Production capacity at Yokohama’s passenger car and light truck tyre factory in Thailand is to be increased by almost 54 per cent, with the additional production commencing next April. Through a 9.7 billion yen (£72 million) investment an additional 1.4 million units of annual capacity will be added to the Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) plant in Raying Province, pushing total annual capacity up to 4 million tyres.
Nokian Tyres reports that statutory negotiations at its Nokia, Finland plan came to an end on June 21. The results of these negotiations have been 13 permanent and 37 temporary lay-offs. Nokian comments that these cuts concern “all personnel groups” and adjust the plant’s production and support function resources to meet the shift system currently in use.
Ruia Group company Falcon Tyres is to establish a new factory in Uttaranchal state, in Northern India, a move accompanied by an increase in production in the company’s Mysore factory. Group chairman told reporters after the company’s 83rd Annual General Meeting on June 15 that “following the establishment of the new plant about 30 km from Haridwar in Uttaranchal, and upgrading the capacity of [the] Falcon Tyres Mysore plant, the total production for two-three wheeler tyres would go up from the present 150,000 units a month to over 230,000 pieces.”
The Isle of Man TT saw a first this weekend as Ian Hutchinson completed the first clean sweep of five out of five wins at the festival in its hundred-plus year history. The Senior TT saw Hutchinson take the lead after a gruelling few hours during a stopped race, claiming victory with Ryan Farquhar in second place, both of whom used Dunlop’s D211GP tyres.
Korea’s OCI Company Ltd. has announced plans invest 75 billion won in expanding its carbon black manufacturing facilities. A third plant will be built in Gunsan, where the company’s polysilicon manufacturing facilities are located. Construction will begin in the second half of this year and when the plant enters operation late in 2011 it is projected to have a 70,000 tonne capacity. This will be increased to 100,000 tonnes by the end of 2014. When full capacity is reached the combined capacity of the Gunsan site and OCI’s existing carbon black production facilities in Pohang and Gwangyang will be 310,000 tonnes per annum – a quantity sufficient to make OCI Korea’s leading carbon black manufacturer.
Sibur and a group of lenders represented by Alfa Group's investment division A1 have agreed to make Sibur the bankrupt Amtel's main debtor. “The group of lenders represented by A1 shall assign its rights of demand with regard to Amtel Group’s companies to Sibur,” an official statement released by Sibur reported. The deal is set to close before the end of June 2010.
Having begun on Saturday, the 2010 Isle of Man TT’s first three races have been won on Dunlop tyres, with six of the nine available podium places taken by riders using the manufacturer’s rubber. Saturday saw the first of the two Superbike races, with Iain Hutchinson finishing first and company namesake Michael Dunlop finishing in second on Dunlop’s Ntec slick tyres. This was followed on Monday by the first of the two Supersport races, won by Hutchinson and Dunlop coming in third. The Superstock 1000cc race saw Hutchinson complete a hat-trick of wins with Ryan Farquhar taking a close second, both riding on Dunlop D211GP’s.
Goodyear has announced plans to close its Taoyuan factory near Taipei, Taiwan. The passenger car tyre plant will cease operations on July 31, 2010, a decision the tyre maker says it made in line with its global strategy of transferring production to lower-cost countries. Despite the ending of production, Goodyear states its commitment to Taiwan “remains unchanged”.
Diversified Century Textiles & Industries Ltd has reportedly suspended production of tyre yarn at its Century Rayon plant in Kalyan, a Mumbai suburb. According to a Reuters report, the firm is halting production of viscose filament yarn and tyre yarn “due to adverse market scenario and demand slowdown.” Century Rayon, which makes rayon, tyre cord and chemicals, has an annual production of 25,000 tonnes of textile and tyre yarn.
Contitech has opened a new production facility in Ponta Grossa, Brazil, for textile and steel-cord conveyor belts, creating a stronger foundation for the company’s activities in the Central and South American region. The new 5,000m2 facility is designed to produce 300km of textile and steel-cord conveyor belting annually and has created over 60 new jobs. The total amount invested so far by ContiTech in the factory, machinery and equipment amounts to more than 10 million euros.
Yokohama Rubber states it is establishing the position of president within its Tire Group. This role, which will be formally approved at a general meeting of shareholders on June 25, is to be undertaken by Hikomitsu Noji, who currently also holds the position of general manager of the company’s Tire Global Production Division. At the same time, Noji is being promoted from the position of director and corporate officer to that of director and managing corporate officer.
Nokian Tyres reports that on May 10 it entered into statutory negotiations affecting around 70 employees at its facility in Nokia, Finland. In a press statement, the tyre maker says approximately ten office employees and 60 blue-collar employees are involved in “adjustment measures” that include changing some of the rotating shift lay-offs initiated in January 2009 to full lay-offs, effective until further notice. Nokian also intends to terminate some employment contracts, it says.
Figures released by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reveal that Chinese tyre manufacturers produced 167.44 million units in the first quarter of this year; a rise of 35 per cent over Q1 2009. The increase was largely fuelled was by rises in Chinese auto production and sales volume, which reached 4.55 million and 4.61 million, growing by 77 per cent and 72 per cent year-over-year, respectively. Auto production and sales volume in both March and Q1 2010 hit a record high.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reports that first quarter auto sales reached 4.61 million vehicles, a 72 per cent year-over-year increase, states Tire Review. Vehicle sales growth rates in China are expected to remain around 15 per cent annually over the next three to five years, the Ministry claimed.
Tyre production down under has come to an end with the closure of Bridgestone’s Salisbury factory in Adelaide. On April 30 the company held a private ceremony and barbeque for employees to mark the final day of operations. Many of the 600 or so workers, now out of work, were long-term Bridgestone employees, and emotions amongst staff were mixed.
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