S&H Tyres BV has signed a contract with Kossen BV to exclusively distribute the company’s Zeetex truck and bus tyre range in Western Europe. According to S&H representatives, the company has more knowledge in PCR, UHP and SUV tyres than in the truck tyre sector, leading to the decision to choose “a trustful and respectful distributor in this field.”
The Zeetex tyre brand, which is produced exclusively for Dutch wholesaler S&H Tyres and Dubai based Zafco, was out in force at November’s Reifen China show. In addition to the company’s large and unmissably coloured orange and black stand, S&H Tyres chose a prime location near Reifen China’s main entrance and opposite the thoroughfare between this and the popular China RubberTech exhibition. With arguably the biggest stand held by a European company at the show, Tyres & Accessories asked one of the company founders Siem Klapwijk the obvious question – why?
The reason S&H’s management is happy to invest so much in exhibiting in China is because the company, which already sells significant amounts of tyres in the western European countries, is growing fast and becoming increasingly international. Currently the UK and Germany are seen as key markets, however, while this is likely to continue, the company’s 2010 forecasts would seem to suggest that new markets will be needed in addition to sales growth from existing customers. During the course of 2010, S&H expects to sell 2 million passenger car tyres and between 500,000 and 600,000 truck and bus tyres around the world.
Guangdong Greatoo Molds Inc’s global appeal has increased since gaining ISO9001-2001 International Quality Certification, with company representatives describing the company’s current products as “the gold standard.” Tyres & Accessories/tyrepress.com met with the company’s senior technical consultant RNK Krishnan at November’s Reifen China show and asked what makes this Chinese mould making operation stand out?
What is different about Greatoo is the fact that, unlike some competitors, the company offers three kinds of mould manufacturing – CNC direct engraving, aluminium precision casting and Electric Discharge Machine (EDM) technology. The latter was obtained from aluminium casting experts at German firm AZ Mould. As a result the company reports it is now capable of producing “high quality aluminium moulds including winter moulds.” Their philosophy is that moulds are “critical parts in tyre manufacturing and require precision in all stages…their maintenance plays a vital role in ensuring the consistency of the tyre.”
Cooper Tires & Rubber Co. showcased 33 products under four brands at the third Reifen China show (11 – 13 November). Cooper officially launched its Chengshan CSC-5 and Austone SP-7 products at the show. The two are said to fit “all kinds of mid- to high-end sedans and roadsters.” In addition to two product launches, Cooper Tires also showed its “green way” philosophy for saving. However, it was the Cooper Angels (figureheads of the company’s Far Eastern TV advertising campaign) and the troop of dancers literally bussed in for the event that drew in the crowds.
According Reifen China’s organising company, Cooper Tires’ stand was one of the largest exhibitors in terms of size at the show. The stand was structured into four function areas which showcase four product categories: the domestically-made Zeon series passenger car tyres, Starfire saloon treads, Chengshan and Austone-branded passenger car tyres as well as the Dean TBR tyres. All the treads on display are manufactured by Cooper Chengshan, which fully reflects the technology and production strengths of Cooper's joint venture in China.
In recent times Guangdong Greatoo Molds Inc, the only tyre mould maker listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchance, has increased its reach far beyond its native China. After expanding in India, where Greatoo has gained supply agreements with virtually all the leading tyre makers (including Apollo, Birla, CEAT, JK Tyre, MRF and BKT), this fast growing company is now aiming to become a truly global player after gaining some key contracts in Europe.
Speaking to senior technical consultant RNK Krishnan at November’s Reifen China show in Shanghai, Tyres & Accessories learnt that increased outsourcing amongst the world’s top ten tyremakers has led the company to build “good ties” with the majority of European tyre makers including Michelin, Continental, Pirelli and Marangoni.
The third Reifen China exhibition, held in Shanghai between 11 and 13 November 2009, opened its doors to 3769 visitors (412 international visitors) on the first day of the show. 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.
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The Chinese Ministry of Finance and Commerce (known as Mofcom) continued its ongoing campaign against what it describe as the Obama administration’s politically motivated implementation of anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese-produced passenger car tyres imported into the US. Speaking to Tyres & Accessories after Mofcom’s presentation during the Tire Tech seminar series at the Reifen China in Shanghai, Wang Xin (Mofcom Bureau of Fair Trade representative) said Chinese tyre companies along with industry associations should seek a review of the 35 per cent import tariff brought in September. This approach would be based on the US government’s own standard policy of reviewing trade sanctions after six months. Washington DC firm Squire Sanders Dempsey is providing legal representation in the matter.
At the start of 2009, the Chinese Rubber Industry Association reported that, despite the global economic meltdown, China remains the world's fastest growing market. The Chinese tyre business is reportedly worth about $8 billion and accounts for 9 per cent of the world tyre market share. However with most of the world’s markets either struggling to recover or still nose-diving, the fact that July figures suggest Chinese passenger car tyre OE and replacement demand are actually up 10 and 20 per cent respectively is truly impressive. With this in mind, Messe Essen’s third Reifen China exhibition running from 11 – 13 November is likely to pique the interest of buyers, manufacturers and traders from around the world.
Following the successful premiere event in 2007, the popular Asian region “Reifen China” exhibition was again held last December. Some 5,600 domestic and international visitors attended the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) between December 4 and 6, 2008, to gain information on the latest products, technologies and services available within the Chinese and worldwide tyre industry. While the fair attracted some two hundred fewer visitors than the 5,800 recorded the previous year, this decline of 3.5 per cent must be viewed in light of the current economic situation, particularly within the tyre industry, and should therefore be interpreted as a very positive result. “Actually I don’t at all want to speak of it as a decline,” commented Klaus Reich, director Trade Fairs and Exhibitions for the show organiser, Messe Essen GmbH, to Tyres & Accessories. The result, he said, was in the economic circumstances, “absolutely good.”
Reifen China 2008 opened its doors in Shanghai today, with over 3000 visitors entering the city’s New International Expo Center for the show. The show’s organisers – Messe Essen, China United Rubber (Group) Company and concept partner Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkanisieur-Handwerk (the German equivalent of the NTDA) – were all reportedly pleased with the 25 per cent increase in visitor numbers compared with the 2007 show. Over 110 companies from 16 countries are exhibiting their products and services at Reifen China covering 3500 square metres of floor space (31 per cent more than the 2007 show).
The organisers of the Shanghai based Reifen China 2008 exhibition have reported a successful first day. On December 4 more than three thousand trade visitors attended the show at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, an increase of 25 per cent on the previous year. Show hosts CURC (China United Rubber (Group) Company) and Messe Essen, along with major sponsor BRV (Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkanisieur-Handwerk – the “Federal Association of the Tyre Trade and the Vulcanisers’ Skilled Trade”) expressed their satisfaction with this result, particularly against the background of current global economic unease.
Harvey Brodsky, managing director of the US based Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB), will be a featured speaker at the Reifen China exhibition to be held in Shanghai, between December 4 and 6. Brodsky’s first presentation, titled ‘The Economic and Environmental Benefits The Retread Industry Can Offer in China’, will take place on December 4, and his second presentation, ‘The Importance of Being Ethical in Your Business Dealings with Truckers and Other Users of Your Retreads’, will take place on December 5.
“We are honoured to have been invited to make TRIB’s activities known to the Chinese retread industry and I am pleased to be able to represent TRIB members by making my two presentations.” said Brodsky.
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Reifen China, unlike the long-established Reifen show in Essen, Germany, is an annual event. Therefore, a sequel to the show’s successful 2007 debut is already due. Between December 4 and 6, 2008, the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) will again be filled with the aroma of the round objects and the buzz of deals being made. Tyres & Accessories plans to be there, and we’ll be far from lonely…
Currently nine of the world’s 10 largest tyre manufacturers have their own production bases in China. Among those companies that have recently chosen to venture into China is Pirelli. The Italian corporation has been operating a truck tyre production facility in China since the summer of 2005 before opening a new PCR tyre factory very recently in November 2007. At this stage Pirelli is still a relatively small player in the Chinese tyre market, but it is this context that will enable the company to achieve an above average growth rate, says Luca Cico in an interview with Tyres & Accessories. now that it has managed to fulfil the demands of the Chinese tyre market with two production sites in operation.
The organisers of the first Reifen China exhibition have published visitor attendance and exhibitor numbers from the inaugural “Asian Essen Show.” Held in parallel with Tyres & Rubber Tech China, a total of 5812 visitors from 41 countries passed through the show between 14 and 16 November. Of these, 16 per cent were described as overseas visitors. 88 exhibitors from 13 nations took stands in Shanghai, with the vast majority (68 per cent) directly from the tyre, casing and tube business. 16 per cent of exhibits represented press, publishing and associations; while 4 per cent originated from the equipment and vulcanisation sectors.
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