China Archives - Page 196 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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Qizhou Rubber Aims to Build Biggest OTR Tyre in the World

Already a producer of giant OTR tyres such as 45/65-45 L5, 37.25-35E3, 4000-57E4, 50/80-57, 52/80-57, 58/85-57, 70/70-57, Qingdao Qizhou Rubber is planning to make “the biggest tyre in the world – 59/90R63,” which is expected to be available by the end of 2007. And furthermore the company claims it is going to do this using ”environmentally friendly” polyurethane technology. Qingdao Qizhou’s announcement comes a year after the company signed a $400,000 licensing agreement with polyurethane tyre developer Amerityre Corporation.

Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co., Ltd. is a privately owned manufacturer, located in Qingdao, China with a projected turnover of approximately US$100 million for 2007. Qizhou Rubber Co., Ltd. has about 860 employees and manufactures industrial, agricultural, truck, bus, and OTR tyres for export to over 30 countries under the Marcher brand name. Its products are used in the worlds’ various mining sites, both open pit and underground, at temperatures ranging from -66’C, to +50’C. Its sand tyres are known to have been used in desert land where the surface temperature has reached up to +80’C.

2nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

US OTR Probe Ruffling Feathers in China

US Treasury secretary Hank Paulson’s two-day visit to China has conveyed his government’s desire for greater Chinese market access for overseas firms to officials in Beijing. Mr. Paulson met with China’s president Hin Jintao plus a number of finance and economic ministers, and used the opportunity to push for increased financial sector liberalisation, emphasising the benefits a loosening of regulations would bring.

“For the life of me, I cannot understand why China letting in strong foreign firms, which are regulated by the Chinese, would undermine stability. It would help stability,” he said. However this talk of increased China access comes at a time when tension between the two giant economies is growing. On July 31 the US Commerce Department agreed to investigate claims that Chinese OTR tyre producers were ‘dumping’ their products in the US market.

2nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Anti-Dumping Probe Raises China’s Ire

(Akron/Tire Review) China’s Ministry of Commerce has stated its “firm” objection to US anti-dumping and anti-subsidy charges related to tyres imported from that country.

The US Commerce Department, acting on unfair trade practices complaints by Titan International and the United Steelworkers – a complaint later joined by Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire and Denman Tire Corp. – launched a formal investigation. The tyremakers and union want the US to impose duties on China-made OTR tyres the US group claims are unfairly priced.

The Chinese government claims the investigation is “an abuse of World trade Organization rules,” and will hurt trade relations between the two countries.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tianyee Tire Company develops leak-proof tyre

(Rubber Asia) Shanghai Tianyee Tire has effected a revolution in leak-proof tyre technology by developing the Tianyee Tyre, a Chinese version of safety tyre which can replace run-flats.

The technology involved is characterised by a 2-3 mm thick layer of synthetic rubber, known as memory polymer, coated on the inside wall of an ordinary tyre. Once a foreign object pierces the tyre, the memory polymer coating will envelop it entirely so that the tyre will not leak. When the foreign object is removed from the tyre, the memory polymer coating will automatically block the hole. As a semi-solid layer, the memory polymer coating helps the punctured tyre remain leak-proof at 20- 100 ° C. Shanghai Tianyee Tire recently showed off the unique properties of the tyre at the 4th China International Automobile & Modified Car Show.

31st July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

View from the Chairman’s Seat

(Rubber Asia) The China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA) acts as an advocate for more than 800 companies operating in the fast growing Chinese market. Recently the organisation’s chairman, Ju Hongzhen, spoke about the current state of China’s rubber industry and what contribution the CRIA hopes to make towards guaranteeing its long-term future.

What is your assessment of the rubber industry’s performance during 2006?

The rubber industry registered healthy and orderly growth in 2006. Rubber production received a boost and large companies as well as large groups emerged as unmistakable winners out of the stiff market competition.
In recent years rubber consumption in China has been on the rise annually. In 2006, it touched 4.5 million tonnes. Natural rubber consumption was 2.1 million tonnes and synthetic rubber 2.4 million tonnes. As for the rubber industry in terms of tyres, in 2006 Chinese radial tyre output grew by 60 per cent, registering a 5 per cent increase over the previous year. Passenger radials and light truck radials produced by foreign manufacturers continued to lead the market, with their market share reaching 70 per cent. Chinese tyre manufacturers are also gradually expanding their market share through the launching new products.

31st July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rich Heritage

Snap-on Equipment Ltd., the new name for the company that distributes two long-established names in the garage equipment industry – Hoffman and John Bean – is no newcomer to the business. Hofmann produced their first balancer way back in 1932, and at the same time across the Atlantic John Bean began marketing their first wheel alignment machine. These two Snap-on Equipment mainstays have focused upon manufacturing premium level equipment for the industry ever since. In the UK Snap-on Limited call the Thames Valley their home, and recently Tyres & Accessories travelled to the company’s Reading headquarters to meet with new general manager Chris Behan and UK sales manager, Chris Pleass.

By the time T&A met Chris Behan in mid-July he’d already spent four months in the hot seat at Snap-on Equipment, and was drawing on his considerable management experience – Behan has worked with A&M Electric, Atlas Copco and AEG and, most recently as general manager for Tornado Fixings – to head up the company’s ambitious short and medium term plans. “The wheel service market – balancers, changers, aligners, is worth £170 million in total,” he said. “So there’s plenty of room to grow.”

30th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

ArvinMeritor and Chery Form China Joint Venture

(Akron/Tire Review) ArvinMeritor and Chinese carmaker Chery have entered into a joint venture partnership to design and manufacture chassis systems and components. The new joint venture, ArvinMeritor Chassis Systems Wuhu Co., will become a $150-million full-systems chassis supplier by 2010. Production of shocks and struts will begin as early as 2008.

According to Rakesh Sachdev, president of ArvinMeritor’s Asia Pacific operation, the new chassis systems joint venture plant in Wuhu will be one of several China-based facilities ArvinMeritor will add to its network over the next 18 months in support of new business with customers in the region.

“ArvinMeritor’s alliance with Chery is a great example of the company attaining strategic growth from three key focus areas; increasing business with Asian customers, expanding in emerging markets and growing our light vehicle chassis business,” said Phil Martens, president of ArvinMeritor’s Light Vehicle Systems business group. “This new business, which is quickly ramping up, comes on the heels of several other new Chery contracts with ArvinMeritor for its door systems technologies.”

27th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Tyre Applications Director for Cooper in China

Cooper Tire & Rubber has announced the appointment of a new senior employee at their operations in China. P. Glenn Arbaugh is taking up the post of director, Tire Applications Development, at Cooper’s Asia Technical Center. This facility is temporarily located in Rongchen, Shandong Province. Reporting to Ray Mares, general manager of the Asia Technical Center, Arbaugh will oversee development of new tyre products for Asian markets.

Arbaugh joined Cooper in 1990 as a mould design drafter and has held positions of increasing responsibility until most recently serving as manager of product design. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from Ohio Northern University and is currently undertaking a master’s degree in manufacturing operations from Kettering University, Flint, Michigan. He and his family will be moving to China.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Two New Appointments at Cooper

Cooper Tire & Rubber have announced two new appointments to their operations – one at head office and one in an overseas growth market.

Mark W. Krivoruchka will step into the position of senior vice president, Global Human Resources, as of August 6, and has also been named to the company’s executive committee. Krivoruchka joins Cooper after serving in a number of US and global consumer package goods and high-tech manufacturing companies including GE, Pillsbury, Maytag and Whirlpool. His most recent position was senior vice president of Human Resources Integration at Whirlpool. He also served as Maytag’s senior vice president, Human Resources until that company was acquired by Whirlpool.

In announcing Krivoruchka’s appointment, Cooper’s president and CEO Roy Armes said, “With Mark’s extensive HR knowledge, skills, leadership and business experience, I’m confident he will make an immediate contribution to our global growth strategy.” His office will be located at Cooper’s global headquarters in Findlay, Ohio.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Giti Tire Launches Truck Service Programme

Much has changed since Tyres & Accessories first met the then fledging Giti Tire Europe team at the 2006 Essen Show. Now, more than a year later, the staff count has doubled with the addition of some high profile executives; and sales are up 30 per cent year-on-year. When Tyres & Accessories met up with Giti Tire Europe’s UK, North & East Europe, and Russia sales director, Richard Lyons; and marketing manager Europe, Peter Foulkes, news of the Giti Assist truck service programme and the company’s new Heifei factory were top of the agenda. But these expansion plans are only the beginning, and the word is that an extensive new marketing programme is underway, with a rack full of new product releases scheduled for next year.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Aircraft Tyre Retreading Underway in China

A new Bridgestone retreading facility for aircraft tyres celebrated its official opening on July 26. The plant, operated by Bridgestone Aircraft Tire Co. (China) Ltd. and located in Qingdao is intended to primarily meet the tyre requirements of China’s numerous airlines. The opening of the Qingdao facility sees the global number of Bridgestone aircraft tyre retreading facilities increase to five, the others being located in Japan, the US, Belgium and Hong Kong.

Bridgestone aircraft tyre operations are rounded out by its facility for manufacturing new aircraft radials in Kurume, Japan. Production in Kurume is set to rise dramatically upon the opening of its second plant on the site, which is scheduled to begin operation during the second half of 2008. Within three years this second plant will see Bridgestone’s new aircraft radial output double.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

2007 CITExpo Bigger Than Ever

Tyre industry watchers should be well aware of the increasing importance China is taking on the world stage. The world’s largest market for the production and consumption of tyres has attracted the attention both of local players and global giants wishing to grab a share of fast growing domestic and export sales.

The proliferation of tyre and related product suppliers can make finding those offering the best quality and value a difficult job, and the China International Tire Expo (CITExpo) are firm believers in the importance of their exhibition as a place where domestic and international buyers, tyre manufacturers, and carmakers can seek new OEM and trade partners, a fact CITExpo add has also been well acknowledged by these companies – both domestic and international – themselves. Last year’s CITExpo attracted 220 exhibitors to its 10,000 square metres of exhibition space, and over three days 6,800 visitors attended.

25th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

GITI Joins TRIB

(Akron/Tire Review) China’s GITI Tire (USA) Ltd. has joined TRIB – the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau.

“TRIB continues to grow as more and more companies in the new tyre and retread industries throughout the world realise that TRIB is the only international retread industry association representing new tire manufacturers, retreaders and tyre repair companies,” said Harvey Brodsky, TRIB’s managing director.

24th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Chinese Tests Reveal Sub-Standard Inner Tubes

China’s official quality control body has disclosed the disturbing statistic that 14.3 per cent of Chinese made truck tyre inner tubes it recently tested for safety failed to meet the predetermined criteria. According to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, 51 truck tyres and tyre tubes produced by 30 companies were tested, and while all 37 of the tested tyres passed muster, one-seventh of tubes were found to be sub-standard.

“The tensile strength of some tyre tubes did not meet standard and were inclined to burst when the trucks ran on roads,” reported a General Administration spokesperson, who added that the tyre tubes tested were exclusively domestic market products and none were destined for export.

23rd July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Sumitomo Expects Much From China

For Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. –Japan’s second largest tyre manufacturer after Bridgestone – the Chinese tyre market is a market of overwhelming potential. Although the company currently only generates an annual turnover of US$112 million in China out of a market worth $4.59 billion – a share of only 2.5 per cent, China is the market possessing by far the greatest growth rates for the Kobe based manufacturer. Compared with 2005 figures, Sumitomo’s Chinese turnover has doubled. And Sumitomo’s president Tetsuji Mino doesn’t expect less for 2007; an annual turnover of $220 million is the minimum Sumitomo plans to generate this year on the Chinese tyre market. “The growth potential of Asian tyre markets is just enormous,“ Mino stated in an interview.

23rd July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors