Yinbao Tyre Group, a company that has been manufacturing tyres in China for 20 years now, is aiming to grow sales in mainland Europe. The decision comes around a year after the US renewed its policy of levying import tariffs against Chinese renewed products and thus made it impossible for some Chinese tyre makers to continue to do business in the US.
Western European manufacturers’ complaints that their products have been copied in the Far East are well reported. However, Shandong Yinbao Group is one of a select few Chinese tyre manufacturers that have suffered product piracy too.
According to international marketing manager Gavin Liu, the Shouguang-based Yinbao Group recently discovered that its growing off-the-road (OTR) product range was being copied, with the pirates making use of the company’s Goodtyre name: “We have found some faked tyres recently in the market copying the Goodtyre brand name of OTR products – which is both damaging and illegal.” Fighting back in a letter to customers, Yinbao representatives wrote: “Companies and people who undermine the interests of clients and reputation of our group will be investigated for legal responsibility according to law.”
The Shandong Yinbao Tyre Group is set to embark on a programme of international expansion. Established in 1994, the company has become a famous name in China, designing, manufacturing and marketing tyres and inner tubes for the domestic market, under the brand names GoodTyre, Yinbao and Huibao. The product range is extensive and includes truck, agricultural and industrial tyres, as well as giant OTR tyres, for example, size 36.00 R51, plus a range of inner tubes. Products are already exported to over 50 countries, but the company, under the direction of chairman Mr. Yonghua Liu, has decided that the time is right to concentrate more on developing export business.
Manufacturing is carried out at three plants in China and Shandong Yinbao has built up a network of distributors to handle sales outside China. The products are all DOT, ECE, INMETRO and SNI approved, among others. As well as adopting a policy of continuous quality improvement, the company is dedicated to extending the life of its tyres and, as an example, its website proudly mentions the fact that the company’s heavy-duty, radial truck tyres are capable of running for 200,000 kilometres.
Chinese OTR tyre manufacturer, Yinbao Group, has reported that its giant bias OTR tyres (4000-57) are achieving service lifetimes in excess of 4000 hours. Yinbao Group highlights one particularly example of a 4000-57 tyre the company shipped to South Africa last year and which is still in “good service” despite being in operation and exceeding 4000 hours to date. Another product (in size 45/65-45) has reportedly been in use for more than one year.
Although the domestic Chinese tyre market is growing at an enormous rate, export markets are also offering an ever more tempting business opportunity for tyre manufacturers from China. In light of major production over-capacities in particular in the PC tyre segment European and American tyre markets almost assure profitable and relatively easy growth perspectives to Chinese tyre companies. The Yinbao Tyre Group for example is one company that is currently adjusting its own growth strategy towards a more international standing. The company is based in the city of Shouguang in Shandong province. Export manager Sino He explains that the company, which was founded in 1994 has sold its truck, OTR and industrial tyres on the domestic market until very recently. It is offering the tyre brands Goodtyre, Yinbao and Huibao.
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