How does a tyre manufacturer grow from nothing to having large-scale international sales and a few percentage points of market share in a country like the UK in just five years? The answer is by starting with a blank piece of paper and by virtue of some strategic acquisitions.
Tyre manufacturer Sailun showed its commitment to the US market by bringing online its tariff-beating Vietnam plant earlier in the year. Now, at an event co-hosted by distributor DistriCash in the picturesque Brittany village, Lohéac, France, the manufacturer has demonstrated its growing response to European markets’ performance demands with its latest ultra-high performance tyre, the Atrezzo ZSR.
As well as raising the profile of its brands in general, Crown Tyre launched its new Evermax brand at Citexpo. According to company representatives, the parent brand Crown Tyre is offering “several new products under its existing Gremax brand, but is also introducing the Evermax name as well.
The Altenzo tyre brand, which is owned by Chinese alloy wheel maker PDW Group, used Citexpo 2014 as the platform for a world-first addition to its UHP range.
The show saw the long-awaited release of the Altenzo Sports Comforter in 245/25 R22, which according to the company makes the firm the first in the world to make this size available for mass production.
Having cemented ninth position in Tyres & Accessories table of leading global tyre manufacturers, Maxxis brought a confident and spacious stand to Hall 3 in Essen, selecting European focused PCR products from its expansive range. While the manufacturer has often focused on affordable ultra-high performance products, it chose to launch its latest fuel efficient model for medium and smaller cars, the Energtra MEco3 at Reifen.
Teijin Aramid has won a 2014 Pirelli Supplier Award. Suppliers receiving the award as those Pirelli considers to offer “outstanding performance and commitment to the business with Pirelli”. According to the manufacturer, Teijin Aramid is the first supplier to receive an award for textile reinforcing material. The award was proudly received by Erik Delnoij, director […]
Federal Tyres has announced its intention to showcase and celebrate its 60th anniversary at Reifen 2014. The Taiwanese manufacturer will display a full range of PCR product lines, which includes UHP, SUV, and winter tyres, as well as its extensive motorsport selection.
Taiwanese manufacturer Nankang (Hall 3, 3B27) has announced its plans to introduce three new tyres designed for European conditions from its stand at Reifen 2014. Targeting different functions and applications, the UHP AS-2, eco-tyre NA-1 and all-season N-607+ will “provide comprehensive capabilities without compromising in comfort,” according to the manufacturer. In addition to the new products, Nankang will shine a spotlight on the ECO-2+, “the first tyre produced in Taiwan to be awarded a TÜV performance mark” the company states, at the exhibition.
Cooper Tire Europe has announced an extension to its range of Zeon CS Sport UHP tyres. The five new sizes – four XL and one standard – are all rated A for wet grip on the EU tyre label, meaning that the CS Sport range continues to offer an A-rating across all sizes and speed variants.
In the previous financial year, Nexen Tire only managed to slightly increase its global turnover. The third-largest Korean tyre maker reported a 2013 turnover of KRW 1.73 trillion (£973.38 million), just 1.3 per cent higher than in 2012. Income also came under pressure. While operating profit amounted to KRW 177 billion (£99.38 million) and lay 1.9 per cent below the previous year’s result, net profit decreased 7.8 per cent to KRW 124 billion (£69.63 million).
Hankook Tire says sales of its UHP tyres were a “key growth driver” in boosting operating profit last year. Accumulated UHP segment sales accounted for 26.5 per cent of Hankook Tire’s entire global sales; UHP tyre sales rose 3.4 per cent year-on-year, growth led by the Chinese and European markets, where accumulated UHP tyre sales rose 13.6 per cent and 12.9 per cent year-on-year respectively.
Marangoni Group once again shared a large stand at Autopromotec, probably the largest in the dedicated retreading section of hall 22.
With regard to retreading, which accounts for most of the group’s business in the Italian market, Marangoni announced that important new additions have been made to the Marix range of retreads. These includinged the MD National Grip 3 for regional heavy transport, and upgraded compounds mainly in the Energeco line for long distance applications. For the earthmoving sector, the MDT Recaflex pattern, available in size 27.00X49 for heavy-duty dumpers has been added. Other products on display include patterns for 4x4s, SUVs and vans, representing a wide range that has been expanded even further.
British prime minister David Cameron visited Pirelli’s factory in Carlisle on Friday 26 April where he met with the chairman and CEO of Pirelli, Marco Tronchetti Provera, as well as Italian Ambassador, Pasquale Terraciano, and chairman of Pirelli Tyres Ltd, Mr Dominic Sandivasci. The prime minister was on a tour to the area as part of his campaigning activities ahead of local elections and incorporated the visit to the Pirelli factory, which in 2011 was awarded a £2 million grant from the Regional Growth Fund.
Although its first quarter sales are down 1.7 per cent year-on-year and 1.3 per cent lower than in the final quarter of 2012, Hankook Tire describes its consolidated sales for January to March 2013 as “well-sustained”, and the company’s bottom line faired well. The company earned global revenues of KRW 1.68 trillion (£975 million) in the first quarter, while operating profit amounted to KRW 254.4 billion (£147.8 million), a 10.4 per cent year-on-year improvement and 14.4 per cent higher than in Q4 2012. The operating profit to sales ratio reached 15.2 per cent.
Last Sunday saw some tightly contested drift battles at the Mondello Motorsport Park, with James Deane coming out on top in the first round of the Irish Drifting Championship. In his Falken sponsored Mazda RX-7, the 21-year-old Irishman saw off rivals Gavin Lenihan and Shane O’Sullivan from Team Japspeed, who took second and third place respectively.
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