Continental Tyre South Africa announced the appointment of Niel Langner as marketing manager; Jiminy-Ann Knoetze Bosman as public relations and communications manager; and Morris Naiker as national sales manager on 14 May 2014. The move is being described as a set of strategic appointments designed to strengthen the firm’s tyre sales position in the country.
Production resumed, albeit at a reduced level, at Continental’s Port Elizabeth factory in South Africa last Friday, ten days after strike action halted all production there. Workers belonging to NUMSA, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, went on strike on 15 April over a pay dispute, and the limited production now taking place in Port Elizabeth is being performed by non-union members. In a statement, plant spokeswoman Nomfundo Hlela said the factory was not operating at full capacity.
The next Tyrexpo will be Africa held from 4 to 6 March 2014 in South Africa. Organisers ECI International expect at least 140 exhibitors at the occasion which will once again be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. www.eci-international.com Related news: Tyrexpo Africa 2006 Lawlyn Offering a Full Range of Repair Systems Tubestone Reports […]
Spanish tyre brand Membat will make its debut appearance in South Africa at the Tyrexpo Africa exhibition, which is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg between 4 and 6 March. Membat is a budget consumer tyre brand that was launched in 2012; Membat shares that since that time the brand has quickly established itself in numerous European, American and Asian markets.
Transense Technologies, which develops RFID and TPMS systems, reported its first profits of £20,000 (EBITDA) for the first half of the current financial year, ended 31 December. The figures are still comparatively small, but the company hopes its progress is now entering growth territory.
Eldan Recycling A/S has opened a UK office in response to “increasing demand in the UK”. Effective 1 January Peter Jones has been appointed as branch manager of the Eldan UK sales office based in Pulborough.
While it is clear that each side is effectively blaming the other for the collapse of the deal, the actual cost of the defunct courtship ritual is somewhat more opaque. We know that Cooper’s lawyers will be defending the firm against claims for the $50 million it agreed in the business equivalent of a pre-nuptial agreement, but several newspapers report that Apollo has to fight off claims for a significantly bigger $112 million break-up fee. And of course none of this puts a price on the large sums of money spent out on corporate lawyers or even more importantly on lost time. So what’s next for the two companies?
As South Africa and the world mourns the passing of Nelson Mandela, Continental Tyre South Africa has paid its respects to the former President in a statement:
The sale of Apollo Tyres South Africa (ATSA) to Sumitomo Rubber Industries has been closed, report Sumitomo and Apollo Tyres. In exchange for US$60 million, the Japanese firm now holds the rights to the Dunlop tyre brand in a further 30 African and two Indian Ocean region countries. Also included in the deal is the 9,600 tyre per day Ladysmith PCR factory that Apollo acquired as part of its Dunlop South Africa purchase in 2006, the ATSA distribution and sales network, and the ATSA distribution, sales and head office teams. Apollo retains the 2006-acquired Durban factory, which manufactures TBR and off-road tyres.
Continental Tyres South Africa will reportedly invest more than ZAR100 million (£6.0 million) to expand capacity at its plant in Port Elizabeth. Independent Newspapers’ iol.co.za website reports that these funds will in part be used to establish the facility as a hub for the manufacture of specialty tyres, particularly those used in underground mining applications.
Sales of locally-produced Continental run-flat tyres will reportedly begin in China before the end of this year. Quoting Jay Dhillon, general manager of Continental Tires China, the China Daily wrote on 28 November that annual output of these products will reach 340,000 units next year and 510,000 units in 2015. Hefei is the fourth Continental plant to begin run-flat production, after Aachen (Germany), Port Elizabeth (South Africa) and Mount Vernon (USA).
Cooper Tire shares that it received a ‘Global Media Award’ at this month’s SEMA Show/Global Tire Expo for introducing the new Mastercraft Courser MXT at the show. In addition, the Cooper Zeon RS3-S (in size 325/30R19) was named a runner-up in the New Products Showcase in the Tire and Related Product category.
Vredestein has been rewarded for its Ultrac Vorti tyre introduction film at the 4th Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards, one of the world’s most important awards competitions honouring excellence in the corporate audio-visual industry. Apollo Tyres’ film comprised a music video shot with a Google 360 degrees camera, exclusive composed music and a game available in the Apple store with Facebook integration.
German wholesaler Baro is making its first appearance at Tyrexpo Africa 2014, with the express purpose of seeking new distribution partners for its European manufactured ranges of car, truck and agricultural tyres.
Tiger Wheel & Tyre says it is just as excited now about being voted “Best Place to Buy Tyres in KwaZulu Natal” as it was the first time the company won this accolade nine years ago and every year since. This is the ninth consecutive year the company has won the award, which is based on votes by Daily News newspaper readers in the ‘Daily News Your Choice Awards 2013’.
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