In statements published today, Bridgestone Corporation announced the intention to sell its anti-vibration rubber and chemical products solutions businesses. The company expects the respective deals will close by the end of July and end of August 2022.
Another company within Bridgestone Corporation’s Diversified Products business will soon have a new owner. Bridgestone Sport Co., Ltd. (BSP) is selling all its stock in Bridgestone Tecnifibre Co., Ltd. (BSTF), a Thailand-based manufacturer and seller of tennis balls, to Japanese sport equipment company Yonex Co., Ltd. BSP withdrew from the tennis goods business at the end of 2020.
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has completed the transfer of its Hamatite business to Swiss-based speciality chemicals company Sika Group. The transaction took place according to the schedule announced on 28 April.
Trelleborg Group has signed an agreement to divest a technical rubber products operation. It is selling the company, which has its main business located in Nachod, Czech Republic, to Kaprain, a Czech investment group.
Yokohama has sold its Hamatite automotive and construction sealent business to Swiss company Sika Group AG in a transfer that is scheduled to be completed on 1 November 2021. Yokohama hasn’t released exactly how much Sika is paying for the Hamatite business, but management expects to post a gain on the sale of about ¥5 billion (£33 million; 38 million euros; US$46 million – after tax). However, the exact amount is said to be “subject to change”.
At the unveiling of its ‘Michelin in Motion’ strategic plan on 8 April, the Michelin Group presented a strategy for 2030 that shows a determination to expand in non-tyre businesses. In this spirit of expansion beyond tyres, yesterday the company announced the signing of a Partnership Agreement with Altaris Capital Partners.
Bridgestone Corporation reports that its Bridgestone Americas, Inc. subsidiary has completed the sale of Firestone Building Products to Holcim Participations (US) Inc, a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim Ltd. (LafargeHolcim). According to the Japanese company, the US$3.4 billion transaction will “advance Bridgestone’s efforts to deliver value to customers and society as a global leader providing tyres and advanced mobility solutions.”
Following the reports that Continental is in talks to sell off various parts of its wider group, analysts have responded positively to Siemens’ recent sale of its Energy division, saying it is good for Conti.
Upgrading their rating to “buy”, Jefferies analysts said: “Siemen’s recent spin-off of Energy gives confidence that Conti’s share price will benefit from its planned spin-off of Vitesco as the combined market cap of Siemens and Energy was up 7 per cent on the day of transaction (DAX +3%)” The implication, they explained, was that there was a discount in Siemens’ sum-of-the-parts valuation. That being the case, given Conti’s “more attractive transaction structure”, the analysts predicted that Conti’s “re-rating should be more pronounced.”
The recent news that Continental AG will close its Aachen, Germany tyre factory underlines the fact that it is aiming to cut 13,000 of 59,000 jobs in Germany as part of a major group-wide cost-cutting programme. Now, the German Manager Magazin is reporting that Continental is also considering the sale of parts of the wider group. Indeed, Continental is said to be in talks “already with prospective customers”. The Rubber Technologies business sector, which includes Continentals Tire and ContiTech division is also said to be affected.
Concerns about the affect of global trade concerns and Brexit upon Europe’s financial markets have led Titan International to postpone a potential listing of its Italtractor ITM S.p.A. (ITM) business. According to company chairman Maurice Taylor, these factors have impacted the company’s ability to suitably evaluate its strategic alternatives with respect to ITM.
Marangoni has spun off its Meccanica, which designs and manufactures tyre-making equipment. According to a company statement received on 14 June 2019, Marangoni Meccanica has now, therefore, been separated from the main body of the Marangoni Group.
In February, Titan International disclosed it was “evaluating its strategic alternatives” regarding its Italtractor ITM S.p.A. (ITM) steel track and undercarriage business. It engaged Shore Capital as its financial advisor in carrying out this evaluation. Paul Reitz, the company’s president and chief executive officer, reports that Titan is making “positive progress” with respect to one potential alternative, a public listing within Europe.
After placing its Italtractor ITM S.p.A. (ITM) steel track and undercarriage business on the market some two and a half years ago and receiving seven formal bids from potential buyers, Titan International, Inc. then withdrew ITM from sale in response to the operation’s improving revenue and EBITDA. Now it seems the possibility of divesting ITM is once again under consideration.
Arconic Inc., the company created to house the Alcoa wheel business and other metal manufacturing functions following the separation of Alcoa Inc. into two entities last November, is divesting its stake in the other entity, Alcoa Corporation, which is engaged in the mining and manufacture of raw aluminium. The debt-for-equity exchange of Alcoa Corporation common stock will see 12,958,767 shares swapped for debt held by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC.
Four years ago, STARCO established a new subsidiary in South Africa together with its local distributor, Mac and TireCity. The company has now decided to divest its 50 per cent shareholding and exit South Africa in order to strengthen its focus on its core business and OEM customers across Europe. STARCO’s shareholding has been transferred to a newly-established company owned by Mac and TireCity.
Vitesco
NRZ, Arno Borchers