capacity Archives - Page 99 of 147 - Tyrepress

Posts

Moves Expand Stapleton’s Distribution Capacity

Stapleton’s recently relocated two of its regional distribution centres to larger premises and commissioned an extra warehouse near its head office in order to increase stock choice and offer greater delivery flexibility. The Warrington distribution hub has been relocated to a larger warehouse just one mile away from the original site providing a 50 per cent increase in capacity and the original Bristol warehouse has been moved to a site in nearby Avonmouth, which has enabled an increase in stock levels from 10,000 to 80,000 tyres.

A brand new site in Biggleswade has also been opened which will act as a support warehouse to the main site and head office location in Letchworth. The new sites have increased the company’s capacity by around 130,000 tyres creating a network capacity of over 600,000 tyres. This has allowed the addition of new stock profiles, and an increase in depth of stock, offering customers even more choice.

19th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Increasing Capacity in China

Michelin reports it is increasing its passenger car tyre capacity in China by 50 per cent, to 15 million units, and doubling truck tyre capacity to 4 million. This significant increase in capacity will mostly serve the local market. The tyremaker states it aims to grab an 11 per cent share of the passenger car tyre market in China (8 per cent in the OE segment, 15 per cent in for replacement market tyres) and 9 per cent of the truck tyre market. Turnover, which at present is 1 billion euros or 6 per cent of group sales, is expected to almost triple in the next five years.

19th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Vipal Using Local Partners to Grow in Eastern Europe

Retreader Vipal has placed a focus upon expansion in Eastern Europe this year, and this growth has greatly aided by the company’s decision to work alongside local market partners. The company reports that in Poland it has this year worked with the company PPH TOR SP. ZOO, who it says has been one of its important partners in the retreader’s expansion in this market.

15th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nexen’s Qingdao Plant to Start Production in December

Speaking to Tyres & Accessories, Korean manufacturer Nexen has confirmed that the first phase of building work on its £87 million ($170 million) factory has been completed and the first tyres are due to roll off the production line in December 2007. Initially the plant will produce 2 million units per annum and will reach full production capacity by 2009. Construction of the company’s new R&D centre is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2008.

15th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Anjityre Rubber: Tubes For All Tyres

Anjityre Rubber Industrial was established in July 2003 and is a manufacturer of high quality butyl tubes and tyre flaps, using advanced, imported equipment and techniques.

The success of the company was immediate and a second factory was built and opened in June 2005, giving Anjityre Rubber a production capacity of 12 million inner tubes and 1.5 million flaps per year.
The range of tubes covers all kinds of tyres; passenger car bias and radial, light truck and truck and bus (bias and radial), industrial, tractor, implement and OTR tyres (bias ply) as well as a comprehensive range of tyre flaps. A selection of valves (not manufactured by Anjityre Rubber) is also available.

Anjityre Rubber has been awarded ISO 9001 quality accreditation and the company exports its products globally.

14th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Petrochemical to Increase Synthetic Rubber Production

Kumho Petrochemical has made a total investment of 285.3 billion Korean won (£150.6 million) in extensions to its facilities as part of its goal of acquiring the largest share of the global synthetic rubber and specialty chemical market. A total of 164 billion Korean won (£86.6 million) has been invested in the company’s BR (butadiene rubber) factory and 97 billion Korean won (£51.2 million) in its SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) plant. A further 24.3 billion Korean won (£12.8 million) has been invested in the company’s specialty chemical plant, where the substance 6-PPD is produced.

When the extensions are completed, Kumho Petrochemical’s annual BR production capacity will increase from 222,000 tons to 342,000 tons, while its annual SBR production capacity will rise from 421,000 tons to 531,000 tons. The company will also produce more than twice its current volume of 6-PPD a year, increasing its capacity from 31,000 tons to 70,000 tons. Extensions to the BR plant are expected to be completed in October 2009. When this goal is achieved, Kumho Petrochemical’s annual production of BR and SBR combined will reach 763,000 tons – meaning that output will surpass that of Goodyear, who currently produce 714,000 tons per annum, placing Kumho Petrochemical at the head of the world list in terms of synthetic rubber production.

14th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Phillips Carbon Black to Expand Capacity

India’s RPG Enterprises is looking to boost capacities at its Phillips Carbon Black (PCBL) subsidiary. The Economic Times in India reports the company is establishing a 75,000 tonnes per annum greenfield carbon black manufacturing unit in the west Indian state of Gujarat, along with a 16 megawatt power plant. It also intends to increase capacity at its facility in the state of Kerala by 50,000 tonnes per annum to 85,000 tonnes.

RPG Enterprises vice-chairman Sanjiv Goenka told the Indian financial daily “the move is expected to catapult PCBL globally to the sixth rank in terms of the manufacturing capacity over the next two years from ninth now.” The total outlay for the proposed projects, at both greenfield and established sites, is estimated to be Rs 5,500,000,000 (£67.3 million) and will be funded by a mix of debt, equity and internal accruals, Mr. Goenka added. The greenfield facility alone will require an investment of Rs 3,500,000,000 (£42.8 million).

13th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Releases 9-Month Figures, Considering Tyre Buyback

At the Board of Directors’ meeting at Pirelli & C. SpA on November 9 a mandate was given by the chairman to “begin contacts with speed” to evaluate the possible repurchase of the 38.9 per cent share in Pirelli Tyre currently owned by a consortium of banks, the company reported in a press release. This is the share sold by Pirelli in July 2006 to the bank-controlled company, Speed, for 740 million euros, and the repurchase would be a move towards the company’s new focus upon core businesses following the 3.3 billion euro cash sale of its Olimpia unit.

Nine-month results for the company as of September 30 were also released, and Pirelli claims these reflect the positive performance of its tyre and real estate businesses, which in the first nine months of the year were said to have “continued in the direction of further international expansion.” In the January – September period net profits returned to the black and were recorded as 243.3 million euros, a marked contrast to last year’s nine-month loss of 1.41 billion euros, which occurred largely due to the effect of the writedown of the stake in Olimpia. Group sales for the period were 5.23 billion euros, 44.4 per cent higher than last year’s 3.62 billion euros. Excluding DGAG, nine-month sales were 3.95 billion euros. EBIT, including income from equity participations, rose by 13.4 per cent net of extraordinary components, including the capital gain from the sale of 38.9 per cent of Pirelli Tyre, which characterised the previous period.

12th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Close to US Tyre Plant Decision

(Akron/Tire Review) Kumho Tire Co. is indeed planning to build its first US tyre plant, and hopes to announce its location by the end of this year. Dr. Sae Chul Oh, Kumho’s president, revealed the plans at last week’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Company officials said that as many as five locations in Georgia and Alabama are being considered. The South Korean tyremaker is seeking a location that gives it the best access to US auto plants, a skilled labor force, optimum labor costs and ample access for workers and management. The plant will be based on Kumho’s modular Automated Production Unit technology, which it unveiled a few years ago in South Korea.

At the same time, Oh said, the company is also considering a plant for Europe. Oh said that for now only one will be built, and it appears the US is the first choice. A European plant would most likely be located in Eastern Europe.

8th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Acquires 51% of Matador Tyre & Rubber Business

Continental AG has acquired a 51 per cent interest in Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o. based in Puchov, Slovakia. The tyre and conveyor belt business, together with the rubber processing equipment business unit, were separated beforehand from the parent company Matador a.s., which now holds a 49 per cent interest in the joint company. “This shareholding enables us to expand our existing joint venture with the Matador Group in the field of truck tyres. At the same time we are significantly strengthening our production and operations base in central and eastern Europe and making lasting investments here,” explained Manfred Wennemer, chairman of Continental’s Executive Board. The newly founded company will remain a legally independent unit with sole responsibility for its business.

Matador Group CEO Dr. Štefan Rosina said “we have been looking for a strategic partnership for our Passenger and Light Truck tyre business very seriously. Therefore, I’m glad that all conditions of this strategic alliance were successfully carried out and I am sure that this joint venture with Continental will give a new future to our tyre business. We will remain in this joint venture company as an important shareholder and this will enables us to strengthen our position in the automotive sector – our new strategic business for the Matador brand.”

8th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Americas Officially Opens New Manufacturing Facility

November 7 marks the official grand opening of the first tyre manufacturing facility outside of Japan to utilise Bridgestone’s “BIRD” technology. National, state and regional officials from the Republic of Mexico will join representatives from Bridgestone Corporation, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire and Bridgestone Neumáticos de Monterrey (BSMR) at the company’s new plant in Monterrey, in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, to commemorate the occasion.

With a production capacity of about 8,000 tyres a day, the Monterrey plant has generated more than US$200 million in investment to date. As previously mentioned, the facility employs Bridgestone’s new BIRD tyre production system, which stands for “Bridgestone Innovative and Rational Development.” According to Bridgestone, BIRD is the world’s first production system for tyres that completely automates all stages of tyre manufacturing, from the initial processing of materials to final inspection of the finished product. Additionally, the manufacturer reports that the BIRD system allows for greater flexibility and responsiveness to customer needs because of its capacity to make several different types and sizes of tyre simultaneously.

7th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Maywood Releases New 2 Post Lift

The Maywood Equipment Group has announced the arrival of a brand new electro hydraulic 2 post lift, the KH32. This lift is produced exclusively for Maywood and its introduction comes subsequent to extensive market testing in France and more recently in The UK. The KH32 is available in either single or three phase and has a 3.2 tonne capacity. It features a baseframe, extending its suitability to almost any floor, subject to good concrete conditions. Maywood reports the KH32 is competitively priced and available from the company’s distributors, including Unipart Automotive.

Features of the KH32 lift include arms that swing inwards to fit in between wheels and has a double cable lifting mechanism. It is suitable for general workshop use but also for tyre bays or body repair shops. The lifting pad height is 110 mm, suitable for most cars, and the lifting height of 2074 mm is higher than many lifts. The KH32 comes equipped with many safety features including integrated emergency lowering feature.

2nd November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Super Jumbo to Roll on Bridgestone Tyres

Bridgestone has reported that its aircraft radial tyres were those chosen for fitment to the first production model Airbus A380. The super sized airliner was delivered to Singapore Airlines and entered service on October 25, its maiden flight taking place on the Singapore to Sydney route. Subsequent A380 airliners shipped to global carriers will also come mounted with the tyres, which Bridgestone claims offer superb safety and fuel efficiency.

In order to accommodate takeoff and landing speeds of up to 370 km/h and takeoff gross weights of as much as 560 tons, Bridgestone manufactures aircraft tyres using what it calls its “Revolutionary Reinforced Radial” (RRR) design, a radial structure with high elastic modulus/strength cords. The construction of an RRR technology tyre includes an inner belt that minimises tyre expansion in the radial direction and an outer belt that resists external damage. By suppressing tread tension the RRR structure also reduces the possibility of damage from running over objects. Should the tyre be damaged, the structure minimises the possibility of tyre destruction through bursting or tread separation.

1st November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Plans to Lift Capacity by One Fifth

Plans are afoot to increase Kumho Tire’s global capacity by 20 per cent in the coming year. The company’s CEO and president, Dr. Sael Chul Oh, has commented that this growth would be fulfilled in part by the Korean tyremaker’s operations in China; two of Kumho’s three established plants in the country are scheduled for expansion. A fourth facility is also currently being built in China.

In 2006 Kumho had a global capacity of 45.3 million tyres, and plans to increase this to 56.4 million by 2008 appear to have been met and surpassed ahead of schedule, with the manufacturer reported to possess a current worldwide capacity of 60 million units, through which it generates US$12 billion in annual tyre sales across 180 countries.

1st November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Drifting to Victory with Toyo

Tanner Foust, driver of the Toyo Proxes R1R shod AEM/Memphis Car Audio/Toyo Tires Nissan 350Z, was crowned the 2007 Formula Drift champion this past weekend during the Formula Drift Championship Finals at Irwindale Speedway in California. Foust entered the final event leading the championship by 23 points, which meant he only needed to finish in third place or better to secure the championship, however he ended the season on a high note by taking first place on the day.

Irwindale Speedway is known to fans as “The House of Drift” and draws capacity crowds for the annual drifting finals. Foust climbed the championship ladder during the final rounds by first defeating Tony Brakahopia in the Top 16. During the Top 8, Foust defeated Ryuji Miki, and then moved on to the Top 4 to defeat Kenji Yamanaka. In the Final, Foust defeated number two ranked Chris Forsberg for both the event win and the 2007 championship.

31st October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors