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Yokohama Rubber has confirmed its participation in Auto Shanghai 2013, which will take place in the Chinese city between 20 and 29 April. The tyre maker will be represented by its local sales company, Yokohama Tire Sales (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Under the theme ‘Love Driving, Love Eco,’ Yokohama will highlight its Advan and BluEarth ranges during the show.
The organiser of the Latin American & Caribbean Tyre Expo reports that numerous well-known industry names have committed to exhibiting at this year’s show. Companies making an appearance on the exhibitor list include Sailun Tires, Triangle Tyre, Cooper Tire, Continental Tire Mexico, Bridgestone Tire Costa Rica, Goodyear Central America, Sumitomo Rubber Latin America Ltda., Double Coin Latin America, Euromaster, S.A. / Michelin, GT Radial Tires, Titan Tire Corp., TBC International, CEAT Limited, BKT and Aeolus.
On the first day of April, Toyo Tire & Rubber established a wholly-owned affiliate in Thailand, Toyo Tire (Thailand) Co., Ltd. The operation is responsible for selling original equipment and aftermarket sales in this Southeast Asian country; original equipment business is scheduled to begin in April, while the affiliate is expected to begin its aftermarket activities in July. The operation employs 11 staff and is headed up by Kanji Kasai as managing director. Kasai also serves as general manager of Toyo Tire & Rubber’s Asia Oceania business unit.
As we saw in March, the new Goodyear EfficientGrip comes in at BA 65dB on the European tyre label. With further additions said to be on their way, this puts the manufacturer in a leading position both within its own stable (Dunlop offers dry and high performance biased characteristics that don’t look as good as this on a label) and in the wider market. Following the introduction of the latest EfficientGrip Goodyear Dunlop reports that it covers three out of four sizes of Europe’s high performance summer tyre market tyres labelled CC or above.
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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In response to growing demand in Asia for tyres to fit full-size motorcycles, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. has decided to install equipment for the production of motorcycle radials at its factory in Thailand. Approximately 1.4 billion yen (£9.9 million) is being invested in the motorcycle tyre project, and the new facility is scheduled to begin production in January 2015. By the end of 2018 the plant is expected to have the capacity to manufacture 64,000 motorcycle tyres a month.
The SMMT has launched a nationwide campaign to help motorists reduce MOT failures, backed by 5,545 manufacturer main dealers across the UK.
Research from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) indicates that around 1.5 million MOT failures each year could be avoided if motorists notify the dealer of simple problems with the vehicle before the annual roadworthiness test is carried out. In the biggest campaign of its type, 5,545 manufacturer main dealers across the UK will be giving guidance to motorists on the simple pre-MOT visual checks they can carry out on their own car.
According to figures published by the Rubber Manufacturers Association, or RMA, US tyre shipments in 2012 amounted to 284 million units. This is unchanged from the previous year – the RMA says a ten per cent increase in original equipment shipments offset a nearly two per cent decrease in replacement shipments, and it states this absence of overall growth can primarily be attributed to a “cautious consumer as well as economic uncertainties in both the commercial and consumer sectors of the replacement market.”
Yokohama Rubber has announced three personnel changes that will take effect on 1 May.
Hikomitsu Noji has been appointed CEO of the tyre maker’s US operation, Yokohama Tire Corporation, and CEO of Yokohama Corporation of North America. Noji retains the title of president and representative director of parent company Yokohama Rubber. Noji is expected to travel to the United States regularly in his new role but will remain based at Yokohama Rubber’s headquarters in Tokyo.
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.
In order to expand its market presence through direct sales, customer service and more efficient distribution channels, Yokohama rubber has established a subsidiary in Mexico. Guanajuato-based Yokohama Tire Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V. (YTMX) was founded in March, with former Yokohama Tire Corporation vice-president Gary Nash taking on the role of president as of 1 April.
In future, Yokohama’s motorsport activities will be handled by a new company specifically set up for that purpose. On 1 April, Yokohama Rubber established Yokohama Motorsports International Co., Ltd., a company specialised in governing the development, supply and overall activities related to its racing tyres. The new operation is headed up by Tetsuya Kuze, who has been appointed president of Yokohama Motorsports International. Kuze also serves as a director and corporate officer at Yokohama Rubber. The Tokyo-based company will be fully operational as of July and employ approximately 20 people.
Chinese tyre manufacturers are shifting away from the production of truck tyres in favour of passenger car product, according to local news sources and Bloomberg. Even with this shift, however, China’s net rubber consumption will remain flat for 2013, good news for tyre pricing worldwide.
The North American premium touring tyre segment is the stated target for Nokian’s newest all-season tyre, the Nokian WR G3. The Finnish manufacturer says the combination of its “solid winter experience” plus the use of “environmentally friendly premium products” such as nanotechnology and canola oil in the tyre “guarantee their reliable functionality in the typically varying weather conditions of North America.”
When it comes to making cost savings in Europe, Michelin’s management is not ruling anything out. In a clear sign of the pressure tyre manufacturers are under in Europe, Michelin is said to be considering headcounts and manufacturing capacities. The fact that such things are being discussed so openly could also be interpreted as a sign that the company is trying to allay investor questions related to what action it is taking to address the tough conditions the market has found itself in.
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