Brisa
Brisa’s Lassa brand is presenting its Competus HP and Phenoma tyres at the 81st Geneva International Motor Show, on an 80sqm stand in Hall 7. The Competus HP is the latest edition to the Lassa Competus family, and the new sports tyre, Phenoma, have been tested and approved by Germany’s TÜV SÜD Automotive. The show continues until 13 March.
Before Christmas Bandvulc Tyre Contracts (BTC) the tyre management division of the Bandvulc Group recently hosted a conference for its group of Key Independent dealers working in partnership with BTC. According to the company, the focus of the event was to outline its performance during 2010 and advise of its plans and objectives for next year.
BTC reports that its turnover is already in excess of £30 million and has expansive plans for the year ahead. Opening the conference, Patrick O’Connell, group managing director, welcomed all to the event and outlined corporate plans and concerns with tyre and commodity prices along with stressing the importance of service delivery and maintaining quality in every aspect.
Brisa, the Turkish joint venture company owned by Bridgestone and the Sabanci Group, has agreed to purchase Bandag’s Turkish operations for US$3.6 million. The company says this move provides Brisa with a “cost-cutting advantage” to the logistics sector and will increase the quality of service it can offer. The acquisition was made by the purchase of 7,508 shares in Bandag Lastik Mamülleri Ticaret Limited Şirketi; the transaction is subject to the usual legal approvals.
Bridgestone will take its hard and soft compound Potenzas to Istanbul this weekend for the Turkish Grand Prix in the knowledge that they face one of the toughest corners for tyres on the current calendar. The toughness off the circuit makes for yet another interesting race in 2010, with only 22 points covering the top eight drivers, a recent surge from the winner of the last two Grands Prix Mark Webber having made him the joint Championship leader with team-mate Sebastian Vettel. Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone director of Motorsport Tyre Development, says: “Istanbul Park has caused us problems in the past so it is a circuit where we pay particular attention to every aspect of our preparation. We have reviewed the tyre strength and durability of our tyres so far this season and we have seen no problems, even though the latest cars are both heavier and faster than previously.
Turkish tyre manufacturer Brisa has confirmed that approval has been given for the TL272 million (£113.5 million) investment specified in the company’s 2009-2014 Mid-term Business Plan, and planned for in its Investment Incentive Certificate for the years of 2010-2014. While Brisa international marketing manager Aylin Erdil states that specific details cannot be legally disclosed at this time, she commented that the investment “covers the modernisation and expansion of the factory.”
Lassa was established in 1974 by the Sabanci Group, of one Turkey’s leading industrial conglomerates. In 1988 it significantly increased its capacity and product by becoming joint venture partners with the Bridgestone Corporation. This partnership forms the award-winning BRISA Corporation, enabling the Lassa brand to be supported by enormous resources and investment which, facilitates the production of a quality range of Lassa brand tyres.
Now one of Europe’s largest tyre producers, its integrated plant in Kentsa, Turkey covers over two million square metres and is equipped with state-of-the-art design and production technology and a revolutionary dedicated research and development centre. Customers are offered tyre products of superior quality sustained by outstanding service. BRISA supply Lassa tyres in over 50 countries worldwide through distributors who are specially selected for their location, logistics and experience. An extensive range of passenger tyres, high performance and winter ranges are manufactured, along with 4×4, rally, van and light truck, OTR and agricultural tyres.
Turkish manufacturer Brisa achieved net sales of 772,203,901 Turkish liras (£306.1 million) in the year ended December 31, 2008. This result disclosed in the company’s audited statement of income, represents a 2.9 per cent increase on the previous year. Operating income, at 48,709,571 liras (£19.3 million), was down 26.1 per cent on the 2007 financial year, and although profits of 31,795,956 (£12.6 million) liras were 49.1 per cent lower than the previous year, Brisa remained in the black during the year. The company’s domestic sales came to 610,590,748 liras (£242.0 million), a rise of 5.8 per cent. Exports declined 1.2 per cent during the year to 247,181,348 liras (£98.0 million).
According to Forbes, Turkish tyre manufacturer Brisa has given word it will suspend production between July 27 and August 6 due to weak demand.
RH Claydon is promoting a new marketing programme to participating Lassa passenger, 4×4 and van tyre retail dealers and service providers. Lassa tyres are produced by Brisa, a joint venture between Bridgestone and the Turkish Sabanci Corporation. According to a press release issued by RH Claydon, the company’s “collection for all seasons” includes Lassa Impetus Revo, Impetus Sport, Impetus 2, Atracta and Miratta tyres in passenger car, not to mention van units, transway and LC/R and more. In addition the programme purports too offer “extremely meaningful…incentive rewards within” to the participating dealers.
Production is one more underway at the Brisa/Bridgestone and Pirelli factories in Turkey. Both companies halted the manufacture of tyres late in February to realign output with demand, and resumed operations on March 3.
Production at the two companies’ factories restarted with the midnight shift on March 3, said labour union representative Hüseyin Çakar. Over the past week 2,200 workers, 1,072 at Brisa Bridgestone and the remainder at Turk Pirelli Tire Corporation, were placed on paid leave.
Two of the largest tyre manufacturing plants in Turkey paused production for a week following reduced OE demand. The Brisa (Bridgestone/Sabanci) plant which produces Lassa branded tyres initiated a week-long production break in order to “realign production” company representatives told Tyres & Accessories. Turkish Pirelli Tyres Corporation also halted production at its factory in the north-western province of Kocaeli, according to the Hurriyet newspaper. Around 2,200 workers are employed at the two plants, 1,072 of which work for Brisa and will remain on the pay roll, Turkish Tyre-Labor Union representative Huseyin Cakar told Hurriyet.
Brisa has announced to the stock exchange that it will suspend production in Turkey for a week starting tomorrow (5 February, 2009) following a slowdown in domestic and foreign demand. The company is a joint venture between Sabanci Holding and Bridgestone.
Turkey’s Dogan News Agency has reported on around 1,000 Brisa employees barricading themselves inside the company’s tyre manufacturing facility in Izmit. The factory occupation and an associated halt in production is said to have taken place to protest the unexpected announcement of more than 30 job cuts.
Brisa announced on December 18 that it had terminated contracts of 32 workers at the plant due to falling sales figures and lower product demand. Executives of the employees’ union are said to have joined the protest.
On the evening of November 7 Turkish tyre manufacturer Brisa commemorated its 20th anniversary. The company was established through a partnership between Sabanci Holding and Bridgestone in 1988, and senior management from both firms were in attendance at the Four Season Hotel in Istanbul to mark the occasion with a gala dinner.
The Sabanci Holding and Brisa management team, along with Bridgestone Corporation executives hosted a wide range of guest, including representatives from the business world, Brisa’s business partners, company employees and members of the press. Ms Güler Sabanci, chairman of Sabanci Holding, Mr. Shoshi Arakawa, Bridgestone president and CEO and Mr. Bülent Savaş, president of Brisa, shared the history of their partnership and the various successes the 20 years together have yielded.
Bridgestone affiliate company Brisa Bridgestone Sabanci Lastik Sanayi & Ticaret A.S., which manufactures tyres in Turkey, may construct a new plant in Egypt to avoid high Turkish labour costs. The average worker at a tyre facility in Turkey costs the company about US$50,000 to employ, therefore competing with rivals in regions such as Eastern Europe is difficult.
“Egypt is one of the alternatives we’ve been looking and working on it all the time,” commented Guler Sabanci, chairwoman of Haci Omer Sabanci Holding A.S., joint venture partner with Bridgestone in the Brisa operation. According to Ms Sabanci’s office, an Egyptian worker is at least $5,000 cheaper per annum to employ.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
