Nokian Tyres plc and YIT Construction Ltd have signed a contract agreement concerning the expansion of the Vsevolozhsk tyre plant. The agreement covers construction of a mixing department and warehouse. The contract, worth approximately 21.5 million euros, was signed in Vsevolozhsk on 23 September. Construction work will begin immediately and is scheduled for completion at the end of July 2006.
Vellco has been short listed as one of three finalists by the York Evening Press as Environmental Business of the Year and will shortly be visited by an independent judging assessor at their headquarters in Weaverthorpe, North Yorkshire. The winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony at the Voltigeur Suite at York racecourse on 17 November.
Drivers, the Glasgow-based car enhancement company, is offering customers a free tyre check-up for the duration of the Scottish Tyre Safety Week, which runs from 7 – 11 November 2005.
Whilst most drivers are aware of the importance of looking after their tyres, fewer are aware that specially fitted performance tyres can enhance both the safety and performance of their cars.
Dunlop Nigeria Plc, has invested an estimated sum of 6.5 billion naira (roughly £27 million) on radialising its plant technology with a view to further boosting the production of tyres for heavy duty vehicles. According to company, the Super Steel Radial Plant will be commissioned by Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, and will be capable of producing 300,000 heavy duty tyres annually. Furthermore, the expansion is expected to create 200 additional jobs.
Group Tyre UK member Broadway Tyres has just completed and commissioned a new 16,000 sq. ft. warehouse, adjoining the High Wycombe administration and distribution centre.
The warehouse is designed to receive bulk container deliveries and is capable of handling up to 25,000 tyres. It increases Broadway’s capacity by 35 per cent and customers should experience even better levels of service, according to managing director Jonathan West, who said: “This is a major investment which will ensure that we can provide an in-depth service with immediate turnaround to our distribution partners, retail stockists and the many motor dealers, whose tyre needs we manage.”
Bridgestone is to extend its steel cord Metalpha plant in Clarksville, America. The tyre manufacturer is investing $45 million in the expansion according to company spokesman Dan McDonough.
Around 127, 365 square foot will be added to the site, along with $31 million of new equipment. The fast-track project is scheduled to be completed in November.
Bridgestone Americas Holding has 38 facilities in North and South America. The company was formed in 1990 when Bridgestone U.S.A. merged with Firestone.
As a result of increasing internationalisation and the expansion of business, the Rial group has decided to bring all of its business that are not pure marketing companies under the one unified name. The new group will be called “Uniwheels United Wheels Group,” the company has reported. As a result Rial’s Polish production unit, Rial Aluguss, will immediately be renamed “Uniwheels Production (Poland) Sp.zo.o.” However the firm’s existing distribution companies (Rial Leichtmetalfelgen GmbH, Alutec Leichtmetalfelgen GmbH and ARC Alurad GmbH/Wheels24.com) will keep their existing names.
UK garage services chain, Mr Clutch Autocentres, is set to undergo expansion after trials of its new franchise model have been heralded a “great success.”
Changes in the motor maintenance and repair sector led company directors to re-examine its positioning in the market and completely overhaul its franchise model.
Financial director Trevor Steel explains the decision: “Over the past few years, VOSA has tightened up on regulations governing MOT test centres and appears to be clamping down hard on those rogue back street garages it sees as flouting the rules.
Interstate Tire & Rubber Co. is to officially launch a new high performance tyre – the Interstate Sport IXT-1 – at Tyrexpo Asia, which is being held in Singapore from September 13-15. The new tyre will fit rims up to 18″ and the range contains all popular tuning sizes.
Sumitomo figures for the half-year ended 30 June 2005 show that net sales amounted to 230.6 billion yen (£1.15 billion) as opposed to 216 billion last year. During the same period operating income increased from 17 billion yen (£87 million) in the first half of 2004 to 20.6 billion yen (£103 billion).
Market analysts from Deutsche Bank described the results as ‘firm’ and increased their sales forecasts. “We leave our operating forecast unchanged, as we believe the company can offset rising material prices through tyre price increases, product mix improvement, and expanded production volumes,” said Deutsche Bank representatives adding: “Management remained conservative, leaving its full-year forecasts unchanged, suggesting that an upward revision is probable at some stage. We forecast 10 per cent operating profit growth in the 2006 full year, as further price rises and output expansion offset a range of cost increases.”
N.D.I. Tyre & Tube supplies Ltd of Coseley, West Midlands, has appointed Richard Jackson as Sales Manager. Richard has responsibility for promoting the company’s wide portfolio of products and to increase the client base. He brings with him over 20 years of experience in the Retail and Truck sectors and his appointment strengthens the N.D.I. team for the next stage of its expansion program.
Bridgestone Corporation will expand production capacity for truck and bus radial tyres at its Chonburi plant in Thailand. This move is in response to growing global demand for those tyres. At the same time, Bridgestone will increase production capacity at its Rayong plant in Thailand which manufactures and supplies steel cord for radial tyres. The aim of this is to secure stable supply of raw materials. Bridgestone reports that it has earmarked approximately 126 million euros for investment in the expansion work of these two plants.
The joint venture between Pirelli and Roadone Tyre Co Ltd, which was previously announced in June has been completed following approval from the relevant authorities. The joint venture, which is majority owned by Pirelli with approximately 60 per cent of the share capital, aims to produce radial truck tyres in the Shandong Province. The new company will serve the Chinese market and others in South East Asia. Pirelli says that the company expects to make an initial investment of approximately 60 million euros.
According to the company, this latest development confirms the strategy of expansion in the Chinese market, where it plans to invest approximately 150 million euros over the next three years, as announced in November 2004. The Chinese market is the world’s fastest growing for road transportation with a total production in 2004 of more than 100 million sets of radial tyres, representing approximately 50 per cent of the overall tyre output in China, with a 33 per cent increase over the previous year.
(Akron/Tire Review) Groupe Michelin has announced plans to expand truck tyre capacity at its plant in Tours, France. Last month Tyres & Accessories learnt that Michelin would close down truck tyre production at the nearby Poitiers plant. A portion of the capacity from the Poitiers plant will be incorporated into the Tours facility, and the Poitiers plant will be converted into a warehouse, Michelin said. The manufacturer has already spent about $180 million on the Tours plants since 2000.
Michelin stated it would spend $65.3 million to expand capacity at Tours by 25 per cent, to more than 1 million units. This investment will continue through 2007, Michelin said. A spokesperson reportedly said that a large portion of the investment is earmarked for super-wide tyres (including the X-One) and low-profile tyres.
Pirelli and Continental opened their 80:20 joint venture Slatina steel cord production plant, Cord Romania on Friday.
The factory is located on a 100,000 square metre area will have an annual output of 30,000 tons of steel cord and employs 350 people. The steel cord is destined for tyre production in East European markets.
The new facility will require an investment of 40 million euros over several years to meet growing demand which is already almost two times supply says Continental.
This investment is the first ever made by Pirelli Tyres in the Balkan region and is part of the company’s expansion strategy in Romania. The manufacturer also plans to open a new high performance car tyre plant in Slatina in 2006.
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