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.
Shandong Linglong Tire Co. Ltd. has laid the foundation stone for its fourth Chinese factory. The event, held 6 July ran in parallel with Linglong Tire’s “global partners” conference.
The new plant is in addition to Linglong’s existing Zhaoyuan, Dezhou and Liuzhou factories. Linglong is building the fourth plant at a 223-acre site in the city of Jingmen in Hubei province.
Next Tuesday, Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd. (ZC Rubber) will celebrate its 60th anniversary – and has invited more than 1,000 of its partners around the world to its home city of Hangzhou, China to join in the festivities.
A ceremony was held on 6 July to mark to completion of Doublestar Tire’s acquisition of a 45 per cent share in Kumho Tire. The event in Seoul was titled ‘Celebrating New Beginning’ and was attended by the Chinese and South Korean tyre makers’ management teams as well as representatives from Korea Development Bank, which together with other creditors still maintains a 23 per cent share in Kumho Tire.
At the end of May, anti-Chinese truck tyre tariffs were implemented. They included nominal (as opposed to percentage) tariffs at levels that surprised many. As a result, supply shortages and challenges at distributors were predicted. Shuttering of some of the lowest cost Chinese tyremakers is also expected. However, speaking to affected firms during the recent Tire Cologne reveals that many are already prepared to source tyres elsewhere. Indeed, the largest manufacturers have been off-shoring for some time. As a result, virtually all the leading Chinese tyre manufacturers already have non-Chinese tyre production in place. Let’s take a look at who’s got what.
Wanli-owner Guangzhou Vanlead Group Co. Ltd. has indefinitely postponed plans to invest US$1 billion in the construction of a tyre factory in South Carolina, USA. Now the company is said to be considering alternative locations including some in Europe
Under a joint venture contract signed on 22 June, thyssenkrupp Steel Europe will partner with Chinese companies to produce steel wheels, including lightweight hot-formed models, for the local automotive industry. China’s leading steel wheel manufacturer, Jingu Wheel, will hold a 51 per cent share in the joint venture, thyssenkrupp Steel Europe 34 per cent and Ansteel Iron and Steel Group 15 per cent. China’s competition authorities are now examining the tie-up, and thyssenkrupp anticipates the deal’s finalisation within the next few months.
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has reported the “successful completion” of its latest effort to eliminate counterfeit versions of its aluminium wheels in China. The distributor of these fake products has been sentenced to prison and also fined.
Ding Yuhua, Triangle Tyre’s chairman, died on 13 June 2018 at the age of 70. In addition to running the large Chinese tyre manufacturer, Ding Yuhua, was deputy to the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Chinese National People’s Congress, deputy to the 8th and 9th Shandong Provincial People’s Congress, member of Weihai People’s Congress Standing Committee and senior vice president of China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA).
US president Donald Trump has announced plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on US$50 billion worth of Chinese goods, according to various leading news sources. The tariffs affecting over 800 products including aircraft tyres and are due to come into effect on 6 July. The White House said it would consult on tariffs on the other $16 billion of products with a view to applying these later.
At the end of April the UK’s second largest supermarket Sainsbury’s announced that it is merging with the Walmart-owned Asda supermarket. The goal? To push first-placed Tesco off the top-spot and to give the newly combined chain better access to different geographic areas and consumers. Strange as it may seem at first glance, this story can be read across to the tyre market in general and the truck tyre segment in particular (click here for complete coverage on developments associated with the recently initiated European anti-Chinese truck tyre import tariffs).
New research by London based independent research company Astutus Research suggests that a domestic Chinese company could be about to join the top 10 global manufacturers of passenger car and light truck (PCLT) tyres. Linglong Tyre, currently ranked 12th globally in the segment by unit sales, is forecast to take tenth place by 2019, replacing South Korea’s Kumho Tyre. The move would make the manufacturer the first from China to enter the PCLT top 10.
Following statements from Aeolus suggesting “Aeolus moves production to Egypt and/or Turkey“, Prometeon Tyre Group has announced that the project to transfer the production of tyres in the production plants of Prometeon Tyre Group, “is still under initial assessment by the two groups, as it is part of the broader integration project of the two companies”.
It is clear that European anti-truck tyre tariffs are already having marked impact on the shape of the market. This is putting pressure on affected importers and manufacturers alike, but – as we have seen elsewhere in this feature – it could also lead to price increases and product shortages. Here Tyres & Accessories takes a closer look at the issue and what is being done in response based on contributions of industry associations such as the NTDA and ITMA as well as key industry figures.
The EU’s decision to implement import tariffs on Chinese-produced truck tyres marks a sea-change in both the truck tyre market in general and European governments’ approach to the subject in particular. As of the 8 May 2018, truck tyres produced in China and imported into the UK have become between 52.85 euros and 82.17 euros per tyre more expensive than before. And what’s more, with product registration having begun back in February 2018, such charges look likely to be backdated to February on tyres already sold. This cannot fail to have an enormous impact, but what exactly will it mean for the truck tyre sector?
As of tomorrow (8 May 2018), the European Union will apply anti-dumping duties to certain Chinese-made truck and bus tyres entering the European Union.
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