After commencing tests of its tyres in Europe last year, Prinx Chengshan returns in 2021 to continue its testing programme. The Chinese tyre maker is utilising a number of sites, including Applus IDIADA in Spain and a facility in Ivalo, Finland, in order to test its winter, all-season and UHP summer tyres.
Prinx Chengshan Tire Europe GmbH is expanding its range to include truck and bus tyres in the second half of 2021, and the tyre maker is supporting their introduction by a new appointment within its European team. As of 1 March 2021, Steven Buytaert is sales manager TBR Europe, and his remit includes overseeing the Europe-wide introduction of PRINX Chengshan truck and bus tyres as well as the associated development and expansion of these ranges.
Prinx Chengshan relocated its European operations to Germany in 2019, and the Darmstadt-based Prinx Chengshan Tire Europe GmbH team has now been reinforced by the arrival of Sybille Schümann-Huth as senior marketing & communications manager. She reports directly to managing director Thomas Wohlgemuth.
In spite of COVID-19, Prinx Chengshan managed to increase its net profit in the first half of 2020, a feat aided in part by a prompt response to the pandemic. Sales revenue for Prinx Chengshan (Cayman) Holding Limited and its subsidiaries in the six months to 30 June 2020 came to RMB 2,844.0 million (£317.2 million), 1.0 per cent less than in the same period of 2019. Gross profit rose 9.9 per cent year-on-year to RMB 606.3 million (£66.7 million) and net profit increased 1.6 per cent to RMB 265.3 million (£29.2 million).
Many international manufacturers view a good EU tyre label result as a benchmark of product performance. At the end of 2018, Prinx Chengshan’s research and development centre in China began work on its ‘AA1’ project, with the aim of developing a product achieving the best label category for wet grip, rolling resistance and noise. The tyre maker reports that it’s achieved its goal.
Prinx Chengshan produced its first car tyre at its new plant in Thailand on Saturday. The start of PCR tyre production at the Prinx Chengshan Tire (Thailand) Co., Ltd. facility follows the start of TBR tyre production on 25 March.
Prinx Chengshan reports that its new tyre factory in Thailand produced its first commercial vehicle all-steel radial on 25 March. The first phase production project at the Prinx Chengshan Tire (Thailand) Co., Ltd. is now expected to be concluded in the second quarter of this year, giving the facility an annual capacity to produce 800,000 TBR tyres. The plant is also capable of manufacturing 4 million passenger car and light truck tyres a year.
On 16 October Prinx Chengshan held its 2019 International Dealer Conference in the historic city of Xi’an. The theme for this year’s conference, which was held four years after the last one, was: “together for future”.
The tyre plant that Prinx Chengshan is building in Thailand is expected to enter operation next year, and the tyre maker reports that it will extensively use intelligent manufacturing systems to achieve greatly enhanced efficiencies. It says production efficiency will be increased by 20 per cent in the new plant. The production cycle itself will be shortened by 20 per cent, work efficiency increased by 40 per cent and raw material wastage reduced by 80 per cent.
Thomas Wohlgemuth has taken over as managing director of Prinx Chengshan Europe, effective 1 September. His appointment coincides with the relocation of Prinx Chengshan’s European head office from Slovakia to Germany. He succeeds Ivan Majsky, who is no longer with the company.
Prinx Chengshan reports that “steady progress” is being made at its new tyre factory in Thailand. Construction work commenced on 31 March and the purchase of key equipment by invitation to tender has now been completed. The company estimates that all steel production workshops, mixing workshops, and supporting public works will be completed by the end of this year. Production at the site should commence in 2020.
A groundbreaking ceremony has been held for the new Prinx Chengshan Thailand factory in the WHA Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate EISE 3 in Chonburi. The new plant is amongst the first to be set up in the industrial park, and Prinx Chengshan notes that a launching ceremony for the park was held today.
Having rejected earlier plans for a new tyre factory in Malaysia, Prinx Chengshan has invested 170.6 million yuan (£19.464 million) in buying at least 433,600 square metres of land in at Tambon Nong Suea Chang, Amphur Nong Yai, and Tambon Klong-Kew, Amphur Ban-Bung, Chonburi province in Thailand. According to stock exchange filings dated 25 December 2018, the deal comprises “several plots of land” and will be funded by the company’s recent global share offering.
Based in the city of Guangzhou, the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition is particularly close to the Chinese off-shore territories of Hong Kong and Macau. Still, despite the show’s proximity to such personal and corporate wealth, Prinx Chengshan unique inasmuch as it was the only Hong Kong stock exchange (HKEX) listed tyre manufacturer at the show.
Prinx Chengshan
Prinx Chengshan