Tyrexpo Asia 2001, to be held at the Singapore Expo Centre from 11 – 13 September, is the third Tyrexpo Asia to be held in Singapore. Although the name is the same, the exhibition has changed hands since the last show in 1998, but there is still a measure of continuity as the MD of the new organisers, ECI Ltd, is Paul Farrant, who was a director of previous organisers Labelex Exhibitions. And of course this show, like the first two, is being sponsored by TYRES & ACCESSORIES and German sister magazine NEUE REIFENZEITUNG. In reality, “the Asian market” is a collection of individual markets, each with varying degrees of potential. This has been recognised by others, and we have seen a number of exhibitions, loosely connected with the tyre industry in specific markets over previous years. In many cases, tyres and related equipment and services have been added on as something of an afterthought. Not so Tyrexpo Asia, which Paul Farrant describes as “the only show in the area dedicated to the tyre industry, and the one which is the best-established and which has built up a solid reputation.” The first show was held at a time of great optimism, with the phrase “Asian tiger economies” on everybody’s lips. What a difference there was two years later, with the words “Asian tigers” being replaced by “Asian crises”. But Asia is fighting back – car sales are increasing steadily, and cars mean tyres. The influence of south east Asia in the world’s tyre industry should not be under-estimated, neither should it be forgotten that four of the world’s ten largest tyre manufacturers are based in Asia and no fewer than fourteen of the world’s top twenty hail from Asia or the Indian sub-continent.