Africa
Posts
GoodyearContinental sells South Africa agricultural and industrial tyre factory assets
Continental AGContinental Tyre South Africa has sold the manufacturing assets it used to make industrial and agricultural tyres in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Prior to the sale, Continental manufactured bias-ply and radial agricultural tyres at the Port Elizabeth location. Continental’s ongoing production operations, such as its passenger car and light truck lines, are not affected by the news.
New managers for Continental’s African tyre plant
Continental Tyre South Africa (CTSA) has appointed a new senior management team for its tyre manufacturing plant in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth). The appointment comes as Continental gears up to increase the site’s role as a supplier of light commercial vehicle tyres to global markets.
Transaid picked for project to improve public transport provision in Lusaka
TransaidTransaid has been selected by the sustainable transport planning and research consultancy, ITP, to support the development of a road map for providing improved public transport services in Lusaka, in a major new project funded by the World Bank. The Zambian capital is one of the fastest developing cities in southern Africa, with its metro area population growing by nearly five per cent annually for the last 20 years. Yet it remains almost entirely reliant on minibuses for intracity public transport, supported by a smaller number of buses and taxis.
Sumitomo Rubber South Africa names new CEO
Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Pty) LtdSumitomo Rubber South Africa (Pty) Ltd (SRSA), manufacturer of the Dunlop, Sumitomo and Falken tyre brands for the African continent, has announced the appointment of Lubin Ozoux as its new CEO and Executive Director of SRSA effective 1 January 2021. Ozoux will take over the role from outgoing CEO, Riaz Haffejee who has led the company for the past eight years. Haffejee will remain with the company until the 31 January 2021 to “ensure a smooth transition”.
Point S aims to double African network in next two years
Point STyre retail and car maintenance group Point S has 90 points of sale on the continent of Africa, but the network wants to double that number by 2022. Present in 41 countries around the world, Point S has recorded particularly strong performance in South Africa and is targeting development via openings in new countries. It has opened locations in Cameroon and Senegal in 2020.
Bridgestone to close Port Elizabeth, South Africa bias agri tyre plant
Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) has announced that it will close its bias tyre manufacturing plant in Port Elizabeth, a decision affecting 252 employees. The move is in line with the company’s plans to focus on premium profitable growth segments. The Port Elizabeth plant is geared towards the production of older bias tyres, which are globally in decline and being phased out in South Africa, due to their unprofitability. BSAF is also feeling the effects of a shrinking economy and an influx of cheap imports, leading to its operational restructuring plan. It added that the conversion of the plant to produce radial tyres would require a multi-billion-rand investment, which it deemed unfeasible in the current economy.
Pyramids Tires: $350 million Egyptian factory begins manufacturing
Pyramid TiresPyramids Tires, a new tyre manufacturer based in Port Said, northeast Egypt, saw its first tyres roll off the production line on 9 May 2020. The factory currently manufactures motorcycle, forklift and agricultural tyres as part of the first phase of the plant’s development. The second phase, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022, will see the company add passenger car, truck and OTR tyres to its portfolio.
Sameer Africa ceases trading
Tyre distributor Sameer Africa resolved to close down on 20 April 2020. 73 employees will be made redundant by the end of May as a result. Local news reports quote acting managing director Peter Gitonga as saying that several different efforts to keep the company afloat had failed.
Davanti appoints MEA sales director to establish new regional office
Davanti Tyres has appointed Najib Chakhtoura sales director for the Middle East and Africa, in order to establish a “permanent presence” in the region. Chakhtoura is tasked with developing relationships with new and existing distributors to increase the brand’s global reach and sales volume. He previously held senior roles developing premium brands across the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait and North and East Africa. Chakhtoura will establish a new regional office for Davanti to introduce the brand into new territories across North, East and West Africa, the Gulf States and the wider Middle East.
Continental rolling out region-specific trailer tyres
Various road and climatic conditions are encountered within the Continental Tire division’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business, and for this reason, it is introducing commercial trailer tyres that reflect regional requirements. The first of these is the Conti Hybrid HT3 WR.
Bridgestone adds India to EMEA region
From 1 January 2020, Bridgestone’s India business will fall into the EMEA Strategic Business Unit (SBU), transferring from the China, Asia-Pacific SBU. As a result, Bridgestone Europe, Russia, Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA) will become Bridgestone Europe, Russia, Middle East, India and Africa (BSEMIA), one of four SBUs globally, alongside Bridgestone China, Asia-Pacific, Bridgestone Americas, and Bridgestone Japan. According to the company, the integration of Bridgestone India into EMEA comes as a result of Bridgestone EMEA’s “ongoing transformation capitalising on the opportunities digitalisation offers to pioneer mobility solutions that meet the needs of customers for convenience, efficiency and sustainability”.
Goodyear official Land Rover Experience tyre for Kaza National Park tour
Goodyear’s Wrangler DuraTrac tyre has been chosen for fitment by the 16 Land Rover Discoverys driving across the Kavango-Zambezi (Kaza) National Park, the world’s second-largest nature reserve. The tyre was developed to cope with the toughest terrains, such as those that will be encountered on the 2,000km journey on rugged African roads.
Mete Ekin leading Bridgestone Emerging Market business
As of 1 October, Mete Ekin is vice president of Bridgestone Emerging Markets. In this role he oversees Bridgestone EMEA’s businesses in Africa, the Middle East and Russia. The former regional managing director Middle East and Africa reports to Paolo Ferrari, chief executive officer of Bridgestone EMEA.
Michelin to purchase additional SIPH shareholding
Michelin intends to acquire all shares in Société Internationale de Plantations d’Hévéas (SIPH) not already owned by itself or Ivory Coast-based company SIFCA. It is launching a public buyout offer on 7 November, offering 85 euros per share. This buyout offer is being made exclusively in France and will be followed by a squeeze out.
