China Archives - Page 178 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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Retreading Plant & Chinese Sales Key to Greater Goodway Earnings

Goodway Integrated Industries views its recent venture into China and the purchase of a plant in the Malaysian city of Shah Alam as key to greater future earnings, reports Malaysia’s The Star newspaper. The company, which was caught off-guard by a sharp increase in rubber prices during the first quarter, expects improved performance in the coming months following a review of its selling prices.

“We are able to pass down some of the price increases to our customers, which should help improve our profits for the rest of the year,” group CEO Tai Boon Wee said after the group’s June 24 AGM.

25th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Aeolus Placing a Focus upon Quality

International News

Originally established by the Chinese government as an OTR manufacturer, Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd. has, in its 43 years, become one of China’s top ten tyre producers. The company currently specialises in truck and earthmover tyres, manufactured at its 640,000 square metre factory in central China. Soon a second facility will also enter service. At the Reifen exhibition T&A spoke with company Europe Division Manager Mr. Cuiqiang Fu and vice general manager and chief engineer Mr. Yaoling Feng about the direction Aeolus is taking as a company and as a brand.

“Of greatest importance for Aeolus is an emphasis on quality, we always lay an emphasis on quality and technology,” states Mr. Feng. He notes that this focus lies at the heart of the company’s success. “The most important thing for management level at Aeolus is quality and improving the mindset of employees. All Aeolus employees know this brand and the factory would not exist without the quality of our product; all that Aeolus is today is due to that.”

24th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sentaida Appoints Shannon as Credit Manager

Sentaida International, the North American marketing and sales headquarters of China’s Sentaida Group, has appointed Brian Shannon as their new Credit Manager. Shannon – who has previously held the positions of Credit Manager for TBC Wholesale Division and Director of Credit for Treadways Corporation – will be responsible for overseeing credit and collections.

After more than 12 years’ experience in the industry, Shannon has been excited by the prospects of Sentaida International, saying that the company “supplies quality products at competitive prices” and prides itself on “long term partnerships with customers.” The appointment comes in lieu of Sentaida’s expansion of operations in Los Angeles, California and Miami, in addition to the St. Louis headquarters.

24th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

New Marketer Adds Colour-Coded Tread Wear Warning

A new private label tyre company based in Oregon, USA has launched its first product, one with an interesting twist. Icon Tire’s new I/Q LT7 line features what the company calls “Visual Tire Performance Indicators” (VTPI), stud-like devises designed to help drivers see when a tyre has worn to its removal mileage.

Icon said the new tyres and system will be available to dealers and retailers by the end of this year. Initially there will be 12 sizes, Icon said, focused on minivans and SUVs. Icon said the new line was “developed through a non-exclusive license of Smart Tread LLC’s patented performance testing and identification method, and Icon’s patent pending stud design.”

23rd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Produces 500 millionth Floating Brake Calliper

On July 19 Continental celebrated the production of the world’s 500 millionth floating calliper at its facility in Rheinböllen, Germany. Commenting on the occasion, Heinz Zingel, executive vice president of the Company’s Hydraulic Brake Systems Business Unit, which belongs to the Chassis & Safety Division, said “Each year, the Hydraulic Brake Systems Business Unit produces more than 33 million floating callipers at sites in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, the USA, Brazil, China, Japan and Taiwan. Annual production is some ten million at Rheinböllen alone, making it the world’s leading production site for Continental brake callipers.”

20th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Gori: Pirelli Must Expand in China, Russia & Brazil

Pirelli Tyre must consolidate its presence in mature markets and expand in high-growth areas such as China, Russia and Brazil, stated CEO Francesco Gori in an interview with Italian newspaper Milanzo Finanza. When asked why he did not include India as a focus country, Gori said sales in this market are impacted by the absence of a modern highway network: “India is not yet at the level of Brazil, China, and Russia.”

Mr. Gori said raw material prices have risen more than expected and that in such difficult market conditions, meeting targets is a challenge. He added that a listing of Pirelli Tyre is not on the agenda, and will not be considered in the near future.

20th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Analysts: Michelin Aiming for 10% of Hankook

Deutsche Bank analysts have characterised Michelin’s option to buy a 10 per cent shareholding in Hankook as a “goal” and added that they expect “more concentration in the future for the tyre industry.” The fact that Michelin’s decision to increase its stockholding in Hankook only a month after Bridgestone bought 8.7 per cent of Toyo Tire & Rubber was certainly not lost on the market watchers. “A tie-up with a competitor [like Hankook] should get them: Better OE prices – The industry has been so far incapable of fully passing off raw material price increases; Economies of scale on purchasing; and a geographical advantage (Hankook being very strong in China),” the analysts surmised, concluding: “It might take time before they can duplicate a Renault/Nissan type alliance, especially as we do not know how strong if any, the relationship between Michelin and the Cho family (controlling 35 per cent of Hankook) is.”

20th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

PCL Inflating Its Market Presence in 2008

Sheffield based PCL Air Technology brought a wide range of its products to Reifen 2008, including its latest nitrogen inflation unit, the Accura Mobile. “It was introduced into the US last year,” commented company director and divisional general manager Simon Shorter. “Nitrogen inflation has become a big market there and the Accura Mobile is proving successful. Now it is also available in the UK.”

The Accura Mobile is a compact and robustly designed nitrogen inflation cart that can be operated either with a standard bottle or direct from a nitrogen generator. It permits operators to present the pressure for a standard inflation top up, or an N2 function for a purge and fill cycle. The unit can inflate up to six tyres simultaneously, and four hoses are supplied as standard. Power for the Accura Mobile comes via a rechargeable NiMH battery, and the unit can also operate directly from mains power.

18th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Federal on the Road to Establishing Sports Pedigree

When meeting Federal Tire’s Jamie Ma for the first time, the enthusiasm the chairman holds for his company and the tyres it makes feels thick enough to grasp with both hands. “I am different from the CEOs of most tyre companies,” he states. “They are just trustees of their firms, you could say, elected to serve a few years. My position at Federal is not like that.” As the third generation to serve in his family’s Taiwan based business, Mr. Ma claims to be, at age 34, the world’s youngest CEO of a tyre company. And that said, he adds his comparative youthfulness will be, he believes, a factor making all the difference for Federal. “When I execute a programme, I have years in which I can do it,” he explains. “Jamie Ma plans another thirty years in the business.”

Federal Tire’s main purpose for attending Reifen 2008 was to launch its latest tyre, the 595RPM. Designed for super cars and aimed, says Mr. Ma, at Pirelli’s R-Zero Rosso, the Michelin Pilot Sport 2, Bridgestone Potenza RE050A and Yokohama’s Advan Sport, the 595RPM is available in a large range of fitments for rims between 17 and 22-inches. The tyre carries a UTQG tread wear rating of 160, adds the chairman, and the asymmetric tread – the first such pattern to feature on a Federal UHP tyre, is designed with an outer shoulder that gives greater traction plus additional siping on the inner area for optimised ride qualities.

17th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Taiwan Manufacturers Expanding Tyre Production in China

Taiwan`s three-largest tyre manufacturers, including Cheng Shin Rubber Industry Co., Hwa Fong Rubber Industry Co. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., are reported to be planning to increase investment in their facilities in mainland China.

Cheng Shin will invest between US$50 million and US$60 million to expand the production capacity of its Kunshan, Jiangsu province plant between now and the end of June 2009. Once completed, the expansion will see daily production capacity at the plant rise to 54,000 passenger car tyres from the present level of 45,000, making the facility the largest tyre plant in China. The company also noted it would invest between US$60 million and US$70 million to expand production capacity at its plant in Haiyen plant in Xiamen, Fujian Province. Daily output would be boosted from the current level of 4,000 passenger car and truck tyres up to 6,000. Expansion in production at these two facilities is anticipated to help Cheng Shin increase its annual sales by a total of NT$15 billion (US$496 million).

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

US Distributor Recalls 6 Million Defective Tyre Valves

A distributor in the US is recalling around six million Chinese sourced tyre valve stems after it became apparent a number of them were improperly manufactured and could increase the risk of accidents. According to Ohio based distributor Tech International, the recall will go ahead even though only an estimated 8,600 of the six million valves are defective.

The valve in question is a replacement snap-in tyre valve, model TR413, manufactured between July and November 2006. The products are said to have been manufactured by manufacturer Shanghai Baolong Industries Co. in China. According to the details of the recall, the valve’s rubber component may crack after some six months of use, causing a gradual loss of tyre pressure. According to Tech International, the defect was identified after “a small number” of faulty valves were reported by customers and one distributor.

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Malaysian Retreading Association Increases Prices

The Tyre Retreading Manufacturers’ Association of Malaysia has announced the second price rise this year for retreaded tyres. This latest round of increases takes effect on July 1 and will see prices go up by between 5 and 18 per cent.

According to a June 12 report in the country’s China Press newspaper, service charges at retail tyre outlets will also increase by 20 per cent. Quoting a spokesman for the retreading association, the daily reported that manufacturers are finding it hard to cope with current conditions. “Initially the association wanted to increase the price of tyres by 25 per cent. But fearing a backlash from consumers, we decided to raise it to between 5 per cent and 18 per cent.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

New Optima Range Generating Much Interest, Reports Bernaerts

For Bernaerts Tyres International, the Belgium based tyre distributor and wholesaler, Reifen Essen presented the first major opportunity for displaying the company’s latest brand. When T&A spoke to company sales manager Luc Claeys during the exhibition, it was evident this new range, Optima Tyres, is one Bernaerts is promoting with absolute confidence throughout its European markets, including the UK.

“The Optima range was launched late in 2007,” commented Mr. Claeys. “It is our own range, an exclusive private label. And when we say it is our own range, I should point out we aren’t simply purchasing overseas made tyres and selling them under the Optima name. The moulds used in production belong to us and were built to our own design and specifications with heavy investment.”

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Starco Develops Specialist Trailer Tyre With GiTi

During Tyres & Accessories’ visit to Starco, the company unveiled the new KargoMax trailer tyre and announced a five-year exclusive OE agreement. According to GiTi Europe’s Richard Lyons, the KargoMax is the first time a tyre manufacturer and OEM supplier have cooperated on the development of a full range of trailer tyres aimed at the high speed trailer and touring caravan market.

What sets the KargoMax apart from other products in the trailer segment is its “mission-matched” development. Company representatives told Tyres & Accessories that design features include construction aimed at counteracting heat build-up; and specially designed sidewall enhancements to help combat the effects of ageing – something that is particularly relevant in this segment.

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sino-Indian Trade Increase Leads to Tyre Plant Possibility

Spurred on by the sharp increase in trade between China and India, Chinese Consul General in Kolkata Mao Siwei has told news sources about the attractiveness of a joint venture to set up a tyre plant in West Bengal.

Trade between the countries has reached $38.7 billion in 2007, representing a rapid increase from the 1999 figure of $2 billion, leaving Siwei keen to continue the development with collaborative manufacturing ventures.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, the Consul General suggested that the Bengalese tyre unit would be a joint venture between a China-based and a Dubai-based company.

10th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors