Following strenuous campaigning from the industry, Tyred and Frances Molloy in particular, the government announced on 26 February that it will consult on “options to ban older tyres from use on buses, coaches, heavy goods vehicles and mini-buses to help keep road users safe”. The Department for Transport explained that the proposed legislation will make it illegal for these vehicles to run with a tyre aged 10 years or over.
Having published its definitive decision on Chinese-produced truck tyre dumping, the European Union has also rejected claims that Pirelli is not related to either China National Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd (CNRC, which is owned by ChemChina) or Aeolus. Therefore, any tyres made by any of the related companies in China have to be subject to comparable import tariffs.
In addition to announcing its final decision on measures related to Case AD640, its anti-dumping proceeding on new and retreaded truck and bus tyres manufactured in China, the European Commission has commented briefly on Case AS641, the anti-subsidy investigation focusing on these products.
The European Union has made its conclusive statement on the introduction of anti-dumping tariffs on truck and bus tyres and retreads manufactured in China. As previously announced, the EU will impose fixed rate anti-dumping duties on the products, with the final regulation 2018/1579 implemented from 23 October. This ends speculation that percentage rates could be applied. In fact, the EU has revised tariff levels up, almost across the board.
An additional investment is being made in the Sumitomo Rubber do Brasil factory in Fazenda Rio Grande, Brazil, which is scheduled to begin producing truck and bus tyres next March. This investment of BRL 153 million (£28.7 million, US$37.6 million) builds upon the BRL 312 million investment Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) announced in July 2016 for setting up bus and truck tyre production equipment in Fazenda Rio Grande. The extra investment will double the original starting capacity of 500 truck and bus tyres a day – SRI now plans for a daily capacity of 1,000 truck and bus tyres by October 2019.
Production of truck tyres for the European market has commenced at the Apollo Tyres plant in Gyöngyöshalász, Hungary. The tyre maker shares that the first examples of these tyres, Apollo EnduRace RT HD trailer tyres in size 385/65 R22.5, have been shipped to a transport company in Belgium. British customers will receive their Apollo tyres through Treadsetters, who earlier this year was chosen to sell and distribute the Apollo truck and bus tyre range across England, Scotland and Wales.
Singapore-based Firenza’s truck and bus tyres are manufactured manufacturing facilities in both Vietnam and Thailand which incorporate “the very latest technological advancements in tyre building technology and design”, according to the company.
All Firenza commercial tyre patterns include a solid shoulder construction complete with a zero angled steel band that is designed to significantly reduce irregular wear whilst a unique tread groove arrangement effectively safeguards against casing damage and stone retention.
Production of truck and bus tyres began at the Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. factory in Ladysmith, South Africa on 19 July. The tyre maker invested 970 million rand (£55.8 million) to add commercial tyre capacity to the plant, thereby ending Sumitomo Rubber South Africa’s reliance upon imports to satisfy demand for its truck and bus tyres in Africa.
Bridgestone is limbering up to launch a new generation of Ecopia truck and bus tyres at this year’s IAA Commercial Vehicles show. The tyre maker will also share the message that its truck and bus tyres will begin to be supplied with RFID electronic tagging systems as of next year.
Thanks to an internal document sent to EU member states and national tyre trade associations, we now have a clearer idea about what form the European Commission’s final anti-dumping measures against Chinese truck and bus tyres may take. The Commission favours a system of fixed, per-tyre duties similar to the preliminary duties introduced in May; the silver lining for Chinese tyre makers is that it has recommended these duties be reduced.
Recent published articles have led to uncertainty regarding duties upon new and retreaded bus and truck tyres originating in the People’s Republic of China. On 13 July, the European Commission announced its decision not to impose anti-subsidy measures during its ongoing investigation into these products. This decision reflects the Commission’s practice of not simultaneously imposing provisional anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures prior to reaching a final decision on the matter.
Volvo Buses has secured an order of 23 fully electric buses from public transport company Arriva in the Netherlands. The buses will operate in the city of Leiden in the province of South Holland. The order was signed June 28 at a ceremony in conjunction with the Volvo Ocean Race, which finished in the Hague this week. Deliveries will take place between Q1 and Q3 in 2019.
Bridgestone UK has secured the company’s biggest ever commercial fleet partnership across Europe, after putting pen to paper on a five-year agreement with Stagecoach. The deal with the prestigious bus and coach operator, which serves more than 100 communities in the UK and up to three-million-passengers each day, encompasses 9,500 vehicles in total.
Although Pirelli Tyre Co, Ltd. is named as a company whose products (together with those from Aeolus Tyre Co., Ltd., Chonche Auto Double Happiness Tyre Corp., Ltd. and Qingdao Yellow Sea Rubber Co., Ltd.) will be charged anti-dumping duties of 64.13 euros per tyre under anti-dumping Regulation (EU) 2018/683, the tyre maker states it is not affected by the new regulation as it doesn’t produce commercial vehicle tyres.
As of tomorrow (8 May 2018), the European Union will apply anti-dumping duties to certain Chinese-made truck and bus tyres entering the European Union.
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