the AutopromotecEdu section of the recent Autopromotec exhibition. IAMM13 focused on providing companies and professionals operating in the aftersales business some foresight of trends and developments of the aftermarket sector in Europe and a number of strategic countries, such as BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China), threreby offering them the opportunity to find new international channels for their sales and marketing activities.
Running alongside the Autopromotec automotive parts exhibition itself, the AutopromotecEDU arena focused on offering an international perspective on current aftermarket trends.
The International Automotive Aftermarket Meeting (IAAM13) on Thursday 23 May was something a highlight, presenting international operators and experts focusing on forthcoming trends and developments in both the European several strategic countries such as the BRIC area.
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Brazilian retread materials manufacturer, Vipal has announced plans to launch a couple of new tread products at this year’s Autopromotec. The 25th edition of the show coincides with the fact that Vipal itself turns 40 this year, making it something of a double celebration for the company.
Lanxess’ Rhein Chemie business unit has opened a new production facility at its Porto Feliz site in Brazil. The facility produces ‘Rhenoshape’ high-performance curing bladders for use in tyre manufacture and has an annual capacity of approximately 170,000 bladders. Rhein Chemie says the plant employs state-of-the-art production technology incorporating the latest developments in bladder technology. The new plant will be joined by a further new facility next year; this will manufacture ‘Rhenogran’ pre-dispersed polymer-bound rubber additives and have an annual capacity of 1,800 tonnes. Altogether, Lanxess is investing around 10 million euros at the Porto Feliz site and creating up to 60 new jobs.
In addition to continuing its partnership with top North American football league Major League Soccer (MLS) and extending its agreement with the sporting body’s commercial arm Soccer United Marketing (SUM), on 6 May Continental Tire announced a new partnership with U.S. Soccer.
A common theme while talking with wholesalers this year has been the need for flexibility. Various companies are approaching this in different ways, and Danish wholesaler Nordisk Dæk Import, better known as NDI, has chosen a path not yet taken by any other European wholesaler. In order to offer customers the double advantage of flexible ordering and competitive prices, the company has established a new warehouse in Qingdao, China, near where its Nordexx private brand is manufactured. From this warehouse, NDI will directly supply Nordexx-brand and other products to its European and international customers; in early March the first shipment of Nordexx tyres arrived in the new Qingdao warehouse, and by April the full Nordexx range was in stock.
Titan International has announced “another record quarter” during the first three months of 2012, however the figures behind this impressive-sounding statement make for rather modest reading. While sales are up 24.9 per cent over the first quarter of 2012, the tyre maker only managed a small increase in gross profit, while adjusted net income declined significantly. Earnings per share were less than half what they were a year ago, although admittedly they show an improvement on Q4 2012. Titan says it remains focused on its goals, however, and sees many opportunities in the agricultural and mining sectors where it is most active.
In recent times, Starco has placed a significantly stronger focus on one specific business area. While the firm has been guided by the vision to become “the global market leader in special wheels” for a number of years now, its group strategy for the period from 2010 to 2014 singles out the agricultural sector for particular attention. This focus is influencing Starco’s numerous operations, including its development of new products and the company’s wholesale business. Indeed, the agricultural sector was a crucial factor in the company’s recent expansion into a new continent.
In its latest market trends update, Michelin reports that European on-road tyre markets were mostly down in March. Original equipment and replacement market passenger car tyre sales in Europe (including the Turkish and growing Russian markets) were respectively down 15 and 11 per cent year-on-year during March 2013. The year to date decline is 11 per cent for original equipment and nine per cent for the replacement market.
This year Michelin is releasing no less than six new motorcycle tyre lines: The Power Super Sport, Pilot Power 3, Anakee III and Anakee Wild, plus the Pilot Street and Pilot Street Radial. The last two of these are of particular interest due to the strategic approach they represent.
Kick off at the opening match of the next World Cup is just over 14 months away, and Germany’s Continental AG is once again a sponsor of the FIFA-organised event. As part of its World Cup involvement, Continental has committed itself to the UERE education project in the Favelas, or the Baixa do Sapateiro slum district of Rio de Janeiro. The UERE project targets children and youths aged between 4 and 18, and over a three-year period Continental will use the media attention the football world’s premier event will give Brazil to raise the profile of UERE and what the project has achieved.
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