Brazil
Iochpe-Maxion increased its sales by at least 29.2 per cent worldwide in the past nine months to 12.79 billion Brazilian real (2.47 billion euros). Since pre-tax profits (EBIT) rose meanwhile by only 4.6 per cent to 1.1 billion real (208 million euros), the EBIT margin of the world’s largest wheel manufacturer fell by two percentage points to 8.4 per cent.
Vipal and one of its “most solid partners in Europe”, Vaculug celebrated the success of their partnership on 10 September by holding a Brazilian Day. The festive event promoted integration between Vaculug and the Vipal Rubber commercial team and was held at the headquarters of Harrowby United Football Club, in Grantham. The meeting also commemorated the bicentennial of Brazil’s independence, celebrated on 7 September. During the festivity, participants enjoyed a barbecue and played football, pool, and darts. Everyone was given a t-shirt prepared especially for the event in the colours of the Brazilian national flag.
Through its local subsidiary Bridgestone Do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda, Bridgestone Corporation is once again increasing production capacity at the Bahia passenger car and light truck tyre plant in Brazil. Earlier today, the company said it would invest approximately BRL 270 million (£45.4 million) in this project; when combined with the capacity investment announced in July 2021, total investment in boosting Bahia plant capacity amounts to approximately BRL 970 million (£163.2 million).
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) intends to raise production capacities at a number of its facilities around the world, but at the same time will remove some products from its portfolio in order to address rising costs. It will also aim for more “flexible” production allocation in response to changes in the business environment.
Wheel and automotive component manufacturer Iochpe-Maxion is investing R$100 million (£16.7 million) to expand its operations in Cruzeiro, Brazil. Work to increase truck wheel capacity in Cruzeiro will be finished in the first quarter of 2023 and boost annual output capability by 400,000 wheels, and when expansion of the plant’s agricultural wheel production capacity is completed in the third quarter of the same year, the Cruzeiro site will be equipped to produce a further 110,000 of these products annually.
Point S, the multi-brand automotive services and tyre sales franchise, has expanded its global network into the Brazilian market through a Master Franchise Agreement (MFA) with local specialist, ATO. The agreement represents a significant milestone for Point S, with South America becoming the fifth continent in which the network has a presence.
Vipal Rubber’s manufacturing units in southern Brazil have received recognition for sustainable practices. EcoVadis assessed the retreading materials supplier’s Nova Prata facilities, awarding it an additional two points versus its Silver-certificated inspection n 2019. Vipal said the sustainability of its operations, extending beyond the environment to focus on people too.
Prometeon announced plans to increase production at its Gravatai, Rio Grande du Sul, Brazil at the end of September. According to several local news sources, the expansion plans were announced during a meeting with local Governor Eduardo Leite at the Piratini Palace.
In order to optimise the efficiency of its aluminium wheel production facility in Limeira, Brazil, Maxion Wheels has created a virtual replica of the plant’s production processes. By employing ‘Digital Twin’ technology, the world’s largest wheel manufacturer can anticipate how the actual plant performs under specific conditions, thereby ensuring it achieves the highest levels of efficiency and efficacy. Maxion now intends to roll out the technology at other facilities around the world.
Pirelli has welcomed the president and chief executive officer of Formula 1 to Circuito Panamericano, the tyre maker’s most advanced proving ground. Stefano Domenicali is currently visiting the region to attend this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, and during yesterday’s tour of the facility was accompanied by Mario Isola, Pirelli’s head of F1 and Car Racing, and Cesar Martin Alarcon, Pirelli’s chief executive officer and executive vice-president of the LatAm region.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. is increasing production capacity for both consumer and truck tyres at its factory in Brazil. With an investment of 1.064 billion Real (£148.7 million), the company will boost capacity for passenger vehicle and light truck tyres from 18,000 to 23,000 tyres a day by April 2024. It will lift truck and bus tyre capacity from the current level of 1,000 tyres a day to 2,200 per day by April 2025.
In order to meet increasing local demand for high-tech and premium tyres and in response to national and regional market share gains, Bridgestone is investing in its manufacturing facility in Camaçari, Brazil. The more than R$700 million (£101.7 million) investment will go towards modernising the plant and increasing production capacity by more than 20 per cent. The project will begin by the fourth quarter of 2021.
Six years ago, when Brazil introduced anti-dumping duties on car tyres imported from Ukraine, tyre maker Rosava withdrew from this market. It reports that it is now back, and following negotiations with a key player in Brazil’s tyre market will begin shipping 50,000 summer tyres a month.
As of 24 April, the Marangoni factory in Brazil is 20 years old. Inaugurated in 2001, the plant in Minas Gerais state was instrumental in introducing the Ringtread system to markets throughout Latin America, and as such has fulfilled Marangoni’s mission of providing tyre retreaders and their customers with “a higher quality product” suited to a continent that’s home to one of the world’s largest road networks.
On 29 June Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) announced that it won a long-running trademark and trade dress infringement lawsuit against Brazilian retread company New Tyre Remoldadora De Pneus (New Tyre), in the São Paulo Court of Appeals.
Arno Borchers/Profil Verlag
Vipal
Point S
Bridgestone