Whether its raw materials, machinery, research and development or the latest manufacturing trends, this tag provides up-to-the-minute insights into the upstream part of the tyre industry.
Pyramids 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.
Rockwell Automation has announced the introduction of its VersaView 6300 family of Allen-Bradley Industrial Computers, which will be available starting August 2020. The launch of the VersaView 6300 family follows the May 2020 acquisition of ASEM S.p.A. and represents an extension of the company’s capability for industrial PCs (IPC), human machine interface (HMI) and secure Industrial IoT remote access solutions.
First, analysts warned in mid-May that Conti’s R&D budgets and European tyre factories could face cuts. Then the Hannover-based tyremaker responded by saying it is “intensively” monitoring European tyre demand and production. By June the CEO was warning staff of job cuts. Nevertheless, despite such clear challenges facing the wider automotive industry and beyond, the company is still advancing innovative solutions to the very complex problem. Colleagues at our German sister-publication, Neue Reifenzeitung, which can be found online at reifenpresse.de, found that the so-called “Corona bridge” concept is at the forefront of Conti’s work to address the adverse conditions and save jobs.
Apollo Tyres has commissioned its seventh tyre factory globally and its fifth in India, with the first tyre rolling off the production line from the Andhra Pradesh greenfield facility in the southern part of the country on 25 June. Chairman, Onkar S Kanwar, vice chairman and MD, Neeraj Kanwar, supervisory board members along with the entire senior management team participated virtually in this momentous occasion.
Brexit will have significant adverse effects on a UK manufacturing sector highly integrated with the EU single market, and that disruption will have a sizeable negative impact on the wider UK economy, a new report by UK in a Changing Europe finds. Funded by the Economic and Social Science Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, the Kings College London based initiative conducts independent research on UK-EU relations.
Michelin CEO Florent Menegaux has suggested about further collaboration with fellow leading tyre manufacturer and automotive supplier Continental. The French and German companies have cooperated on the Eurofit wheel business since the 1990s and entered into the Rubberway supply chain joint venture in September 2019.
Jinyu Tire Group hosted the groundbreaking ceremony of Jinyu (Vietnam) Tire Company Ltd’s 2 million tyre a year factory in Phuoc Dong Industrial Park, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam on 18 June 2020. Local industrial park leaders as well as customer, supplier and construction representatives attended on the behalf of Jinyu Tire Group partners in light of the Covid pandemic
Rockwell Automation, Inc. and PTC have announced strategic enhancements to the FactoryTalk InnovationSuite and used in factories around the world – including automotive and tyre operations. Launched in 2018, the FactoryTalk InnovationSuite, has reportedly seen “rapid customer adoption, helping achieve significant improvements in operational efficiency, reduction in unplanned downtime and improved quality.”
Finnish automated equipment specialists Cimcorp has separated its tyre manufacturing and warehousing/distributions sales teams due to increased demand. The new structure of system sales at Cimcorp’s headquarters, which is effective from the beginning of June, is designed to “support the company’s growth and form the basis for…continuing development”.
Britishvolt has shortlisted Bro Tathan in South Wales and one other site for the UK’s first 30 plus GWh Gigafactory. Britishvolt eliminated 40 other proposals in the process. When the project is finalised, the company says the initial wave of £1.2 billion of investment into the site will eventually lead to around 3,500 jobs.
Maxxis India has announced a partial resumption of manufacturing operations at its Sanand, Gujarat factory albeit with reduced workforce numbers. Maxxis India had shut the operation on 23 March 2020 for a period of 42 days, following government calls for a complete lockdown in order to combat the coronavirus.
The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has further scaled back its outlook on world production of natural rubber. As per the revised outlook, world production is expected to fall by 4.7 per cent to 13.130 million tonnes during 2020.
In widely reported remarks, Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta has reiterated the importance of UK-EU free trade to the future of its Sunderland manufacturing plant. The uncertainties connected with the Nissan Sunderland plant, in turn, serve as a reminder of the still-present Brexit risks.
Pyramid Tires
Rockwell Automation
Continental AG
Michelin/Ludovic Combe
Jinyu
Rockwell Automation
Tomi Glad; Cimcorp
Northvolt
Maxxis
Photo: Continental AG