China Archives - Page 201 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 Tires Becomes 100th Exhibitor at Tyrexpo Asia’07

China’s Techking Tires has become the one hundredth exhibitor to sign up for September’s TyrexpoAsia exhibition in Singapore, breaking all records for the show as it approaches its 10th anniversary. The OTR specialist is one of more than 20 Chinese companies who have helped swell exhibitor numbers, which have also been supported by increased interest from India and host nation, Singapore.

Newera Equipment and its subsidiary, Kayel Rubber Products, is one Singaporean business that will be making a major statement of intent. Working with its supplier partners from around the world, Newera will be exhibiting on no-less than five stands.

The company is Asia’s largest supplier of tyre-related equipment and will be displaying the latest computerised buffing machine from Matteuzzi. It will also be showcasing the Double Envelope System from Italian supplier MAE and another highlight will be the advanced Shearography Non Destructive Testing technology from German company, Steinbichler.

21st May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Matador Supplies China’s Triangle

(Akron/Tire Review) Matador’s machinery unit has signed an agreement to sell 10 tyre production machines to China tyremaker Triangle. The deal, said the Slovakian tyre and equipment producer, is worth 11.33 million euros. “With this contract, Matador has confirmed its important position among Slovak exporters,” said Matador group spokesman Dusan Koblisek.

18th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

World Trade Association Completes 6th OTR Auditing Trip to China

World Trade Association (WTA), a leading independent US tyre wholesaler, recently completed its sixth auditing trip to China to ensure the quality of production for its Xtreme line of OTR tyres. WTA’s auditing team includes former Goodyear engineers with very specific areas of expertise; a compounding specialist, design specialist and plant manager, as well as Jim DeChene, Vice President of WTA. The team recently spent two weeks investigating Chinese manufacturing plants to provide current and future production of both bias and radial OTR tyres.

“Our frequent and extensive auditing is proof of our commitment to the highest level of quality for all of our OTR tire brands,” said DeChene. “WTA’s line of OTR tyres, Xtreme Force and Xtreme Load, are the perfect solution for companies looking for a steady supply of quality OTR tires in a market where supply is limited.”

WTA’s audit team spent 12 hours each day for two weeks investigating seven different plants in China. The team checked every aspect of production, including the plants’ overall conditions, raw materials, formulations, production methods and the experience level of its technicians.

16th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

OTR Tyre Shortage Hits Botswana Mining Industry

Officials at a mine in Botswana claim the inability to source sufficient earthmoving tyres has led to almost a third of their 240 tonne load trucks being put out of action. This tyre supply crisis is occurring at the Jwaneng mine, owned by Debswana, the world’s largest producer of gem diamonds and one of the two largest mining operators in Botswana. Jwaneng mine section manager Kabelo Letlhoma said that, with each truck hauling 7,000 tonnes of soil per day, having seven of the mines 22 trucks laid up has created a negative impact on the mine’s production, and he believes that the re-opening of several dormant mines in China have contributed to the tyre shortfall.

Mining is responsible for approximately 34 per cent of Botswana’s GDP and half of the country’s taxes, so the OTR tyre shortage has the potential to have a marked impact on national well being. Mr Letlhoma said the shortage of tyres at the Jwaneng mine began in late February, and mine authorities do not expect the situation to normalise until 2011.

15th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Winter Range for Interstate

Netherlands based Interstate Tire & Rubber Company has announced the introduction of a new range of exclusive brand Interstate winter tyres for the 2007 season. Called the Interstate Winter IWT-2, the new tyres are produced in China to a European design and intended for European conditions, and to maximise the range’s Europe-wide appeal Interstate will release the Winter IWT-2 in two silica compound variations, a softer compound for Nordic regions and a firmer ‘West European’ compound.

Being designed with winter conditions in mind the range feature three-dimensional sipes on both the inner and outer shoulders, and these sipes are laid out in an interlocking format that prevent the sipes from sticking to each other when subjected to lateral forces, thus increasing dry road stability and handling while providing grip in snow and ice conditions. The centre tread is laid out in a v-shaped pattern, which Interstate claims serves to direct water from the tread area into the wide circumferential grooves positioned on either side of the centre tread.

14th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Sub-Standard Imported Tyres Lasting only 500km – Botswana Report

The general manager of Botswana’s Central Transport Organisation (CTO), the government body responsible for providing and maintaining all government fleet vehicles in that country, claims his government has spent some £255,000 on sub-standard tyres during the last financial year. Lt. Col. (ret) Moakofhi Modisanyane has reportedly stated that the blame for the poor quality of tyres supplied to the CTO lies with tyre dealers, whom he claims have acted to maximise their own profits at all costs.

Following a number of complaints from government vehicle users about tyres prematurely wearing, inspections were made of CTO facilities. Sub-standard tyres have been found at several CTO depots. Reports indicate that these tyres were manufactured in Europe and Asia, although were sourced locally. Brand names singled out as those wearing prematurely include West Lake Tire from China and Kyro.

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Files Suits Against Double Coin Dealers

Michelin has informed the media that it is filing suits against tyre dealers selling the Double Coin brand as it follows up previous notifications regarding the sale of tyres with tread patterns resembling those on Michelin truck tyres. The French tyremaker alerted more than 5,000 dealers of the risks involved in marketing these look-alike tyres sourced from Asia back in December 2005, stating that while the treads may look the same on both tyres, the look-alikes may not deliver the same grip or longevity as an authentic Michelin tyre.

With tyres bearing unauthorised copies of patented Michelin tread patterns still available on a number of markets 18 months later, the company has chosen to pursue legal action against dealers of these products in all countries where Michelin sales teams have identified the products.

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Guangzhou Pearl River – Six Brands, One Company

Guangzhou Pearl River Rubber Tyre Ltd. is the product of a Chinese-international joint venture. Although in business since 1970, the company benefited significantly from the establishment in 1993 of a 30/70 partnership between the Guangzhou GuangXiang Enterprise Group and Carham Assets Limited. Since that time the company has grown into an enterprise with half-year revenues in excess of £19 million (January-June 2006).

The company, which has its headquarters in Guangzhou city, Southern China, employs almost two thousand staff, including 150 technical experts, and its primary focus is the manufacture and marketing of commercial vehicle bias tyres. In 1983 Guangzhou Pearl River was the recipient of production line and inspection technology and equipment from Dunlop in the UK, and today the company takes pride in their state-of-the-art facilities.

10th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Passes the 100 Million Mark in China

In late March Hankook Tire celebrated a significant milestone – the 100 millionth tyre manufactured by the company in China came off the production line at Hankook’s Jiaxing facility in Zhejiang Province. This achievement is noteworthy not only in terms of Hankook’s presence in China, but it also serves as a reminder of the speed at which the country’s tyre industry has developed – China’s National Bureau of Statistics records the nation’s total tyre production in 2006 to be 433 million units, a 15 per cent year on year increase.

Speaking on this topic in early 2007, Cho Choong Hwan, vice chairman and former CEO of Hankook Tire, remarked that production from within the BRIC nations – Brazil, Russia, India and China – was growing at a faster rate than domestic demand, meaning that exports from these market were growing considerably, particularly from China.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

ISSRP Appoints New Executive Committee in Delhi

(India/Rubber Asia) The 48th International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers Inc (IISRP) AGM held in New Delhi, India, recently discussed subjects including the new EU quality regime and the marketing scenarios in the galloping economies of China and India. The organisation also appointed new executive committee members that reflect the growing importance of the Russian market.

The newly elected president Vasily Nomokonov will also serve as the European section president of IISRP. Speaking to Rubber Asia on the sidelines of the AGM, Mr Nomokonov said he would like to see that the institute has a broader platform during his tenure. He would also like to see that Russia continues to play a vital role in the growth of global SR industry. The AGM ended with a mesmerising farewell luncheon hosted in a characteristic Russian red ambience and a hearty invitation from the new president to meet in Moscow for the 49th edition of the AGM.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook’s T-station Enters China

Hankook has opened the first of its T-station centres outside of Korea. In mid-April the company announced the opening of a company-owned branch of Hankook’s one-stop automotive aftermarket service shop chain in the Chinese city of Shanghai, the first of many T-station centres the company plans to launch in China. Currently five distributors from various parts of the country have applied for franchises, and Hankook predicts that it will open 300 franchised centres in the next five years, as well as other company owned centres.

China is the first market outside of South Korea in which the T-station concept has been launched. The chain has been operating in its home market for almost three years, and at present some 100 franchised T-station centres – with equipment leased from Hankook – are operating within South Korea.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Thai Hua Rubber – Set to Tap the Boom

(India/Rubber Asia) Thai Hua Rubber (THR), a leading natural rubber supplier to tyre manufacturers, is making vigorous efforts to emerge as a top global player by tapping the enduring NR boom to its maximum. “Our idea is to emerge as a dominant global player covering the entire rubber business cycle as fast as we can and in the most credible manner,” says Mr Luckchai Kittipol, the company’s ever dynamic founder and CEO.

The latest plans include major marketing forays into China and India, the emerging power centres of global rubber industry and ambitious plantation initiatives in potential Asian countries. For instance, in Laos, the company will be investing US$50 million to develop NR plantations in 40,000 hectares during the current decade.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rubber Prices Bounce Higher as Demand puts Stretch on Reserves

Prices of export rubber from Vietnam are expected to increase on world markets by about 10 per cent throughout the remainder of 2007 as demand continues to outstrip supply. This analyst prediction added that shipments of Vietnam-sourced rubber to global top rubber importer China would experience price rises of 20 per cent, up from the current US$2,000 per ton to $2400. World market prices are tipped to reach $2,200 per ton.

The world produces about nine million tons of natural rubber each year, most of which is already accounted for, leaving a delicate balance between supply and demand. This balance looks in danger of being upset in the near future, as a recent rubber industry conference in Thailand predicted a jump in global demand by more than 6 per cent in the second half of 2007.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Deldo Focusing on Established Private Brands

After one glance at Deldo’s product and brand portfolio it is clear that the Belgian tyre wholesaler is a leading player amongst distributors of exclusive tyre brands. Since its foundation some 30 years ago the company has increasingly developed into a specialist within the budget tyre segment without neglecting the premium tyre market, and in recent times Deldo Autobanden has again focused upon the premium market segment. Due to an overall increase in sales figures the company now has decided to increase its central warehouse in Antwerp’s free harbour from a current 40,000 m² up to 50,000 m².

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rhodia to Enter Silica JV in China

French chemical company Rhodia has announced it is entering into a joint venture agreement with the Qingdao Haiwan Group and Qingdao Dongyue Sodium Silicate Company to build a sodium silicate plant in Qingdao, China. The facility will boast a capacity of 220,000 tonnes and is scheduled to come on-stream during the first quarter of 2008.

Sodium silicate is a key intermediate for precipitated silica manufacturing. The new facility will supply Rhodia’s Asian silica manufacturing plants in Qingdao, China and Incheon, South Korea, which specialise in producing high performance silica predominantly used in the manufacture of tyres – most notably, according to Rhodia, low rolling resistance tyres.

“This new facility will give Rhodia a source of competitive raw material to support the growing needs of its silica business in Asia,” commented Eric Noyrez, President of Rhodia Silcea. “As the global leader in high performance silica, we benefit from a rapid increase in demand of the tyre, nutraceutics and silicone markets”.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors