Middle East
Indonesian tyre exports hold a market share of around 30 per cent in Egypt, and according to the Jakarta Post, tyre makers have retained their confidence about this market despite the announcement of plans late last year to refurbish an idle plant their and turn it into the Middle East’s largest tyre manufacturer.
In order to best meet growing demand for its tyres in the Middle East region, Indian manufacturer CEAT has established a new Dubai office. The operation is to be headed up by Pawan Rana.
Irans’s Industrial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) has reportedly earmarked $440 million dollars for the construction of a tyre factory in the country’s western Kordestan province. According to a report in the Tehran Times, the goal ultimate goal is for Iran to become self-sufficient in terms of tyre production.
Alliance Tire Group has appointed Manuel Pintado as president of Alliance Tire Europe BV. Pintado, who joins Alliance after previously heading industrial, farm and OTR tyre initiatives for Goodyear’s Europe Middle East and Africa region. Prior to this, Pintado held management positions in the Earthmover tyre segment across Europe and Latin America.
"With the commissioning of our India facility and the acquisition of the Galaxy and Primex brands during 2009, the Alliance Tire Group is well positioned to emerge as a leader in the Global Off-Highway tyre industry; Manuel's appointment is another important step in this direction and we are sure the Group will benefit immensely from his leadership in Europe, which has been historically the most important market for the Group " said Yogesh Mahansaria, CEO of the Alliance Tire Group, welcoming him to the company.
Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) and the local Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) recently signed a contract with Al Dobowi Tyre to supply Hankook tyres to its fleet for two years in a deal worth 9 million dirhams (£1.525 million; 1.703 million euros; US$2.450 million). The contract was signed by DTC CEO Abdul Aziz Malik and Al Dobowi CEO Harjeev Singh Kandhari, in the presence of several directors and executives from both parties.
Al Dobowi was selected following a public tender attracting participation from several tyre specialist companies from across the globe. However, following analysis of offers made, Al Dobowi was nominated for submitting the best offer of 8,878,608 UAW dirhams. “…the company has a good record of experience and reputation in the field of tyres" commented Abdul Aziz Malik.
Egypt is planning to establish a new passenger car tyre factory at a cost of 600 million Egyptian pounds. The state news agency MENA reports the plant will be built in El-Amerya, west of Alexandria, and will be ready to start production in two years. According to MENA, the factory’s annual capacity will be one and a half million units.
The third Reifen China exhibition, held in Shanghai between 11 and 13 November 2009, hosted 6,693 visitors (1,333 international visitors) during the show’s three days. These were welcomed to the show by exhibitors mainly from the world's largest production market. In addition to the wide variety of Chinese and international tyre manufacturers and traders at the show, the 2009 event featured an increased number of retreading equipment and consumables companies (such as tyre valve suppliers) over previous years.
Whether the attention Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Asia Pacific gained at Reifen China was a result of the tyres on display or the bus loads of dancers performing on the exhibition stand each hour, you cannot ignore that the company has embarked on a slick and high profile marketing campaign and is increasingly making an impact on the domestic Chinese market in both the passenger car and truck tyre sectors. With this in mind, Tyres & Accessories interviewed vice president and general manager Asia operations, Allen Tsaur, and senior PR manager Jojo Tang.
Cooper’s ongoing region-specific marketing push aims to invest in the future of China’s fast growing automotive business by reaching more consumers and particularly the young driver audience. Car ownership in general has shot up in recent years, but Tang reports that ownership in the 23 – 35 age group has “boomed.” And this explains the “Charlie’s Angels” meets “Kill Bill” styling of the Cooper Angels customer-facing marketing concept.
Yokohama Rubber has announced its participation in the Dubai International Motor Show 2009, which will run from December 15, Tuesday, through December 20, Sunday. A key product on display at the show will be Yokohama’s new “Advan dB”, which will be launched in Asian markets in July. The company says it will also exhibit “as reference products” a number of its latest offerings that have not been released in the Middle East market. A new corporate visual theme – "Samurai" – will also be unveiled for overseas markets during the show.
Al Saeedi Middle East FZCO and Al Saeedi Automotive Trading Co, Dubai have received ISO 9001:2008 certification for quality management. They were earlier certified as an ISO 9001:2000 company in year 2005. The Group states that the certificate acknowledges the company’s quality management system based on the process approach, which aims to enhance customer satisfaction by meeting and exceeding customer requirements. The company is the sole distributor of Solideal (solid, pneumatic and industrial tyres) Aufine truck and bus tyres, Maitech off-road radials, Schrader products, Neuton passenger car tyres, and Sicam Tyre equipment.
The prototype tyre containing the BioIsoprene technology developed by Goodyear and Genencor is gaining much attention at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, yet Goodyear points out that products it has already made available to consumers are also represented at the high profile event. The tyre major notes that journalists covering the conference are being transported around the Danish capital in a pre-production example of the electric-powered Renault Fluence Z.E. fitted with its EfficientGrip tyres.
Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe has reported the recent appointment of a new communications director for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. According to EMEA region president Arthur De Bok, Belgian Tom Delforge began in the role on September 1, replacing Chris Aked, who has retired.
Henk van Tuyl has been appointed director of Goodyear Dunlop Tires’ Tire Technology Commercial Tires – Europe Middle East and Africa division. Van Tuyl, who is originally from the Netherlands, has worked for the company for more than 21 years and took up his new post on October 1.
Petrol pumps are evil, so thank goodness then that we have a white, rotund hero prepared to do battle against this malevolent force. This dramatic scene, part of Michelin’s new global advertising campaign, is now appearing on a larger than life scale on the sides of buildings in New York and Los Angeles. The giant posters portray, in Michelin’s words, the “Michelin Man fighting an evil gas pump and coming to the aid of motorists in trouble.” In doing so, the Michelin Man – Bibendum to his friends – demonstrates that ‘the right tyre can change everything’.
Thailand-based P.C. Products International is a leading manufacturer of wheel balancing weights in Asia, with 20 years' experience of supplying original equipment to an impressive list of major automobile clients, including Ford, Toyota, Honda, Chrysler, Isuzu, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. The company has invested heavily in R&D, as well as quality control and engineering design, working closely with vehicle manufacturers to tailor products towards specific OE requirements. The quality assurance department has access to a full facility testing laboratory which includes high-tech testing equipment such as the grain inspection machine and pull-force clip testing meter. Products are manufactured strictly to the OEM's own specifications and the JASO standard for general markets. P.C. Products International exports to Europe, America and the Middle East, as well as Asian markets.
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