DriveRightData has established a new sales office in South America as part of its global expansion plan.
This year, the company has embarked on a global expansion plan that has seen headquarters established in Los Angeles and South Korea. Last year the company established a base at Mira Technology Park in Nuneaton in Warwickshire, United Kingdom.
On 21 June Shandong Linglong Tyre Co Ltd announced it would issue 200 million shares of common stock at 12.98 yuan per share as part of its initial public offering (IPO) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. At the time, the company said it expected to raise roughly 2.60 billion yuan, which various news sources suggest is intended to fund investment in new tyre production lines.
Local news reports suggest Marangoni is investing $75 million in expanding industrial tyre manufacturing in Sri Lanka. The reports add detail to official announcements about increased Eltor EVO for the forklift tyre production capacity made in May.
National Tyres and Autocare will expand its network by 10 branches over the next year. Launching at the start of July, and projected to finish in early 2017, this expansion phase will include new branches in London, Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, South Wales and the South West. These branches will join the existing network of 241 branch locations operating throughout the UK. National added that 14 further sites are currently “in the pipeline”. The network is the UK’s third largest; the latest expansion will demonstrate its sharpest growth in locations for five years.
The First Stop fast fit network states that it is accelerating its expansion plans across the UK. Currently operating 72 centres, the network said that it has recently attracted six new members. The network has also become an official supporter of TyreSafe. First Stop’s partner zone manager, Mike Glover said: “First Stop prides itself on outstanding customer service and we consider explaining the importance of tyre safety as an essential part of that relationship.
Safanad, the investment firm, has acquired a controlling interest in the UK’s largest alloy wheel manufacturer, Rimstock Plc. Rimstock, which recently celebrated its 30th year in manufacturing, employs over 230 people at its facilities in the West Midlands, England and produces both aftermarket and OE wheels. According to the companies, the business will remain headquartered in West Bromwich, United Kingdom.
Omni United has appointed Brett Martin as the president of its distribution division, US-based subsidiary Omni United USA Inc. This makes Brett Martin responsible for Omni United’s distribution business in the USA.
Brett Martin comes with over 36 years of experience including 23 years of handling various roles in the distribution sector. His last position was senior vice president of Distribution, TCI, where he had oversight of 85 distribution centres in the US. He has been associated with TCI, a subsidiary of Michelin North America for many years, and has previously held numerous positions including regional director west coast and distribution centre manager. Martin also has experience in tyre retail.
Construction of Omsk Carbon Group’s third production site – a carbon black plant in Mogilev, Belarus – is underway, according to the company.
Omsk Carbon Mogilev’s production facilities are being constructed in a Belarusian Free Economic Zone. Production is expected to begin in July/August 2016. The plant is expected to reach full capacity in 2019.
Chinese tyre manufacturer Triangle Tyre celebrated its 40th anniversary on 8 April. According to the company, over the past 40 years, Triangle Tyre has enjoyed “a big improvement in the tyre production” both in terms of quality and quantity.
Various news reports suggest Jinyu, (which changed its name to Sailun Jinyu in 2014 following its merger with Sailun) could be building a new tyre plant in Turkey. According to the Turkish Hurriyet newspaper, Jinyu is considering a joint-venture with local distributor Yeslas.
Local sources report that Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, the Iranian minister of industry, mine and trade attended the ground-breaking of Gostaresh Aria Tire’s new tyre production facility in Zabol City, Eastern Iran on 10 March. The ground-breaking marks the latest development in a significant expansion of the Iranian tyre industry.
A five-year, US$164 million project to expand Bridgestone’s 42-year old Wilson passenger car tyre factory in the US state of North Carolina got officially underway yesterday with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site. During phases one and two of the investment, which will involve an investment of nearly $100 million, 167,000 square feet (approximately 15,500 square metres) of manufacturing space will be added to the plant. Daily output will rise by 3,000 tyres to 35,000 tyres a day by 2018.
Bridgestone Canada Inc. (Bridgestone) is expanding its Canadian passenger and light truck tyre manufacturing facility in Joliette, Quebec, as part of a five-year investment that could total upwards of CA$300 million (£160 million). Groundbreaking for this multi-phase expansion of the facility is expected to occur this year; new plant equipment will be phased in over a five-year period in an effort to help the plant support the North American market and meet demand for larger diameter tyres, such as those fitted to modern pickup trucks and SUVs. The project will lift plant capacity by 3,000 tyres per day to bring daily production to 20,000 tyres by 2023.
Roughly a year since the opening of Hamiton Limited in 2015, the UK branch of Hamaton, China (a well-known TPMS manufacturer) is continuing to develop the strong customer portfolio that is parent company has developed since the business was founded in 1993.
DriveRight, a leading independent supplier of international automotive, wheel and tyre data, has established its UK R&D team and wheel and caliper consultancy at MIRA Technology Park, near Hinckley. DriveRight recently announced plans to expand further, and the move to MIRA Technology Park (now part of the Horiba MIRA group) is the first step in its expansion plan.
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Bridgestone, First Stop
