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MAI Group Acquires Jinyu OTR Facility

The Mai Group has announced the acquisition of a manufacturing plant and the related technology owned by Shandong Province, China based Jinyu Radial OTR tyres. The Italian company, founded in 1953 as a retreading business, has named the newly acquired manufacturing company “Mai (Shandong) Radial Tyre Co., Ltd.” and described the China facility as a ‘technically advanced radial tyre manufacturing plant with a highly skilled workforce.’ Mai Group also operates a new tyre factory in Turkey, opened in 2005. The Maitech tyre brand is produced at this facility.

29th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Reports Strength in Russian Market

Ellerbrock, the German subsidiary of the Marangoni Retreading Systems Group, has reportedly taken leadership in the Russian truck retread market after a decade of growth. Marangoni report that at least half of Russia’s retreaders are directly supplied with Marangoni/Ellerbrock products.

The size of the market is about 48 million car tyres (including OE) and about 7 million truck tyres (including OE). Over the past three years, truck sales have doubled in a country with over 700,000 kilometres of roads and 30,000 kilometres of expressways and highways. Marangoni says that unofficial but reliable estimates indicate a truck retread market of about 150,000 to 200,000 tyres, of which one third are retreaded locally and two thirds are imported, mostly from Central and Western Europe. Official figures for 2007 indicate 7.3 million units in the European truck retread market, which means that the Russian market accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the overall western, central, and eastern European market.

27th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Increases Prices

Hankook Tire America Corp. is raising prices by up to 8 per cent on its full line of passenger, high performance and light truck tyres and up to 5 per cent on its medium duty truck tyres. The amount of the increase will vary by product line and/or size, and will take effect July 1.

The increase in prices reflects the industry’s sharply rising costs for raw materials and energy consumed in manufacturing and distribution, Hankook said.

14th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Deldo: New Products, New Markets

This year’s Reifen show coincides with 35 years in the business for one of Europe’s leading wholesalers. Located in the vicinity of Europe’s second largest port, Antwerp based company Deldo has much to celebrate as its reaches this milestone. From a four person operation in 1973 Deldo has mushroomed into an outfit that sold 6.5 million tyres last year and experienced an annual turnover of 270 million euros. And all signs indicate this upward trend is set to continue. When Tyres & Accessories visited Deldo in Belgium before the Reifen show, company marketing manager Rutger Veerman expressed confidence in the company’s plans for 2008 and beyond.

A strong current focus for Deldo at present is its private labels. Mr. Veerman reports the company sold 2.5 million Minerva, Fortuna, Sunny and Wanli brand tyres alone in 2007, and preparations are underway for additions to the respective ranges in strategic areas. “Fortuna is really moving as a brand,” comments Veerman. “We will introduce a winter range for next season.” Thirty winter sizes are planned to accompany the high performance range that is currently available in more than 20 sizes between 15 and 18-inches. The focus for Fortuna has been upon passenger car fitments, however light truck tyres are also on their way.

Across the board, the products that continue to sell well for Deldo are those from the 4×4 and UHP segments. “There is a rising demand for UHP,” says the marketing manager. “We are playing a big role in the area of high performance tyres. SUV tyres are also a growth segment for our business.” But these top selling dimensions are not enough on their own to meet the needs of tyre retailers. What sets Deldo aside from many other tyre suppliers, Veerman explains, is the size of range the Belgian company can offer. “Take Wanli, for example. We started as exclusive European supplier in 2002 and since then the size range has grown significantly. There is a new brand from China appearing every week, but most only produce 18 sizes and focus upon UHP – Chinese manufacturers tend to think the European replacement market is between 30 and 40 per cent UHP and thus tend to focus upon this sort of tyre in 17-inch sizes and up. In reality the demand is approximately 5 per cent. The Chinese manufacturers see huge profits in larger sizes, but we tell them that smaller sizes are also needed in a range to sell to European dealers. They need a complete programme.” To illustrate the point, Veerman points to two particular tyre sizes sold by Deldo – the 275/40R20, fitted to 4×4 vehicles such as the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg, and the 155/70R13, a size popular in Southern Europe. As the marketing manager says, there is a huge contrast in size between the two, but both products are necessary.

The UK is the largest market Deldo has for its budget range, with this type of tyre accounting for over 50 per cent of sales. Wanli is the most popular brand Deldo sells here, and approximately 30 to 35 per cent of the company’s total Wanli business goes to the UK. Rutger Veerman points out that, in addition to the comprehensive Wanli size range, Deldo can provide its UK customers advantages rarely found elsewhere. “We see a lot of people in the UK confronted by direct offers from Chinese trading houses for whole container shipments direct to the UK. The price seems okay but customers must pay directly and up front, then they must wait three to four months, and what they send you is always a surprise!” At Deldo, he adds, a customer can ask for as little as three or four tyres and receive them within a week. “Many people are coming back and are prepared to pay a little more for service and flexibility.”

The numerous new tyre brands springing up in China and making their way into international markets has led to a degree of suspicion regarding the quality of Chinese manufactured products, sometimes for good reason. It is important, however, not to tar everything from China with the same brush, and Mr. Veerman points out that ensuring the quality of its Chinese made brands is an important issue. Using the example of Wanli, he comments: “Their new factory in Guangzhou is equipped with machinery produced by VMI in Holland, and the facility is very modern. We see that much money and energy is invested into research and development, and several ISO certifications have resulted from this. All products are e-marked, and perhaps most importantly, we co-operate with TÜV for independent testing, and TÜV co-operates with the research and development department.

“We are playing the role of a coach,” Veerman adds. “We know the market and what Europeans need.” With guidance from Deldo providing valuable direction in terms of what sizes and patterns should be produced, the factory has seen many improvements. “We are investing a lot of money into this, and it is really making a difference.”

Regular deliveries through Deldo’s own transport company, Tyretrans, ensure that tyres arrive at the customer quickly. In the Benelux countries Deldo is able to offer a 24 hour service, and the UK, France, Germany, Italy and some other European countries are serviced by several weekly deliveries. “Having our own fleet (currently 50 trucks and 80 trailers) means a lot of freedom and flexibility,” comments Veerman. “As we also purchase some tyres within Europe we have the flexibility to deliver tyres to a particular location and also purchase some. The ability to load and unload with our own fleet makes our operations more cost efficient, including a service aspect.” And speaking of deliveries, the Deldo marketing manager adds that a growing trend is towards Just in Time and express deliveries, a service currently popular in Germany and several other European destinations. Small orders – two, four, six pieces and more – can be shipped across Europe within 24 or 48 hours.

With orders coming in from multiple European countries it is necessary to have a sales team that reflects the markets served. According to Rutger Veerman, the sales team currently includes representatives from approximately 12 nationalities, ensuring that customers can always talk business in their own language. This is a necessary point if the company intends to enter new markets, he adds. “We now have some people from Poland, Hungary and Russia on our team, we are acquiring the tools to enter these markets in a decent way.” Deldo has been active in these three countries for about several years now, and as an added incentive is offering customers there an “all-in package” that includes handling all logistics if requested.

All in all, the Deldo marketing manager expresses that definite growth potential exists for the company in Eastern Europe. “There are lots of opportunities there. Confidence in Chinese brands is also growing; the perception of ‘made in China’ has traditionally been lower there but it is growing. Eastern Europe is definitely a focus market, where we want to grow in the next three to five years.”

Deldo’s presence at the Reifen 2008 show will include a new 140 square metre stand, where clients and prospective clients can view the latest products and price offers whilst enjoying a glass of fine Belgian beer and national delicacies. The Deldo stand will be located in Hall 2, stand 404.

12th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrexpo Africa Continues to Grow

The second staging of the Tyrexpo Africa exhibition was generally perceived to be successful by exhibitor companies, who welcomed an increased number of industry buyers and delegates at the recent exhibition in Johannesburg. Tyres & Accessories was there and this month brings you the exhibitor highlights in the context of the current business environment.

Independently audited figures released by show organiser ECI International confirm a healthy six per cent increase in visitor numbers, up to 2,478 compared to the inaugural event in 2006. 130 exhibitors occupied around 5,000 sq.m of exhibition space in the Sandton Convention centre, with a 40/60 split between African suppliers and those from overseas. China, with 35 individual exhibitors, was the major presence, heading a truly international line-up made up of more than 60 different countries.

South Africa is a middle-income emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well developed financial, legal, communications and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centres throughout the country.

However, growth has not been strong enough to lower South Africa’s high unemployment rate and the daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era – especially poverty and lack of monetary empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic focusing on targeting inflation and liberalising trade as a means to increase job growth and household income – which means there is definite opportunity for those willing to do business here.

One example of a company that has thrived in these conditions is South Africa’s Chemvulc Marketing, which celebrated 30 years in business at the show. Sales director Danny Kirsten were positive about their involvement in the show: “Being able to meet visitors from Africa and the surrounding countries face to face was a big plus as in some cases we were not aware of their business ventures. Another factor was that we were able to meet and conduct business with a number of international customers.”

A further satisfied business was Imex Tyres, who commented: “Our attendance at the expo has brought us major enquiries relating to various exports opportunities as well as new business prospects for our markets. We’ll be back in 2010.”

And Srinivasan Ramamurthy, head of international marketing for Elgitread of India commented: “We kept busy up on the second day of the show with quality enquiries from prospective customers and were able establish many new contacts.

Another company who will be returning for the next show in two years time is Dutch retreader and wholesaler Bandenmarkt, managing director Leen van’t Hof has already confirmed a doubling of stand space for 2010. He said: “Participating in Tyrexpo Africa was a pleasure. After the initial event in 2006, was somewhat visitor light, this year’s event was very well supported.

Joaquin Gonzalez, chief operating officer for Tire Group Inc of the United States, said he hoped the show would help expand his company’s trading presence in the region. “The Africa show, without a doubt, was a complete triumph for us, due to the high number of new customer leads that it generated.”

Up and up

Rowena Suthers, sales director for ECI, believes that the exhibition is growing in stature after a second successful staging: “The general feedback from exhibitors and visitors was that the show was a good deal better than 2006 and certainly growing in stature. The second day proved the busiest and again exhibitor feedback recognised the quality rather than quantity of visitors, which is generally in line with our other events in the UK and Asia.

“We have been very encouraged by the feedback so far and will be working hard to continue its development as a major event in the African tyre industry calendar. Tyrexpo Africa will be back in two years time, in March 2010,” she confirmed.

Exhibition stands at Tyrexpo Africa 2008 were of a particularly high calibre, reflecting substantial investment from principals, especially by Bandag, which celebrated its 50th anniversary at the show by winning the Platinum Award for Best Stand Design. Other winners were CFP Tyres, which clinched the Gold and Tandem/Techking Tyres and Tubestone, who shared the Silver award.

Overall, the show reflected a keen emphasis on OTR tyres for the important mining and construction industry in South Africa. Retreading companies such as Leadertread, Imex, and Elgitread, recognised this trend by emphasising specialist materials for the OTR and earthmoving sector. There was also a strong showing of passenger and truck tyres.

The workshop and depot equipment side of the business was better represented than in 2006, with a comprehensive presence from machinery and equipment suppliers including: Leaderquip, Snap-On, Wheelquip, Syco Machinery and Hofmann Megaplan.

The only consistent disappointment expressed by exhibitors and visitors was the absence of major domestic tyre manufacturers, who visited the show as delegates but did not feel able to support their industry by exhibiting.

8th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

International Operations Outshine Domestic For Cooper Tire

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co has reported a first quarter net income of $2 million on 31 March 2008. Net sales for the period were $679 million, an increase of $10 million over the prior year. According to the company, the increased revenues were driven by volumes in the International segment. Industry observers calculated that the $2 million figure represents a 92 per cent fall in first-quarter net income, with the Retuers news agency highlighting the fact that the company’s “headwinds” are exacerbated by a doubling of costs related to liability claims. For its part, Cooper conceded that the company has faced similar challenges to other North America-based businesses including “increased raw material costs, increased products liability costs, and decreased sales volumes in North America.

Cooper shares fell 96 cents (7 per cent) to $12.75, below the stock’s earlier 52-week low of $12.85, in response to the results.

Cooper’s North American Tire generated sales of $498 million, down 3 per cent from 2007’s record first quarter, and $8 million in operating profit which was considerably below the first quarter of 2007 ($28 million, an increase of $34 million over the first quarter of 2006). The segment’s decrease in sales, compared to the first quarter of 2007, was reportedly the result of lower unit volumes partially offset by improved mix. The largest volume decreases were in the areas of economy passenger and light truck tyres.

8th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone’s First Quarter Net Profits Down 18.4%

Bridgestone has reported an 18.4 per cent fall in first quarter net profits, compared with the same period a year ago. The company cited slow US demand and the strengthening yen as reasons for the slower performance. Net profits dropped to 22.96 billion yen ($220 million; 143 million euros; 111 million) from 28.14 billion yen in the same period last year. Meanwhile revenue rose 3.6 per cent to 797.84 billion yen ($7.7 billion; 5 billion euros; 3.98 billion pounds) thanks to steady sales in Japan and Europe. Sales in Japan account for almost 40 per cent of the company’s total revenue.

Sales in Europe increased 5 per cent over the previous first quarter to 126.6 billion yen ($1.3 billion, 612 million), while operating income decreased 75 per cent to 1.1 billion yen ($11 million, 5.32 million) due in part to increasing raw material costs and sales expenses.

8th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

‘More Muscle, Less Fat’

Continental has unveiled its new HTR2 “second generation” trailer tyre at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham. With 20 per cent more rubber in the tread area and new steel belt and bead designs, Continental claims the HTR2 offers the best rolling resistance in the segment and better retreadability than ever before. The HTR2 will be available immediately, initially in 385/65 R22.5. The rollout will then start with 22.5 and 19.5 sizes, with a wider selection following in the months and years to come.

Tyres & Accessories met with Continental Commercial Vehicle Tires executives Dr Michael Korpiun, marketing director; Bernd Kort, director product development and industrialisation; and Geert Roik, senior vice president research and development and asked what the strategy behind the product overhaul is?

In Dr Michael Korpiun’s words, the thinking behind the new tyre is “more muscle, less fat.” Throughout the discussion it was clear that the launch of the HTR2 is just the beginning of much larger and more far reaching refreshing of the company’s truck tyre portfolio. In other words, the launch of the HTR2 is the first part of a two-year programme that will see the manufacturer replace 60 per cent of its truck range in the next two years.

Increased carcass rigidity, better air retention (both in order to improve rolling resistance) and additional mileage appear to be the key characteristics that will be reflected throughout the new range. However, in addition to improved rolling resistance, mileage and retreadability, the increased rigidity in the new tyre line also reflects the company’s intention to market the tyres in “non-standard markets.”

According to the Continental executives T&A spoke to, the new tyres will be produced “as close as possible to the customer.” To be clear, for UK and European customers this means the tyres they are supplied will be produced in “Europe”

Moving on to a more OE perspective T&A asked if, in light of the news that certain Chinese manufacturers are integrating RFID chips into tyre production (see this month’s International Tyre Market Section for more on this), Continental and the other European premium manufacturers are likely to follow suit.

“RFID is a very old question,” Geert Roik answered, explaining that certain OEMs were enquiring into this technology four or five years ago. Apparently, in the west at least, the problem has always been finding an OEM willing to pay for the additional components. In the Far East where the cost base is lower and the quality is so much more variable, they have an added incentive to utilise this technology, Roik continued. According to the Commercial Vehicle Tires vice-president of research and development (whose role also covers OE), Continental’s position is clear – “if someone is willing to pay for RFID, we can immediately deliver this.”

New tyre ‘lowest rolling resistance in class’

Continental puts the increased performance offered by the HTR2 down to three new technologies incorporated in the trailer tyre’s design – the tread, the bead/belt construction, and the inner liner.

First, the new stabilizer belt, based on a triangular geometry, stiffens the structure of the HTR2 to minimize the rolling resistance and improve the durability of the carcass. The steel-reinforced bead construction better withstands raw forces acting on the trailer better and ensure secure seating of the tyre on the rim – which itself helps to maintain good rolling resistance.

The HTR2’s tread contains 20 per cent more rubber, resulting in an effective tread depth 17 millimetres. The tyre’s larger contact patch is designed to aid even wear, resulting in the high mileage performance.

The HTR2’s patented “Air-Keep” inner liner deserves particular attention at this point. According to the company, an “Air-Keep” inner liner holds tyre pressure at an optimum level for up to 50 per cent longer than standard materials. Fitting the new liner has a beneficial secondary effect too: as less air is able to escape through the tyre, less tyre oxidation occurs, making the tyre significantly less sensitive to the aging process.

Continental truck tyres have a particularly reputation for being low weight products, so with extra rubber and extra steel belting, an even more stringent focus was placed on the new tyre’s weight. The result is that the HDR2 is only 5-6 kilograms heavier than its predecessor, a negative feature company representatives say is cancelled out by the products other strengths such as increased strength, durability and improved rolling resistance performance. On this note Bernd Korte, director of product development and industrialisation, pointed out that the tyre was already lighter than the rest before the ‘second generation’ construction upgrades. Nevertheless, the HDR2 is said to remain amongst the lightest products of its kind.

Finally, at the end of its life, the enhanced construction reportedly increases the tyre’s retreadability, effectively lowering its total costs.

Sale of CV division ‘still an option’

In spite of all the good news – increased sales and market share/new products – coming from Continental, this is all set against a somewhat more cautionary backdrop. A comment made by the Continental AG CFO during the company’s recent corporate conference call indicates the German manufacturer still considers the sale of its truck tyre division as an option for the future. According to Forbes report, Dr. Alan Hippe said: “Should the division be unable to reach the targeted margin, we will have to consider a divestment.” However Dr. Hippe added he doesn’t foresee such a transaction occurring in the short-term.

Conti results released on 29 April state that the Commercial Tire division attained sales of 328.4 million euros during the first quarter of 2008, a decrease of 4.7 per cent on the previous year. Upon releasing the quarter’s figures Executive Board chairman Manfred Wennemer commented, “In the Commercial Tires division, we implemented measures to again significantly improve the margin.” However the unit’s adjusted EBIT margin was 3.8 per cent for the quarter, well below Continental’s adjusted EBIT margin target of 10 per cent for all divisions by 2010.

The previous week Mr. Wennemer also made comments to the effect that the division’s position within Continental was under scrutiny. “We’ve been looking at that division for some years now, and as before, I don’t want to rule out we’re selling off the division,” he said.

7th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Debuts 4 Tyres at CV Show

2008 is shaping up to be a yet another year of growth for Hankook. The South Korean manufacturer arrived at the CV show armed with several new products, indicating it is indeed taking its plans to increase market share in the commercial sector very seriously. During the three days at the Birmingham NEC visitors had the opportunity to inspect no less than four brand new truck tyres, products Hankook says kick off a series of tyre launches planned for the remainder of the year.

An all-new low profile premium steer axle tyre, the size 295/80R22.5 AH22, headed the list of new products displayed by Hankook. Company representatives report that this tyre, which also serves as an all position fitment for coach and bus fleets, delivers excellent performance in both wet and dry conditions. In terms of the tyre’s durability Hankook points to its tread depth of 16mm as one of a number of features making the AH22 a genuinely robust choice of tyre for heavy vehicles that cover considerable distances. The tyre is also available in size 315/80R22.5.

6th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

GITI Tire Show Fleet Offering at CV Show

GITI Tire Europe staff characterised the company’s CV show presence as the UK-debut of the manufacturer’s electronic fleet management system. However, it also forms part of a wider programme of increased market visibility, culminating in investment in another show stand at the key Reifen show in Essen, Germany later this month.

When, towards the end of 2007, GITI Tire booked its stand for this year’s CV show, company representatives told Tyres & Accessories that GITI Europe has invested a “significant amount” in publicising the company’s ever-increasing range of truck and bus tyres at the show. The decision to place the booth right opposite the Michelin and ATS Euromaster stands, and a short walk from the Continental and Bridgestone spaces certainly did not go unnoticed. And while every company T&A spoke to had a handful of reasons why they shouldn’t fear any new competition, it is clear that many were surprised at the range and depth of the programme the Chinese manufacturer had on offer.

6th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Reaches Back for New HP Sales Manager

Joe Jordan has returned to Toyo Tire USA Corp as national sales manager for high performance and specialty light truck tyres. Jordan worked for Toyo from 1991 to 2000 before operating his own tyre and wheel accessory store near San Diego.

In his new role, Jordan will manage sales and training programs for the ultra high performance and specialty light truck tyres as well as support marketing and promotional efforts surrounding the products. (Tire Review/Akron)

1st May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sale of Conti’s Truck Tyre Division Still an Option

A comment made by the CFO of Continental AG during a conference call indicates the German manufacturer still considers the sale of its truck tyre division an option for the future. According to a report published by Forbes, Dr. Alan Hippe said, “should the division be unable to reach the targeted margin, we will have to consider a divestment.” However Dr. Hippe added he doesn’t foresee such a transaction occurring in the short-term.

According to results Conti released on April 29, the company’s Commercial Tire division attained sales of 328.4 million euros during the first quarter of 2008, a decrease of 4.7 per cent on the previous year. Upon releasing the quarter’s figures Executive Board chairman Manfred Wennemer commented, “In the Commercial Tires division, we implemented measures to again significantly improve the margin.” However the unit’s adjusted EBIT margin was 3.8 per cent for the quarter, well below Continental’s adjusted EBIT margin target of 10 per cent for all divisions by 2010.

30th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Shrinking a Giant

Michelin has in the past year launched a range of initiatives that contribute to the company’s aim of substantially reducing the carbon footprint of its tyres from the first stage of production, to their use on the road, right through to the tyre’s eventual disposal at the end of their lives. These end-to-end efficiencies will require continuous investment, but are expected to create great environmental benefits.

One initiative is the MEF (Michelin sites Environmental Footprint) programme, which includes a number of ambitious objectives for Michelin’s factories to reach by a target deadline of 2011. These include a reduction of energy consumption by 7 per cent, water usage by 10 per cent, CO2 by 10 per cent, other harmful emissions by 25 per cent and materials going to landfill by 60 per cent.

The first step towards these goals was taken at Michelin’s headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent, where a combined programme of heat and power reduction was implemented. The tyre major followed this up with the installation of two wind turbines at its Dundee manufacturing plant, greatly reducing the site’s dependency on fossil fuels. In the time they have been running, the turbines have generated enough carbon free electricity to power the nearby city for a month. The use of green power generation methods is currently under consideration for other Michelin sites in the UK and abroad.

24th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tires & Rubber Offers a Russian Podium

Today, when we think about the Russian market, two thoughts are most likely to arise in the minds of most Western Europeans. First, Russia is, or at least will be, a giant tyre market; and, second, most of us don’t know that much about this market and its players. One of the reasons we don’t know much about the Russian tyre market although it is so large in size is that there are almost no tyre exports from Russia and the CIS states into Western Europe, in particular for the passenger car tyre segment. It appears that the Russian tyre market is still locked up as if the iron curtain remained firmly in place, although admittedly Russia is absorbing ever more tyre imports from the West. As a matter of fact, not many well-established relationships exist between Western tyre manufacturers and wholesalers (or even retailers) with companies in Russia. What we hear and know is that the market is currently developing at such a speed that any company must maintain a certain level of persistence in order to stay in the game. The “Tires & Rubber” exhibition, which took place in Moscow from March 4 to 7, nourishes the idea that common ventures and established relations between Russian and Western European tyre market players are still a rare thing, although we can see that Russia is – step by step – emerging from the dark and entering the international scene.

18th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Invests £14 million in Ballymena Tyre Plant

Northern Ireland Economy Minister Nigel Dodds has announced a £14 million investment in manufacturing and staff training at Michelin’s Ballymena plant. The Ballymena truck and bus tyre plant manufactures products that are primarily exported to North America and Europe. According to the company, the investment will enable Michelin to maximise production efficiency through the introduction of “automated” machinery alongside a targeted training programme for all staff.

No precise details about what equipment the manufacturer will purchase have been released, however a statement on the subject said 11 separate projects would be initiated including the installation of “the latest automated production lines.”

17th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors