Truck Tyres
According to Hankook Tire Europe executive vice president and COO Jin-Wook Choi, the company holds the long-term goal of doubling its annual European production to more than 20 million units. In addition to this sizable increase in passenger car, 4×4 and van tyre production, the company has decided that in the long-term to add a truck tyre production line at its factory in the Hungarian town of Dunaújváros.
Market data released by Michelin shows the European original equipment market for passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres to have dropped 10.0 per cent year-on-year during August. Sales of these products have in the year to date increased 18.6 per cent in Europe, and our region was the only of the three reported markets to have suffered a decline; the North American OE market for passenger car and light truck tyres grew 34.0 per cent during August, while the China market increased 12.7 per cent. Both of these monthly results are lower than year to date growth figures, which for North America and China are 61.8 per cent and 40.5 per cent respectively.
On 14 September Continental Tyres Ltd gave Conti 360° Fleet Services its official UK launch. Sharp eyed Tyres & Accessories readers will have spotted news of the European launch of this programme on tyrepress.com back in February as well as in March’s magazine. Seven months later, the UK launch revealed further details of how this will be rolled out across the UK and Europe and how the British ContiNetwork model gave the impetus for what is now know as the Conti 360° Network.
Dates first. Despite being initially announced as operational as early as February this year, the official launch of Conti 360° Fleet Services was – as we can see in mid-September, however the big UK switch-on in is scheduled for October. The Republic of Ireland will join the ranks of the programme with it own independent dealer network – a first for Continental Eire – being launched in November.
Chinese tyre manufacturer Guizhou Tyre Company Ltd has maintained a relatively low profile in the UK up till now, but this is reportedly about to change as a result of the company’s decision to raise its profile with a stand at next month’s Brityrex in Manchester (5-7 October). Here’s how one company representative explained it: “The promotion of our brands within Europe and in the UK especially has been relatively low key in the past. We have now taken the strategic decision to expand our brand profile and distribution network across Europe in general and in particular the UK.” The Guizhou stand at Brityrex will exhibit products from the Advance range of radial/bias OTR tyres, radial truck tyres, agricultural tyres and industrial/fork lift tyres.
Recent expansion to Toyo Tire’s factory in the US state of Georgia is expected to create a further 200 jobs at the plant. The Bartow County facility, which has been in operation since early 2006, currently employs around 650 people in the production of passenger car and light truck tyres and was instrumental in Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing being named ‘Georgia Manufacturer of the Year in 2009.’ When current expansion work is complete the 167,000 square metre facility will have the capacity to produce six million tyres per annum. The new jobs will most likely be added by the middle of next year.
Sales of cars in India are booming – in August alone, sales figures rose one-third to a record high. Tyre makers are benefitting from these buoyant conditions, and to accommodate growing demand JK Tyre & Industries is planning to effectively double its passenger car radial capacity by the first quarter of the 2014 financial year. To reach this target, JK Tyre has earmarked some Rs 15 billion (£209.3 million), a large portion of which will go towards erecting the company’s greenfield plant in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai.
Continued growth in global demand for radial passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres has convinced Bridgestone of the need to further expand capacity at its Nong Khae factory in Thailand. Capacity at the plant, which has supplied the domestic and key overseas markets including Asia, North America and Europe since entering production in 1995, has already benefitted from one capacity expansion project. In January 2008, work began on increasing daily capacity by approximately 6,000 units. This project is scheduled to be completed by 2011; now the tyre maker’s Thai Bridgestone Co., Ltd. subsidiary will invest approximately 21.3 billion yen (£164.9 million) to boost daily production capacity by 13,500 units to 50,000 units by the end of 2014.
Giti Tire USA has released the GT Radial GSL213, a new long-haul steer axle radial, reports Tire Review. Giti officials said the new GSL213 features “advanced technology and pattern design for outstanding overall performance, resistance to irregular wear and extended mileage.” The GSL213 is now available across North America in sizes 11R22.5 14PR, 295/75R22.5 14PR, 11R24.5 14PR and 285/75R24.5 14PR.
Sales of heavy-duty commercial vehicles in China surged to 316,725 units in the second quarter of 2010, an 83 per cent jump year-over-year according to a report published by ACT Research Co. and China's State Information Center. According to leading Chinese truck and bus radial (TBR) tyre manufacturer Giti Tire, demand for TBR tyres in the People’s Republic equates to 30 million units/year – more than three times the 9 million tyres consumed in Europe annually.
European sales of passenger car and light truck tyres during July were well below the market growth previously seen in the year to date. According to data released by Michelin and Pirelli, the original equipment market experienced either slight year-on-year growth or a small decline – Michelin reports a 1.1 per cent year-on-year growth for this sector in July, while Pirelli reports a two per cent market shrinkage during the month. These modest results contrast with year to date original equipment market growth of at least 20 per cent; Michelin reports this growth to be slightly higher, at 21.4 per cent. Year-on-year growth in the replacement passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyre market stood at around five per cent during July (5.1 per cent according to Michelin’s figures), again lower than Michelin and Pirelli’s respective year to date growth figures of 9.1 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
October’s Brityrex International ‘10 show in Manchester is a sell-out, with all exhibitor stands taken, according to organisers ECI International. The news follows a run of late confirmations including: SD International, Gripen Wheels, Marix UK; Ayce Systems and aircon supplier Autoclimate. Market analysts Encircle Marketing, tyre education operation TEFORS, Banner Batteries, Strongman Tools and Straightset are also said to be on board.
Liverpool-based wholesaler Kirkby Tyres is promoting the latest additions to its Double Coin range of “non premium” truck tyres. According to the company, three new 19.5-inch low profile tyres in sizes 445/45R19.5, 435/50R19.5 and 385/55R19.5 were recently added to the range. To complement these, a selection of low profile 22.5-inch tyres have also been released in 295/60R22.5, 315/60R22.5 and 385/55R22.5. Double Coin products are already available in 17.5, 20, 22.5, 24 and 24.5 variants.
Yokohama Tire Corp. has launched SmartSolution, a new communication and promotion push targeting commercial tyre dealers, fleet owners and truck operators in the USA, reports Tire Review. “Now more than ever, fleet owners and truck operators are faced with the pressure of effectively managing tyres as assets in their business,” said John Cooney, Yokohama director of commercial sales.
The introduction of the new HTL 2 Eco-Plus long-distance trailer tyre sees Continental complete its new tyre product range for international long-distance transport that the firm has been successively launching since 2009. By using a casing and tread pattern that is configured for long-distance transport, this trailer tyre is designed to combine further optimized furl consumption figures with “considerably extended life.” According to the company, Continental’s latest truck offering also complements the HSL 2 steer axle and HDL 2 drive axle tyres that have already been successfully launched. The latest development sees the company add the XL extra load carrying designation to its product line, enabling it to carry heavier axle weights.
From Continental’s perspective, sales across the EU in the truck tyre replacement market are up 29 per cent versus the same timeframe last year, with the UK figure said to be up 5.5 per cent, a few percentage points less than other estimates. Raw materials are still increasing, with the knock-on effect of pushing tyre prices up. Supply is also expected to be tight in the second half, as tyre manufacturers are struggling to meet the increase in demand (and cope with the shortage of raw materials). “We are also seeing a high level of hire vehicle utilisation which could lead to vehicle shortages towards the end of the year,” company representatives told Tyres & Accessories recently.
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