Whether its raw materials, machinery, research and development or the latest manufacturing trends, this tag provides up-to-the-minute insights into the upstream part of the tyre industry.
The news that Michelin is reopening its UK retreading operation forms part of Michelin Group’s wider European and international reopening policy. From the start of the epidemic, the Michelin had stated that its number one concern has been to protect the health and safety of its employees and those close to them.
Michelin UK Plc is restarting operation at its retread manufacturing plant in Stoke-on-Trent, UK following as part of a pre-planned stoppage that coincided with other coronavirus-related closures around the country on 26 March 2020. In practice this means the company is planning to start receiving materials from 27 April 2020, with phased tyre production restarting from 29 April 2020.
Berwin Industrial Polymers, which is part of Hexpol AB, was recently named amongst the winners of the Queens Award for International Trade 2020.
Coker Tire Company, the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of collector vehicle tyres and wheels, has expanded its product line with the addition of Avon Tyres. According to the company, Coker Tire brought on the “distinguished British brand as an excellent option for European sports cars and vintage American trucks from the 1940s to the 1980s.”
Bridgestone EMIA has resumed production at its European manufacturing plants in Bari (Italy) and Lanklaar (Belgium). The Béthune (France) plant will reopen tomorrow, 21 April 2020. This follows the 14 April news that production in all Bridgestone plants located in Spain (Burgos, Bilbao and Puente San Miguel) and Russia (Ulyanovsk) had recommenced. Today’s announcement means that Bridgestone EMIA’s full manufacturing network has restarted production with the exception of its Indian and South African plants, which remain closed for now.
When Zenises Group chairman Harjeev Kandhari bought Lincolnshire-based retreader Vaculug in July 2018, some questioned the logic of buying a British manufacturing business while the country was on the brink of Brexit. However, shortly afterwards he told Tyres & Accessories that the circumstances only added to the opportunity and that he had plans to invest in the business via its staff, products and production lines. 18 months on, before the Coronavirus outbreak, T&A asked Kandhari how the transition has progressed and what the company is doing to celebrate its 10th anniversary. In short, the Vaculug transition is said to be going “absolutely wonderfully”, with a new MD appointed from within the ranks of Zenises, a number of other new personnel as well as new products and a developing van tyre business.
Chinese tyre manufacturer Linglong has held a project launch ceremony for its fifth Chinese manufacturing base in Changchun, Jilin Province. Dignitaries from Changchun, Jilin, China FAW Group Corporation, China Rubber Industry Association, and Linglong partners attended the event. The event marks the latest step in the manufacturer’s “5+3” global production strategy, which is designed to “achieve sustained, stable and healthy development,” Linglong states. It currently has four Chinese manufacturing bases in Zhaoyuan, Dezhou, Liuzhou, Jingmen, a well as one in Thailand and a further international plant under construction in Serbia. Furthermore, Linglong said it would upgrade its strategy to “6+6”; six plants in China and six internationally.
On 1 April 2020 Camfin SpA, a key shareholder in Pirelli which shares the Italian tyre manufacturer’s close connections with Marco Tronchetti Provera, announced that Camfin and Longmarch Sàrl had signed “a preliminary and non-binding Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] to evaluate a possible strategic partnership, aimed at developing activities in private equity, including the healthcare sector. However, while Camfin is an investment company and Longmarch is a separate Luxembourg-based vehicle, the two firms are related to Pirelli and the Chinese Hixih Rubber Group respectively. And therefore, the latest news could also indicate that Pirelli and Hixih are moving closer together.
Bridgestone EMIA has announced that it is gradually resuming manufacturing operations across its network in response to “business and customer needs”.
Production at the Nokian Tyres’ Russian factory in Vsevolozhsk re-launched on Monday 6 April 2020. According to the company, the restrictions adopted by the the Russian presidential decree dated 2 April 2020 extending the “non-working regime’ until the end of April, do not apply to Nokian’s Vsevolozhsk factory. This is said to be because “as it is a continuously operating enterprise…it is thus allowed to continue normal operations”.
Triangle Tyre is reporting that its four manufacturing plants in China are now back to operating at 90 per cent after the Chinese New Year and coronavirus shutdown.
Members of US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) have applauded the U.S. Senate’s “unprecedented work to pass the largest economic relief package in U.S. history”. Now, the group respectfully urges the U.S. House of Representatives and President Trump to “expeditiously ensure this becomes law to provide a much-needed financial boost to American workers, American businesses” and the nation’s struggling economy.
In a welcome bit of news for the original equipment business, on 27 March Ferrari N.V. announced that it plans to resume production on 14 April 2020.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, the manufacturer of the global Falken tyre brand has temporarily shut down its factory in South Africa on government orders. All of its other tyre manufacturing facilities are currently operational, though staff at the Falken Tyre Europe headquarters in Germany are working remotely where possible, or following social distancing guidelines.
The European Tyre Manufacturers’ Association has called the response to the COVID-19 pandemic “one of the biggest challenges our industry has ever faced.” It calls for “constructive dialogue between industry, EU institutions and governments” to support the workforce of around 370,000 people while an “unprecedented” level of temporary closures and shutdowns are in place, and to smooth the transition to restart activities in the sector. Secretary-general Fazilet Cinaralp also said that the tyre sector is “vital… for the European economy at large,” adding that all stakeholders would need to find ways of supporting the sector “to avoid a permanent loss of capacity, research capability and innovation.”
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Michelin
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Vaculug