Russian carbon black manufacturer, Omsk Carbon Group is to open a facility in South Carolina with a view to supplying the likes of Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin and Mitas, which all have factories there. South Carolina firm Reger Holdings LLC’s estate agent (Colliers International) announced that it has leased a 117,865 square foot space in Bishopville, […]
An event was held yesterday to mark the official start of work on Giti Tire’s new facility in the USA. Local and company dignitaries, including Giti Tire executive chairman Enki Tan, were present at the Chester County site in South Carolina to mark the groundbreaking with a ceremonial shovelful of soil.
The US Department of Commerce has reduced preliminary countervailing duties on tyres manufactured in China, according to local news sources. The countervailing duties are in addition a 4-per cent import tariff.
The Herald, which is distributed in Chester county area of South Carolina where Giti will soon break ground on its new tyre factory, reported that the commerce department has lowered Giti’s rate to 11.74 per cent from 17.69 per cent. At the same time the rate for most other Chinese-manufactured tyres dropped to 12.03 per cent from 15.69 per cent.
In a letter sent 16 December, the Governor of South Carolina requested the US Department of Commerce re-evaluate the 17.69 per cent tariff that applies to all consumer tyres Giti Tire imports into the US from China. Governor Nikki Haley highlighted Giti Tire’s plans to build a plant in Chester Country, South Carolina, and stated that the tariff “inequitably affects Giti’s business.”
Michelin’s Tweel factory has opened in Piedmont, South Carolina, USA, manufacturing airless tyres for commercial applications. From Piedmont, Michelin will boost output of its X Tweel SSL skid-steer tyres and begin production of the new X Tweel Turf as original equipment for John Deere’s Ztrak 900 Series line-up of zero-turn commercial mowers. The 135,000sqft facility is Michelin’s 10th in the state, and 16th in the US. The company said it would invest about $50 million in the new plant.
The agricultural tyre market appears particularly well suited towards specialised manufacturers; Trelleborg Wheel Systems acquired Pirelli’s agricultural business in 1999, with the branding switched between 2006 and 2010. Since acquiring various technologies from Pirelli, the Trelleborg Group has invested heavily in order to make its tyre and wheel operation a premium brand player in the agricultural and forestry tyre market. The Tivoli facility, with its buildings showing a manufacturing history dating back to the 1940s, but also incorporating the latest agricultural tyre building machinery, represents “a history full of innovation for farming professionals,” in president of the Agricultural and Forestry Tyres business unit, Paolo Pompei’s words.
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