India’s Apollo Tyre has apparently dropped plans to build a new tire plant in Europe, and will instead turn its attention to expanding its Vredestein facility in the Netherlands, reports Tire Review.
The Pelmar Group has bought some rubber mixing and industrial tyre-making equipment from Trelleborg former Hartville, Ohio factory. The list of purchased machinery includes two K7 mixing lines and solid tyre production machinery. Accoridng to Pelmar, with this acquisition the company has positioned itself as the largest supplier of pre-owned rubber machinery in the tyre and technical rubber industry after finalizing the purchase of Continental Semperit plant in Traiskirchen earlier this year.
TNA reports that Groupe Michelin may be planning to boost tyre production in Thailand, but such expansion will be based on prevailing political issues in that country. Michelin Southeast Asia and Oceania managing director Frederic Vincent told TNA that Michelin sees Thailand as Asia’s most important production base for exports worldwide and planned to increase its production capacity to accommodate economic recovery in Thailand. At the same time, the managing director said the company will “monitor the political situation closely as the group did not want to witness any uncertainties.” (Tire Review)
Tyre retail group BA Bush & Son and its wholesale arm B.A.B. Distribution has acquired the former Enterprise Tyres in Spalding. The move means that the family-owned business – which is a member of Grouptyre – now operates from two prime sites in the town, while it has increased its network of retail depots throughout Lincolnshire, Humberside and East Yorkshire to 16.
EW Swiers and Grainger, the York-based tyre recycler has invested £62,845 in recycling equipment including a pre-shredder. The company made the investment last October after it was awarded £25,000 of funding from Resource Efficiency Yorkshire (REY), which is now known as CO2 Sense Yorkshire and European Regional Development fund (ERDF).
Production of truck and bus radials is scheduled to begin at Bridgestone’s factory in Indore, India. Company subsidiary Bridgestone India Private Limited has announced that, in response to increasing domestic demand, approximately 3.3 billion yen (₤22.9 million) will be invested in preparing for the start of TBR tyre production in the first half of 2011. Production capacity is expected to reach approximately 400 units per day by the second half of 2012.
Nokian Tyres reports that its Vianor retail chain reached an important milestone in December 2009 with the opening of its 600th outlet. The store, located in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov, is what Nokian refers to as an ‘entrepreneur-led partner outlet’. The Ukraine, the company adds, now ranks second behind Russian in terms of countries with the largest number of Vianor outlets.
Turkish tyre manufacturer Brisa has confirmed that approval has been given for the TL272 million (£113.5 million) investment specified in the company’s 2009-2014 Mid-term Business Plan, and planned for in its Investment Incentive Certificate for the years of 2010-2014. While Brisa international marketing manager Aylin Erdil states that specific details cannot be legally disclosed at this time, she commented that the investment “covers the modernisation and expansion of the factory.”
Bridgestone UK has secured a tyre supply agreement with C&H Hauliers, part of the Charles Gee Group. C&H Hauliers will fit Firestone steer products to its fleet of more than 100 trucks, and the Bridgestone Qualitread retread on the drive axle and across the 250 trailers. The fleet will be serviced through the Truck Point network.
Greg Ward, commercial sales director, Bridgestone UK said: “We are delighted to have won the C&H Hauliers tyre contract. We have supplied Firestone tyres to this account indirectly through some of our Truck Point partners (Universal Tyres & Trinity Tyres) for many years, but the recent rapid expansion of the fleet puts the contract firmly within our “MegaFleet” environment. Universal Tyres & Trinity Tyres will continue to be a key service agent through the Bridgestone system.”
Some Rs 8 billion (£109.7 million) are to be invested in a new JK Tyre & Industries greenfield facility and the construction of a new research and development facility. The new plant will reportedly produce passenger car and truck and bus radials for both the domestic and export markets, however no specific information on plant capacity has yet been made. The southern Indian state of Karnataka appears to be the most likely location for the new development, a decision that may have been influenced by the regional government’s offer of incentives.
National Tyres and Autocare finished 2009 on a positive note with a string of new branch openings and looks to the year ahead with plans for further acquisition and investment as part of the company’s expansion strategy. Despite a tough year all round for the market, National launched a number of new branches throughout the year, including sites in Livingston, Grimsby, Norwich, Selby and Leicester. Further branch openings are on National’s agenda for 2010 with the first, in Wrexham, due to launch at the end of January.
Watts Tyre Group has announced the launch of Interfit, the industrial tyre business' international service operation. From 5 January Watts Tyre Group service operations throughout Europe will begin the process of rebranding with goal of completing this by June 2010. According to the company, the launch of Interfit serves as a repositioning in the industrial tyre service market by formally creating a dedicated, specialist service division. Interfit will service the forklift truck market through its depot and mobile press operation acting as a service partner to the OEM dealer networks. Customers will be managed through regional offices in UK, France and Germany where administrative functions and local service desks are based.
Following on from its successful activities in France, Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, which began in summer 2009, Euromaster is rolling out plans to expand in the German market through the introduction of a franchise system – and the company reports that numerous tyre dealers have already shown interest in working together with the tyre and wheel service provider.
Formula One Autocentres, reputedly UK’s largest family owned fast-fit chain, opened its 50th branch Wolverhampton at the end of November. Located, on Willenhall Road, the new Formula One branch is the company’s 50th in an impressive, on-going programme of expansion. Brothers Paul & Leon Glencross are delighted with local response to the launch. Leon commented: “As a family business opening our 50th branch is a fantastic, landmark occasion for us and Wolverhampton is the perfect location”, he said.
Continental has announced plans to expand the production process at its Timişoara passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyre facility in Romania. The expansion will centre upon the construction of a new unit for processing the master batch and, adds Conti, will enable the company to have a completely integrated production unit that permits the local processing of raw materials, a feature that will consolidate the company’s tyre business in Romania and increase the plant’s cost competitiveness. The project will involve a “two digit million” amount, Continental adds, and will in the mid-term lead to the creation of around 200 new jobs.
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