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Analysis of Indian Tyre Industry Published

The Indian tyre industry is around eighty years old, but over the past decade has seen significant growth and has played a major role in the growth of the Indian automotive industry. The total value of industry sales in 2006 and 2007 was Rs 190 billion (£2.49 billion) and its export value was Rs 26 billion (£341.18 million).

To give industry participants and observers a greater insight into the Indian tyre market, Icfai Books, a division of Icfai University in Hyderabad, India, has published a reference book titled “Tyre Industry in India – Issues and Outlooks”. This publication contains information on numerous issues including the evolution and growth of the Indian tyre industry, directional trends, SWOT analysis and the industry’s competitiveness. Separate chapters are dedicated to all the major Indian based manufacturers.

1st December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Just Motorcycles Wins Bike Tyrestore Christmas Hamper

Christmas may be even a touch more fun this year, at Just Motorcycles in Basingstoke, now that they have won a luxury Christmas hamper packed by Royal grocers, Fortnum and Mason of London. ust Motorcycles was one of hundreds of customers who replied to the annual customer survey by two-wheel tyre wholesaler Bike Tyrestore and fortunately for them was the first to be drawn when the survey competition closed on 30 November.

BTS managing director, Peter Smith, told Tyres & Accessories: “Uniformly high scores were given to all aspects of the company’s service and customer support package. Reading each reply personally gives…a great handle on how customers rate the trading experience with Bike Tyrestore.”

1st December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Cuts Back Production at German Tyre Making Factories

Production is being cut back at Continental’s three German tyre production plants. From December 4 until early January no truck tyres will be manufactured at the company’s Hannover-Stöcken facility, and other production adjustments will take place at this and the Conti factories in Korbach and Aachen.

1st December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Dunlop Raises Prices 5%

Goodyear Dunlop UK is today (1 December 2008) increasing the cost of its two premium tyre brands by 5.1 per cent for Goodyear and 5.7 per cent for Dunlop. According to the company the move comes as a result of the recent “accelerated devaluation of the British pound versus both the euro and US dollar.” The British pound has fallen -17 per cent and -27 per cent against the euro and US dollar respectively since Autumn 2007. Recently this devaluation has accelerated and since 1 October 2008 sterling has lost 6 per cent of its value compared with the euro and -17 per cent against the US dollar. The company representatives Tyres & Accessories spoke to wouldn’t comment on the possibility of further increases, but simply said they are closely monitoring market conditions.

1st December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Youngest UK WRC Competitor Enters Rally Wales

The youngest competitor ever to enter the UK round of the FIA World Rally Championship, Wales Rally GB, will use Yokohama tyres at this year’s event. Welsh teenager Tom Cave, who turned 17 just 18 days before the rally begins, recently carried out a two-day test using Yokohama tyres on his Group N Ford Fiesta ST and will be competing on the Japanese brand’s rubber at the WRC finale in December.

Cave has already made an impression on the rallying world; he has been rallying in Latvia for two years and is the inspiration for the Junior Rallying scheme to develop the next generation of British rally drivers. Latvia was chosen as it allows drivers from the age of 14 to compete in genuine rallies, the RallySprint and the National championships.

1st December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

More than 60% of UK Drivers Soft on Tyre Pressure, Says Michelin

Michelin has taken its “Fill up with Air” roadshow throughout the UK and Ireland, checking and adjusting drivers’ tyre pressures in a campaign intended to highlight the potential safety benefits, fuel savings and reduced emissions that are directly related to having the car’s tyre pressures correctly set. A disturbing statistic to emerge from the roadshow is, says Michelin, that more than 60 per cent of cars on British roads are running with incorrect tyre pressure; 35 per cent have dangerously under-inflated tyres.

1st December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrexpo Asia Can Help Beat Credit Crunch, Says ECI

Seeing the positive in the current global economic doom and gloom, the organiser of next March’s Tyrexpo Asia says the exhibition is ready to act as an international tyre forum that will serve to help businesses weather the credit-crunch by introducing cash-conscious buyers to volume-chasing suppliers and manufacturers.

With tyre and equipment businesses under pressure around the world from falling automotive sales and low consumer confidence, ECI International believes the stage is set for the exhibition to deliver much-needed vitality and innovation into the global market. “Every business is looking at its costs and margins, so the opportunity to meet new suppliers and distributors who can help achieve efficiencies has never been more important,” said ECI’s Paul Farrant.

1st December 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

South Koreans Drop Output

Reuters reports that South Korean tyre manufacturers began to cut output during November. The news source says that its information has come from the country’s top companies in the field, such as Hankook.

On 25 November, shares in the country’s automotive industry players took a nosedaive, with Kia down 12.07 per cent – falling for the second session in a row – and Hankook down 9.26 per cent.

28th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Zimbabwe Permitted to Sell in Forex

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has granted Dunlop Zimbabwe the licence required for companies in the country to sell products using foreign currencies, according to the Chronicle newspaper.

The paper quotes the firm’s Southern regional manager Dumisani Ndlovu, who stated, “the inspection was done by the RBZ on 25 November to check whether the ultra violet money detection machine was in place, the invoicing, security, computer network and warehousing. The team was satisfied and Dunlop was given permission to sell in forex.” He concluded that the licence would allow the manufacturer to import more raw materials, which would make an increase in production capacity possible, “thereby improving the company’s viability and safeguarding the company’s employment base. In addition, the more we sell in forex, the more forex that is made available to the RBZ to finance crucial national programmes in the country,” he stated.

28th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

German Goodyear Dunlop Factories Halt Christmas Production

Workers at Goodyear Dunlop’s six plants in Germany will return from their Christmas holidays two weeks later than normal following the decision to extend the winter holidays at all the sites. Production will end on 19 December, with workers returning on 5 January, 2009.

The spokesperson for Goodyear Dunlop in Hanau, Gabriele Velte stated, “The crunch is hard on all of us – also at the Fulda factory.” Citing this example, Goodyear Dunlop’s Fulda plant, which produces the Fulda brand as well as other brands, employs 1,400 workers. In previous years, the facility has worked throughout the Christmas and New Year period – the usual holidays excepted. “This has never happened before, as long as I can remember,” continued Velte.

28th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Juma Al Majid Group Celebrates 50 Years with Yokohama

The Dubai based Juma Al Majid Group has celebrated 50 years of business with Yokohama tyre. The group, dealers for the Japanese brand in the United Arab Emirates, marked this milestone on November 27.

“There are different kinds of companies,” commented Juma Al Majid, founder and chairman of the group. “One type looks for its own benefit, but when there is a company that looks out for both sides, it can maintain the relationship for 50 years and more.”

28th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Announces Senior Management Changes

On November 28 Bridgestone Corporation announced that its board of directors has approved a number of proposed changes in corporate officers. Mikio, Masunaga, currently vice president and senior officer responsible for procurement and internal manufacturing management in the Internal Manufacturing Management section and concurrently assistant to the vice president and officer, Motorsport is now focusing on the first of these duties exclusively.

28th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Maximising Raw Materials Efficiency

During 2000 and early 2001 the BLIC (Bureau de Liaison des Industries du Caoutchouc), predecessor to the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association, conducted a full Life Cycle Assessment study (LCA) of a representative European 195/65 R15 passenger car tyre, using both carbon black and silica based versions of the H rated summer tyre in the study. Bridgestone, as a member of the Technical Working Group, played an active role in the study.

While, at 84 per cent, the ‘use’ phase of a tyre’s life cycle was identified by the LCA as making the largest contribution to the environmental load of a car tyre, the impact of raw materials, which accounts for 10 per cent, is the second largest factor. Keeping this in mind, Bridgestone Europe comments in its latest Environmental Commitment and Performance report, published November 2008, that the choice of ingredients used is very important, including the promotion of an environmental oriented supply chain.

28th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tronchetti Provera – Car Market Not Yet Rock Bottom

According to Marco Tronchetti Provera, the car market has yet to reach rock bottom. The Pirelli chairman was quoted by Reuters has saying that consumers would most likely wait several months to see if government measures to revive slowing economies proved successful before they considered making a larger purchases, such as a new car.

28th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Comings and Goings

On May 24, 2008 tyre industry steel cord producer Bekaert and China’s Anshan Iron and Steel Group Corporation (Ansteel), one of the world’s leading steel producers, signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the terms of a close future partnership between the two companies. As part of the arrangement both firms agreed to explore strategic cooperation projects in order to better address the growing demand for advanced wire products on the Chinese market.

27th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors