truck tyres Archives - Page 143 of 207 - Tyrepress

Truck Tyres

Posts

Russian Tyre Imports Crash 8.6% in 1H 2009

International News, News

With the Russian economy fairing worst that most at the moment, the tyre business in this part of the world has taken a similarly significant hit, with both imports and exports falling heavily in the first half of 2009. Tyre manufacturers appear to have been offering significant discounts (or exporting lower value items) in the first half of 2009 with unit export figures falling far slower than export values. Data compiled by the Russian Discovery Research Group shows exports totalled 3,259,440 units in the first half of 2009, down 8.6 per cent from 3,566,469 units in the first half of 2008. Meanwhile, passenger-car tyre exports fell 7.1 per cent in the period, with truck tyre exports down 14.9 per cent. Exports of light truck tyres countered the trend, growing 40 per cent.

27th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Alliance Tire Buys GPX Assets

Company News, International News, Legislation, News

Just a day after GPX International Tire Corporation (GPX) filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Israel-based Alliance Tire Group announced it has signed an agreement to purchase certain assets for a reported $38.3 million. According to Alliance, the deal includes: “GPX’s US operations, customer relationships, warehouse footprint, worldwide rights to the Galaxy and Primex brands, the company’s medium radial truck tyre distribution business and the Company’s South African entity, GPX Tyre South Africa (Pty.).”

According to GPX the purpose of entering chapter 11 was “to separate the company’s operations into three distinct businesses in order to facilitate the sales of those businesses in transactions, which will allow 95 per cent of the company’s current North American workforce to remain employed.” Crucially, the statement points out that “the company will wind down its European operations.” GPX also explained that it has buyers lined to purchase various parts of the business.

27th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Q3 Figures Show Improvement

Michelin reports its decline in unit sales during the third quarter of 2009 and over the first nine months of the year is “in line with the decline in global tyre markets.” During the most recent quarter the manufacturer recorded a 14.0 per cent drop in unit sales, a figure that shows a lift in sales compared to the preceding months: in the first nine months of the year unit sales were 20.1 per cent down. The French tyre major generated net sales of 3.754 billion euros in the July to September quarter, a 10.9 per cent decrease on the corresponding three months in 2008. During the nine months to September 30, 2009 net sales amounted to 10.888 billion euros, a year-on-year decline of 12.5 per cent. Deutsche Bank analysts comment that third quarter sales were “slightly better than expected”; sales also beat the expected average of 3.727 billion euros gleaned from and a Reuters survey of six analysts. While volumes were as bad as Deutsche Bank’s analysts anticipated, Michelin’s four per cent price-mix for the quarter was a pleasant surprise. Price mix during the nine months was 7.6 per cent.

27th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

On-Road Tests Confirm Viability of Magnum SRI Compound, Manufacturer Reports

Road testing of tyres made from a compound containing a sizeable recycled content has reportedly shown them to “clearly equal the original control specimen.” Magnum D'Or Resources states its Magnum SRI custom compound light truck tyres were driven to the Malaysian Rubber Board's Rubber Research Institute, where further testing is to take place. The tyres contain a 14 per cent recycled content, which Magnum notes is nearly six hundred per cent more than the current amount of surface treated crumb used in tyres.

22nd October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Columbus McKinnon Installs 12,000lbs/hour Tyre Shredder

Back in September Columbus McKinnon Corporation, Sarasota, Florida installated of one its tyre recycling systems at B.A.S. Recycling, Inc. in Moreno Valley, California. This multi-stage system is capable of processing passenger car, truck tyres and super single truck tyres at production rates of 12,000 lbs. or more an hour.

The Size Reduction Stage consists of a CM Primary Shredder with screening capabilities to produce a 4 to 6-inch tyre chip feed stock that is fed to a CM Liberator for the next stage of the process. The Steel Liberation Stage (SLS) is designed to receive the 4 to 6 inch tire chips and utilizes a CM4R Liberator. Once the steel and rubber are liberated the system sorts the rubber and clean wire. Clean steel is sold to a steel mill and the rubber fractions are passed on for further processing through a screening system. Material ideal for mulch market is screened out, while the balance of the material is sent to a surge bin for processing in the cryogenic system.

21st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Aeolus Tyre Profits Surge 1076%

Aeolus Tyre Co Ltd net profit attributable to shareholders grew 1076.26 per cent year-on-year to 124.85 million yuan (£11.033 million; 12.242 million euros; US$18.284 million) in the third quarter. In the first three quarters the company’s net profits are said to have jumped 170 per cent to 254.4 million yuan (£22.4 million; 24.943 million euros; $37.265 million). Shanghai-listed Aeolus put the exponential growth in net profits down to a significant decline in production costs.

21st October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Aufine Presents an Extended Truck Tyre Range

International News, News

Ever since the Aufine Group owned factory in Dongying, Shandong Province entered operation in 1986, it has specialised in truck tyres. Nevertheless, the company has considered broadening its range. As general manager David Sun explained during the CITExpo exhibition, Aufine – whose name was chosen due to its phonic similarity to the words “all fine” – has recently mulled over the idea of a passenger car tyre factory. According to Sun, Aufine calculates an RMB 700 million investment (£63.6 million) is required to establish a planned factory capable of producing five million passenger car tyres per year. These plans, admittedly, have been laid on ice indefinitely due to the global recession. If and when the Aufine Group finally presses ahead is a decision heavily dependent upon the future development of global markets, not least the US market. Should the decision be made to press ahead with the new factory, the company’s aim is to produce “high quality tyres in China,” David Sun emphasises.

16th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Reflects on Successful Market Debut in China

In general, the largest names in the tyre industry are not present at the China International Tire Expo. This year, however, one of the leading global tyre manufacturers brought its extensive range to CITExpo in Shanghai: Cooper Tire & Rubber. Since the establishment of two joint ventures in China the US based tyre company has also become a leading player in this particular market. As Cooper vice president and general manager for Asia Allen Tsaur emphasised when talking with Tyres & Accessories at CITExpo, the company wants in future to even more heavily focus upon the local Chinese market.

16th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Not Involved in Nizhnekamskshina ‘Investment or Construction’

Following earlier reports that Continental AG is considering producing some of its truck tyres in cooperation with Nizhnekamskshina, a spokesperson for Continental’s truck tyre division explained that the company is: “…not involved in either the construction or investment.” Continental’s representatives refuted rumours that the German manufacturer will establish its own manufacture of light commercial vehicle tyres in Russia after the subsequent close of its Hannover-Stöcken production site in Germany. “We are – as we have said – already providing technology and know-how. The decision as to whether tyres will be manufactured for us there is completely open. If we choose to produce there, it will be to secure a share in the growth of the Russian and CIS markets. We do not intend to produce for other markets,” he continued. The company made it clear that the Continental “technology” delivered to Nizhnekamsk will not be the used production equipment from the Stöcken plant.

15th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Van Tyre Helps Drivers Chill in Extreme Winters

There’s a nip in the air to remind us that winter is heading our way, and soon the cold season’s wet, icy and even snow covered roads will again be a feature of our daily lives. Still, be thankful you live in the UK, where two inches of snow is considered a blizzard. To help van drivers in countries with extremer conditions cope with what winter throws their way, Michelin has introduced the Agilis X-ICE North studded tyre. The new tyre, the manufacturer reports, enables van drivers to “safely overcome obstacles to winter driving while also generating cost savings thanks to its exceptional longevity and outstanding robustness.”

15th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Nizhnekamskshina to Commission 1.2 million Tyre All-Steel Radial Plant

International News

Russian petrochemicals group OAO Tatneft (Kama and Niznekamshina’s parent company) said it is set to expand its tyre manufacturing capacity with the commissioning of a 1.2 million tyres a year all-steel truck and bus radial plant near its existing Niznekamshskina plant in Niznekamsk. The commissioning follows investment of around 17 billion rubles (£362 million; 388 million euros; US$578 million) in line with a plan first conceived in 2006. Increasing demand in this part of the Russian market is said to be behind the move, with Tatarstan truck manufacturer KamAZ Auto Manufacturer lined up as a customer.

According to Tatneft such large-scale construction of a factory from scratch is “really unique in today's Russia” and is part of a strategic investment programme scheduled to continue until 2013 – providing for the “further increase of the Kama-Euro type tyre production.” According to a company statement, Tatneft has implemented major investment projects in this field during the past few years, such as organizing the production of Kama-Euro passenger cars and light truck tyres using Pirelli technology and the construction of a new rubber-mixing complex.

The new plant, which Tatneft refers to as its “SSC Tire Factory” (SSS = Solid Steel Cord) reportedly allows the company to produce tyres which offer 8 per cent more weight capacity and “significantly reduce fuel consumption.” In addition, SSC tyres can reportedly be retreaded up to three times, thus extending potential life up to 500,000 kilometres, says Tatneft.

14th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

“New Opportunities Arising”: RH Claydon Becomes UK Matador Truck, Hankook’s Aurora Supplier

While the economic events of late-2008, carrying on to the present day saw the UK, along with most of the world, assume the default attitude of Dad’s Army’s Private Fraser (NB exclaiming, with wide, fatalistic eyes, “we’re all doomed!”), RH Claydon says that it has seen “healthy advances” in some segments, including agricultural products and tyres required for the Open Space Management Sector, sports complexes, golf courses, parks departments and local authority needs. The company has also announced that it is the sole UK supplier of Matador light and heavy truck tyres.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US’s Lucy’s Tire Expanding Product Mix to Performance Tyres, Wheels as Falcon Tire

Based in Florida, Lucy's Tire Inc began life in 1985, specialising in the sale of industrial and OTR tyres to Central and South America and the Caribbean, but has now expanded its range to include truck, agricultural and high performance tyres and wheels, the last of which it distributes through its Falcon Tire tyre centres throughout its home state.

12th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bond International and International Tyres Helping Sumo Firenza UK Growth

The Sumo Firenza brand of car, high performance and truck tyres reports that it continues to gain strength in Europe and that the UK continues to be a very important market for the company. Manufactured in the Far East incorporating Japanese technology, distribution of the brand is the exclusive preserve of North Yorkshire’s Bond International (passenger car high performance range) and West Midlands-based International Tyres (truck sector), both of whom are said to be helping the Sumo Firenza brand’s growth in the UK.

6th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Destination Europe: More Chinese Products En Route to Europe?

Company News, International News, News

Now President Barack Obama has stuck 35 per cent import duty on all passenger car and light truck tyres from China for the next three years what happens next? Chinese tyre manufacturers won’t want to sell fewer tyres each year. But US importers, consumers and manufacturers are equally unlikely to want to pay or absorb the additional costs. Tyres & Accessories spoke to a range of US, Far Eastern and Chinese companies and found that manufacturers are having to rely heavily on production flexibility, while traders are now setting their sights on one market in particular – Europe.

Stephen Wu, managing director of Chinese tyre trading operation, Best Choice International, reports that orders from the US stopped came to a virtual standstill in July. Their strategy is now openly towards producing more European market orientated products: “We stopped an SUV/LT project and waited for the decision. And we produced more European UHP tyre sizes, not US sizes.” Companies like Best Choice are now prioritising orders in other markets – especially Europe – where they aim to sell the most popular sizes, UHP and winter tyres. Best Choice is apparently interested in other markets as well, but Wu refused to give further details at this time. As far as Best Choice is concerned there is now zero chance of getting orders in the first year of the tariff, except in the 19-inch and over category. As a result competition is likely to be based on just two factors: price and delivery time.

6th October 2009/by Chris