Apollo Tyres is said to be finalising plans to establish a new greenfield factory in Asia. Indian financial daily The Economic Times reported on 8 April that the tyre maker is close to making a decision on location.
In response to growing demand in Asia for tyres to fit full-size motorcycles, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. has decided to install equipment for the production of motorcycle radials at its factory in Thailand. Approximately 1.4 billion yen (£9.9 million) is being invested in the motorcycle tyre project, and the new facility is scheduled to begin production in January 2015. By the end of 2018 the plant is expected to have the capacity to manufacture 64,000 motorcycle tyres a month.
Lurid local newspaper headlines have rekindled media interest in the industrial incident that resulted in the death of a man at Pirelli’s Carlisle tyre factory. However, with the Police having already confirmed that they are no longer pursuing a criminal investigation, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation ongoing and with no date for the inquest, there is little more to report and no further comment from the parties involved.
The proposed four year contract for three of Titan International’s factories in the US has been accepted in votes held by the United Steelworkers union. Union members at the company’s Des Moines, Iowa, Freeport, Illinois and Bryan, Ohio plants voted in favour of an agreement that the USW says offers workers “wage and benefit improvements and a variety of contract language enhancements, most notably around the issue of forced overtime.”
It’s taken almost 49 years, but on 14 March Cooper Tire & Rubber’s Texarkana factory in the US state of Arkansas produced its 350 millionth tyre. The tyre maker says 7 million tyres are produced in Texarkana every year these days, giving the plant an annual output that’s a far cry from the early years; the first tyre was produced at the factory on 16 April 1964, and it took 24 years before the millionth tyre was manufactured.
Toyo has agreed to buy Brazilian auto vibration parts manufacturer Produflex for around 1.5 billion yen (US$15.6 million), according to the Nikkei. Produflex manufacturers anti-vibration products for OEMs operating in Brazil including Fiat and, according to online reports, the Brazilian firm has around 430 workers and reported sales of 1.5 billion yen in 2012. The deal was made public on 11 March 2013.
According to French news reports, nineteen police officers have been injured during protests outside Goodyear’s offices in Paris. The violence is said to have occurred when the works council from the company’s Amiens Nord factory met to discuss the terms of the plant’s closure. Several hundred workers from the factory assembled outside the headquarter buildings, burning tyres and pelting their opponents with paintballs and other projectiles. Six police officers required hospitalisation as a result of their injuries. One demonstrator is reported to have been arrested.
According to local news sources, Cooper Tire & Rubber has paused production at its Findlay factory in the US state of Ohio. The Toledo Blade reports that production has been idled since 2 March due to high inventories and the implementation of a software system. Tyre production is scheduled to recommence on 9 March.
During the SIMA show, Indian tyre maker BKT gave an update of the company’s recent performance. Highlights covered including the firm’s average annual growth rate – this remains at approximately 30 per cent. BKT also claims to currently hold five per cent of the global market share in the off-highway tyre sector in speciality segments such as agricultural machines and equipment, earthmovers, industrial vehicles, ATV and lawn & garden applications. The company says it aims to double this market share by the end of 2014; at this time it plans to achieve a turnover of US$1.36 million, and a turnover of $2 billion by 2020.
Dundee’s ‘first citizen’, the city’s Lord Provost Bob Duncan, has toured Michelin’s Baldovie Road plant as part of a series of fact-finding company visits planned for the coming weeks. The visit was hosted by plant manager John Reid.
Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Cumbria, an Honorary Officer appointed by The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister, Claire Hensman, enjoyed a visit to Pirelli’s factory in Carlisle earlier this week. Pirelli’s northern base employs more than 800 people and Mrs Hensman was accompanied on a tour of the Cumbria-based factory by her husband Peter and Professor Joe Hendry, Carlisle City Council leader. Alan Wilson, Pirelli Carlisle’s engineering manager, hosted the group on their tour.
The Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory in Russia has started production of two new Kama brand truck and bus tyres. The NF 202 295/75 R22.5 steer axle tyre and NR 202 295/75 R22.5 drive axle tyre are aimed at long-haul operators. Manufacture of these tyres began in January, parent company Tatneft reports.
Further details of the new factory Bridgestone will build in China to replace its Shenyang plant have been announced, including the tripling of investment plans.
Romanian news portal romania-insider.com stated on 21 February that Pirelli has begun the production of GP2 series racing tyres at its Slatina factory. Further details were not given, however the site notes that the Slatina factory, which is located 110 miles west of Bucharest, also produces GT series tyres.
For the final quarter of 2012, Nexen Tire has reported sales of KRW 411 billion (£240.1 million), a year-on-year increase of 2.4 per cent, KRW 24 billion (£14.0 million) in operating income, a 90.1 per cent increase on Q4 2011, a 5.7 per cent operating margin and net profit of KRW 21 billion (£12.3 million), up 12.1 per cent year-on-year.
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