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Chinese Manufacturers Cutting Back Production

Producers of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and polybutadiene rubber (BR) in parts of China are reporting weakening downstream demand due to cutbacks in the tyre industry. One unnamed large tyre manufacturer in Guangdong province has recently shut down operations at its factory, and several other manufacturers in Zhejiang and Anhui provinces have cut operating rates by 50 to 60 per cent due to a lack of cash and poor sales, trade and produce sources claim.

4th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Reorganise Italy Operations

On October 28 Michelin announced its plan to make operations in Italy more competitive. More than 200 million euros will be invested between now and 2013 to upgrade the company’s production facilities in the country, in order to make them more productive and specialised.

Production capacity will be significantly increased in Cuneo; following this expansion the Michelin plant will be the largest premium passenger car tyre production facility in Europe. Car tyre production will end at the company’s Stura workshop in Turin at the end of 2009. Semi-finished products will continue to be manufactured there, however, and the site’s logistics centre will operate following the transfer of the Vercelli warehouse.

28th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Grouptyre Improves Wales and the South West Tyre Distribution

Grouptyre has expanded its Wales and South West tyre distribution service through the expansion of member company King David Tyres. The new additional distribution centres will be place in St. Clears, near Carmarthen, and St. Austell, Cornwall to provide multiple same-day deliveries within the South Wales M4 corridor and the valleys and throughout Cornwall.

King David Tyres is a family-owned business established over 30 years and operates retail and wholesale depots in various locations in South Wales, Devon and Cornwall. It serves a large territory incorporating Devon, Cornwall, Avon, Bristol, Somerset, Mid Wales and South Wales, as well as parts of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

21st October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Increase Capacity in Romania

Production capacity at Michelin’s facilities in Romania will be expanded in order to make the country’s operations a strategic centre for the supply of tyres to Southeast Europe. Bucharest based daily newspaper Curierul National quotes Michelin co-managing partner Didier Miraton as stating “Romania is important to us and we intend to produce more, to turn the factories that we have there into a strategic point for South-Eastern Europe, through which we will provide tyres to the countries in the region.” Specific details of the intended capacity or the value of Michelin’s investment in the expansion were not given.

20th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Columbian Tiszai Carbon Completes Hungary Expansion

Columbian Tiszai Carbon, the Hungarian operation of US-based Columbian Chemicals Company, has completed a HUF7-billion (£20.4 million) expansion at its base in Tiszaújváros, northeast Hungary, CEO László Dobos told Hungarian news source MTI Econews.

The investment has increased the facility’s carbon black capacity by 50 per cent to about 100,000 tons a year, Dobos said. Demand for the product has particularly grown since tyre manufacturers have set up production bases in Hungary and elsewhere in the region, he added. Most of the plant’s carbon black goes to tyre makers, and the rest goes to the plastics and paint industries.

17th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli US CEO to Deliver Keynote Address

Pirelli’s US chairman and CEO Hugh Pace is to deliver the keynote address at the ACS Rubber Expo in Louisville, opening the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Rubber Division “Rubber Mini Expo and 174th Technical Meeting” on Tuesday, 14 October, 2008. The address, entitled “The Tire Industry: Globalization and Regulatory Harmonization”, will focus on how new technologies and the expansion of commerce have led to global markets and how regulatory standards have impacted those markets.

The Mini Expo will be held at the Kentucky International Convention Center from 14-16 October, and will feature 168 exhibitors along with an array of international industry-leading companies. During the Expo, devoted exclusively to rubber and its related products, ninety technical papers will be presented. Approximately 2000 attendees from around the world will take part in the event.

10th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama to Delay China Facility Expansion

It seems likely that Yokohama Rubber’s plans to expand output in China may be delayed by several months due to reduced demand and a potential oversupply of tyres. In an interview with Reuters, company president Tadanobu Nagumo discussed the company’s current position, warning that stocks and currencies losses would cut into Yokohama’s net profit in the first financial year half. To then boost profit margins, Nagumo said he would consider eliminating OE contracts with some vehicle manufacturers.

7th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

LSUK Goes into Administration

Car parts wholesaler LSUK has gone into administration following a failed takeover attempt by competitor Euro Car Parts. All 53 branches will close, with 600 workers being made redundant. The new owners reluctantly came to the decision “after a considerable amount of non-stop work and investment into LSUK” during the five days following Euro Car Parts’ takeover bid over on 29 September. Despite their efforts Euro Car Parts’ directors realised that they had no option but to place LSUK into administration with effect from Monday 6 October 2008. This includes all 53 LSUK Branches, including MI Diesel Products, Protech Automotive (UK) and Yeovil Rewind.

In a statement on the failure of the deal Euro Car Parts explained its reasons for putting LSUK into administration: “Unfortunately, it became clear, very quickly, that it was simply going to be impossible to continue with investment without the required support, which was not forthcoming.”

6th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BFGoodrich Expanding Facility Despite Shutdown

BFGoodrich is going ahead with the expansion of its Tuscaloosa, Alabama facility despite a temporary shutdown the company attributes to numerous factors. A temporary raw material supply shortage in the wake of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav is named as the main culprit for the two week factory closure, however market factors are also to blame, reports BFGoodrich public relations director Lynn Mann.

3rd October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Micheldever Chooses Syncron Supply Chain Management Software

Micheldever Tyre Services, arguably the UK’s largest tyre wholesaler operation, has selected Syncron software to reduce inventory levels, increase availability and reduce operating costs. Micheldever has reportedly licensed Syncron’s Supply Chain Planning solution to achieve more efficient management of its supply chain. According to the company, the new system will help Micheldever reduce inventory levels, increase availability and reduce the cost of purchasing. The solution is also expected to reduce the amount of inter-location trucking between Micheldever distribution network outlets.

3rd October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Euro Car Parts Buys LSUK

Euro Car Parts has acquired the businesses of Pinco 1555 Ltd, otherwise known as LSUK. Euro Car Parts will take over all 53 LSUK Branches, together with subsidiaries M I Diesel Products, Protech Automotive (UK) and Yeovil Rewind. Chairman, Sukhpal Singh commented on the acquisition: “Euro Car Parts has proved its ability to grow organically in difficult times. The purchase of LSUK will further accelerate our expansion and support our quest to provide the ultimate in quality and service to the automotive aftermarket.”

He added: “Previous acquisitions by Euro Car Parts have shown our willingness to invest in the staff and fabric of companies, so as to bring them up to the same market-leading standards that have gained Euro Car Parts many awards for customer service throughout the industry.”

30th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Opens Second Facility in Calamba, Philippines

A second manufacturing site belonging to Continental AG has been opened in Calamba, the Philippines. The factory, inaugurated September 25, produces inertial, speed, and advanced sensors, chassis components, passive safety and ADAS components for the company’s Chassis & Safety Division as well as ECUs, transmission controllers, sensors and actuators for the Powertrain Division. This event reflects Continental’s strategy to build and strengthen the network and manufacturing operations in Asia, where the company intends to make between 20 and 25 per cent of its total sales in this region by 2015.

26th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Appoints Takagi as New VP, COO

Yasushi Takagi, a 27-year veteran of Toyo, was recently appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. As EVP and COO, Takagi will work with staff in all departments to continuously evaluate sales and marketing efforts in the U.S. and create plans for the future.

“Mr. Takagi brings with him extensive knowledge and understanding of Toyo’s global vision,” said Masaharu Yoshimoto, president and CEO of Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “This insight and strategic thinking is extremely important as we continue to grow the Toyo brand in the United States. We are very happy to have him join us.”

From January 2006 to August 2008, Takagi served as general manager of Toyo’s corporate planning department. In this role, he coordinated with all entities of Toyo. He outlined strategies and set goals for global expansion by the company’s 70th anniversary in 2015. He also played a key role in negotiating the recent business alliance with Bridgestone Corp. Prior to January 2006, Takagi held several international positions while in Europe for nearly 20 years, including director of Toyo Tyre (U.K.) and president of Toyo Reifen GmbH (Germany). (Tire Review/Akron)

26th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Invest 30 million euros in Poland Production

Michelin Group is reportedly planning to invest roughly 30 million euros in expanding its production adjacent logistics operation in Poland. The expansion, which will take place in the Warmia-Mazury special economic zone, will reportedly see the company occupy a total of 177 hectares of the zone, according to the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PALiLZ). According to Michelin, a 20 per cent rise in automotive production in Eastern Europe during the first half of 2008 boosted growth in original equipment tyre demand.

24th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Euro Car Parts Opens 2 Branches

Euro Car Parts (ECP), the UK’s leading aftermarket parts supplier, has opened a new branch in Hoddesdon, Stockport and extended the Sheffield branch to 5,000sqft from 2,000sqft in line with their future plans. The 8,000sqft Hoddesdon branch has 15,000 parts, tools and accessories in stock and receives six deliveries from the HQ in Wembley daily with access to over 100,000 parts. The branch has 18 members of staff with over 70 years experience in the automotive aftermarket. The 11,500sqft Stockport branch has a large number of parts, tools and accessories in stock and receives daily deliveries from the Manchester Euro Car Parts branch. The branch has 19 members of staff.

9th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors