Thai Hua Rubber – Set to Tap the Boom
(India/Rubber Asia) Thai Hua Rubber (THR), a leading natural rubber supplier to tyre manufacturers, is making vigorous efforts to emerge as a top global player by tapping the enduring NR boom to its maximum. “Our idea is to emerge as a dominant global player covering the entire rubber business cycle as fast as we can and in the most credible manner,” says Mr Luckchai Kittipol, the company’s ever dynamic founder and CEO. The latest plans include major marketing forays into China and India, the emerging power centres of global rubber industry and ambitious plantation initiatives in potential Asian countries. For instance, in Laos, the company will be investing US$50 million to develop NR plantations in 40,000 hectares during the current decade.
Continue ReadingTurkish Industry Set for Take-Off
(India/Rubber Asia) Turkey’s rubber goods manufacturing industry is at a take-off stage thanks to the country’s economic liberalisation policy. The country has as many as 200 rubber goods manufacturing companies of which some are reputed exporters to Europe and the US. Mr. K Berat Oztimur, General Manager, Arsan Kaucuk, a market leader of rubberised pipe seals and bearings, spoke to Rubber Asia on the sidelines of the India Rubber Expo 2007. Selcuk Butun, Sales and Marketing Manager of the company, was also present. Rubber goods manufacturing industry is flourishing in Turkey, especially after the economic liberalisation initiatives by the government. There are about 200 companies manufacturing rubber goods and at least 40 of them are of good repute. Construction industry is one of the largest consumers of rubber goods, mainly, pipe seals and bridge bearings. There are also a number of tyre companies in Turkey. The industry is, in fact, at a take-off stage and even small companies have started realising the importance of quality and are going in for the best technology.
Continue ReadingMinority Conti Subsidiary Seeks Funds to Revive Fortunes
Tanzanian tyremaker General Tyre East Africa (GTEA) has reported that it requires some US$7.5 million to reverse its fortunes. The company, established in 1969 and co-owned by the Tanzanian government (79 per cent) and Continental AG (21 per cent), held talks with a bank in early May in the hope of securing $2.5 million – money that would go towards assuring the company of a more reliable source of raw materials. GTEA has also previously sought government intervention in its quest for a $5 million loan to obtain the amount it needs to overcome the difficulties the company has been facing as a result of high production costs, including the costs of fuel and natural rubber imports. The company has proposed that rubber plantations in the regions of Tanga and Morogoro be upgraded to increase output, a move that would, according to GTEA, save an estimated $7 million on rubber imports.
Continue ReadingRubber Prices Bounce Higher as Demand puts Stretch on Reserves
Prices of export rubber from Vietnam are expected to increase on world markets by about 10 per cent throughout the remainder of 2007 as demand continues to outstrip supply. This analyst prediction added that shipments of Vietnam-sourced rubber to global top rubber importer China would experience price rises of 20 per cent, up from the current US$2,000 per ton to $2400. World market prices are tipped to reach $2,200 per ton. The world produces about nine million tons of natural rubber each year, most of which is already accounted for, leaving a delicate balance between supply and demand. This balance looks in danger of being upset in the near future, as a recent rubber industry conference in Thailand predicted a jump in global demand by more than 6 per cent in the second half of 2007.
Continue ReadingDeldo Focusing on Established Private Brands
After one glance at Deldo’s product and brand portfolio it is clear that the Belgian tyre wholesaler is a leading player amongst distributors of exclusive tyre brands. Since its foundation some 30 years ago the company has increasingly developed into a specialist within the budget tyre segment without neglecting the premium tyre market, and in recent times Deldo Autobanden has again focused upon the premium market segment. Due to an overall increase in sales figures the company now has decided to increase its central warehouse in Antwerp’s free harbour from a current 40,000 m² up to 50,000 m².
Continue ReadingHankook Passes the 100 Million Mark in China
In late March Hankook Tire celebrated a significant milestone – the 100 millionth tyre manufactured by the company in China came off the production line at Hankook’s Jiaxing facility in Zhejiang Province. This achievement is noteworthy not only in terms of Hankook’s presence in China, but it also serves as a reminder of the speed at which the country’s tyre industry has developed – China’s National Bureau of Statistics records the nation’s total tyre production in 2006 to be 433 million units, a 15 per cent year on year increase. Speaking on this topic in early 2007, Cho Choong Hwan, vice chairman and former CEO of Hankook Tire, remarked that production from within the BRIC nations – Brazil, Russia, India and China – was growing at a faster rate than domestic demand, meaning that exports from these market were growing considerably, particularly from China.
Continue ReadingNTDA Names 2007 TAFF Award Winners
On Wednesday 2, alongside the Brityrex International exhibition, the NTDA named the 2007 TAFF award winners. Michelin took best single company result of the night, winning two awards. But Bridgestone, Vellco, Apaseal and Group Tyre were also celebrating success in categories including production innovation, wholesaler of the year and tyre and aftermarket equipment supplier of the year. The awards were presented during a glittering ceremony at Manchester’s Palace Hotel, which featured well-known stand-up comic Stan Boardman. The Tyre and Fast Fit (TAFF) Awards, which are sponsored by Renault UK, are the NTDA’s own awards which were established in 2005 to reward excellence from industry suppliers and, in that short time, they have firmly established themselves as the premier awards for the UK Tyre Industry. The 2007 TAFF awards included categories for Tyre Manufacturer, National Wholesaler, Tyre and Aftermarket Equipment Supplier, Product Innovation and a special award for Industry Advertising Campaigns. A special category covering scrap tyre disposal, collecting and recycling is entitled the Environmental Award.
Continue ReadingLanxess Signs Long-Term Contract with Hankook
Lanxess AG has announced that its Polybutadiene Rubber business unit has signed a five-year supply contract with South Korean tyre manufacturer Hankook Tire. According to the AFX news agency, no financial details were disclosed. Lanxesss Polybutadiene Rubber business unit is part of the companys Performance Rubber segment, which reported sales of 1.776 billion euros in 2006.
Continue ReadingNew European Head for Hankook
On May 2 Hankook Tire announced the appointment of Mr. Seung Do Jin, currently executive vice president of the company’s Korea Headquarters in Seoul, to the position of head of Europe Headquarters. Mr. Seung Do Jin, who has been credited with improving and expanding Hankook’s distribution channels within his home country, officially took over the position on May 8. Mr. Seung Do Jin takes over the role from Mr. Seung Hwa Suh who recently became the company’s global CEO. Mr. Seung Do Jin played an important role in expanding Hankook’s distribution channels through the establishment of more than a hundred automotive aftermarket service shops, known as T-Stations, and in March 2006 he assumed the role of executive vice president at the company’s Korean headquarters. He also served as the managing director of Hankook Tyre UK between 1997 and 2004.
Continue ReadingISSRP Appoints New Executive Committee in Delhi
(India/Rubber Asia) The 48th International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers Inc (IISRP) AGM held in New Delhi, India, recently discussed subjects including the new EU quality regime and the marketing scenarios in the galloping economies of China and India. The organisation also appointed new executive committee members that reflect the growing importance of the Russian market. The newly elected president Vasily Nomokonov will also serve as the European section president of IISRP. Speaking to Rubber Asia on the sidelines of the AGM, Mr Nomokonov said he would like to see that the institute has a broader platform during his tenure. He would also like to see that Russia continues to play a vital role in the growth of global SR industry. The AGM ended with a mesmerising farewell luncheon hosted in a characteristic Russian red ambience and a hearty invitation from the new president to meet in Moscow for the 49th edition of the AGM.
Continue ReadingDowey Appointed as Rapra Head
James L. Dowey has been appointed as vice president and managing director of Smithers Rapra Technology, the British subsidiary of Akron-based The Smithers Group. Mr. Dowey is currently director of tyre uniformity machinery at Kobelco Stewart Bolling Inc. based in Hudson, Ohio. He replaces Hugh Pace, formerly of Goodyear, who will become chairman and CEO of Pirelli Tire North America. “Jim will be an excellent addition to the company and will provide a seamless transition in managing our business and international growth opportunities,” said Michael Hochschwender, president and CEO of The Smithers Group, parent company. Hugh D. Pace, the new chairman and CEO of Pirelli North America, has 30 years of experience at the highest levels of the tire industry, comes to Pirelli from Smithers Rapra Ltd, a British subsidiary of The Smithers Group, where he served as Vice President and Managing Director. Pace will assume his duties as Chairman and CEO of Pirelli North America effective 4 June 2007, replacing Kevin Riddett who is leaving Pirelli after 10 years with the Group to embark on new professional challenges. “Mr. Pace’s international experience is a major plus for our company’s growth strategies in North America”, said Francesco Gori, CEO of Pirelli Tyre Spa.
Continue ReadingNew BOD for Sibur-Russian Plant
Sibur Russian Tyres have announced that a new Board of Directors for their Yaroslavsky tyre manufacturing facility by the shareholders of this operation at an annual meeting scheduled for June 15. In addition, accounting and auditing commissions are to be elected, along with an auditor. The Yarolsavsky plant, located 250 kilometres northeast of Moscow in the city of Yaroslavl, is one of four plants operated by Sibur Russian Tyres, and is responsible for the production of passenger car, truck and aviation tyres.
Continue ReadingTyre Industry Welcomes Continued Use of Non-Metric Units
Non-metric units have received a welcome stay of execution from the European commission, a letter from the commission, made public last night reveals. The commission had been proposing to ban the use of non-metric units (including inches) with effect from the end of 2009. The news that this move has now been dropped indefinitely has been welcomed by the tyre industry. The Tyre Industry Federation (TIF) lobbied strongly on behalf of the tyre industry that no longer permitting the use of non-metric units would have a severe impact on both the industry itself and the users of the product.
Continue ReadingHankook’s T-station Enters China
Hankook has opened the first of its T-station centres outside of Korea. In mid-April the company announced the opening of a company-owned branch of Hankook’s one-stop automotive aftermarket service shop chain in the Chinese city of Shanghai, the first of many T-station centres the company plans to launch in China. Currently five distributors from various parts of the country have applied for franchises, and Hankook predicts that it will open 300 franchised centres in the next five years, as well as other company owned centres. China is the first market outside of South Korea in which the T-station concept has been launched. The chain has been operating in its home market for almost three years, and at present some 100 franchised T-station centres - with equipment leased from Hankook - are operating within South Korea.
Continue ReadingRhodia to Enter Silica JV in China
French chemical company Rhodia has announced it is entering into a joint venture agreement with the Qingdao Haiwan Group and Qingdao Dongyue Sodium Silicate Company to build a sodium silicate plant in Qingdao, China. The facility will boast a capacity of 220,000 tonnes and is scheduled to come on-stream during the first quarter of 2008. Sodium silicate is a key intermediate for precipitated silica manufacturing. The new facility will supply Rhodias Asian silica manufacturing plants in Qingdao, China and Incheon, South Korea, which specialise in producing high performance silica predominantly used in the manufacture of tyres – most notably, according to Rhodia, low rolling resistance tyres. This new facility will give Rhodia a source of competitive raw material to support the growing needs of its silica business in Asia, commented Eric Noyrez, President of Rhodia Silcea. As the global leader in high performance silica, we benefit from a rapid increase in demand of the tyre, nutraceutics and silicone markets.
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