China Archives - Page 155 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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Techking Introduces Service Centre Concept

During the CITExpo exhibition Techking Tires focused upon presenting its new “Techking Service Centers” (TSC) to interested parties. TSC is a training and educational facility for customers through which can gain information on topics such as tyre repair and maintenance from Techking specialists. Just recently the Qingdao, China based OTR tyre specialist inaugurated the first TSC as its head office location; it serves as a model for further centres, explains Techking Marketing’s Benjamin Zhang. The first TSC outside of China, located in the vicinity of a local customer will soon open in South Africa. This is, incidentally, an essential component of the TSC concept – the service centres will typically be built in partnership with customers, with all essential equipment and operations supplied. “Our goal is to supply the highest quality tyre solutions possible,” Zhang continues. And, according to Zhang, this is a “key point of difference between us and the competition.”

19th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Nankang Presents New Winter Tyres

For the last few years CITExpo has been a fixture in the Nankang Rubber Tire Corporation’s annual events calendar. And the tyre maker, one of Taiwan’s largest, does not head to Shanghai each year just to give the exhibition an international flavour – as Eric Shih, marketing and project manager for Nankang’s export department, explained to Tyres & Accessories, the CITExpo show offers a “good chance to do tyre business.” Hence Nankang is always pleased to return to the exhibition. Admittedly, the Taiwanese company didn’t have far to travel to reach CITExpo: Nankang has an office in Shanghai and since 2003 has operated a factory in nearby Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province.

19th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Steven Zhou Named New Cooper Chengshan General Manager

Chuck Taylor’s time in the role of general manager at Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co. Ltd. (CCT) is drawing to a close, and Cooper Tire has named his successor. On December 11, new general manager Steven Zhou will take over responsibility for planning, directing and coordinating the manufacturing operations at CCT. Zhou will report directly to Asian Operations Vice President and General Manager Allen Tsaur.

19th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Aufine Presents an Extended Truck Tyre Range

International News, News

Ever since the Aufine Group owned factory in Dongying, Shandong Province entered operation in 1986, it has specialised in truck tyres. Nevertheless, the company has considered broadening its range. As general manager David Sun explained during the CITExpo exhibition, Aufine – whose name was chosen due to its phonic similarity to the words “all fine” – has recently mulled over the idea of a passenger car tyre factory. According to Sun, Aufine calculates an RMB 700 million investment (£63.6 million) is required to establish a planned factory capable of producing five million passenger car tyres per year. These plans, admittedly, have been laid on ice indefinitely due to the global recession. If and when the Aufine Group finally presses ahead is a decision heavily dependent upon the future development of global markets, not least the US market. Should the decision be made to press ahead with the new factory, the company’s aim is to produce “high quality tyres in China,” David Sun emphasises.

16th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Reflects on Successful Market Debut in China

In general, the largest names in the tyre industry are not present at the China International Tire Expo. This year, however, one of the leading global tyre manufacturers brought its extensive range to CITExpo in Shanghai: Cooper Tire & Rubber. Since the establishment of two joint ventures in China the US based tyre company has also become a leading player in this particular market. As Cooper vice president and general manager for Asia Allen Tsaur emphasised when talking with Tyres & Accessories at CITExpo, the company wants in future to even more heavily focus upon the local Chinese market.

16th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Atturo Offers US Consumers Tariff Free Asian Value

The less atlas adroit amongst us, when hearing the name “Republic of China”, may think of Beijing, Shanghai or centres of tyre manufacture such as Qingdao. At this point we’d like to draw your attention to a small island moored alongside the world’s most populous nation. The aforementioned Republic of China is better known as Taiwan, and US consumers – and their wallets – will soon appreciate the distinction between the two similarly named countries. Following its international debut at September’s CITExpo exhibition, the Atturo tyre range is heading stateside and will be shown off in North America for the first time at SEMA 2009. And since the line-up is manufactured in Taiwan, it is exempt from the new US tariffs on Chinese made tyres.

16th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US Tariffs “Groundless”, says China

China’s Commerce Ministry has labelled US measures against Chinese imports, such as the tariffs on consumer tyres, as “groundless”. On October 15 ministry spokesman Yao Jian told journalists "the US launched a large number of trade remedy measures this year. Quite a few such measures were groundless and wrong."

15th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

YHI International Names New CEO

Singapore based alloy wheel manufacturer YHI International Limited has appointed a new CEO of its YHI Manufacturing Group. Taiwan national Thomas Lee commenced in the role on October 7, and brings to the job more than two decades’ experience: Between 1985 and 2007 Lee was employed by aluminium wheel and casting tooling producer Lioho Machine Works in the capacity of senior vice president and chief of China operations.

15th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Hikes US Cinturato P5 and P4 Four Seasons Prices 10%

In the US, Pirellli is raising the prices of its US P4 Four Seasons and Cinturato P5 tyres by 10 per cent, effective 1 November 2009. According to the company, the move is a result of “market pressures created by the recent tariff on Chinese consumer tyre imports” as well as increased rubber and raw material costs.

Pirelli Tire North America’s price increase is the first move from the premium sector in response to the recent Chinese import tariff and suggests that, directly or indirectly, the tariff has an effect throughout the market. Pirelli previously said that only very small shipments of certain specific products would be direcly affected by the tariff and that its influence was “not material.”

15th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Takes Super Soft, Medium Potenzas to Brazilian GP

Bridgestone has announced that it will continue its policy of taking two tyre options with a wider compound stiffness gap to the penultimate Grand Prix of the Formula One season. Sao Paulo’s undulating anti-clockwise Interlagos circuit will see super soft and medium compound Potenza slicks used between 16 and 18 October. The combination has been seen previously this year in Australia, China, Bahrain and Germany.

14th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

UK Firm Fined for Illegal Export of Waste Tyres

Cheshire based company BTR Limited has been ordered to pay £10,000 in fines and costs for its involvement in the illegal export of waste tyres to Vietnam. The case, taken by the Environment Agency, is the first ever taken under new regulations controlling the import and export of waste to the UK.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

India Drops Investigation into Chinese Tyres

The Xinhua News Agency, China’s official press service, reports the country’s Ministry of Commerce “appreciates” India’s decision to terminate a trade investigation into Chinese manufactured passenger car tyres. According to Xinhua, a statement on the ministry’s website says the decision “decision would not only help boost the steady development of bilateral trade ties, but also benefit the downstream businesses of India.”

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

CITEXPO Shows Stability Despite the Crisis

International News

There are exhibitions where people are encouraged to “see and be seen.” And there are other exhibitions where employees from various market players meet and engage in what is important: doing business. One such exhibition is the China International Tire Expo, or CITExpo for short. At the start of September numerous representatives from the international tyre business met in Shanghai, and many of them attended to meet the stated aim of doing business with international (preferably Western) distributors. The particular quality – the meeting of Chinese manufacturers and exporters with overseas importers – has clearly evolved during the previous seven years and today is CITExpo’s greatest strength.

9th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrepac Soft Launches China Operations

Asian retail tyre portal Tyrepac has announced the soft launch of its China operations, in Guangzhou, China. The company reported on October 8 that consumers can now purchase tyres online via its www.tyrepac.com.cn website.

8th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Destination Europe: More Chinese Products En Route to Europe?

Company News, International News, News

Now President Barack Obama has stuck 35 per cent import duty on all passenger car and light truck tyres from China for the next three years what happens next? Chinese tyre manufacturers won’t want to sell fewer tyres each year. But US importers, consumers and manufacturers are equally unlikely to want to pay or absorb the additional costs. Tyres & Accessories spoke to a range of US, Far Eastern and Chinese companies and found that manufacturers are having to rely heavily on production flexibility, while traders are now setting their sights on one market in particular – Europe.

Stephen Wu, managing director of Chinese tyre trading operation, Best Choice International, reports that orders from the US stopped came to a virtual standstill in July. Their strategy is now openly towards producing more European market orientated products: “We stopped an SUV/LT project and waited for the decision. And we produced more European UHP tyre sizes, not US sizes.” Companies like Best Choice are now prioritising orders in other markets – especially Europe – where they aim to sell the most popular sizes, UHP and winter tyres. Best Choice is apparently interested in other markets as well, but Wu refused to give further details at this time. As far as Best Choice is concerned there is now zero chance of getting orders in the first year of the tariff, except in the 19-inch and over category. As a result competition is likely to be based on just two factors: price and delivery time.

6th October 2009/by Chris