Page last updated at May 10, 2012 10:26:35 AM
Hangzhou Zhongce largest tyremaker in China
Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company (ZC Rubber) was China’s largest tyre maker in 2011, according to figures published by the China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA).
China to focus on green tyre output over coming three years
Fan Rende, chairman of the China Rubber Industry Association, shares that China has launched a plan to develop ‘green’ tyres. The plan calls for half of China’s tyre makers to be capable of manufacturing fuel-efficient tyres by the end of the country’s current five year guideline in December 2015, and for half of these tyre makers’ output to be green tyres by the same date.
Growth in quality, rather than scale, needed for China’s tyre industry
If you were to look back on the rising presence of Chinese tyres in recent times, you’d be mistaken for thinking manufacturers in the People’s Republic view the world as their oyster and the future as all good. Yet tyre makers in China are not insulated from the economic troubles we’ve experienced since 2008. Last year, China’s economic growth slowed and imports are currently increasing at a greater rate than exports. On top of all this,...
New warehousing facility for Sailun
Recent growth in European market sales across both the passenger car and radial truck tyre sectors has led to an upgrade of the Sailun’s tyre logistics strategy.
According to the company, in order to meet increased demand and to maintain service level agreements and delivery standards, Sailun has opened a new enhanced warehousing facility next to its Qingdao research, development, testing and manufacturing centre.
Triangle-hosted tyre lab an “open platform” for innovation in China
According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, last year the country spent RMB 861 billion (£85.7 billion) on research and development, a figure equal to 1.83 per cent of its gross domestic product. One area of investment was work towards establishing around 100 ‘National Engineering Laboratories’ that will specialise in facilitating innovation in a range of industries. The interests of China’s tyre industry will be served by a...
Groundbreaking held for Conti’s Hefei plant expansion
On 28 March Continental celebrated the groundbreaking of not just one, but two tyre factories. Along with the new plant in the US state of South Carolina, reported yesterday by Tyrepress.com, the company broke ground on extensions to its passenger car factory in Hefei, China. The project calls for a 134 million euro investment, and this will allow for a doubling of capacity to eight million passenger car tyres per annum. Hefei plant output...
Double Star embarks on “Rainbow” tyre production
At the end of 2011 Double Star Tires based in Qingdao, Shandong province, China announced plans to produce a range of multi-coloured tyres. According to local news reports, Double Star has dared to differ from the overwhelming trend towards manufacturing black tyres having developed a patented process to make tyres of any colour. This range has been appropriately dubbed “Rainbow” and is set for imminent market release.
Shandong Ling Long praised for Chinese volleyball support
Shandong Ling Long has been honoured in its home country for its sponsorship of China’s National Women’s Volleyball Team. The tyre maker was recognized during a China Central Television Sports Marketing Forum at the 7th annual Top Ten Classic Cases of Sports Marketing Awards. This marketing forum is said to be one of the country’s top national meetings and is widely known as the ‘Chinese Davos’, according to Ling Long.
Continental opens China winter test centre
The official opening of Continental’s new winter test centre in China’s Heilongjiang Province was held on 23 February. The Heihe-based facility, operated by the company’s Chassis & Safety Division, is located in what Conti calls a “favourable environment for cold weather testing” and is made up of a 7 million square metre lake and 30,000 square metre land area. The Heihe winter test centre is the German company’s fourth ABS and ESC...
Taiwan's tyremakers seek growth in China
According to CENS, growing demand for car tyres in China is expected to continue soaring, and Taiwanese tyre-makers are ready to take advantage of the opportunity. For example, Cheng Shin expects to see 10 to 20 per cent revenue growth this year, according to some institutional investors said. Other tyre-makers Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., Nankang Rubber Tire Corp., Hwa Fong Rubber Ind., Ltd. and Federal Tire Corp., are also looking at increased...
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DfT to investigate hubs following MWS research
Following research by Motor Wheel Service last month that showed commercial wheels sustaining undetected damage when fitted to non-standard hubs, the Department for Transport has stated that it will undertake independent testing to verify the... -
Trelleborg extends TM100 range
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has added two new sizes to its TM100 tyre range designed for row-crop applications - the 380/90R50 151A8 (151B) and 380/90R54 158A8 (158B). As a result the Trelleborg TM100 range is now available in 11 sizes from 32 to 54... -
Commuter bikes offer only good news as two-wheel registrations dip 3.5%
The latest motorcycle and scooter registration figures show sales overall were down 3.5 per cent last month compared with April 2011. Under 50cc scooter sales were down the most (9.6%) in April, while over 50cc motorcycle decreased by 2.5 per cent.... -
High performance tyres, high performance service
High performance cars require high performance tyres - obviously. What’s not quite as obvious is that today’s tough market conditions are sharpening the motorist’s eye for real value and service - especially in the more discerning and therefore... -
DAF selects Goodyear low rolling resistance tyres
DAF has selected Goodyear Marathon + low rolling resistance tyres for standard equipment on its latest Advanced Transport Efficiency (ATe) trucks. According to the tyre manufacturer, the news comes as a result of the partnership between the two... -
High speed comfort from Firenza
The Firenza high performance brand has steadily grown within this competitive sector and is now a popular choice with discerning drivers who insist on a combination of speed, comfort and safety at a realistic price level. The company reports that its... -
Michelin expands CerexBib line-up
Two new sizes have joined Michelin’s CerexBib agricultural tyre range, and the French manufacturer says these additions will address the “emerging needs of entrepreneurs, farmers and grain producers.” The latest CerexBib fitments are IF 800/70 R... -
First overseas Pro-Align award winner announced
Fastlane Ltd in Malta has been awarded Pro-Align’s Alignment Centre of the Month for April – the first time the accolade has been awarded outside of the UK. Paul Beaurain, managing director, Pro-Align, said: “Fastlane is resolute about being the... -
GT Radial launches truck retread at “successful” CV Show
GT Radial launched its new truck products the GSR220 steer tyre and the GDL617 drive tyre from its stand at the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show at the Birmingham NEC, but it was the company’s Ree Tread tyre – its first commercial retread tyre –... -
New Ecsta Le Sport – designed for top European marques
Kumho’s new Ecsta LE Sport KU39 is an asymmetric ultra high performance tyre designed for Europe’s top car marques; the manufacturer reports the tyre was developed using the latest KADAS prediction tools and on Europe’s most demanding test...
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Institution of Mechanical Engineers welcomes Vauxhall decision
Philippa Oldham, head of transport and manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, welcomed Vauxhall’s decision on the new Astra production. “This is welcome news for Merseyside, and for UK manufacturing as a whole. The UK car... -
Kwik Fit doubles apprentice intake to 320 in 2012
Kwik Fit has announced that it will take on 320 apprentices in 2012, more than double the company’s intake of 120 in 2011. The firm will offer the two year schemes to 16-18 year olds in locations throughout the UK. The announcement coincided with... -
New Vauxhall Astra to be produced in UK; £125m invested
Vauxhall has confirmed that production of its new Astra model will take place at its Ellesmere Port, Cheshire manufacturing plant – the lead plant of two in Europe building the model. The decision was made after Vauxhall’s workforce signed a new... -
Toyo tyres OE on new Mazda CX-5
Toyo Proxes R36 tyres have been chosen as original equipment for the new Mazda CX-5 compact SUV. The 225/55 R19 99V Proxes R36 are said to complement the Skyactiv technology introduced on the Mazda CX-5. Skyactiv technology, which is described as a... -
Bridgestone says Russian Dandelions may be sustainable source of Natural Rubber
Bridgestone Corporation reports that recent research conducted by its Bridgestone Americas operations may indicate that the Russian Dandelion can become a commercially viable, renewable source of high-quality, tyre-grade rubber. -
Thornleigh fleet gets a Hankook makeover
Thornleigh Freight has announced it is overhauling the look of some of its vehicles, turning them into a striking Hankook branded fleet. Thornleigh Freight has worked with Hankook for over 10 years and has recently signed a new contract to store and... -
ATS Euromaster rewarded for van fleet service development
Birmingham-based ATS Euromaster has been presented with the Innovation Award for the second year in succession at the Van Fleet World Honours 2012. The company was commended by the publication for its “highly progressive approach” to van fleet... -
NDI appoints TRS Tyre and Wheel Ltd as New Zealand distributor
Nordisk Dæk Import A/S (NDI) has appointed New Zealand’s TRS Tyre and Wheel Ltd as its AP+ Dual Wheels distributor in the region. The decision took effect in May 2012. According to NDI, the company’s AP+ Dual Wheels are a “resounding success”... -
Point S UK reflects on successful 2011, seeks new members
Over 70 Point S UK members, staff and suppliers gathered in Solihull yesterday to reflect on the independent retail network’s development in 2011 and plans for 2012. At the end of 2011 Point S UK had 45 members and 125 points of sale. And although... -
Lanxess confirms FY forecast; EU label expected to stimulate business
At the company’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting on 15 May, Lanxess CEO Axel C. Heitmann stated that the specialty chemicals firm remains on course for growth in 2012. “We will continue to pursue our successful strategy of focusing on dynamic...
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Infinity at CV Show with UK distributor RH Claydon
Infinity Tyres’ truck products were recently displayed at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC, Birmingham. The manufacturer said that the brand’s presence on the stand was a measure of its support of the UK market and its authorised UK and... -
Tyres & Accessories April 2012
All the news, features and reviews you expect from Tyres & Accessories are available for subscribers to view in e-magazine format. Simply click more to read the April edition, which includes features on the forthcoming Reifen Messe Essen, TPMS and... -
Michelin publishes online truck tyre labelling guide
Michelin has launched a dedicated truck tyre labelling information module on its website. The site aims to present all the information fleet operators need to know about the legislation, including why it is being introduced, what tyres it covers, an... -
Institution of Mechanical Engineers welcomes Vauxhall decision
Philippa Oldham, head of transport and manufacturing at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, welcomed Vauxhall’s decision on the new Astra production. “This is welcome news for Merseyside, and for UK manufacturing as a whole. The UK car... -
New models drive new car sales in Europe - JATO
Following the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association report on passenger car registrations, market research company JATO Dynamic has added its new car sales analysis for the region. The headline figures are declines of 6.1 per cent in...
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Lassa producer Brisa investing US$117.5 million to expand tyre capacity in 2012
Brisa, the company producing Lassa brand tyres in a joint venture between Bridgestone and the Sabanci Group, has announced it will invest US$117.5 million expanding its tyre manufacturing units in Izmit, Turkey. The investment figure exceeds the $110 million of investment that was reported at the start of April. -
Nexen increases Italian market focus
Hot on the heels of the news that growing Korean tyre manufacturer Nexen has secured OE supply to Fiat, the firm has revealed details of its plans to expand in the well-known marques domestic Italian market. With a replacement market potential of over 30 million tyres a year in the passenger car segment, Nexen has suggested Italy is one of its key countries for expansion in Europe. -
Yokohama Tire Corporation debuts Mexico website
Yokohama Tire Corporation has launched a new Spanish-language website for Mexico. “The website is designed to meet the needs of our growing customer base in Mexico,” said John Cooney, Yokohama's director of export. “It has been customised with many of the features found on our English-language website in the US, including an interactive dealer locator, interactive product ‘hot spots’ and downloadable bulletins in Spanish. These... -
Gentipak to produce motorcycle tyres
Comments made in Pakistan’s Express Tribune indicate the General Tyre and Rubber Company of Pakistan, also known as Gentipak, plans to enter the motorcycle tyre market in mid 2012. The Karachi-based tyre maker, which produces passenger car radials under the General and Euro brand names and cross-ply tyres for light trucks, trucks and agricultural vehicles, recently invested Rs500 million (£3.5 million) expanding its production facility and... -
Report: Cheng Shin, Kenda earnings to grow fast in 1Q 2012
Taiwan-based tyre makers including Cheng Shin Rubber Ind. Co. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., are expected to see substantial growth in earnings in the first quarter of 2012 due to declines in raw material prices, particularly natural rubber. Furthermore, according to Taiwan Economic News, the European sovereign debt crisis means tyre manufacturers have slashed inventories to get rid of the risk in the prices of stocked goods. -
Hankook establishes new subsidiary in Poland
Hankook Tire has established an additional subsidiary in Europe. The opening of the company’s Polish branch in Warsaw is in keeping with the growing demand for Hankook tyres in the European markets. “Thanks to our new subsidiary in Poland we are now also able to provide full service to our partners and customers in the 6th largest tyre market in the European Union. This is in-line with Hankook’s strategy of close market and customer... -
New trade deal will aid US doing tyre business with South Korea
TIA says that the renewed free trade deal with South Korea is a good deal for the U.S. tyre market. President Obama signed the renewal of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which was part of a trade pact originally agreed to between the U.S. and South Korea in 2007 – Korean-United States Free Trade Agreement. -
Tyre hijackers arrested
The Malay Mail reports that four armed intruders forced their way into a used-tyre factory in the township of Bandar Bukit Puchong, Malaysia, overpowering a security guard, who was bound and gagged, before driving off with a trailer loaded with 319 tyres. -
Pakistani tyre maker still under pressure from ‘smuggling’
Years of under-invoicing and rampant cross-border smuggling are still putting pressure on domestic tyre suppliers in Pakistan. So what’s the solution? Raid tyre markets in big cities instead of trying to stop smuggling along the long Pakistan-Afghanistan border, says General Tyre Pakistan chief executive Mohammad Shahid Hussain. -
Michelin extends with Ceva in Thailand
Michelin Thailand has renewed its logistics contract with Ceva for three years, to handle inbound tyres from Michelin’s production plants into warehouse facilities in three main locations across Thailand; Laemchabang, Nongkea and Nongree.
- Hankook acknowledges employees’ long service
- High performance tyres, high performance service
- Bridgestone says Russian Dandelions may be sustainable source of Natural Rubber
- DAF selects Goodyear low rolling resistance tyres
- Toyo tyres OE on new Mazda CX-5
- Linglong to exhibit expanded Green-Max range at Reifen 2012
- Point S UK reflects on successful 2011, seeks new members
- New Vauxhall Astra to be produced in UK; £125m invested
- Commuter bikes offer only good news as two-wheel registrations dip 3.5%
- ATS Euromaster rewarded for van fleet service development
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Following the early release of UK's worst offender, is tyre dumping legislation toothless?
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