China Archives - Page 150 of 240 - Tyrepress

Now one of the largest tyre-producing countries in the world, China has an indisputable influence on the direction of global tyre trade. The home of both fast-growing up-and-coming brands as well as a burgeoning domestic market, this tag chronicles China’s involvement with the tyre business.

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China Seizes 8,500 Tonnes of US Waste Tyres

The US recently imposed tariffs aimed at preventing Chinese manufacturers from dumping cheap tyres in the market, and now China faces its own dumping problems of a different nature – customs officials there report seizing more than 8,500 tonnes of smuggled waste tyres sent from the US. According to the General Administration of Customs, some 366 shipping containers filled with tyres arrived in the coastal city of Guangzhou via Hong Kong between December 2008 and February 2009, where they remained until their discovery in December 2009. Three suspected smugglers were subsequently arrested.

4th January 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Wang Takes on Cooper Kenda Controller Role

The controller of Cooper Tire’s Cooper Chengshan Tire joint venture in Rongchen City, China, William Wang, has been named the new controller of Cooper Kenda Tire Co., Cooper's manufacturing joint venture in Kunshan, China. Wang replaces Mark Ehren, who is on medical leave, and in his new position will be responsible for financial planning, preparation of the operation's financial statements, budgeting, internal controls and review and oversight of the general ledger to ensure the integrity and accuracy of accounts. In addition to his new role, Wang will continue responsibility for leading the enterprise resource planning initiative and key information technology projects in Cooper Chengshan to ensure the effective and efficient recording of accounting transactions.

4th January 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Reifen China 2010 Exhibitors Examine Post ITC Options

The third Reifen China exhibition, held in Shanghai between 11 and 13 November 2009, hosted 6,693 visitors (1,333 international visitors) during the show’s three days. These were welcomed to the show by exhibitors mainly from the world's largest production market. In addition to the wide variety of Chinese and international tyre manufacturers and traders at the show, the 2009 event featured an increased number of retreading equipment and consumables companies (such as tyre valve suppliers) over previous years.

18th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Chinese Market to be 30% of Cooper Sales

International News, News

Reports indicate Cooper Tire & Rubber wishes to increase the share of its global sales generated in China from 25 to 30 per cent in the next three years. "That's our minimum target,” said Allen Tsaur, general manager for Cooper Tire's Asia operations during an interview with Reuters. “The Chinese domestic market is explosive and the pie is expanding. We have to grow fast to keep up the pace.”

18th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Extends Asia Region Components JV

Continental has entered into an agreement to increase its stake in Continental Automotive Corporation (CAC), the Japanese joint venture it operates with Nisshinbo Holdings Inc., from 51 to 60 per cent in 2010. This increase in shareholding will allow Continental's Chassis & Safety Division to integrate its airbag systems and sensorics business.

17th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Sailun Tire Continued US Exports Despite ITC Ruling

In a bid to find out what how one of the nation’s more modern tyre manufacturers has been fairing since the introduction of the ITC tariff, Tyres & Accessories initiated the following interview with Chinese tyre maker Sailun Tire. Surprisingly, T&A learnt that the company planned to continue selling a similar number of tyres into the US, despite the hefty new taxes, which they refer to as T421. Our first question was what is Sailun’s position on the US’s recent decision to impose 35 per cent import tariffs on Chinese tyres?

15th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Zeetex Brand Out in Force at Reifen China

International News, News

The Zeetex tyre brand, which is produced exclusively for Dutch wholesaler S&H Tyres and Dubai based Zafco, was out in force at November’s Reifen China show. In addition to the company’s large and unmissably coloured orange and black stand, S&H Tyres chose a prime location near Reifen China’s main entrance and opposite the thoroughfare between this and the popular China RubberTech exhibition. With arguably the biggest stand held by a European company at the show, Tyres & Accessories asked one of the company founders Siem Klapwijk the obvious question – why?

The reason S&H’s management is happy to invest so much in exhibiting in China is because the company, which already sells significant amounts of tyres in the western European countries, is growing fast and becoming increasingly international. Currently the UK and Germany are seen as key markets, however, while this is likely to continue, the company’s 2010 forecasts would seem to suggest that new markets will be needed in addition to sales growth from existing customers. During the course of 2010, S&H expects to sell 2 million passenger car tyres and between 500,000 and 600,000 truck and bus tyres around the world.

15th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Techking Aims for January Launch of Effiplus 'Green' Car Tyre Range

Well-known as an OTR/EM tyre manufacturer, Techking Tires is now seeking to sell a low rolling-resistance passenger car tyre range called Effiplus from January 2010. The Qingdao, China-based tyre manufacturer reports that it has already arranged a substantial off-take agreement with an as-yet unnamed Chinese tyremaker. Marketing manager Ben Zhang refused to reveal exact details of which manufacturer the company would be working with and how many tyres the company is planning to make, but Tyres & Accessories understands it will manufacture with one of China's largest producers. The plan is to sell the tyres direct to wholesalers/dealers in these respective markets, rather than distributing through importers.

While Zhang didn’t explicitly explain the thinking behind this part of the decision, it is likely to be related to the fact that, while the company’s partnerships with local distributors work well with high value items like OTR tyres, margins are slim on low value items such as passenger car tyres – particularly in such a competitive climate for the economy sector. What Zhang did say was that the company is considering offering the right wholesalers brand exclusivity, something that would enable the company and the wholesalers it partners with to share the marketing and business development investment.

15th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Asia Pacific Marketing Push Aims to Increase Domestic Sales

Whether the attention Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Asia Pacific gained at Reifen China was a result of the tyres on display or the bus loads of dancers performing on the exhibition stand each hour, you cannot ignore that the company has embarked on a slick and high profile marketing campaign and is increasingly making an impact on the domestic Chinese market in both the passenger car and truck tyre sectors. With this in mind, Tyres & Accessories interviewed vice president and general manager Asia operations, Allen Tsaur, and senior PR manager Jojo Tang.

Cooper’s ongoing region-specific marketing push aims to invest in the future of China’s fast growing automotive business by reaching more consumers and particularly the young driver audience. Car ownership in general has shot up in recent years, but Tang reports that ownership in the 23 – 35 age group has “boomed.” And this explains the “Charlie’s Angels” meets “Kill Bill” styling of the Cooper Angels customer-facing marketing concept.

15th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Maine Industrial Tire Wins GPX Solid Tyre Bid

MITL Acquisition Corp., comprised of former GPX International Tire officials and private investors, identified itself as the winning bidder for the solid tyre business sold out of bankruptcy by GPX. The new company will operate as Maine Industrial Tire, and will be led by Bryan Ganz, CEO; Troy Kline, president and COO; and Phil Fitzgerald, director of China operations.

14th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Former Tyremaker Signs China Conveyor Belt JV

The Sempertrans division of Semperit AG Holding has signed a joint venture contract with China’s Wang Chao Coal & Electricity Group to produce conveyor belts in Shandong Province. In the medium term around 15,000 tonnes of conveyor belts will be produced at the site, enabling the former tyre manufacturer to gain a foothold in the world’s largest market for these products. Semperit ceased producing tyres in 1985 when it sold the rights to the Semperit brand name to Continental.

11th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Alliance Bid for GPX Assets Accepted

Alliance Tire Group has successfully fought off Titan International’s bid for key GPX International Tire Corporation assets. On December 2, Titan submitted a US$44 million bit for GPX International’s US and South African business assets to the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, an offer $5.7 million higher than that previously announced by Alliance. However, on December 8 Alliance announced the court approval of its agreement to acquire key GPX International assets, customer relationships, warehouse footprint and engineering capabilities. The agreement will also give Alliance worldwide rights to the Galaxy and Primex brands, the company’s medium radial truck tyre distribution business and South African subsidiary, GPX Tyre South Africa (Pty.). Exact details of Alliance’s final bid are unknown, however it is said to be in excess of $50 million.

9th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrepac Launches China Tyre E-Tail Portal

Singapore-based online tyre retailer Tyrepac announced the official launch of Tyrepac China (www.tyrepac.com.cn) on 8 December. Like the many similar services operating across European and World markets, upon purchase and payment online, consumers can select from a list of appointed retailers to have their tyres changed, or have them delivered to a location of their choice. The difference is that this service is based in the key production and emerging replacement market of China.

9th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Guangdong Greatoo Aims to Offer Cutting Edge Moulds

Guangdong Greatoo Molds Inc’s global appeal has increased since gaining ISO9001-2001 International Quality Certification, with company representatives describing the company’s current products as “the gold standard.” Tyres & Accessories/tyrepress.com met with the company’s senior technical consultant RNK Krishnan at November’s Reifen China show and asked what makes this Chinese mould making operation stand out?

What is different about Greatoo is the fact that, unlike some competitors, the company offers three kinds of mould manufacturing – CNC direct engraving, aluminium precision casting and Electric Discharge Machine (EDM) technology. The latter was obtained from aluminium casting experts at German firm AZ Mould. As a result the company reports it is now capable of producing “high quality aluminium moulds including winter moulds.” Their philosophy is that moulds are “critical parts in tyre manufacturing and require precision in all stages…their maintenance plays a vital role in ensuring the consistency of the tyre.”

8th December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Now ‘Number 6 in Europe’

Career Tracks, UK News

Hankook are now the sixth largest tyre manufacturer in Europe, according to company figures. Speaking during a tour of the South Korean-based tyre manufacturer’s Racalmas, Hungary tyre production plant in November, European PR manager, Felix Kinzer, announced that the company now calculates it is the seventh largest tyre maker in the world in terms of units sales; and not far from sixth. Tyres & Accessories' own data, which calculates the rankings based on the value of sales using the euro as the control currency, puts the company in eighth. Algebraical differences aside, the point is that Hankook is gaining ground on its competitors, something that is even clearer when you look at Hankook's take on the current European leaderboard. The company’s calculation puts Hankook in sixth place in the European passenger car tyre market with a 7 per cent market share, snapping at the heels of fifth-placed Pirelli with 8 per cent. Things are even better in the truck and bus tyre business, where the company’s market share has reportedly grown to nine per cent, putting the company in fifth place after Bridgestone (13 per cent), this time ahead of Pirelli (5 per cent). When you consider the rapid growth rates Hankook' sales are currently experiencing, the company's arguably ambitious calculations deserve further attention.

3rd December 2009/by Tyrepress Editors