Upon announcing Titan International’s first quarter 2010 results, company chairman and CEO Maurice M. Taylor Jr. spoke on the company’s direction during the year. “Titan plans to open a facility in Fort MacMurray, Alberta, Canada, by the end of third quarter this year to service our new mining customers, and we plan on embarking on a joint venture in Mexico this year for the distribution of all Titan products,” he stated.
Tyres & Accessories’ representative on the ground at Tyrexpo Africa reported back that one of the more impressive stands at the Johannesburg show belong to Tubestone. Its aesthetic promotional effectiveness, he added, could perhaps in part be measured by the fact that the stand appeared to be one of the busiest. Or perhaps visitors were simply interested in the wide range of tubes and passenger car, LDV; truck; light truck; agricultural; industrial and mining tyres sold by the South African business.
With sales of its car, truck, industrial and mining tyres continuing to grow across the 60 countries the brand is currently sold, Infinity Tyres is clearly looking to make an impact a this year’s Essen Show having booked a large stand near the premium tyremakers in hall three. In addition to raising the profile of the Infinity name, the company will no doubt be looking to publicise the fact that their production has been aromatic oil free for more months and is investing heavily in the research and development needed to comply with the forthcoming 2012 regulations, not to mention a number of additions and improvements to its range.
In March the company launched a new website which reinforces a new Infinity brand identity and supports new advertising and point of sale initiatives. According to the company, this overall brand positioning reflects the “growing and enhanced quality status of Infinity Tyres”.
Founded in Pocklington over 40 years ago, Bond International now occupies a 140,000 square foot site on the town’s industrial estate and employs nearly 100 local people. In addition, the company operates distribution depots in Chepstow, Stevenage and Redditch, which together employ a further 90 people. And adding an international flavour to the operation are representative offices in both China and Singapore. Bond International reports that these two offices assist in the sourcing of brands that provide an alternative to the ‘premium manufacturer offer’. By researching new and competitively priced manufacturing facilities around the globe, Bond has been able to offer exclusive mid-range tyre brands. An example of this is Infinity.
Extended OEM shutdowns and downturns in its core markets led US company Titan International to a $300 million sales fall-off in 2009, reports Tire Review. Titan posted 2009 sales of $727.6 million, as compared to $1,036.7 million in 2008. Net loss for the year was $24.6 million, compared to net income of $13.3 million in 2008.
When Italian company MAI International arrives at Tyrexpo Africa, pride of place on the company’s stand will be its new “Minextra” range of mining tyres. This range includes the L5 and L5S. The L5 features a traction profile for increased grip and a deep tread for protection against cuts and impact damage. The compound used in the L5, MAI International adds, is a cut resistant compound particularly suited to use in underground mines. The sidewall, shoulders and beads have also been reinforced for increased protection and stability. Furthermore, says MAI, built in heavy-duty sidewall fenders offer increased protection against cuts and abrasions. The L5S features a smooth profile, yet also features the deep tread, reinforced sidewall, shoulders and beads, and sidewall fenders found on the L5 for protection against cuts and impact damage.
Bearcat tyres has introduced the Duratough Tyre Watch system to the Australian mining industry. According to a press release, the system comprises of tyre sensors that screw onto the valve stems of tyres and a monitor fitted in the cab. Bearcat reports that the pressure monitors are simple to install. Once installed, the sensors transmit a coded RF signal to alert a drop in pressure and the cab monitor displays each tyre's pressure reading and sends an audible alert if tyre pressure drops.
Sales at Nokian Tyres decreased 34.6 per cent to 346.7 million euros in the half year between January and June 2009, and operating profit went down along with it; the company reports a 86.4 per cent decline in operating profit to 17.5 million euros. Net income during the half-year amounted to just 346.7 million euros, supported by a more robust second quarter in which profits of 191.1 million euros were generated.
Balkrishna Tyre (BKT) launched its latest range of OTR radials, which are sub-branded Earthmax at the Intermat show in April. At present they are available in SR 30 pattern E3/L3 tyres in 25-inch rim diameter and are the first Indian produced all steel casing radial tyre for earthmover application. According to the company, the first phase BKT is to extend the product line up to 35-inch diameter tyres in various patterns with multiple compound options. BKT has also increased its existing industrial and construction tyre range, with expansion of its radial industrial tractor tyre segment and launch of AT 621 pattern tyres for Backhoe loaders with special cut resistance compound & lug geometry.
BKT boasts a comprehensive range of industrial, construction, material handling and earthmoving tyres from 8’ to 51-inch rim diameters covering wide applications including underground mining tyres and specialized port application tyres. Now having ventured into the Radial OTR BKT representatives believe the company is “all geared up to make in-roads and widening its penetration in servicing this market.”
The manufacture of large and ultra-large OTR radials (ORR tyres) commenced at Bridgestone’s new Kitakyushu plant during June, three months ahead of the planned September start date. The tyre major announced that the first shipment of construction and mining tyres took place on June 16.
This facility, located in Fukuoka Prefecture near Japan’s southern tip, is the first new tyre factory opened by Bridgestone in Japan since 1976, when began production at the Hofu plant. By the time Kitakyushu is operating at planned production capacity in the second half of 2012, it will turn out 80 tons of new rubber per day and employ 329 workers. Yoshikazu Seki has been appointed the plant’s first director.
While overall sales declined 8.2 per cent to US$232.6 million during the first quarter of 2009, Titan International reports that its sales of agricultural sector products hit an all-time first quarter record. “Large farm tyres and wheels were selling well in the first quarter of 2009, along with Titan’s new super giant mining tyres,” commented Titan chairman and CEO Maurice M. Taylor Jr. upon the figures’ release. These record agricultural sales of $187.3 million represent an increase of almost eight per cent on the $173.5 million generated in the first quarter of last year.
According to Titan International chairman and CEO Maurice Taylor, the US$100 million his company has invested in the area of giant mining tyres is about to pay off. During the course of this year Titan intends to increase the production of these tyres ten-fold, a measure anticipated to propel the company towards Taylor’s goal of tripling sales to $3 billion within a five-year period.
In spite of a less than rosy outlook for global raw metal sales, orders for mining tyres and other items of equipment continue unabated. And manufacturers of these items are wagering that, in the long term, demand for their products will remain strong.
“Everybody agrees that in the long term, five to ten years, the Chinese, the Indian and the Brazilians will grow and they will need more minerals and more energy,” Luc Minguet, president of Michelin North America’s Earthmover and Industrial Tires division told Reuters. “We have not seen any slowdown yet, but what could happen nobody knows.”
Uzmai, manufacturers of the Maitech range of all-steel radial OTR tyres, has launched an L5 smooth product mining tyre, the UM5S Minextra. The new tyre is available in five sizes: 17.5R25**L5S, 20.5R25**L5S, 23.5R25**L5S, 26.5R25L5S** and 29.5R25**L5S. According to the company, the UM5S Minextra casing can be remoulded two or three times as long as they are not significantly damaged.
Uzmai International has appointed Kevin Buckley as European Sales Manager. Buckley has a long history within the off road Industry in general and particular experience within the off the road tyre sector, having worked in senior positions for some of the industry’s leading tyre and machinery manufacturers.
Kevin Buckley commented: “I am delighted to have been appointed European Sales Manager for Uzmai International, these are exciting times for Uzmai and the Maitech all-steel radial product range in respect of both the existing range of premium all steel radials as well as a new range of all steel radial mining tyres, the UM5S Minextra”.
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