Middle East
Techking has announced an “upgrade” to one of its on- and off-road patterns; its ETFN 12.00R24 truck tyres have been developed into the new ETFN U, thanks to feedback from one of the company’s Middle East partners, Techking says. Features upgraded on ETFN U include: a 15 per cent thicker bead section; a 30 per cent increase in bead wire; a super-stiff design; and the company’s “MEDI” formula tread compound, which mixes cut and heat resistance.
Michelin Tyre PLC has announced a successor to Martin Covington, who retired as head of Truck and Bus Marketing after a 37-year career at Michelin. Tyre industry newcomer Sharn Samra has been appointed to the role, with responsibility for the UK and Ireland. She joins Michelin from Wolverhampton-based lock and home security firm Yale, where she had worked since 2004, initially as the company’s head of Product Management and Marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa before taking over as head of Business Development in 2009. Prior to working at Yale, Samra spent three years as a product manager at Staffordshire-based Newell Rubbermaid.
Despite higher sales, PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk reports its net profit for the first quarter of 2012 was down 23.5 per cent year-on-year. During the three months to 31 March 2012 the Indonesian tyre maker made sales of Rp 3,146 billion (£210.0 million), up 8.63 per cent on a year earlier. Gross profit amounted to Rp 558 billion (£37.2 million), while net profit came to Rp 254 billion (£17.0 million), down from Rp 332 billion a year earlier. EBITDA increased from Rp 380 billion to 497 billion (£33.2 million).
Sales at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company during first quarter of 2012 were a record for the period, the US tyre maker claims. Announcing the company’s results for the opening three months of the year, Goodyear chairman and CEO Richard J. Kramer commented “I'm pleased with our results as our businesses posted solid operating income.”Our teams delivered these results in the face of a difficult volume environment and high raw material costs, with a strong focus on price/mix.
The organisers of Singapore tyre and equipment show Tyrexpo Asia have reported a fast start to exhibitor bookings for its 2013 exhibition. By mid-April, 11 months before the show gets underway, more than 62 per cent of space in Hall 2 of the Singapore Expo Centre has been reserved as regular exhibitors and new suppliers attending the bi-annual event for the first time confirmed their presence. Tyrexpo Asia veterans Stamford Tyres, YHI Corporation, Elgi Rubber, Omni United and BKT have secured prominent gateway stands in the main entrance area. Joining them will be Indian tyre manufacturer CEAT, who return to the show for the first time since 2007. The show will take place at the Singapore Expo Centre on 19-21 March 2013.
Last November, Pirelli signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesian automotive component manufacturer PT Astra Otoparts Tbk regarding a joint venture factory. Now, on 24 April, the tyre maker reports it has signed an agreement with Astra to build a new factory in Indonesia – its first in this country – for the production of cross-ply motorcycle tyres.
Goodyear's 2012 annual shareholder meeting was held on 17 April at the company’s headquarters in Akron, and chairman and CEO Rich Kramer told those in attendance that he was “pleased” with the tyre-maker’s 2011 performance, outlining the company’s “strategy roadmap”, Tire Review reports. Pointing to record sales of $22.8 billion and record segment operating income, Kramer said, “What is most gratifying is that our record results across all global businesses were achieved in the midst of continued economic uncertainty around the world through successful execution of our strategy. Our ‘strategy roadmap’ is the foundation for decisions on every aspect of the business, from marketing and product development to investment and team building.”
Apollo Tyres has launched the first of its self-branded Super Zone outlets outside India in Dubai. Designed to provide customers with a feel for the brand and its products, the Apollo Super Zone is located in Al Qiyada, near the Dubai Police General Headquarters and is operated by Middle East Tyres LLC, Apollo Tyres’ business partners. The Apollo Super Zone was inaugurated by chairman of Apollo Tyres, Onkar S Kanwar.
Michelin Group has announced plans to increase its production of economy tyres at the firm’s Tigar Tyres subsidiary in Pirot Serbia by 50 per cent. Currently the tyre manufacturing operation is set to produce 8 million tyres in 2012 but, according to a memorandum of understanding with Serbian authorities and the City of Pirot, the Tigar Tyres which is 300 km southeast of Belgrade, will be producing 12 million tyres annually by the end of 2016. Overall, the project will represent an investment of 170 million euros for the period 2012-2016. This reportedly equates to the creation of 700 jobs in Pirot.
Al Saeedi Group, a leading UAE-based tyre company, opened new offices and tyre service facilities at Dubai Investments Park (DIP) on 25 March 25. Jamal Majid Bin Thaniah, vice chairman of DP World and group CEO of Port & Free Zone World, inaugurated the multi-million facility that features most advanced equipment and technology to offer one-stop solutions to all tyre related services. H.E. Sanjay Verma, consul general of India, Dubai also attended.
A three-year agreement covering Northern Italy has been signed between Hankook Tire Italy and CEVA Logistics. Under the terms of the deal, CEVA manage the storage, distribution and reverse logistics for Hankook’s tyres at its facility in Somaglia, near Lodi in Italy. A dedicated 6,000 square metre area will be reserved for the tyre maker within the Somaglia site, and from there CEVA will use to incoming and several outgoing vehicles each day to distribute car, light commercial vehicle and truck tyres across northern Italy and will also manage a shuttle service to Hankook Tire’s main warehouse in Rome, which serves the central and southern areas of Italy. Over the course of a year CEVA estimates it will handle 500,000 tyres across 400 product lines.
As of September the use of part-worn passenger car and motorcycle tyres will no longer be permitted in the United Arab Emirates. This decision was announced by the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) on 15 March as part of a range on measures intended to regulate the whole tyre life cycle.
Following on the heels of news that Avon Tyres will supply tyres to the European and Dutch GT4 series, the British-based Cooper Tire brand has been confirmed as official tyre supplier to the Italian GT and Italian Sportscar Championships for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), the body responsible for taxis within the emirate, has signed a taxi tyre supply contract with the Al Dobowi Group. The two-year deal, valued at AED 10,558,195 (£1.8 million) deal, was signed by Al Dobowi executive director Harjeev Khandari and Yousef Al Ali, acting CEO of the Dubai Taxi Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, Al Dobowi will supply Hankook tyres for and undertake tyre maintenance on Dubai’s taxis.
Indian agricultural, off-road, speciality tyre and pre-cured tread manufacturer, Malhotra Rubbers Ltd has announced plans to launch a radial agricultural tyre product range this year.
“2012 shall be an exciting year from us as our whole team is gearing up to launch of our radial agricultural tyres for the European and US markets”, said company director, Monit Malhotra. According to Malhotra these will be marketed through their exclusive customers In Europe and USA.
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