South Africa Archives - Page 12 of 30 - Tyrepress

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Avon Tyres to supply Classic Safari Challenge competitor’s tyres

Shropshire couple Keith and Norah Ashworth, owners of Avon Tyres fleet customer Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental, are to tackle the Classic Safari Challenge 2011. The pair will contest a classic 1964 Mercedes-Benz 190 Fintail, shod with Avon rubber, in the event, which runs from August to September. The event, organised by the Endurance Rally Association, covers more than 3,500 miles of stunning African landscape as it crosses Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa on its mammoth journey.

12th August 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Material costs, muted growth a bottom line dampener for Apollo

Reporting its performance during the first quarter of India’s financial year, Apollo Tyres says net sales during the period were “robust”, increasing 55 per cent year-on-year to Rs 28.22 billion (£382.60 million). Despite this, factors such as all-time high natural rubber prices and “sluggish” growth in some markets dampened the company’s profitability in the three months between April 1 and June 30, 2011. Operating profit rose 20 per cent to Rs 2.42 billion (£32.81 million) while net profit was up 3.9 per cent in the quarter to Rs 771.28 million (£10.46 million).

11th August 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo signs lease on Laos rubber plantation

To secure its own supply of natural rubber, Apollo Tyres has leased approximately 10,000 hectares of land in the Southeast Asian country of Laos. Company chairman and managing director Onkar S Kanwar announced at Apollo Tyres’ Annual General Meeting on August 11 that the tyre maker has “actively entered the area of rubber plantations to try and secure future supplies.” Kanwar later noted that the yield from this rubber plantation would be ready for tapping in within two to seven years and that within five years Apollo plans to meet 25 per cent of its total natural rubber requirements from leased plantations. Reaching this level of self-sufficiency is viewed as a form of insurance – Kanwar opined that a crisis situation currently exists in India in regards to increasing raw material prices and natural rubber shortages.

11th August 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

First Tyrexpo India prompts organisers to confirm dates 2013 show

The first staging of Tyrexpo India 2011 in Chennai was said to have been so successful that organisers ECI International have announced the dates for the next show in 2013. Managing director Paul Farrant said: “Our original intention was to review the show for several months before reaching a decision on a follow up, but we’ve already seen enough to make the decision with confidence that the show will be back in Chennai from 9-11 July 2013.”

14th July 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo opens Middle East hub

Infrastructure and tyre usage in the Middle East is very similar to that in India, says Apollo Tyres, and this is the accepted reason why its products have enjoyed a high level of acceptance throughout the region. In total, the Middle East accounts for some 30 per cent of the Indian tyre maker’s export revenues, and in the last years it has built up a 23-partner distribution network there spanning 14 countries. Now, Apollo Tyres has extended its Middle East presence with the opening of its first office outside the company’s operations in India, the Netherlands and South Africa. This new Dubai-based office will serve as a hub for distributing Apollo’s India-manufactured tyres.

9th June 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Kuehne + Nagel takes over Conti South Africa plant logistics

Logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel has assumed management of warehouse operations at Continental’s Port Elizabeth tyre making facility in South Africa. Within the scope of the new contract, Kuehne + Nagel will support Continental Tyre S.A. (Pty) Ltd’s original equipment and aftermarket dealer business in the South African market through receiving tyres from production, carrying out quality control checks, storage, inbound and outbound handling, picking and packing, inventory management as well as management of empty containers. In addition, Kuehne + Nagel will provide an external warehousing solution for overflow volumes in Port Elizabeth.

30th May 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Jochen Etzel appointed Conti Tire Americas CEO

The top job at Continental Tire the Americas, vacant since Matthias Schönberg’s July 1 transfer to the company’s ContiTech division was confirmed, has been filled by Jochen Etzel. In a statement, Etzel declared his appointment as CEO of Continental Tire the Americas “an excellent opportunity,” and added: “I am excited to take this next step with the CTA team. Matthias Schoenberg guided CTA to a strong and successful business model in manufacturing, product and sales. I look forward to the challenge of continuing to lead CTA to further volume growth, as well as significant new product launches."

24th May 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Tyres reports 9% annual net sales growth, profits down a third

Apollo Tyres Ltd has approved the company’s audited financial results for the fourth quarter (January to March) and the financial year 2010 – 2011. Consolidated annual revenues, taking into account manufacturing bases in India, South Africa and the Netherlands, grew 9 per cent to reach net sales of 88.6 billion rupees (£1.205 billion; 1.386 billion euros; US$1.983 billion). Net profit fell to 4.4 billion rupees from 6.5 billion rupees the previous year.

11th May 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Kanwar: European Apollo tyre sales to increase 30% by winter

Apollo Tyres’ managing director Neeraj Kanwar is expecting European aftermarket sales of its Apollo-branded tyres to grow to between 60,000 and 65,000 units a month by the winter season. According to an interview published in the India’s Hindu Business Line, the company is currently selling around 50,000 of these tyres a month in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and Italy, meaning the proposed uptick in sales will be in the order of 20 – 30 per cent. According to the reports these figures are “over and above the sales of Vredestein branded tyres manufactured in Europe.”

21st April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo South Africa invests in new budgeting system

Apollo Tyres South Africa, formerly known as Dunlop Tyres South Africa, has invested in a specialist budgeting solution from Synergy Business Intelligence. Urekha Venketas, associate manager business Analysis at Apollo Tyres South Africa explained why the company sought such a system and her comments also give a flavour of the now Indian-owned firm’s approach: “In a global business, of which the South African operations are a part…means being able to very closely track performance in a highly unpredictable market.”

20th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

South African union seeks 20% pay rise for tyre workers

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, the 260,000 member union that represents tyre and metal industry workers, states it will engage in collective bargaining with employers this year to gain a number of benefits for its members, including a 20 per cent across the board wage increase. Other benefits it seeks include agreement contracts with a minimum one-year’s duration and a ban on labour brokers.

8th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone South Africa lockout a “declaration of war,” says union

A lockout is reported to have begun at two Bridgestone factories in South Africa on March 22. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) states the lockout at the Brits and Port Elizabeth plants was instigated “in response to wage increases achieved by workers in September 2010” – and the union refers to the lockout as “a declaration of war.”

25th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone a GM ‘Supplier of the Year’

Every year for the almost two decades General Motors has acknowledged its best global automotive suppliers at its Supplier of the Year awards. These awards recognise superior performance in four key areas, namely innovative quality, superior quality, outstanding launch support and competitive total enterprise cost. On twelve prior occasions Bridgestone Corporation has been bestowed an award, and at the 19th annual awards ceremony on March 10 thirteen proved to be a lucky number for the tyre maker – Takashi Urano, vice president and senior officer of Bridgestone Corporation, accepted the tyre maker’s thirteenth award on behalf of the company.

24th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Inauguration ceremony held for Apollo Chennai plant

On February 10, about a year the first tyre emerged from the curing presses at Apollo Tyres’ new Chennai factory, company management, board members and government ministers assembled at the plant to celebrate its official inauguration. Present to mark the occasion were company chairman Onkar S Kanwar, vice chairman and managing director Neeraj Kanwar plus members of the Board of directors and CEOs from Apollo’s operations in India, Europe and South Africa, along with Tamil Nadu state government representatives including labour minister T N Anbarasan and principal secretary of Industries Rajeev Ranjan.

11th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Becomes Kwik-Fit “House Brand” in The Netherlands

Apollo Tyres has announced a deal with Kwik-Fit to sell its tyres throughout the fast-fitter’s 180 car service centres across The Netherlands. Apollo’s entire summer and winter range of passenger car and 4×4 tyres will be available from Kwik-Fit. Martin Post, general director at Kwik-Fit, said, “Apollo is a trendy brand that suits the character of Kwik-Fit. We very much look forward to offering our customers quality tyres from Apollo.”

26th January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors