Retreading
Bridgestone Europe has released a new Bandag brand all-season coach and bus tread, a product claimed to offer “impressive mileage performance with [the] same tread depth and lighter to equal weight than its predecessor.”
Every three years Bauma, the international trade fair for construction machinery, mining machinery, construction vehicles and equipment, takes place in the German city of Munich. The show also serves as a focal point for tyre makers, wholesalers and equipment suppliers serving the off-road segment. And although many within Europe’s tyre industry are not experiencing the best of times at the moment, most Bauma exhibitors were nevertheless in very high spirits and saw themselves, as companies active within the OTR tyre sector, as an “island of the blessed” surrounded by a highly contrasting situation in the passenger car and truck tyre markets. Many exhibitors expressed hope of once again experiencing sound growth within their market segments in 2013, yet one thing was clear: Everyone in the market realises that, in the long-term, real growth will only take place outside of Europe.
Summing up its first quarter 2013 experience in a single sentence, Michelin states that in the three months to 31 March the “market environment was weak in Europe in passenger car and light truck tyres, disappointing in North America and expanding in the new markets.”
The newest addition to the Mitas ERL earthmover tyre range has been unveiled at Bauma 2013. Like other products in the ERL range, the 20.5R25 ERL-50, which will be released globally in July, is intended for use on loaders, dozers and graders operating in rocky conditions. With the addition of the ERL-50, the ERL line-up now covers 12 sizes with tread depths ranging from 28 to 90mm.
US-based retreading advocate the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau, or TRIB, has released the results of its passenger car tyre retreading survey. TRIB asked its members around the world several questions on the matter, and the replies it gained indicate that passenger car tyre retreading is viewed as a relatively stagnant business.
Five years ago Indonesia’s leading contract mining company PT Pamapersada Nusantara (PAMA) decided to install a turn-key OTR retread facility from Rösler in Balikpapan. Now the company is celebrating half a decade since the successful completion of the project. Rösler engineered and designed the entire factory, supplied the equipment and transferred the know-how. In total over 200 tons of equipment was shipped from Germany to the island of Borneo where in February 2008 the first 27.00R49 tyre was retreaded.
In 2013, the Rösler retreading plant run by Indonesian coal mining contractor PT Pamapersada Nusantara (Pama) enters its sixth year in operation, and the German retreading specialist says that plant output will be increased this year. Rösler reports that Pama is currently “evaluating expansion plans to meet the increasing demand.” Details on planned capacity or other information were not given.
The link between Continental’s sponsorship of top level footballing events such as the UEFA Champions League and Euro 2012 and its tyre business was made explicit during the latter of these events. In Poland Coaches for players and fans were fitted with Conti’s HSR2 tyre and a specially modified HSU1 respectively by the Conti360⁰ network. Public transportation and its role in Europe remained high on Conti’s agenda moving into 2013 as the manufacturer introduced the first commercial vehicle tyres of its “third generation”: a three product speciality coach tyre line-up. Once again, Conti chose to introduce these products alongside its football sponsorship at St George’s Park in rural Staffordshire, the English Football Association’s new training and development site of which Conti is an official supporter, its branding displayed in various places around the impressive state of the art facility.
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As we can see this year’s Autopromotec intends to offer expansion on two fronts – increased emphasis on the educational aspects of the exhibition (which is increasingly marketing itself as forum for thought leaders); and increased internationalisation, particularly with regard to BRIC nations in general and Brazil and Argentina in particular. As far as the tyre and wheel contingent is concerned there are definitely a number of names you will have heard of, but perhaps not as many of the best known brands as you may have thought. That said, as they say, the show ain’t over till the fat lady sings and many of those that have shown up choose to register in the names of their local distributors rather than their international brands.
Aeolus has confirmed its involvement with the CV Show in April, where it will debut with its exclusive UK distributor, Kings Road Tyres (KRT). According to the company, the show will provide an important opportunity to build wider brand awareness for Aeolus, which has been manufacturing commercial vehicle tyres since 1965.
Nokian Tyres has released its 2012 annual report, and the Finnish manufacturer reports a 10.7 growth in net sales to 1.61 billion euros, 9.2 per cent rise in operating profit to 415.0 million euros and a 7.1 per cent increase in profit to 330.9 million euros. Russia proved a regional strength during the year and demand for Nokian’s passenger car tyres increased there, while demand “decreased clearly” in Central Europe. Combined output of the company’s plants in Nokia, Finland and Vsevolozhsk, Russia in 2012 was 15.7 million tyres, and the annualised capacity at year-end was 18 million pieces.
In addition to the all the regular features Tyres & Accessories, we are pleased to provide readers with an in-depth supplement filled with the latest news and developments in the retreading sector. Subscribers can turn to our ‘Retreading Special’ by simply clicking more.
Kraiburg Austria reports that it will continue investing in machinery, facilities and processes at its Geretsberg site this year in order to provide its retreading partners the best possible quality and service. The company has earmarked a budget of three million euros for several projects, with a major chunk of this amount expected to be directed towards Kraiburg’s extruders. These will be upgraded to enable their meeting of potential future requirements, such as an extension of the tyre label to retreaded tyres. The Austrian retreading specialist also intends to provide its research and development department with an additional laboratory mixer. Last but not least, the company will invest in numerous process operations in order to improve production and administrative efficiency.
Tesco of America – no relation to the UK-based retail giant – has signed an exclusive service parts, support and sales agreement with Italmatic. Under the agreement, Tesco of America will serve as representative for the Italian firm’s truck, OTR and passenger car tyre retreading equipment in the US, Central America, South America and the Caribbean regions.
Membership in the Retread Tire Association has reached the 300 mark with the addition of Italian retreading equipment manufacturer Salvadori Srl. “We are especially pleased to have this fine company in the RTA family, since they offer their customers a unique line of fine equipment and machinery for the retread and related industries,” stated Retread Tire Association managing director Harvey Brodsky. “We are certain that fellow RTA members will benefit from their association with Salvadori Srl.”
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