According to a panel of 27 judges, Bridgestone Corporation is this year’s Tire Manufacturer of the Year. The company was named victor in this Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence 2016 category at a gala dinner in Hanover, Germany last night. The winners of four other category awards and a lifetime achievement award were also announced.
Mesnac Co., Ltd. has promoted Zheng Jiangjia into the role of president of the company, effective on 27 October 2014. Zheng Jiangjia joined Mesnac in May 1998 and served as the general manager of MESNAC Dosing System Division, assistant president and executive vice president.
Tyre manufacturing machinery and systems supplier, Mesnac recently won the “Golden Rubber Award” at China International Rubber Industry Expo, which is also known as CIRI Expo. Mesnac was also recognized as one of the “2014 Top Ten Leading Brands” in China.
Tyre equipment manufacturer Mesnac has acquired Fushun Yikesi New Material, a Chinese producer of synthetic rubber and resin products, for the sum of US$60 million, according to reports. The acquisition gives the company entry into the rubber raw materials side of the industry.
The Mesnac European Research and Technical Center (MERTC) recently announced plans to expand it European activities based in Slovakia, which a focus on further developing tyre building technology. The construction of a new production facility and additional research facilities will take place in the Trencin region and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.
In order to consolidate its operations in the USA, UK, Slovakia and China into one single business unit, Mesnac has created a new global business, the Mesnac Tooling Division (MTD). This division will provide tooling support to Mesnac’s Tire Building machine divisions in China and Slovakia and to its subsidiary Beijing Jingyie. The division’s technology platform will be based on the established Wyko brand but will also control Mesnac’s other tooling brands, which are primarily sold in Asian markets.
A new Mesnac facility being set up in the US will aid the company in its goal of developing equipment, processes and systems that are more closely aligned to the needs of its customers in North and Latin America. The Chinese tyre and rubber industry supplier is locating this new Research and TechnicalCenter in Akron, Ohio and says the facility will be an extension of its recently-established Research Institute in Qingdao. The company already runs a similar centre in Slovakia to support its European customer base.
Tyre equipment manufacturer and software provider Mesnac has purchased a majority interest in US firm Test Measurement Systems, Inc. (TSMI) for an undisclosed amount. The TSMI brand and identity will be retained following the deal, states Mesnac. Dr. Jerry Potts, CEO of the Akron-based firm, and other senior TSMI management staff will remain with the business and work with Mesnac to identify opportunities for growth, product innovation and diversification.
The Southeast Asian country of Myanmar, formerly Burma, now stands amongst the ranks of the world’s tyre producing nations. The country’s first tyre factory, MEC Tire, officially entered operation on 1 May. The occasion was marked by ceremony attended by Myanmar commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing, the commander of the Navy, commander of the air force and other military and government officials, along with representatives from Chinese rubber and tyre industry machinery supplier Mesnac, who set up the plant. The MEC Tire facility was Mesnac’s first overseas turnkey project.
China’s Qingdao Mesnac Co., Ltd, the company said to be the world’s second largest supplier of tyre and rubber manufacturing equipment, has set up a new global sales and service network. Mesnac says rapid growth in China, Asia and internationally since the firm’s founding in 2000 made the establishment of the new Mesnac Global Sales and Marketing Company (SMC) necessary. Zheng Jiangjia, executive vice-president of Mesnac, has been appointed president of the new operation; Zheng will lead five regional sales and marketing teams, which will be located in China, Southeast Asia, India, Europe and North/Latin America.
Qingdao, China based tyre manufacturing equipment maker MESNAC Co. has taken a 100 per cent equity position in US firm Wyko Tire Technology. In its relatively short history MESNAC has rapidly grown to the number four position in its field and speaking to Tyres & Accessories in China at the end of November, company executives hinted that the next phase of growth would be both outside its native China and would include acquisitions such as the latest Wyko purchase. MESNAC has indicated it will retain the Wyko brand and continue to provide normal service and support to customers, with no disruption in business.
While much attention has been focused on the amount of tyres being produced in China in general and the rapid growth of the most professional Chinese tyre manufacturers, the machinery companies that supply them have kept their similarly meteoric rise somewhat beneath the radar. But while the tyre mould and machinery making companies have managed to avoid the limelight so far, some market observers argue that their growing influence should not be ignored.
Transense Technologies plc has formed a joint venture company with SenGenuity, the sensors division of Vectron International Inc. The joint venture company, Bulldog Innovations Limited is a 50/50 partnership between Transense and SenGenuity that is designed to enable “closer cooperation in order to accelerate the development of specific applications based on the companies' existing [battery-less sensor] technologies.”
Transense has announced that its sensor sales division, Translogik RFID Limited, has signed an exclusive global distribution agreement (excluding China) with Qingdao Mesnac Co. Ltd. for its range of RFID products. The tag has been developed to be embedded within the tyre during the manufacturing process, where it will last the lifetime of the tyre, or alternatively in a patch which attaches to the tyre wall, as an aftermarket solution.
Transense subsidiary, Translogik Ltd has secured significant order for its tread depth and tyre pressure field inspection kits from Cetaris, a leading Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) provider in North America. Cetaris will now deploy the Translogik kits as part of its innovative EAM and Fleet Maintenance Solution. The system will provide its customer fleets with "real-time" mobile data capture capabilities. The announcement follows a successful pilot programme, the newly ordered kits will be deployed throughout the Cetaris network in 2010.
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