Middle East
In April Bridgestone launched its ‘Ecopia’ range of fuel efficient tyres, said to reduce rolling resistance by some 30 per cent. Despite a slight price premium in its home market of about 20 per cent over a standard tyre, the Japanese manufacturer holds sufficient confidence in the product to proceed with its global release. Targeted markets include Europe and North America.
Europe received its first shipment of tyres from Sri Lanka’s Laugfs Rubber Corporation in early September. The European market thus joins the company’s growing international network, which includes a holding company in Hong Kong and distribution centres in North America, Canada, Australia and the Middle East.
Michelin has released a new size in its X Terminal-T range. The 310/80R22.5 tyre, says the company, is designed to significantly boost productivity levels in port terminals through its suitability on all articulated vehicle axle positions. Additional benefits, claims Michelin, are double the working life of a traditional radial truck tyre and significantly improved fuel economy compared to a bias-ply or solid tyre. The repairable and retreadable Michelin X Terminal-T becomes available from specialised dealers in September 2008 in Europe, and in November 2008 in the US, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Kumho Tire has appointed Mr. J.B. Kim to the position of President Kumho Tire U.S.A. He will be based in the company’s US headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where he will oversee Kumho’s US operations.
Kim joined Kumho Tire in 1986 in the company’s OE division. He worked in a variety of sales capacities for Kumho in the company’s OE and replacement market divisions in the Middle East and Europe. Most recently, Kim was responsible for doubling sales in his capacity with Kumho Tires Latin America.
Two intrepid Brits, a Land Rover Discovery called ‘Rabia’ and Michelin’s A/T 4×4 tyres have completed an expedition that took in all corners of the world in a breathtaking display of longevity, durability and performance over an extraordinary range of surfaces and conditions.
Peter and Eileen Crichton began long distance travelling in their ‘92 Land Rover in 1997 whilst based in the Middle East. With a penchant for exploration, their passion ultimately took them around the world twice on Michelin tyres, covering a total of 150,000km during 23 months on the road.
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Joseph Rosen has been named president and chairman of Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America Ltd. In his new role, Rosen will be in charge of the joint venture that was formed in 1999 between Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., and Sumitomo Rubber Industries. The venture employs 1,350 workers at its tyre manufacturing facility in Tonawanda, New York and its corporate headquarters in West Amherst, New York.
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has reported a 1.3 per cent increase in net sales, to 123.1 billion yen (£582.1 million), in the three months ended June 30, the first quarter of the 2009 fiscal year. This result came on the back of, the company explained, continuing Tire Group expansion that more than offset lower sales in the Multiple Business Group. Within Yokohama’s tyre business, sales increased most markedly in the Japanese OE market and for replacement market sales in emerging economies and natural resource exporting nations, including Russia, Latin America and the Middle East. Sales within the tyre business increased 2.5 per cent to 92.95 billion yen (£439.4 million).
Formed in 1976, the Al Dobowi Group was established to serve the growing Middle East tyre management industry. From its Dubai base, Al Dobowi Group is now involved in a range of operations (from tyres to equipment) on four continents – they even produce specialized battery components at a factory in the UK. With over 1100 employees all round the world, and some very interesting expansion plans in the offing, Tyres & Accessories recently met with executive director Harjeev Kandhari and found out more about what these will mean for customers.
One of the first things Harjeev Kandhari mentioned in conversation with T&A was that group companies are increasingly focusing on solutions, rather than just products. When you consider the wide variety of related business areas Al Dobowi operates in, this corporate philosophy really makes sense. But in order to explain what this might mean for customers a little background information is required.
Hankook Tire has announced second quarter sales of 1117.2 billion won (£557.8 million), a year on year growth of 27.5 per cent, and 11.5 per cent quarter on quarter. Operating profit, at 79.0 billion won (£39.45 million), was 2.4 per cent down on the second quarter of 2007; likewise, recurring profit, at 89.8 billion won (£44.84 million) was also down 2.4 per cent. The quarter operating profit margin was 7.1 per cent.
Hankook reports sales revenue was boosted due in part to a weakened Korean won and an increase in tyre prices implemented in response to rising raw material costs – the company comments the tyre industry is facing increased pressure from a 24.3 per cent year on year increase in raw material costs, with natural rubber prices alone rising 40.5 per cent year on year. More than half of tyre production costs are now attributed to raw materials, adds the South Korean manufacturer.
Strong overseas performance, particularly in emerging markets, has enabled Goodyear to report record second quarter sales. During the three months to June 30, the tyre major generated US$5.2 billion in sales, a 6.5 per cent improvement on the previous year. Goodyear comments that this stronger result was achieved through improved pricing, a richer product mix and the impact of favourable foreign currency exchange. These factors offset lower volume sales in Europe and North America. Also impacting results, says Goodyear, was the 2007 divestiture of the company’s T&WA tyre mounting business, which had sales of $186 million in last year’s second quarter.
Since its launch earlier this year, the Pirelli Star Driver scheme has attracted significant interest, with competitors from around the world seeking to win a drive in a series of six FIA World Rally Championship events. The Pirelli Star Driver scheme is a worldwide search for five young rally drivers from each of the 2008 and 2009 FIA Regional Championships. The successful drivers from each year will then contest a series of six World Championship rallies the following season, driving identical Group N or Super 2000 cars supplied and serviced under an FIA contract with a specialist preparation company. With the intention being to invest in the growth of the sport worldwide and, in particular, help younger competitors reach World Championship level, competitors must be under the age of 27 on 1st January in the year of the Regional Championship.
With a view to maximise the opportunities present in emerging nations, Taiwan based SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) and BR (polybutadiene rubber) manufacturer TSRC Corporation plans to establish facilities in India and Vietnam. TSRC president W.H. Tu said the company is considering setting up factories in these two countries as both possess a booming automotive industry but lack an upstream raw material supply of SBR and BR. In addition, TSRC is also studying the feasibility of establishing a plant in the Middle East due to regional advantage of low-price raw materials for the production of SBR and BR.
Gareth Passmore has taken over Continental’s marketing operation in South Africa, having been shifted from his post as head of sales and marketing for the Middle East, Near East and North Africa region.
Passmore, originally from Wales, stated that his personal motivation behind the move was to seek out a new challenge for his career, to “experience a new way of life in a different environment” and to be in South Africa during the 2010 football World Cup, an event that the company is sponsoring. Having experienced Conti’s involvement in the 2006 tournament in Germany, Passmore is looking forward to the challenge of helping to develop the sport’s popularity in a country where Rugby Union and Cricket share the nation’s sporting enthusiasm.
Georgia’s Eastland Tire has created an Australian subsidiary and hired Martin Fester as its vice president of sales and marketing for Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Eastland, earlier this year, signed a deal with Titan Tire to buy Titan-produced 57- and 63-inch radial OTR tires.
“The creation of Eastland Tire Australia and the hiring of Martin are significant steps in our goal of becoming a best-in-class supplier of OTR tires on a worldwide basis,” said James Berresse, Eastland president and CEO.
“Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East have vast and significant mining operations and we anticipate filling a portion of the OTR tire needs for the companies with operations in these parts of the world especially in the 40.00R57, 53/80R63 and 59/80R63 tire sizes though our agreement with Titan.” (Tire Review/Akron)
The Lone Wolf Transglobal Expedition made full use of the Cooper Discoverer Super Traction Tread on its 12-month trip of 30,000 miles in the wide variety of conditions present in 32 different countries. The success of the team brought lavish praise for the rugged Discoverer, which with its STT shod the crew’s Land Rover Wolf Defender. So much so, that the organisers of the successful expedition will be looking to Cooper Tire & Rubber Company once again to carry them through their next adventure.
The 12-month Lone Wolf trip saw Daniel Moylan and his crew tackle mud, ice, snow and water without a hitch Varying terrain was made all the worse by extreme temperatures, providing a demanding test not for the vehicle, the tyres and the team. The expedition made its way through Europe to Iran and the Middle East, across the jungles of South East Asia, to the USA and South America, before arriving back in the UK.
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