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Goodyear Philippines Plans Factory Upgrade, Seeks Retail Investors

Manufacturing facilities at Goodyear’s operations in the Philippines are likely candidates for an upgrade, according to the president of Goodyear Philippines David Morin. At a press conference on October 4 Morin said that additional equipment would be purchased for the Las Pinas Goodyear factory in Manila, and he outlined plans to introduce a number of new products for export to Asean markets.

Goodyear’s Las Pinas plant exports 50 per cent of its production to Southeast Asian countries, including China and India, however as the facility is already operating at full capacity no new staff will be added to its complement of 700 workers as part of these improvements.

In addition to this planned upgrade, Goodyear Philippines is urging potential Filipino distributors and retailers to invest in the tyre industry. According to Morin the company has plans to expand its retail outlets in 15 to 20 untapped markets throughout the chain of islands.

5th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop India Confirms Aero Tyre Plans

Dunlop India has reiterated its intention to re-enter the aero tyre market. In July the company’s vice-president Dhrubojyoti Nandi reported Dunlop India was “focused to take advantage” of the country’s aviation boom, and in recent months it appears that the company’s factory in Sahaganj, in the state of West Bengal, has been earmarked for this purpose.

“We hope that it will start production in another two months,” chairman Pawan Kumar Ruia told The Times of India. The newspaper printed reports that the company aims to achieve an output of 90 tonnes per day at the Sahaganj facility by the end of October and 130 tonnes by the end of March 2008, the close of India’s current fiscal year.

Further comment was also made on the group’s intention to gear up for OTR tyre production through its Falcon Tyres operation. These products, if and when they are produced, will be marketed under the Dunlop brand, not under the Falcon Tyres label as previously reported. The latter brand name will continue to see use exclusively on tyres for two and three wheeled vehicles.

4th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian Domestic Manufacturers Hit by Strong Rupee

The growing strength of the Indian rupee against the US dollar has been squeezing the export margins of tyremakers in the subcontinent for some time. A more recent development, however, is the strain India’s increasingly robust currency is placing on companies producing tyres for the domestic market.

Imports have become cheaper with each rise in the rupee, and those domestic market products with cut-price overseas equivalents have struggled to remain competitive. This phenomenon is not restricted to the tyre industry; the Hindu Business Line reports that a number of manufacturing sectors, including chemicals, textiles and automotive components, have been affected.

The Indian financial daily quoted Ashish Bharat Ram, managing director of SRF Ltd, as saying, “the rupee appreciation is adversely impacting those domestic manufacturers where the product is substitutable by imports.” This even applies to imported raw materials. “Imports of raw material from China, for instance, are of special concern as the yuan has not been revalued, and this puts pressure on margins even further.”

3rd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

R H Claydon Ltd: Tyres and Tubes for Today’s Market

Through almost 60 years of trading, the company, a major player in the UK Tyre Wholesale sector, has experienced many changes in this ever-evolving industry, from the early days of crossply tyres, to the now, commonplace radial tyre. Coupled with this the extensive development of the varying aspect ratios now required to meet the many needs and applications of not only road transport, but for all pneumatic tyre equipped vehicles, such as agricultural, industrial, construction, earthmover, open space management, plant & machinery and much more.

In meeting the present day requirements R H Claydon offers tyres for all these requirements and being solely a wholesaler, with no retail outlets, there is no conflict with its customer base. The exclusive brand, BKT, manufactured in India, forms the greater part of this supply for all products outside Car, Van, 4X4 & Truck, The range could be stated as meeting all needs pneumatic, indeed this is signified in BKT’s own advertising strapline “Off-Highway Tyre Solutions”. In this year, there have been many additions to the BKT Range including, 70/65/90&95 Agrimax Radial Tractor, Tele Handler sizes in 460/70R24 (17.5R24) and 19.5R24. BKT Armaturf KV Tyres for the professional ride-on mower, now offer an estimated 90 per cent protection from punctures. The year has also seen the growth in earthmover units; in this sector sizes such as 1800-25 40pr & 1800-33 40pr Rock Grip E4, both sizes also produced for Port & Terminal operations. The BKT range fully justifies Claydon’s own slogan “All- Season All- Reason Agricultural & Industrial Tyres”.

2nd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Falcon Tyres Contemplates Industrial, OTR Tyre Market

Indian two and three wheeler tyre manufacturer Falcon Tyres has plans to diversify, a move the company says will lead to a doubling of production capacity. This news comes from no less a figure than company chairman Pawan K. Ruia, who said that Falcon is considering entering the industrial and OTR tyre market.

“We are working on the plan and it should be finalised in two months,” he announced to media after the company’s AGM in the city of Bangalore. To achieve this goal Falcon will either expand its existing facility in the city of Mysore, in southwest India or establish a new one in a state that offers tax concessions. The states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal have been named as contenders for this investment.

In addition, Falcon is expanding its tyre capacity from 550,000 to 750,000 tonnes and that of tube production from 250,000 tonnes to 375,000 tonnes. Overall, 110 tonnes of rubber products a day will be produced. The new lines will employ an additional 300 persons and most likely enter production before the end of the year.

1st October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

CITExpo 2007 Reports More International Visitors

CITExpo 2007 attracted an increased number of international visitors, according to show organisers Reliable International Exhibition Services Co. Ltd. Their figures show that exhibition traffic totalled 6850 visitors, of which 4000 were domestic Chinese delegates, while 2850 were “foreign.” The were 254 exhibitors, 150 of which have reportedly already rebooked for next year, meaning that up 70 per cent of show space has already been rebooked, according to Reliable. The organisers report that international visitors came from a total of 86 countries including: United States, India, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Belgium, Argentina, Norway and more.

27th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Cheap Chinese Imports Worry Indian Tyremakers

(Akron/Tire Review – India Business Standard) With the Indian tyre market being flooded with cheaper Chinese bus and truck tyres, the domestic tyre industry is up in arms about the under-invoicing of these imports and their inferior quality.

25th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

India’s Tata Looks at Jaguar, Land Rover

(Akron/Tire Review) News reports confirm that Indian automaker Tata Motors is interested in acquiring iconic British auto companies Land Rover and Jaguar, which Ford Motor Co. has put up for sale.

Tata Chairman Ratan Tata told media that his company, a conglomerate active in the steel, software and automobile arenas, plans to place a bid for the two luxury brands, which Ford is auctioning. Several US equity firms have also expressed interest.

Most of Tata’s vehicle experience comes from making work trucks in India, and has only been producing passenger cars for about a decade. Most of its car activity has been in the low-end market, and the company has announced plans to offer an “ultra-cheap” car that would retail for about $2,400.

21st September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyres and Tubes for Today’s Market

Through almost 60 years of trading, the company, a major player in the UK Tyre Wholesale sector, has experienced many changes in this ever-evolving industry, from the early days of crossply tyres, to the now, commonplace radial tyre. Coupled with this the extensive development of the varying aspect ratios now required to meet the many needs and applications of not only road transport, but for all pneumatic tyre equipped vehicles, such as agricultural, industrial, construction, earthmover, open space management, plant & machinery and much more. In meeting the present day requirements R H Claydon offers tyres for all these requirements and being solely a wholesaler, with no retail outlets, there is no conflict with its customer base.

The exclusive brand, BKT, manufactured in India, forms the greater part of this supply for all products outside Car, Van, 4X4 & Truck, The range could be stated as meeting all needs pneumatic, indeed this is signified in BKT’s own advertising strapline “Off-Highway Tyre Solutions”. In this year, there have been many additions to the BKT Range including, 70/65/90&95 Agrimax Radial Tractor, Tele Handler sizes in 460/70R24 (17.5R24) and 19.5R24. BKT Armaturf KV Tyres for the professional ride-on mower, now offer an estimated 90 per cent protection from punctures. The year has also seen the growth in earthmover units; in this sector sizes such as 1800-25 40pr & 1800-33 40pr Rock Grip E4, both sizes also produced for Port & Terminal operations. The BKT range fully justifies Claydon’s own slogan “All- Season All- Reason Agricultural & Industrial Tyres”.

14th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli to Invest in Tyre Unit After Olimpia Sale

Pirelli & C SpA chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera is planning to pay of the company’s debt and invest in its tyre unit with cash from the planned sale of its Olimpia unit. According to the AFX news agency, the board “has not taken any decision on any extraordinary dividend or share buy-backs.” Pirelli is expected to receive 3.3 billion euros of cash when its sell Olimpia, which owns an 18 per cent share of Telecom Italia SpA. In the meantime the company is waiting Brazilian regulatory clearance to sell Olimpia.

13th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti: Siemens VDO Consolidation “Ensures Top Position”

By purchasing Siemens VDO, Continental AG, Hanover, will profit from key automotive industry trends to a greater degree in the future, the company said in a recent statement. “The perspectives for the industry as shown at the IAA 2007 clearly confirm our view that the prevailing topics in the years to come will be safety, climate protection, and infotainment. With the consolidated innovative prowess and the extensive product portfolio of Continental and Siemens VDO, we feel we are excellently positioned as a systems specialist,” said Manfred Wennemer, chairman of the Continental Executive Board, at the International Motor Show on Wednesday in Frankfurt/Main.

12th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Mad Max to Support Malaysian Tyre Recycling IPO

He starred in the blockbuster Mad Max and Lethal Weapon series, went on to produce epics such Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ, but now Mel Gibson is putting his name to a Malaysian tyre recycling companies listing on the London stock exchange. News reports emanating from Singapore explain that Gibson has a minority shareholding in Green Rubber Global, a company that focuses in devulcanisation technology.

Bankers are valuing the company at between £150 million and £170 million, according to sources. Petra Group is owned by Vinod, who also owns 84 per cent of Green Rubber via Petra Trust. The remaining 16 per cent is held by the various celebrities named above. Part of the listing exercise is expected to include a share sale of up to 20 per cent.

11th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Lines of Distinction?

(Akron/Tire Review) Our industry – at home and abroad – has been building tires for more than a century. Along the way, we allowed ourselves to be fooled every once in a while by ‘technology’ that really didn’t live up to its billing. One example is the single-ply tire promoted as being as strong as a two-ply tire.

Great progress has been made, both in technology and in marketing. Let there be no doubt about the safety advances built into today’s tyres compared to those built in 1908. And, yes, there have been some stinkers along the way, but by and large, this industry has led the world in packing more performance and safety into one single product than any other.

If anything remains unchanged, it continues to be our penchant for putting an acronym or label on everything, the latest being the so-called “global tyre,” which doesn’t sound half as meaningful as the phrase it replaced – “world-class tyre.”

10th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Exports from India Growing Steadily

The value of tyre exports from India has grown at an average of 11 per cent per annum during the last decade, according to India’s Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association. The current value of exports of all category of tyre is Rs 26 billion (£315.5 million). During the 1996/97 financial year total exports only amounted to Rs 8.32 billion (£101 million).

Since the start of this current decade the strongest export growth has been in the passenger car sector, with exports increasing more than tenfold to 966,046 units in 2006/07. While this amount is still dwarfed by exports of truck tyres (2,276,049 units) and tyres for light commercial vehicles (1,599,230), the high level of passenger car tyre radialisation achieved by tyremakers has provided them with a product that can potentially gain acceptance in many more overseas markets.

6th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Burst Tyre Sparks Gun Battle

A burst tyre is an inconvenience no matter where it occurs, but at least motorists in the UK don’t have to worry about this…..

The education minister of Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed territory between India and Pakistan, narrowly escaped with his life after army troops mistook the sound of a tyre rapidly deflating to be a militant attack and began indiscriminately firing their weapons throughout the convoy of vehicles in which he was travelling.

Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed was en route to the wedding of a colleague’s son when the heavily worn tyre fitted to a military vehicle escorting the entourage burst. Soldiers in the vicinity, accustomed to the regional tensions with neighbouring Pakistan and the odd tussle with Islamic separatists, wasted no time in responding to the tyre’s loud, gunshot-like report.

3rd September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors