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Kumho to Receive $250,000 Incentive for US Plant Establishment

The city in the US state of Georgia where Kumho is to set up a new factory has approved a US$250,000 incentive package. A Macon City Council committee agreed to the request in response to the incentive deal previously promised by local officials, in which permits and fees related to the plant’s construction would be waived.

The council says that its policy is not to exempt companies from the payment of permits and fees, so officially the quarter million dollars will be cash contributed to the $12.5 million Kumho has set aside to pay for acquisition of the Macon site plus various infrastructure and preparation expenses.

25th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Vietnam Factory Brings Global Tyre Output to 65 Million Units

The recent completion of Kumho’s 315,000 square metre Vietnamese factory, brings the Korean tyre manufacturer’s global output to circa 65 million units. The plant built at a cost of some $200 million will initially manufacture around 3.15 million tyres per annum, but there is provision to expand production to 13 million units.

With the new plant on stream, Kumho expects its 2008 international tyre production levels to total 34 million units, thereby exceeding its domestic output (around 31 million units) for the first time and hitting the 65 million unit mark. According to the company, this will be a significant step towards the company’s ambition of achieving 5th place in the league of global tyre manufacturers by 2015.

19th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Continues as Zandvoort Masters of Formula 3 Sponsor

During the weekend of 8 -10 August, top Formula 3 drivers will once again race on Kumho tyres at Zolder, following tyre supplier Kumho’s decision to commit to the event as title sponsor. The “Zandvoort Masters of Formula 3” is Europe’s only race featuring the best Formula 3 drivers from the various championships.

“Of course, this is still a temporary solution, because Zandvoort is the natural homebase for the Masters, like the name already indicates”, says Erik Weijers, C.O.O. of Circuit Park Zandvoort. “The idea of the Masters was born at Zandvoort and the event has built up its strong history here from the very first edition in 1991 onwards. Because of the limited number of so-called ‘noise days’ that we have at Zandvoort, we have to escape to Zolder. Of course, the facilities and the support we are getting there is excellent. Zolder surely is the best possible alternative in that respect.”

18th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

XSensor Releases New Tyre Tread Analysis Tools

XSensor Technology has released a new tyre tread analysis range as part of its 2008 product line extension. According to the company, the new tread analysis range has been produced based on input from companies including: Nokian, Bridgestone, Kumho, and Goodyear.

“We’re concentrating our efforts in the automotive test market in early 2008. There is a lot of potential in our current framework to support the work of test engineers and the products they hope to build. We are confident XSensor can meet their needs with this next generation of tools”, says Karl Schilling, XSensor’s Director of International Sales.

13th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho’s Vietnam Plant Officially Opens

Kumho’s new tyre manufacturing plant in Vietnam’s Binh Duong province was inaugurated on March 5, reports the Vietnam Economic Times. Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and South Korea’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Lim Hong-che, were present at the ceremony, during which a memorandum of understanding regarding investing a further US$300 million in stage two of the facility was signed.

6th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hudrlik Leaves Kumho, to Head Canopy Company

Dave Hudrlik has left Kumho Tire USA to become president of Caravan Canopy International Inc., based in La Mirada, California. Hudrlik, who was with Kumho for 14 years, most recently as senior vice president of sales, will lead Caravan Canopy with focus on its efforts to expand in the automotive aftermarket. Caravan Canopy produces quick assembly portable canopies.

Kumho has not named a replacement for Hudrlik. (Tire Review/Akron)

5th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho OE for Mercedes-Benz Viano X-Clusive

Kumho has entered into an agreement with Daimler AG to provide tyres for OE fitment to the new Mercedes-Benz Viano X-Clusive, the German manufacturer’s luxury MPV first displayed at last October’s Tokyo motor show and scheduled for release in March.

The new vehicle will be supplied with 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, and the agreement with Kumho will see around 10,000 tyres delivered. The Viano X-Clusive is the second Mercedes-Benz model to be supplied by the South Korean manufacturer – its tyres have also been fitted as OE to the A-Class since February 2007.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Signs Civil Aviation Agreement with US

Kumho’s long awaited breakthrough in the area of civil aviation arrived on February 19. That day Kumho Tires CEO Dr Sae Chul Oh visited the US Embassy in Singapore and, on behalf of the South Korean manufacturer, signed a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between South Korea and the US. With the signing of this document, the door has been opened for Kumho to supply tyres to civil aircraft that operate in the United States.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Tyres to Sponsor Air Ambulance Conference

Kumho Tyres raised funds for the Association of Air Ambulance Charities (AAAC) throughout 2007, and at this year’s Autosport International show in Birmingham presented AAAC chairman David Philpott with a cheque for £4,650. Now, as a further gesture of support, the tyremaker will sponsor the first ever AAAC annual conference, to be held on 10th and 11th November 2008.

Speaking on behalf of the charities, Mr. Philpott said “We are thrilled to be associated with Kumho Tyres, a world class brand that shares our association’s commitment to excellence and quality. We look forward to an ongoing partnership in months to come.” Kumho Tyre (UK) marketing director John Thrupp added that “Kumho Tyres is delighted to support the AAAC and the vital service its members provide to us all in the UK, and to motorists in particular.”

12th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Develops Specialist Rally-Raid Tyre

Kumho Tyres was ready to steal a march on its competitors by producing a special 18-inch Rally Raid tyre in time for the cancelled 2008 Lisbon-Dakar Rally. The tyre will now see action in similar events in the future and, according to the manufacturer, no other tyre manufacturer produces a comparable tyre in this size.

The monster tyre with its enormous tread blocks is designed for optimum pace and durability over the sand and rock conditions that tend to prevail on events like the fearsome Lisbon-Dakar Rally. It employs the ultra-tough synthetic fibre ‘aramid’ (short for aromatic polyamide) in its construction for optimum weight and strength.

6th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Enters Partnership with Mazdaspeed

Mazda’s motor racing support operation in North America, Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development, has announced Yokohama Tire as a new partner for the B-K Motorsports Lola B07/46-Mazda MZR-R LMP2 team as of 2008. The multi-year partnership is, according to Mazdaspeed, more than just a sponsorship arrangement, with Yokohama acting as a key contributor to the team’s overall programme in terms of technical and marketing collaboration. The announcement of Yokohama’s partnership was made simultaneously to a similar agreement with BP.

31st January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Deal Signed – Kumho Coming to America

In ceremonies yesterday, Kumho Tire Co. formally signed an agreement to build a US$225 million tyre manufacturing facility on a 127-acre site in Sofkee Industrial Park in Macon, Georgia. Attending the signing ceremony were Sae Chul Oh, Kumho’s CEO and president; Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue; Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development; Macon Mayor Robert Reichert; and Charlie Bishop, chairman of the Bibb County Board of Commissioners.

The first phase of the greenfield plant, said Kumho, will cost $165 million with an annual production capacity of 2.1 million passenger and light truck/SUV tyres, destined for both OE and replacement markets in North America. The second phase will cost $60 million and will raise annual capacity to 3.1 million tyres. The 5.5 million-square-foot plant will feature Kumho’s automated APU manufacturing system, and will eventually employ 450 people.

31st January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho US Plant a Step Towards Global Leadership

The president and chief executive of Kumho, Oh Sae-cheul, has described plans for his company’s $165 million factory in the US state of Georgia as being part of Kumho’s efforts to become a global tyre manufacturing leader. The signing ceremony for the new 123.6 acre facility took place on January 29, and was attended by Mr. Oh and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.

“With this plant in the United States, the world’s biggest tyre market, we want to save shipping costs to that market and to emerge as a global leader,” said Mr. Oh to South Korea’s JoongAng Daily newspaper. The establishment of a facility in the US marks Kumho’s first step out of Asia in terms of production; currently the company operates three facilities in China and one in Vietnam in addition to its three South Korean factories.

29th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Claims to be “Fastest Growing” Manufacturer

Hankook Tire claims it was, in terms of sales, the world’s fastest growing tyre manufacturer in 2007. The company’s sales for last year are estimated at US$3.5 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 20.6 per cent. This contrasts markedly with Hankook’s nearest rival in terms of sales, Sumitomo Rubber, whose $3.6 billion in sales was down 5.3 per cent on last year’s $3.8 billion. Korean rival Kumho experienced a year-on-year growth of 15.8 per cent, making them the fourth fastest growing company according to the figures published by US magazine Modern Tire Dealer.

28th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho to Spend $165 Million on USA Plant

Kumho has announced it will invest US$165 in the first stage plans for a new facility in the US state of Georgia. Proposed total investment in the factory, which will have an annual capacity of 2.1 million units, has not as yet been disclosed.

28th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors