Maloya Futura Sport W
Maloya, the Swiss subsidiary of Vredestein, has introduced a W-rated tyre, the Futura Sport W. The tyre comes in two 45-series sizes, for 17″ rims and has a directional tread and silica tread compound.
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Vredestein Ultrac
Product NewsVredestein and Giugiaro have teamed up for a second time to produce a stylish ultra high performance car tyre – the Ultrac. This follows the success of the Giugiaro designed Sportrac, which encouraged Vredestein to ask the Italian design studio to work with them on their first venture into the UHP segment. The result is a variation on a theme, the now familiar extended deep vee tread pattern has been touched by natural influences and now follows a sweeping pattern taken from nature, using the veining of a leaf as inspiration. Many will wonder whether a tread pattern designed by a stylist is as effective as a tread pattern designed by a tyre technician, but by adopting the rule that form follows function, the result is a tyre which appears to perform as well as any of its UHP competitors. The real innovation though is in the compound and the building of the tyres. The Silica Silane compound turned the mixing process into a chemical reaction which had to be time and temperature controlled. Further, the tyre building required an accuracy offered only by new tyre building lines. Vredestein invested some 50 million Euro in production facilities for the Ultrac. It is a venture which leads the Dutch manufacturer into the burgeoning UHP sector, however, MD Rob Oudshoorn told NRZ, “We don’t consider this as a growth market, we see it as another opportunity to sell tyres.”
New MD Announced For Vredestein UK
UK NewsWhen Ian Wilson retires from his post of managing director of Vredestein UK at the end of March, he will be replaced by Bert Stellinga who has been with the company since 1994 and is currently the company’s export manager. Bert will take up the post on 1 April.
New V-Rated Winter Tyre From Vredestein Carries The Load
Product NewsVredestein has introduced the Wintrac V XL, a V-rated winter tyre that has the same load capacity as W, Y and Z-rated summer tyres. With few, if any, winter tyres available at these higher speed ratings, drivers have previously had to fit V-rated winter tyres with lower load-carrying capabilities. The Wintrac V XL will be available for this year’s winter tyre season.
New Sizes for Vredestein
Product NewsDutch tyre manufacturer Vredestein is adding some new sizes to its existing product range, for example the dimension 350/60-16 12 PR TL to the “Flotation+” profile. With the new “Traxion+” sizes 420/70 R 28 and 520 R 38 it is also possible to choose “extra wide” tyres in the most popular horse power categories. Last but not least the “Flotation Pro” in 22.5 inches is now suitable for speeds up to 65 km/h. Additional sizes are also in preparation, such as 600/55 R 26.5, 700/50 R 26.5 and 800/40 R 26.5.
Worse-Than-Expected Figures For Vredestein
Product NewsContrary to earlier forecasts, the Dutch Vredestein group has announced heavy losses for 2001. Sales and profitability on the German tyre market, which are very important factors in Vredestein’s results, are under pressure.
On Its Way To Becoming A Global Tyre Brand
Product NewsVredestein boss Rob Oudshoorn is interested in making the Vredestein brand – already well-known in Europe – a global brand. In Asia, T-Trac and Protrac tyres are produced by sister company Elangperdana Indonesia for use in the Asia region of Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China etc. The Importer Tyreland is the business partner at the other end of the world in New Zealand. This has been learned from the latest company brochure News Flashes which is distributed to the trade. At the moment it is not easy to cover Vredestein stories due to the fact that there is obviously no press office in the Dutch company.
Despite Increase In Turnover, Vredestein In The Red For H1 2001
Product NewsThe Dutch group achieved a slight increase in turnover but reported a loss of 2.9 million Euro compared with a loss of 1.9 million Euro, in the 1st half of last year. As far as the tyre manufacturing in Enschede is concerned, figures remained more or less unchanged. Vredestein is depending very much on the winter-tyre-season in Germany as well as in Switzerland and Austria.
The European Market For Agricultural Tyres – Consolidation At All Levels
Product NewsThe worldwide market for tractors has seen many mergers over recent years but, with four big groups, this now seems to be coming to an end. Consolidation among tractor producers was regarded by their suppliers as a negative move, because the tyre manufacturers knew very well that the pressure on oe prices would intensify. In the European original equipment market for tractors, the three market leaders Michelin (including Kléber), Pirelli and Goodyear have a combined market share of 85 percent. This dominance was threatened in 1994, because the big tyre companies all trusted the (completely wrong)forecasts of their oe customers. Instead of the market contracting, the tractor producers found they could increase their sales. This was the hour of smaller tyre market competitors in the field, such as Continental or Firestone, “oe exotics” like Taurus or Galaxy – and even the hour of some specialist wholesalers: when before had vehicle producers been forced to go to dealers asking for tyres? However, the attack of the smaller tyre competitors was stopped, as the better service of the larger companies asserted itself, and the customer also helped things to return to the status quo. Unlike with car tyres, many buyers order their new tractor fitted with a certain brand of tyre. Because few farmers ask for Titan, Vredestein or Stomil, Pirelli, Goodyear and Michelin/Kléber regained their shares and the market returned to normal, once they had built up enough capacity to satisfy the oe business. Within recent years, market settlement also occurred because the number of independent tyre producers (but not the brands) has dwindled. Specialist producer Taurus (Hungary) and Stomil (Poland) became part of the Michelin group; Barum is a Continental brand. Others were looking for alliances and so the Romanian brand Danubiana (Tofan Grup) was on the wish list of Goodyear, because the US tyre concern found out that it lacked a brand at the economy level. (Later Goodyear managers considered Sava could fit the bill.) The US brand Titan has had a lot of problems in its North American home market and had to sell some niche segments. Israel’s Alliance closed one of two factories, Vredestein suffers under the high prices for raw-materials, Finland’s Nokian even gave the order to Michelin’s Poland plant (Stomil) to produce agricultural tyres because it did not seem sensible to produce this kind of tyre in the Finnish factory. Consolidation in the segment of agricultural tyres has not yet come to an end.
Service From Vredestein
Product NewsWith its Tyre Information Center, Vredestein is offering a special service for tyre specialists. Under the e-mail address info@vredestein.com, the service provides speedy and competent answers to technical questions regarding tyres.
Poor Profits For Vredestein
Product NewsVredestein’s profits for the year 2000 have fallen to only 200,000 Euro (compared with 10.4 million in 1999). High raw material costs and the disappointing sale of winter tyres were cited as the main reasons.
Agritechnica 2001
Product NewsAgritechnica is the largest agricultural exhibition in Europe and the 2001 event was held in Hanover from 13th to 17th November. This year’s show area has increased by 4% to a total of 196,000 square metres and more than 1,300 exhibitors from 30 countries showed their goods and services. The exhibition showcases the latest advances in technology for modern agriculture, including tractors, other agricultural machinery, accessories and spare parts. Included in these are tyre manufacturers who offer agricultural tyres, with such famous names as Continental, Goodyear, Michelin, TWS and Vredestein, among others. Agritechnica usually proves a great draw for those involved in agriculture; this year with 247,000 visitors 9.5% more came through the doors than two years ago, 34,000 of these coming from 100 countries outside Germany, and similar levels were expected this time around. The November date for the show is well-timed, as this is the time of year when many farmers are planning their investments for the coming season.
Vredestein To Produce Bicycle Tyres In Malaysia
Product NewsVredestein BV has announced an imminent joint venture with Fung Keong Rubber Manufactory in Malaysia, for the production of bicycle tyres. Production will take place at a new local site. Ian Wilson, Managing Director, Vredestein UK informed TYRES & ACCESSORIES “The new venture with Fung Keong represents a step forward in the right direction and highlights our policy of continually exploiting lucrative market opportunities.”
Tragedy In Vredestein’s Home Town
Product NewsVredestein’s home town, Enschede, was devastated by the recent explosion in a fireworks factory and subsequent fire. One Vredestein employee, his wife and one child are missing, another employee lost two children and his in-laws. 14 employees lost their houses and another 29 were damaged. Throughout the fire, the Vredestein voluntary fire brigade was active and helped the official firefighters. Obviously tyre production was affected, but was soon back to normal.
J.J.M. Baudoin Leaves Vredestein
Product NewsThe Supervisory Board of Vredestein NV has accepted the wish of J.J.M. Baudoin to leave the company on 1 June 2000. Rob Oudshoorn will be the sole Managing Director of the Dutch tyre maker.
