China Archives - Page 199 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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Steel Giant Seeks Controlling Stake in Cooper JV Company

Information supplied by a spokesman for leading global steel manufacturer Arcelor Mittal indicates that the company plans to pay US$27 million for a controlling stake in China’s Chengshan Steel Cord Co. This stake, according to a China Business News report of June 20, could be higher than 90 per cent, however its exact size has not been specified, and Chinese government approval must first be granted before any transaction can take place.

The firm at the centre of the takeover plans is located in Rongcheng, Shangdong Province, and is a 75-25 per cent venture between Shandong Chengshan Group Co and the Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. The company produces steel cord and bead wire for use in tyre reinforcement, and has an annual output capacity of more than 60,000 tons. Chengshan Steel Cord achieved sales of 375 million yuan (£24.6 million) in 2006, up 51.5 per cent from a year earlier.

Cooper Tire has not commented on this proposed deal, but if it takes place they may be required to pull out of the venture they helped establish.

25th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Turmoil Passed, CTNA Focus Shifts to Brand, Rebuilding Dealer Trust

(Akron/Tire Review) Plant closings, union battles, multiple management changes, low fill rates, irate dealers, shifting directions…the last five years have been difficult for Continental Tire North America. But, the past is the past. Since the appointment of Continental AG CFO Alan Hippe as president and CEO of CTNA in May 2005, CTNA officials point out, progress has been made. Even while it was sorting out its North American tyre production issues, Andreas Gerstenberger, who joined CTNA in September 2003, was leading a virtual transformation of the company’s marketing and sales group. It was not, as he himself admits, a smooth road, and it wasn’t until 2005 that many key issues were settled.

21st June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

USW/Titan Chinese Manufacturers of ‘Dumping’ OTR Tyres

The United Steelworkers (USW) has joined Titan Tire Corp. as a co-petitioner in a trade case petition filed yesterday with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission, accusing Chinese companies of dumping and subsidizing OTR tyres. The USW and Titan Tire seek to have the government impose duties to off-set these allegedly unfair Chinese imports. According to the petition, Chinese imports have increased from 11.2 million tyres worth $166.35 million in 2004 to nearly 15 million tyres worth $374.25 million in 2006. China is the single largest source of imports of OTR tyres, accounting for more than 83 percent of total imports by volume in 2006, the statement added

Chinese imports are significantly underselling U.S. produced OTR tyres. Based on a comparison of Chinese and U.S. prices in the petition, the differential averaged 29 per cent. A second comparison shows underselling margins ranging from two to 30 per cent.

20th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Incentives Offered for Michelin to Open Thailand Regional HQ

A working group from Thailand’s Board of Investment has proposed granting Siam Michelin tax incentives to aid the company – a partnership between the Michelin Group and the Siam Cement Group – establish a regional operating headquarters within Thailand. The proposed establishment would cost an estimated Bt88 million (£1.38 million) and would service the far-east region.

Board of Investment deputy secretary general Hiranya Sujinai said the suggested incentives were earmarked for a regional operating headquarters that could supply raw materials and parts for Michelin tyres, conduct research and development, promote regional sales and marketing as well as to provide training programmes for Michelin personnel in a number of countries including China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

20th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Interview – Roy Armes

(Akron/Tire Review) Roy V. Armes was named president and CEO of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. last December, following the August resignation of Tom Dattilo. A 31-year veteran of Whirlpool Corp., Armes held several senior-level posts in various departments at the appliance manufacturer, including engineering, project management and purchasing. He also had positions in Mexico and China and was responsible for establishing overseas manufacturing operations and joint ventures.

Most notably, Armes oversaw the integration of Maytag into the Whirlpool fold and, over the years, gained a strong background in manufacturing and technology, engineering, international business, consumer products and distribution channel management.

19th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Many Happy Returns

This year the Carlisle Tire and Wheel Company will reach the ripe old age of 90, but the company is showing itself to be remarkably sprightly for a nonagenarian. Founded in September 1917 in the small town of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the Carlisle Tire and Rubber Company, as it was then known, began life in an age when most people’s idea of an all-terrain vehicle was a donkey or a mule, and the tractors that were beginning to make their presence felt in the countryside ran on wide metal tyres. The idea of the quad bikes and ATVs, so much a part of the modern company’s product portfolio, still lay 50 years in the future.

The first products produced by the fledgling company were inner tubes, and before long the company had 30 employees producing car tyre inner tubes. Following tough times during the Great Depression and rubber shortages during and immediately after the Second World War, the company was re-formed as the Carlisle Corporation. The following year Carlisle produced their first tyres, initially specialising upon the bicycle market. In 1960 Carlisle produced its first industrial tyre, and eight years later the company entered the motorcycle tyre and tube market.

19th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Watts Becomes Certified Toyota Supplier

Watts Industrial Tyres was recently names as one of 20 select suppliers who achieved “Certified” status at Toyota’s annual supplier meeting in Ancenis near Nantes, France. In addition the company was one of only 13 suppliers presented with a special award for delivering 100 per cent of product to line on time over the assessed 12-month period.

Toyota Industrial Equipment S.A. (TIE SA) has grown substantially since the factory was built in Ancenis, near Nantes, on the West coast of France, and produced its first forklifts in 1996. TIE introduced its Certification process in 2004, with scores awarded to its suppliers for their performance in four key categories, quality, cost, delivery and environmental management. Watts Industrial Tyres achieved an overall score of 94 per cent for 2006 with Toyota awarding “Certified” status to those suppliers who achieve 90% or higher.

15th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA: Increased Costs Cause Chinese Tyre Price Increases

Significantly higher transportation costs for tyres from China will increase the cost of brands from this market by up to 5 per cent over the coming months, according to the NTDA. Commenting on recent increases in container rates from the Far East NTDA Director Richard Edy said: “Container rates have increased by up to $300 in recent weeks and the Chinese Governments decision to reduce export subsidies by 8 per cent in July will put added pressure on transportation costs which could have a marked effect on the price of Brands from China.

15th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

China Becomes Second Largest Exporter of Auto Parts to U.S.

(Akron/Tire Review) China overtook Germany in the first quarter to become the second largest exporter of automotive parts to the U.S., Shanghai Securities News reported. China exported $1.936 billion worth of auto parts to the U.S. in the first quarter this year, just topping Germany which notched up $1.934 billion U.S. dollars, according to statistics from the U.S. Commerce Department cited by the newspaper. Japan is way out in front with a substantially higher $3.57 billion.

During the same period last year, China exported $1.52 billion worth of auto parts to the U.S., less than the $1.73 billion attributed to Germany. Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that China’s exports of auto parts grew at 54 per cent annually from 2000 to 2005, far outpacing the 29.5 per cent rise in imports.

13th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Two New China Execs for Cooper Tire

Cooper Tire has named two new executives for its operations in China. Andrew Weiwen Chen has been appointed the new deputy general manager for Cooper Chengshan Tire Company, as well as director of finance for Cooper China. Mr. Chen’s primary association will be with Cooper Chengshan, although he will also have some financial responsibilities for Cooper’s China operations.

Reporting to Chuck Taylor, Cooper Chengshan’s general manager, and Jerry Long, chief financial officer for Cooper Asia, Mr. Chen will manage business planning and analysis, accounting and reporting, budget preparation, and treasury requirements.

13th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian and Chinese Tyremakers to Target Mining Market at Tyrexpo

The influence of Chinese and Indian tyre manufacturers on the southern African market for OTR, mining and quarrying tyres is set to grow substantially, according to the organisers of the Tyrexpo Africa’08 exhibition. Major suppliers including Apollo International and Balkrishna from India and Shanghai Yadong, Shifeng Double Star and Techking Tires from China have already confirmed their presence as exhibitors at the next show in March 2008. ECI International, the company that organises the exhibition, believes this signals an aggressive drive to achieve greater market shares in the lucrative mining sector.

Rowena Suthers, ECI’s sales director, says: “Indian and Chinese tyre makers have become successful exporters around the globe and it’s clear from the response we are seeing that sub-Saharan markets are now firmly in their sights. That should be great news for tyre buyers and plant managers, offering wider choice at very competitive terms.”

12th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Chinese Exhibition Well Positioned for Growth

International News, Product News

The fourth China International Rubber & Tyre Industry Exhibition 2007 (RTF), held between May 11 and 13 in the city of Qingdao, Shandong Province, was the largest in the show’s history. Sponsored by the Shandong Provincial Rubber Industry Association and organised by Qingdao Jinnuo Exhibition Co. Ltd., RTF has become China’s third largest tyre and rubber exhibition, attracting 120 exhibitors and 4,200 attendees from around the world. Some of the exhibition’s major participants included Lanxess, Sartomer, Daikin, Schill+Seilacher, NDC, U-Can, Instron, Berstorff, Mesnac, Triangle, Linglong, Doublestar and Sailun.

The key events at RTF 2007 included a number of high-profile conferences held in conjunction with the exhibition – the Chinese Rubber Industry Information Release Conference, organised by the Shandong Provincial Rubber Industry Association, and the Qingdao International Rubber-Plastics Conference, organised by Qingdao University of Science and Technology. These events attracted nearly 600 industrial industry professionals.

12th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Breaks Ground at New Plant Site

On June 12 representatives from Continental conducted a groundbreaking ceremony in China’s Changshu City. At the new Changshu City site, a hundred kilometres northwest of Shanghai, the company’s Automotive Systems division will build a 67 million euro hydraulic brake systems plant. This facility should be ready to begin production in the autumn of 2008, and by 2011 should employ around one thousand local workers.

The new plant will be built in phases in the Changshu Southeast Economic Development Zone, located in Jiangsu Province. Production will focus upon the manufacture of hydraulic brake products and services such as calipers for front and rear axles and brake boosters for all classes of vehicle. Annual production capacity by 2011 should reach 2 million brake actuation units and 4.6 million brake calliper units, with the factory supplying numerous OEM customers in China, Japan and Korea.

12th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Ceat to Meet Aftermarket Demand through Outsourcing

When handed lemons, make lemonade…or when OE orders dwindle, produce tyres for the more profitable aftermarket. In spite of reports coming from India that vehicle makers are reducing output, Ceat Tyres – a company that traditionally has obtained about 20 per cent of its revenues from OE supply – is planning to increase its tyre production rather than cut it back.

“The least profitable sector for us has shrunk, giving us the opportunity to sell more to the more profitable ones,” said Arnab Banerjee, the company’s vice-president, sales & marketing. Ceat plans to boost its production in the short term through outsourcing, a necessary move while it awaits the construction of its own new facilities. “Looking at the robust replacement demand, right now we are unable to manufacture enough,” Banerjee added. “My number one priority is to secure supplies through outsourcing, since the two greenfield plants we are planning to set up would come on stream only over the next two-three years,”

11th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

World’s Largest Retread Pour Machine Completes UK Trials

Amerityre Corporation has announced the completion of UK validation trials for the 2,500-pounds/1,100 kilograms per minute polyurethane pour machine commissioned for its Chinese licensee Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co. Ltd. The polyurethane pour machine will be used by Qingdao Qizhou in the production of large OTR retread tyres at its production facility in Shandong Province, China.

Amerityre commissioned polyurethane equipment supplier Cannon to build the machine. Cannon appointed its CMT Equipment Ltd. division, located in South Yorkshire, to design and fabricate the required equipment. The trials held at the end of May demonstrated the machine’s ability to mix and deliver up to 1,100 kilograms of polyurethane per minute, a rate Amerityre believes makes it the largest known polyurethane pour machine in the world. It is currently being shipped to Shandong Province in China, where Qingdao will use the machine to pour polyurethane retread material onto large rubber mining and industrial tyres.

8th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors