International News
Yongtai Group enters administration
The Chinese Yongtai Group, which once ranked as the 32nd largest tyre manufacturer in the world and which used to produce World Rally Championship tyres for DMack as well as the well-known Durun budget brand, is bankrupt. Shandong Yongtai Group Co., Ltd. officially entered administration on 16 July 2018. On 4 August 2018 Shandong Dongying Intermediate People's Court published documents showing that Guangrao County-based Caijin Asset Management Co., Ltd.’s application for Yongtai to enter administration had been accepted. The Beijing-based Dacheng (Jinan) law firm was appointed as the administrator of Yongtai Group.
Gert Meylemans becomes Eurobat communications manager
Gert Meylemans, the former head of PR and corporate communications at Bridgestone Europe, has become senior manager communications at Eurobat, the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers.
Lower earnings for Pakistan’s Gentipak in 2017-18
General Tyre and Rubber Company of Pakistan Limited reports net sales for the financial year ending 30 June 2018 increased 22.2 per cent year-on-year to PKR 11,785.5 million (£78.7 million). Profit from operations amounted to PKR 1,190.1 million (£7.9 million), down 8.7 per cent on the previous year’s result. Total comprehensive income for the year was PKR 671.4 million (£4.5 million), 20.7 per cent lower than in the 2016-17 financial year. Earnings per share amounted to PKR 11.97 (2016-17: PKR 14.75).
Test World opening indoor wet and dry asphalt test tracks
Next month, Test World will open its new temperature-controlled wet and dry asphalt indoor tracks at its facility near Ivalo, Finland. These new tracks complement the new and extended snow and ice indoor tracks that opened in April.
GKN: Profi-Grip solution eliminates tyre-to-rim slippage in the heat
GKN Wheels Profi-Grip says its wheel is proving its value in the heatwave experienced across Europe, with the extremely dry ground requiring much higher traction for soil tillage. Featuring a unique profile designed to eliminate tyre-to-rim slippage, Profi-Grip was launched last year specifically to meet the growing demand from ever-larger and more-powerful tractors.
ZC Rubber using Dow-produced foam to make Mobike tyres
Mobike, one of the world’s largest bike-sharing companies, is adding e-bikes to its fleet that use new foamed integrated tyre solutions. The tyres are a result of a partnership between Dow and Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber to develop a tyre solution based on mixing Dow’s Infuse Olefin Block Copolymer (OBC), Engage Polyolefin Elastomers and Nordel EPDM.
John Thomas joins Duraturn USA
In the USA, industry veteran John Thomas has joined Yangchang Rubber/Duraturn as its local sales director. He previously served as director of sales West Canada for Sentury Tire North America and has more than 30 years of tyre industry sales experience.
GKN’s new airport tractor wheel
GKN Wheels recently launched a new high-performance wheel for high-load capacity vehicles, with the new wheel capable of taking tyres with 13 bar pressure. The wheel was developed by GKN Wheels’ engineering team specifically to meet the requirements of one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of aircraft tow tractors, Goldhofer AG. In particular it has been designed for the company’s latest tractors which are capable of moving the new larger generations of aircraft such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380.
Newest Goodyear blimp to be ‘christened’ on 30 August
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has selected Shaesta Waiz, the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft, to christen Wingfoot Three. The ceremony for this latest addition to the Goodyear blimp fleet will be held on 30 August at Goodyear’s Wingfoot Lake Hangar.
GRI extends First Industrial Tyres partnership
GRI has been in partnership with First Industrial Tyres (FIT) for over 10 years where the two companies have worked together in the aftermarket distribution of GRI material handling tyres in the UK. Now that FIT has expanded into Eire with operations in Dublin, so has the GRI distribution deal.
Marangoni GRP launches India’s first franchised Ringtread plant
Since late 2015, the Marangoni Ringtread process has been represented in India by Marangoni GRP, a joint venture between the Marangoni Group and India rubber recycler GRP. The joint venture operation has now begun the rollout of a network of franchised retreaders within the country – the first, Autobahn Retreading, has opened its doors in the city of Kochi (Cochin). The Autobahn Retreading plant was officially inaugurated by Giuseppe Marangoni, vice-president of the Marangoni Group, together with GRP’s chief executive officer, Harsh Gandhi.
£200 million acquisition expands Continental’s tyre sales network in Australia
Continental is set to gain a sizeable retail presence in Australia through its acquisition of acquire Kmart Tyre and Auto Service (KTAS), one of the country’s largest tyre and auto service suppliers. The company says the purchase of KTAS from Wesfarmers Limited for AU$350 million (£199.8 million) will “greatly reinforce” its tyre dealership network in Australia.
Platinum – Bridgestone tyre plant gains top Caterpillar certification
Caterpillar has awarded the Bridgestone Americas agricultural tyre plant in Des Moines, USA the highest level in the Caterpillar Supplier Quality Excellence Process (SQEP) certification – Platinum Level for a second consecutive year. These back-to-back platinum awards follow three years of Gold Level SQEP certifications. Bridgestone Americas says receiving the latest Platinum Level certification “represents a significant milestone” for Bridgestone and the Firestone agricultural tyre team.
US tyre shipments expected to rise in 2018
The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) projects that tyre shipments in the USA will increase by one per cent to 319.8 million units this year. An additional 0.7 million original equipment passenger car tyres are expected to be shipped this year, a total of 45.9 million units and year-on-year growth of 1.5 per cent. Shipments of replacement market passenger car tyres were expected to be 1.5 million units higher this year, up 0.7 per cent to 211.2 million units.