Brazil
Interlagos, in the heart of Sao Paulo, is the second-shortest lap of the year after Monaco. Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli will provide medium and soft compound P Zero tyres to combat the challenges of its series of twists, turns and elevation changes. Long-range weather forecasts predict wet weather for at least part of the […]
A little more than a year after the inauguration of its new plant in Rosario (Santa Fe province), Marangoni Argentina has further expanded its operations with the installation of a fifth 4-metre press for Unitread and Precauch flat pre-cure retread strips, plus two other presses for the production of Ringtreads. The presses will commence operation shortly.
The Sumitomo Rubber Group’s first tyre factory in Latin America has been awarded both the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard and the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Standard. Certification of the Sumitomo Rubber do Brasil Ltda passenger car radial plant in Fazenda Rio Grande, Paraná state took effect on 30 September 2014. The accrediting body for both certifications was Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA).
Representatives from five companies attended the training program at Vipal’s head office in Rio Grande do Sul recently. According to the retreading materials supplier the goal was to share the knowledge the firm has acquired over more than 40 years of experience. Vipal, which is the Latin American leader, reports that it developing several such initiatives. These activities, like those fostered by the UniVipal corporate university, are intended to benefit customers around the world. In September, Vipal’s partners from Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia attended a four-day training session at the company’s head office in Nova Prata, Rio Grande do Sul.
Brazil’s Borrachas Vipal ships its products to nearly 90 countries around the world and last year achieved US$120 million worth of export sales; around 30 per cent of the company’s production volume is exported, with pre-cured treads representing 40 per cent of this figure. All up, Vipal is responsible for 80 per cent of Brazil’s pre-cured tread exports. It therefore comes as little surprise that the company has recently been twice honoured in its homeland for export activities.
A new retread factory that is reported to have the largest capacity in Latin America has opened in Campina Grande do Sul, Paraná, Brazil.
Operated by retread tyre manufacturer Ivo Recap, the facility is part of the Vipal authorised network and has a production capacity of 20,000 retreaded tyres per month. Production will include retreaded tyres for cargo transport, agricultural, off-the-road, and industrial applications.
A facility said to be Latin America’s largest retreading plant opened late last month in Brazil. The 6,000 square metre plant in Campina Grande do Sul, Paraná state, is operated by Ivo Group company Ivo Recap and has a 20,000 tyre a month capacity. The facility retreads truck, OTR, industrial and agricultural tyres.
Michelin’s acquisition of all outstanding shares in Brazilian digital fleet management and freight security firm Sascar Participações S.A. and its affiliated companies, which was first announced on 9 June, has now been completed. The transaction has been approved by the Brazilian competition authority (CADE) and all other closing procedures were finalised on 29 August 2014.
Off-road tyre, wheel and track specialist Camoplast Solideal Inc. has acquired Brazilian industrial tyre manufacturer Rodaco. With this purchase, Camoplast Solideal says it has improved its capacity to manufacture and distribute tyres for the material handling industry in South America.
Evonik Industries is building its first highly dispersible (precipitated) silica plant in South America. The company announced on 21 July that it will invest a “mid-double-digit million euro amount” in a facility located in Americana, within Brazil’s São Paulo state. No word has been given on the greenfield site’s anticipated output tonnage when it goes on stream in 2016 or when full capacity is reached. The silica produced will mainly be used in the production of low rolling resistance tyres, however Evonik says that by building the plant it will also cater for the needs of the growing regional business in attractive specialty segments in South America’s food, animal feed, and agricultural industries.
According to a German newspaper, Continental plans to step down as a World Cup sponsor. The Hannoversche Allgemeine (HAZ) writes that in future the tyre maker intends instead to solely sponsor regional confederations, such as Europe’s UEFA. This change to the company’s multi-million commitment is also said to apply to the next World Cup. “We have nothing more to do with the coming events in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022,” the newspaper quoted a Continental spokesperson as saying.
During the BRICS summit taking place in Brazil today and tomorrow, Apollo Tyres’ chairman Onkar Kanwar will lead a five-member business delegation and present a report from the BRICS business council to the Brazilian, Russian, Indian, Chinese and South African heads of state. The council has identified five areas where the BRICS countries can explore business opportunities – infrastructure, manufacturing, financial services, energy and green economy and skills development. “Each country can support the other and take part in each other’s respective growth and development programmes,” Kanwar, who is chairman of the BRICS Business Council (India), told Indian news daily the Hindustan Times.
Germany’s contribution to this year’s World Cup hasn’t just been some spectacular football and a memorable 7-1 victory over the host nation in the semi-final; sponsor Continental has produced three World Cup-themed tyres to mark the event. Each of these limited edition products feature stylised footballs and the FIFA World Cup logo on the sidewall – but unfortunately, none are available for sale here.
C4 Carbides, the Cambridge manufacturer of power tool accessories and industrial band saw blades, looks set to deliver a ten-fold increase in exports to Brazil.
C4 Carbides’ rapid growth began a call to UKTI in April 2012, following a recommendation from their finance director. “International sales have always been an important part of our business as we know there is a limited market in the UK for our products,” says Pete Nicolson, company founder and CEO. “In the early days, our approach to exporting was quite ad hoc. Over time I began to realise that we would benefit from expert support to help us develop a more strategic plan.”
At the end of May, Goodyear Tire & Rubber shared details of its plans to increase its consumer tyre capacity in the Americas by 12 million units a year between 2013 and 2019 by erecting a new factory and upgrading existing plants. Further details on these projects have been published by “agência latinapress”; on 27 June, it reported Goodyear’s Latin American region president Jamie Szulc as saying the tyre maker is looking at sites in Brazil, Columbia, Mexico and the US for its greenfield facility, which will have an annual capacity of 6 million tyres. Szulc is also quoted as saying that investments in Goodyear plants in Venezuela, Peru and Columbia are on the cards.
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