ZC Rubber’s new bike tyre factory in Anji, Zhejiang province, has commenced production. The Anji factory is associated with an investment of up to US$620 million and covers 860,000 square metres, focusing on the motorcycle tyres, e-bike tyres and inner tubes etc. Shen Jinrong, president of ZC Rubber, says that the factory‘s output value amounts to more than $1 billion.
Sentury Tire has selected a plot of land just outside LaGrange, Georgia as the location for its US$500 million US tyre factory, according to various local news sources. Reports in local US newspapers suggest that the decision was made on Thursday 1 September – at which point the choice was between the shortlist of the reportedly successful Georgia location and the Memphis Regional Megasite in Tennessee.
The Michelin Group has acquired Levorin, a Brazilian manufacturer of bicycle and motorcycle tyres.
Levorin is a family business which was founded in 1943 by Hercules Levorin. It specializes in the production of tyres for the commuter segment in Brazil. In 2015 Levorin had an annual turnover of 135 million euros and employs 2,000 people at its two plants in Sao Paulo and Manaus.
The Tanzanian government is set to build a new tyre plant. According to local news reports, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr Adelhem Meru, told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) the new factory will be based on new technology.
Rumours and reports circulating since April about Michelin intention to build a new Michelin tyre factory in Mexico were confirmed on 4 July when the French company issued news of its plans to build a facility for producing high-end car and light truck tyres there. Michelin says construction of the 142,000 square metre, €450 million factory in León, Guanajuato state will begin in the second half of this year, with tyre production expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2018. An annual output of 4 to 5 million tyres is planned for the initial production phase, and the León plant will be gradually ramped up.
Aston Martin is going ahead with previously announced plans for a new £200 million manufacturing plant in St Athan, Wales despite the UK voting to leave the European Union. It seems that company remains optimistic about its plans at least partly because a weaker pound makes the carmaker’s exports more attractive.
Aston Martin president and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said in a statement that the UK’s Brexit vote won’t change the company’s expansion plans.
Chinese tyre manufacturer Triangle Tyre celebrated its 40th anniversary on 8 April. According to the company, over the past 40 years, Triangle Tyre has enjoyed “a big improvement in the tyre production” both in terms of quality and quantity.
Sailun-Jinyu Group has denied reports in Turkish newspaper Hürriyat suggesting the firm is planning on establishing a tyre factory in Turkey by 2020. The Hürriyat report, dated 5 March, said Sailun is planning to set up a joint-venture tyre factory in Turkey with its Turkish distribution partner there, Yeslas.
Roadlink International has invested the best part of £700k in its commercial vehicle caliper remanufacturing operation with the opening of a brand new facility at its head office in Willenhall, West Midlands.
Bridgestone is open its first tyre production plant in Russia later in 2016, according to Russian news reports. The Russian Tass news agency reports that Bridgestone will invest the equivalent of US$147.7 million in the plans, which should take shape in the second half of the year.
Apollo Tyres Ltd has confirmed that tyre production at its Oragadam, near Chennai factory has been disrupted by heavy rain and flooding in the area.
Maxxis has confirmed that Maxxis/Cheng Shin company chairman Tsai-Jen Lo recently visited the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat, finalising plans for Maxxis’ first plant in India.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has held an official opening ceremony for the group’s new tyre factory in Cankiri, Turkey, named Sumitomo Rubber AKO Lastik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS (SAT). The Falken brand manufacturer will use the new facility to supply both the local Turkish market, which is benefitting from the country’s steady economic growth, and the geographically adjacent EMEA regions.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries is set to raise car tyre production capacity in Thailand by 9 per cent in response to strong exports to the US and anticipated sales growth in Southeast Asia, according to a Nikkei report.
Ian Fletcher, Principal Analyst with IHS Automotive, offers the following comment on the news that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is to open a factory in Slovakia.