China Archives - Page 202 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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New Captain Steers Steady Ship

As Cooper Tire’s motorsports season ramps up, Tyres & Accessories met with Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe managing director, Julian Baldwin. Since taking over the role as part of a normal pre-prepared succession plan following Ron Shield’s retirement last August, Julian Baldwin has settled into the role and is geared up to the European and global challenges that now face him. As part of this month’s Manufacturing Focus, Tyres & Accessories interviewed Baldwin but with a particular eye on developments in the manufacturing side of the business.

The sleepy Wiltshire town of Melksham might not be the first place you think of when you consider tyre manufacturing operations but Cooper’s UK and European production base plays a very important part in the wider organisation. Of the six distribution centres and five sales offices Cooper runs in Europe Melksham represents the region’s only manufacturing centre and basically half of what Cooper refers to as International Tire Operations. Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe run subsidiaries in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland for marketing its products in continental Europe. (The other “half of the segment is the two administrative offices, two production facilities, and a sales office in China).

4th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Second Life

Berwickshire based Rocklug Tyres are well aware of the affect a good tyre – and a bad one – can have on the performance of an earthmover. That is why the company, who have been in the tyre business since 1974, decided to make the provision of quality remoulded OTR tyres one of their priorities.

When Rocklug Tyres co-director Graham Redpath spoke to Tyres & Accessories he likened earthmoving machinery to high performance cars. “They are designed around a particular tyre and are optimised for its specifications,” he said. “For example, a Caterpillar 50 tonne dump truck may be homologated for Bridgestone tyres, and it works at its best when fitted with these. But if the operator is unable to replace the OE tyres with another set and instead must fit cross-ply tyres sourced from China, the equipment will not be able to work to its full design capacity. In many cases there have been major shortcomings in the tonne-per-hour capabilities specified for these machines.”

27th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

A Different Approach

(Akron/Tire Review) Possibly the quietest, one of the most accomplished and certainly one of the most respected head of a major tyre company, Jim Micali has also had one of the longest careers, having first joined what is now Michelin North America some 30 years ago as a staff attorney. Micali worked his way up through a number of assignments, including two stints in France, before becoming chairman and president in 1996.

In 2001, Micali was appointed to the Groupe Michelin executive council, and served a term as RMA chairman in 2002. He has also served on the boards of Sonoco and Lafarge North America, and was named distinguished senior fellow in political economy and leadership management at Furman University in 2004, where he is still a guest lecturer. Micali also received the Order of Merit from the French government.

This past December, Micali sat down with Tire Review to discuss legacy and raw material costs and their impact on North American tyre manufacturing and competition, and how MNA is tackling these key issues.

27th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bringing China to the World

Beijing-based Best Choice International Trade Co. Ltd (BCIT) has served as a dealer for numerous Chinese tyre manufacturers since 1995. In the 12 years since the company’s establishment BCIT has expanded considerably, and today represents Chinese tyremakers in over 100 countries around the world, generating an annual turnover of more than US$40 million and annual export volume exceeding US$20 million.

In addition to its passenger, high performance and commercial vehicle tyre ranges, BCIT is able to source a wide variety of OTR, industrial forklift, solid and agricultural tyres. According to BCIT’s Europe representative Andro Yan, the company can source many Chinese brands, including Triangle, Chengshan ,Aeolus(Henan), Jinglun and Linglong, and are also able to organise private brand tyres to a customer’s own specifications. Mr. Yan and BCIT can be contacted through the company’s website www.chinese-tyres.com or via the address and phone details provided on the site

26th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrepress Asia – News With an Asian Emphasis

Tyrepress Asia, sister publication to Tyres & Accessories and NEUE REIFENZEITUNG, is very pleased to announce the launch of its new website Tyrepress Asia and associated e-Newsletter. Based upon the successful format established by Tyres & Accessories and Neue Reifenzeitung’s UK and European e-Newsletters, the Tyrepress Asia e-Newsletter is specifically tailored to provide news and articles from our online publication that are of particular relevance to the Asia and Pacific regions. Our regular newsletter is the only English language tyre industry news source to exclusively cover news and developments from Russia and China down to Australia and New Zealand and from India across the Pacific Rim, and its online format ensures our reports will reach their intended audience while still fresh and newsworthy.

Each year a greater proportion of the world tyre parc is produced in Asia, and companies within the region are increasingly looking to become established global brands. This is a time of rapid growth within the region’s tyre industry and an exciting time to be involved in the business. Therefore it is essential to remain informed of decisions made by both today and tomorrow’s leading players in Asia.

For a limited time Tyrepress Asia is offering free subscriptions to their e-Newsletter and newly launched website Tyrepress Asia– a website where tyre professionals from around the globe can obtain unrestricted access to the latest information coming from Asia’s tyre industry and markets. Produced by experienced industry journalists, the website contains news, feature articles and downloads designed to keep the reader informed. If you conduct business in the Asia and Pacific regions, or simply have an interest in keeping informed about developments in these and coming markets, then Tyrepress Asia invites you to visit our website or click here to obtain your free subscription.

26th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Displays at Auto Shanghai

Toyo Tire & Rubber are exhibiting at Auto Shanghai 2007, being held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre between Sunday, April 22 and Saturday, April 28. At its exhibition booth the company is showing off the highly acclaimed Proxes Series, including the Proxes CT01, Proxes T1R, and the semi-racing tire Proxes R888. Toyo hopes this display will reinforce the company’s ‘brand image of high quality and uniqueness’.

Toyo hopes to further enhance the image of Toyo Tires in the Chinese market through this exhibition, and views Auto Shanghai 2007 as just the first in a series of local motor shows that the company plans to attend in China.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Ceat Shows Interest in China

Ceat, India’s fourth largest tyre manufacturer, has its eye on acquiring or entering into a partnership with a tyremaker in China. Such a move would benefit Ceat considerably, and the company believes that the additional capacity this would bring, along with removing bottlenecks in supply and improving the company’s product mix, enable Ceat to place a greater focus upon exports and increase both volume of production and profit margins.

Arnab Banerjee, the company’s vice-president of sales and marketing said “China provides a big opportunity. We may look at options for a possible partnership or even an acquisition.” A presence in China would provide Ceat with a foothold in a market undergoing even more dynamic changes than India. China is currently the world’s largest producer of tyres, with more than 4.5 million tonnes of rubber utilised last year.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Construction Progresses at Nexen’s Chinese Plant and R&D Centre

Nexen Tire Corporation has announced it will invest some £87 million ($170 million) over three years in the construction of its new Qingdao plant. The new production line will be up and running by the end of 2007, increasing production levels for customers signed up to UK exclusive distributor Stapleton’s Nexen Key Dealer Programme. The company is also planning to construct a new R&D centre in China at the beginning of next year, meaning customers can look forward to the launch of new products and an improved range.

Located in Laixi City, Qingdao, China, Nexen Tire Corporation’s new production facility will produce tyres for the American, European and Chinese markets and form part of the company’s strategy to become one of the top 10 tyre manufacturers in the world.

The production line will be running at full capacity by 2009 when it will produce more than 2.25 million tyres a year. Combined with Nexen’s production capacity in Korea, the company will be producing a total of more than 22 million tyres a year. Nexen expects the plant to be among the largest in China, covering around 5.7 million square feet.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Raw (Materials) Deal

(Akron/Tire Review) The volatility of the world’s political climate, the unpredictable weather in North America and El NiÑo in the Pacific Ocean are having very expected outcomes in terms of the cost of raw materials for the tyre industry.

Oh yes, and then there’s China. The economy of the world’s most-populous country continues to grow faster than kudzu in the South. By any western measurement, China growth curve and ravenous industrial appetite throws another concern into the long-term raw materials picture: seemingly endless increases in demand.

And, through all of this, the mission for tyre manufacturers remains as it has for many years: long-term flexibility and the ability to trim rising production costs.

But, today, the tides of the raw-material-cost ocean appear to be ebbing. Providing that world politics don’t worsen or there are several devastating weather events, tyre manufacturers believe that, despite current volatility in rubber prices, raw material costs will remain relatively stable in the short term.

18th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nexen Dealer Programme Proving a Success

The Nexen Key Dealer Programme, introduced at the beginning of the year by Stapleton’s is being well received by tyre retailers. Steve Parker, Stapleton’s trading director says: “We are delighted that the scheme is proving to be such a success but are happy to admit that it has not come as a surprise. The programme is our way of rewarding and supporting those customers who consistently support the Nexen brand and in return for committing to purchase from Stapleton’s, customers can enjoy a number of attractive benefits that really support their businesses.”

Members of the scheme benefit from a personalised reward programme which includes preferential purchasing prices, in store support in the form of leaflets and posters, branded merchandise and lifetime guarantees on products. Each member also receives a dealer reference catalogue.

18th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Positive Feedback from Automechanika Asia

Major Southeast Asian automotive parts and equipment exhibition Automechanika Asia has been staged for the fifth time, and has been praised as a great success. At least 5,480 buyers from 60 countries and regions visited the exhibition, held at the new Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre between 29 March and 1 April 2007. While the majority of the visitors were from Malaysia, the exhibition also attracted many attendees from other Asian countries, most notably China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The organisers of the exhibition report that attendee feedback was very favourable, with most exhibitors responding positively to the high quality and professionalism of the buyers onsite.

As part of the Automechanika global group of trade fairs, Automechanika Asia offers a professional forum where automotive industry suppliers and buyers can meet, create partnerships and build their business in the booming ASEAN region. A total of 151 exhibitors from 18 countries & regions joined the show, including those from Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and the UK.

12th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Japanese Retailer to Buy Bankrupt Strauss Chain

(Akron/Tire Review) Automotive News has reported that giant Japanese auto parts, tyres and wheels and vehicle service chain Autobacs Seven plans to buy bankrupt Strauss Discount Auto, based in New Jersey.

The deal is subject to bankruptcy court approval. Strauss has 91 locations in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York City.

Autobacs Seven currently operates some 500 outlets in Japan, Southeast Asia, China, France and the U.S., where is has a 35,000-square-foot mega-store in Stanton, California.

11th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to “Aggressively Capitilise” on Opportunities

Goodyear Tire & Rubber’s chairman has commented on company plans to further reduce costs by buying more of its equipment, raw materials and tyres from China. These remarks came at Goodyear’s annual shareholders meeting. Chairman and CEO Robert Keegan said the company is exploring additional ways in which it may eliminate production it considers high cost: “This initiative will accelerate over the next two years,” he said.

Goodyear Spokesman Keith Price added that the company saved about US$35 million last year by buying equipment, raw materials and low-end tyres from third parties in China. The company’s plans do not include expanded tyre production in China or additional plants to its facility in Dalian.

11th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Buys Controlling Stake in Matador Rubber

Continental AG, Hanover, is set to acquire a 51 per cent stake in the rubber business of Matador Group, Puchov, Slovakia, subject to the approval of antitrust authorities. There has been no official confirmation of the financial details involved, but a possible 150 million euro price-tag has been circulating for some time. Continental plans to integrate Matador into its brand portfolio and invest in expanding annual production from 5.5 to over 7 million passenger car and light truck tyres.

As a result of the deal, the Matador machinery factory in Puchov will be integrated into the machinery factory in Hanover-Stöcken as a second pillar. On top of that, Continental will gain addition research and development capacity.

11th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

GITI Tire Named GM 2006 Supplier of the Year

(Akron/Tire Review) Shanghai, China-based GITI Tire Group was presented with the General Motors 2006 Supplier of the Year award on Mar.ch31 at in Orlando, Florida.

The 15th annual award recognizes supplier performance in quality, service, technology and price. This year, GM honoured 89 suppliers for outstanding performance in 2006.

Vic DeIorio, executive vice president of GITI Tire, accepted the award on behalf of GITI Tire. “This recognition by GM is truly motivating for us and we want to express our sincere gratitude for honouring us with this outstanding award,” said DeIorio.

4th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors