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MRF Limited

MRF was established in Chennai, India, in 1946 as a general rubber goods manufacturer and gradually progressed into tyre production in 1961.Today, the company enjoys the distinction of being the largest tyre company in the Indian subcontinent and the 13th largest in the world. The Far Eastern Economic Review “Annual Review 200”; rated MRF as one of India’s top ten companies and among the 200 most admired companies in Asia, for the last seven years consecutively.MRF was also rated the No. 1 Ethical Company in India by the Business World magazine. MRF operates six manufacturing plants in India at Tiruvottiyur, Arkonam, Kottayam, Goa, Medak, and Pondicherry and manufactures the largest range of tyres in India´s heavy duty truck/bus tyres, light commercial vehicle tyres, passenger car tyres, off-the-road/industrial tyres, 2-wheeler tyres and farm service tyres. Five of these plants and the conveyor belting factory at Arakonam are ISO 9002 certified. The plant at Pondicherry is QS 9000 certified. MRF Tyres are exported to over 65 countries in the Americas, Africa, Middle East, Australia and Asia.With the focus on exports, the company plans to increase market share and start operations in several new countries. MRF also manufactures conveyor belts and precure tread rubber, and its subsidiaries manufacture toys, speciality paints, leather and leather products.

25th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Year To Date Performance From Goodyear

Goodyear has released details of the group’s performance in various markets, for the year to date, to end February. Brief details are as follows:North American Tire: February industry shipments of consumer replacement tyres were 8 per cent up on last year. Goodyear shipments to dealers were flat, as some dealers pre-bought at the end of last year. Goodyear shipped 400,000 tyres as part of the Ford replacement programme. Industry shipments of commercial tyres were 14 per cent up on last year’s levels. Goodyear’s shipments were up, but not as high as the industry figure. Industry shipments of OE tyres were up 10 per cent for car tyres and down 17 per cent for commercial tyres. Goodyear’s unit shipments outperformed the industry.European Union: Consumer replacement tyres: industry shipments + 3 p.c. Goodyear shipments lower. Commercial replacement tyres: industry shipments – 6 p.c. Goodyear shipments reflect this figure. Consumer OE tyres: both industry and Goodyear shipments up. Commercial OE tyres: both industry and Goodyear shipments down.Eastern Europe: No segmentation available, but Goodyear replacement tyre sales were up, due mainly to market recoveries in South Africa and Turkey. Goodyear OE tyre sales were down slightly.Latin America: Goodyear replacement tyre sales down, mainly in Brazil and Argentina. OE sales were up. Currencies in Brazil and Mexico were revalued, but this was offset by devaluations in Argentina and Venezuela.Asia: Replacement tyre sales were up from last year, while OE unit sales were slightly down. Improved volumes in China and India helped improve operating margins over last year.

21st March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Marketing Director For Goodyear Asia

Sanjay Sivanandan (35) has been appointed by Goodyear as marketing director, Asia. He has 12 years’ experience in Europe and Asia and joins the tyre manufacturer from Mars Inc., where he was responsible for business in India. Roger A. Hagstrom becomes Sales Director, Asia Region as part of Goodyear’s global sales and marketing reorganisation.

4th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian Investment For Goodyear

Goodyear is set to invest the equivalent of US$ 36.4 million in Goodyear South Asia Tyres Pvt Ltd., the company which runs a tyre factory at Aurangabad, India. This follows a previous investment by Goodyear in 1999 of US$ 62.2 million. The factory produces tyres for both the OE and replacement markets.

15th January 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Vietnamese Truck Tyre Production Begins at Casumina

The Vietnamese Southern Rubber Company has begun production of truck tyres on a new production facility using Japanese technology. The first week’s production in August totalled 1,000 tyres. The quality of the tyres produced is claimed to equal that of imported tyres from Korea and India. The Vietnamese tyres are 25 per cent cheaper than the imported brands. Production will build to around 10,000 tyres per month, going some way to alleviating the shortfall in supply of tyres. The country needs 500,000 tyres every year but currently supply is limited to 200,000 units.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Good News From India For Bridgestone

According to JD Power Asia Pacific 2001 India Tyre Survey, Bridgestone lead the market in customer satisfaction. The survey compares satisfaction with OE tyres at 12-18 months of ownership. The Bridgestone brand comes top in three out of four elements of the survey, appearance, traction and performance. Six tyre manufacturers and eleven vehicle manufacturers were involved in the survey.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Uncertainties Stop Michelin’s Plans For India

Reduced profits in the Indian tyre market and an uncertainty about acceptance of radial truck and bus tyres has forced Michelin to take stock of its plans for the continent. Plans for a $115m plant at Maharashta have been put on hold. In the meantime Michelin is testing the market with imported radials before making a final decision.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian Tyre Industry Threatened By Imports

The Indian tyre manufacturing industry may be under threat from cheap imports from China. The lifting of trade restrictions with China has already created trading problems for many of India’s smaller industries. Presently imports from China form only 2.87% of India’s imports, but the arrival of cheap, mass produced products from China has indicated the lack of preparedness of Indian industry to meet the new competition. Tyre manufacturing has been highlighted as a potential victim as businesses move from manufacturing to importing.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Factory For India

Following a recent feasibility study, Michelin has announced that Bangalore is the most likely site for a new manufacturing plant, as various producers have factories in this region. Other cities being considered are Pune and Baroda.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Acquires Land In India

Michelin India Private Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Maharashtra to acquire a block of land at Talegon in the Pune district. No time scale for the start of construction has been decided.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Russian – Made Tyres For Conti?

An article in the newspaper Handelsblatt suggested that Continental is about to open a tyre factory in Moscow and that negotiations were close to final agreement. An investment in the region of 30 million Euros was reported. In September last year, Neue Reifenzeitung reported on negotiations between Continental and Moskauer Reifenwerke, which was very close to bankruptcy, although the financial situation may have improved as the main shareholder Yukos has sold its stake in the company. NEUE REIFENZEITUNG asked Continental for more details, but the company said it was not in a position to comment and could not confirm the figures quoted. Continental is only one of the tyre companies involved in negotiations in this area, with Michelin being another.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Denies Shareholding in Apollo Tyres

Continental has denied reports in Indian newspapers that it has a 15% shareholding in Apollo Tyres. Continental is in talks with other companies in India but the results will not be announced until later this year.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian Tyre Manufacturer To Be Acquired By Pirelli

International News, News

As reported by the Indian magazine Rubber Asia, Pirelli has sought the expertise of Citybank for a cost evaluation of the Birla Tyre company, which has a 15 per cent share of the Indian truck and automotive tyre market. The deal, if everything goes well, is likely to be struck sometime this month.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Sales Of Cars In Asia To Fall Next Year

Despite the recovery in vehicle sales in Asia over the past two years, analysts are predicting a slowdown in sales in parts of the region, notably South Korea. The Asian car market is expected to fall by 3% next year, with little sign of recovery in 2002.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Not many years ago

Not many years ago the large tyre manufacturers still thought they had better make haste and claim a stake in the apparently huge markets of China and India, since life does not favour latecomers. Their enthusiasm was kindled by the example of some car manufacturers, which quickly calculated and estimated a gigantic (sales) potential in these two countries alone with their joint populations of two billion. Some car manufacturers learnt quickly that opportunities are not limitless. Tyre manufacturers fared similarly. Pirelli supplied China with some know-how, which was gratefully received but did not provide Pirelli with a strong base. Nor did the Italians make money out of the technology transfer. Conti’s big plans for India are hardly mentioned any more. The “Big Three” – Goodyear, Bridgestone and Michelin – are present in both countries, but business is quiet. In India, 29 manufacturers run 41 factories with a maximum capacity of about 43 million tyres, but only 34 million pieces were manufactured in 1997/98, most of them (73 p.c.) for trucks and buses. And 60 p.c. of passenger car tyres are still cross-ply tyres, 1998 has only seen 3,3 million radials in this segment. Our British sister magazine TYRES &ACCESSORIES reported on the Indian tyre market at length; we publish an excerpt in this issue in our December issue, including a brief presentation of some individual companies active in this market.

7th December 1999/by Tyrepress Editors