With Apollo Vredestein’s Enschede factory continuing to expand, and with the Indian parent company having invested around 100 million euros in the European company since the 2009 acquisition, Tyres & Accessories took advantage of its recent visit to Enschede for the opening of Apollo’s new global R&D centre and also have a look at the latest developments at the Dutch tyre factory.
Now in its 60th year of trading, independent wholesaler R H Claydon aims to offer an extensive product portfolio designed to meet the needs of discerning tyre distributors, service providers and end users in the UK and Ireland markets. According to business development and purchasing director John Parker, the agricultural or (off-highway) market is where RH Claydon does best and therefore is the area that the industry judges to be the company’s “core sphere of expertise.”
During an interview with an Indian publication, Apollo Tyres’ chief of India operations commented on plans to establish a Greenfield plant in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region in the near future, while a factory in Eastern Europe may follow a couple of years later. Speaking with the Financial Chronicle, Satish Sharma said a favourable volume outlook was a key motivating factor behind the company’s plans in Asia.
The deadlock between the striking workers and management of Apollo Tyres Ltd continues with both the parties not reaching a consensus over the issue of recognition of the new union at the company's plant at Waghodia, Gujurat, India, reports the online site Business Standard.
The strike, now in its tenth day, is likely to intensify further as workers have decided to go on a daily fast followed by a hunger strike. On the other hand, the company management has intimated to the labour commissioner that they are averse to the idea of recognising the union called Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) formed at the plant.
Rob Oudshoorn, CEO Apollo Vredestein BV, is to leave the company on 31 December 2012 after 18 years as CEO. Luis Ceneviz, currently CEO of Apollo Tyres South Africa has been named as his “intended successor”. According to the company, Oudshoorn will be joining the executive board of the Dutch Company Pon Holdings. Apollo representatives said they wish him “all the best in his new endeavour,” in a statement announcing his departure.
German tuning specialist Gemballa has entered into a supply arrangement with Vredestein; the tyre maker refers to the result as the “ultimate winter tyre package.” Under the partnership with Gemballa, Vredestein will supply winter tyres that accommodate the levels of performance Gemballa vehicles are known for; first tyre to be provided to the tuner is the Wintrac Nextreme SUV, a tyre Vredestein says can “perform as a winter tyre on snow and ice, handles well on dry roads and is able to cope with speeds of up to 300 km/h.”
The Pirelli P Zero has taken top honours in Evo magazine’s annual tyre test. The Pirelli tyre and its rivals from Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Nexen and Vredestein were put through their paces on a circuit in the south of France, where wet handling, dry handling, braking and aquaplaning were assessed, followed by a drive on a mixed road route designed to replicate real world conditions.
Apollo Tyres is one of the brands featured in the CoolBrands book Around the World in 80 Brands, which aims to share stories with opinion formers around the world. Part of an overall concept that includes online seeding and sharing via social media, guest lectures at universities and workshops, the book includes articles about visionary people, smart brands and trendy destinations. “Apollo Tyres is pleased to be part of this global storytelling project,” comments Rob Oudshoorn, CEO of Apollo Vredestein.
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Based in East Yorkshire, point-S member, Tyremen is conspicuously active in the seasonal winter market. Not only is there a dedicated winter tyre and wheel section on the company’s website, but banners advertise both specialist seasonal products and all-season rubber in prominent positions. The retailer says it is “well prepared” for what it predicts will be “a busy winter season in 2012/13”.
Vredestein UK managing director Stuart Jackson also serves as the chairman of TyreSafe, so it is safe to say he is pleased to welcome the safety organisation’s latest member – Vredestein’s parent company Apollo Tyres.
Following last month’s “Panorama” which covered issues relating to illegal tyre dumping, you could be forgiven for thinking this column has gone a bit “Radio Times.” It hasn’t, but it seems tyres are getting far more than their 15 minutes of fame this summer. While last month’s piece looked at the pros and cons of the BBC’s, shall we say, variable TV coverage (which leapt from theme to theme apparently without fully thinking through the lack of linkage between them), this time it was the turn of radio.
Apollo Vredestein, the company behind the Vredestein tyre brand, says recently announced major investments are in line with its focus on continuous sustainable growth, even in economically challenging times. The investments are to be made over the course of 2013 and the company anticipates production capacity for Vredestein agricultural tyres to be some 50 per cent greater when the project is fully implemented. The decision to invest an undisclosed sum in the agricultural sector was made in response to growing demand within the European agricultural market for Vredestein tyres.
Former Apollo Vredestein head of R&D, Peter Becker, has taken on the role of research and development director at Kumho Tyres. Becker’s key task in his new position is the setting up of Kumho’s European Technical Center in Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany, the tyre maker’s replacement for its now-closed centre in Birmingham. The 53-year old will lead Kumho Tyres’ activities in the areas of tyre technology, research and product development and work closely with Kumho’s design teams in Korea, China and North America. The team working under Becker will focus on developing optimal products for the European replacement and original equipment markets.
Several tyre makers have expressed their interest utilising natural rubber sourced from guayule and Russian dandelions, but Apollo Vredestein has announced it has actually produced tyres containing such materials. The company says the first tyres manufactured with European natural rubber rolled off its production belt this week.
Standardisation of the connection between the electricity grid and electrically-chargeable vehicles is one of the prerequisites to help e-mobility gain a viable market share, say leading European associations.
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