Although Angela Merkel predicted this week that up to 70 per cent of all Germans could catch coronavirus, people there are responding to the risk in very different ways. This can be clearly seen in plans for two automotive shows.
According to the latest information on its website, preparations for The Tire Cologne “are continuing as planned according to the current status for the determined date.” But the tyre trade show has been dealt a further blow in addition to restrictions on large gatherings that were announced yesterday. One of the largest names in the tyre industry has decided against exhibiting due to the risk posed by coronavirus.
No comment yet from organiser Koelnmesse, so perhaps it is too early to speculate on the fate of this year’s The Tire Cologne. Officially it is business with usual, with around 600 companies and brands expected to display their wares between 9 and 12 June. But with the show just three months’ away, Koelnmesse must decide its response to a new decree that restricts large events.
In the wake of decisions to cancel a number of exhibitions and trade fairs in Europe, including the Geneva International Motor Show, the organisers of The Tire Cologne met yesterday to discuss how the coronavirus could affect this year’s show and how they should respond to the situation. After taking many factors into consideration, they’ve decided to continue preparing for the exhibition’s doors to open on 9 June, but are keeping a close eye on developments nonetheless – and will act to minimise the potential risk to exhibitors and visitors.
Malaysian firm Maxrubber Industries Sdn Bhd claims to be the fastest-growing manufacturer of tyre retreading materials, and the company has Europe firmly in its sights. Following what it calls an “extensive period of investment” at its manufacturing facility in Klang, some 25 miles southwest of Kuala Lumpur, Maxrubber has announced the start of a “targeted export drive” with a view to “developing a strong presence in the European market.”
During the recent Tire Cologne exhibition Tyres & Accessories met with Al-Dobowi founder and chairman Surender Kandhari and son and vice-chairman Jasjeev Kandhari. We even heard a little about Kandhari senior’s latest project – a book.
At the end of May, anti-Chinese truck tyre tariffs were implemented. They included nominal (as opposed to percentage) tariffs at levels that surprised many. As a result, supply shortages and challenges at distributors were predicted. Shuttering of some of the lowest cost Chinese tyremakers is also expected. However, speaking to affected firms during the recent Tire Cologne reveals that many are already prepared to source tyres elsewhere. Indeed, the largest manufacturers have been off-shoring for some time. As a result, virtually all the leading Chinese tyre manufacturers already have non-Chinese tyre production in place. Let’s take a look at who’s got what.
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