Bottom Dropped Out of Loadstar Order Books, Says Chairman
Sales have decreased – substantially – for Sri Lanka based manufacturer of solid tyres, Loadstar. At a recent forum, company chairman Nihal Jinasena admitted that “the bottom has dropped out of our order books.” And further compounding Loadstar’s problems are the costly forward deals for raw materials the company is locked into.
Continue ReadingPresidential limo rides on Goodyear truck tyres
President elect Barack Obama’s brand spanking new presidential limousine has been given the ‘Pimp My Ride’ treatment by the US Secret Service – and a set of tyres normally seen in regional haul trucking applications is but one of a basket of features to be found on the modified Cadillac following a masterful makeover by the White House appointed customisers. Despite campaign promises to transform all White House vehicles into hybrids and have a million hybrid vehicles on US roads by 2015, the President-elect has had to concede to security concerns and stick with the petrol powered Cadillac. Or perhaps he was simply afraid Jeremy Clarkson would heckle him on the next series of Top Gear.
Continue ReadingShanghai Baolong Offers Non-Lead Wheel Balancing Weights
Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corporation is one of the leading manufacturers of non-lead balancing weights in China. It boasts certificated products and names Chinese Ford, Nissan and Volkswagen branches among its customers. Established in 1998, Shanghai Baolong is a leading manufacturer of wheel balancing weights for automobiles in China. It specializes in producing all types of wheel balance weights, especially non-lead wheel balance weights. The company uses the zinc and steel blend that is more environmentally-friendly and complies with European and U.S. directives. They are designed and produced for vehicles with either steel or alloy wheels, with the same functionality, appearance, and fit characteristics as conventional wheel weights.
Continue ReadingFaulty Tyre Stem Valve Warning Issued in US
A US importer warned consumers on December 9 that they should check the stem valves on their vehicle’s tyres, after it became apparent that 1.8 million Chinese made tyre stem valves sold in the country may prematurely weather and crack, resulting in a loss of tyre pressure. According to North Carolina based Dill Air Controls Products, the problem is with two batches of valves totalling about 198,000 units, but because the valve stems are not traceable by lot number after installation, the recall involves all valves sold between November 2006 and July 2007.
Continue ReadingDunlop Nigeria to Cease Local Production
At Dunlop Nigeria’s Annual General Meeting on December 2 the company formally announced it will end local tyre production. This announcement comes half a year after production was cut back, and operating conditions within Nigeria, including an unreliable power supply, are said to be key factors behind the decision.
Continue ReadingKumho Appoints New Nigerian Distributor
Kumho has returned to the Nigerian market following the naming of a new national distributor. Super Tyres and Motor Limited have been appointed to the role, reports Koh Bongyoon, Kumho’s international marketing manager, Africa operations. At a media briefing in Lagos, Super Tyres and Motor brand manager Aloke Sharma said the company aimed to position Kumho above competition in the premium segment. According to Aloke, Super Tyres and Motors plans to hold at least 20 per cent market share for passenger car tyres within the first six months of Kumho tyre sales. The company is also the sole Nigerian distributor for GT Radial, Vikrant, DoubleCoin, BKT and Techking.
Continue ReadingKonstrukta Celebrates 15 Years in Tyre Machinery Manufacturing
The Konstrukta Group has recently restructured organisationally from being one entity into five separate divisions in fields as diverse as explosives, mechanisation and automation, rubber and tyre manufacturing machinery and economics. Based in Trencin, Slovak Republic, the company has invested 1.6 million US dollars in the upgrading and development of its R&D centre for rubber technology. The current pattern of consistent growth within rubber related industries demanded that we give ourselves every opportunity to make sure we were in a position to increase our market share, said Jan Dugacek, managing director of the tyre machinery division. The tyre division provides research, development, production and supplies of technological equipment for the tyre industry – extrusion lines for inner liner production, steel cord and textile cord cutting lines, auxiliary equipment and spare parts. The extrusion lines are designed for production of tyre components including treads and sidewalls for the manufacture of car, light truck, truck, bus agricultural and OTR tyres.
Continue ReadingFor Yinbao Tyre, imitation is the highest form of flattery
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.”
Continue ReadingBaolong Promotes CV TPMS
Shanghai Baolong has embarked on a new publicity campaign promoting its commercial vehicle tyre pressure monitoring system (CV TPMS). The system is designed to permanently monitor both the tyre pressure and temperature and warns the driver in the event of a dangerous pressure loss or overheating, making an important contribution to road safety and fuel economy. The system is already available for use as a stand alone system or integrated into all classes of commercial vehicles – including trailers and semi-trailers. Each battery-powered wheel transmitter installed inside the tyre measures the pressure and temperature every four seconds, together with the individual ID code of the transmitter, these values are sent by RF to the receiver via transceiver at 30-seconds intervals. The receiver evaluates the data, identifies the transmitter and decides whether or not the driver needs to be informed.
Continue ReadingGetting ‘Tokunbo’ Off the Road in Nigeria
A ban upon the importation of used tyres is already mooted for Nigeria, and one of the country’s six regional governments has announced it plans to go one step further. The Gwagwalada Area Council Unit Command of Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Commission, said on October 13 it would prohibit the use of worn and second hand tyres, especially by commercial vehicles. On making this decision public the unit commander, J.K Adamu, said seventy per cent of commercial vehicles plying Nigeria’s highways are still using second hand tyres. He added that the command has been making an effort in collaboration with members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NUTRW) in various regions, explaining the dangers in the use of second hand and worn-out tyres by drivers.
Continue ReadingNigerian Ban on Used Tyres Too Late for Local Industry
Nigeria’s Customs and Excise Tariff Book for the period 2008–2012 has been presented. Amongst the many new measures being implemented in an effort to help the Africa nation’s economy is a ban on the importation of used tyres. However, in the opinion of many this measure may have come to late for the country’s domestic tyre industry.
Continue ReadingCitexpo Attendance Over 10% Higher Than 2007 Show
As the opening day of Shanghai’s Citexpo 2008 tyre exhibition drew to a close, Wilko Fong director of the organising company Reliable Exhibitions told Tyres & Accessories that the 2009 show is already 60 per cent booked. 2008’s show is proving to be as bustling as ever with 300-plus exhibitors and visitors numbers (based on pre-registration indicators) up between 10 and 15 per cent compared with the 2007 show. Wilko Fong is hoping that the nine, which represents long life according to Chinese numerology, will be Reliable’s lucky number in relation to next year’s show, which is scheduled to take place at the Shanghai Everybright Conventional and Exhibition centre from 9 September 2009 (09/09/09).
Continue ReadingSinochem International Buys 51% of GMG
Sinochem International Corporation subsidiary Sinochem International (Overseas) Pte Ltd. has Bought a 51 per cent stake in Singapore-based natural rubber producer GMG Global Ltd. for SG$ 267.98 million (£106.4 million). GMG operates natural rubber business in Africa and elsewhere with plantations in Cameroon and Ivory Coast and processing facilities in Indonesia. Amongst other things Sinochem International expects the deal to help position it for growth in the global rubber market. China contributes to over 20 per cent of the worlds natural rubber consumption but only produces 7 per cent of the production.
Continue ReadingGeneral Tyre Tanzania Plant at a ‘Crossroads’
The fate of General Tyre Tazania is still hanging in the balance, having closed in April last year. Local newspapers are reports that the government is not likely to bail it out unless the last investor, Continental Tyres, accounts “for the $10 million it was advanced in 2002 to revive production.”
Continue ReadingWorld Bank's Corporation Offers Petlas US$250 million Loan
International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has reportedly offered loan support of up to US$250 million dollars to Turkish tyre manufacturer Petlas. According to the Anatolia news agency, the first step is an 80-million-dollar loan for Petlas, apparently the only tyre plant manufacturing military tyres in Turkey. Semra Guler, finance director of Abdulkadir Ozcan Otomotiv A.S, told the news agency the financing would help Petlas upgrade technology, expand product range and manufacture eco-friendly tyres.
Continue Reading