A number of Bridgestone’s tyre factories in North and South America have been hit by cyberattacks resulting in production shutdowns. Some sources have even suggested that the actions are linked to the war in Ukraine.
Koelnmesse, the organisers of The Tire Cologne exhibitiom, are suspending cooperation with Russian companies in support of the people of Ukraine. Writing in statement published online on 1 March 2022, Gerald Baese, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH said:
The team at Borbet in Germany’s Hochsauerland region are making their own contribution to help people in Ukraine. The wheel manufacturer, which is headquartered in Hochsauerland and operates two further facilities there, says a van filled with “care packages” left one of the sites on Monday and is driving the approximately 800 miles to the embattled country.
Goodyear has accounted for all its associates in Ukraine and “continues to monitor the situation and support associates and customers”. Writing in a statement sent in answer to Tyres & Accessories questions on the matter, a company spokesperson outlined Goodyear’s current position:
While announcing its latest financial results, Pirelli has shared details of the steps it has taken to mitigate the impact of the “Russia-Ukraine crisis”. Writing on 23 February, executives explained that Pirelli has conducted an initial analysis of the situation and steps required.
The tragedy of war always has repercussions. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the end of February is no exception. With reports of thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of people already displaced, the human cost is incalculable. While blood is being spilt in Ukraine at a horrifying rate, this war is being fought on at least three fronts: military, electronic and financial. The human cost of the military dimension is beyond the scope of this publication. Likewise, cyber-warfare is probably a bridge too far (unless we are talking about vehicle cyber security, which is of increasing importance right down to the aftermarket garage level – see pages 16 to 17 of our forthcoming March edition for more on this). The economic cost of the war in Ukraine, however, will have an inevitable impact on European tyre production directly due to conflict and indirectly due to logistics and the impact of sanctions.
At the end of 2021 Ukraine’s only domestic tyre manufacturer, Rosava, hailed the strength of its partnerships with neighbouring Belarussian tyre manufacturing materials suppliers. Rosava representatives said “Established partnerships are the most effective tool for achieving common goals. Thus, our partners are always welcome to visit our company.”
In light of the Russia-Ukraine war, Nokian has established a crisis management team to safeguard staff and production at its Vsevolozhsk, Saint Petersburg, Russia tyre factory and is relocating the production of certain tyre lines to Finland and the US. Nokian employs 1,600 people in Russia. Net sales in the company’s Russia & Asia business unit amounted to 336 million euros in 2021.
As the war between Russia and Ukraine entered its fifth day on 28 February, and as talks between the Russian and Ukrainian governments were set to take place, local news reports suggested that troops from nearby Belarus were set to enter combat. The significance for the tyre industry is that, as well as obvious and tragic implications for Ukraine and its domestic tyre business, there is now evidence that the conflict’s ramifications are reaching neighbouring countries. But where does Belarussia’s leading tyre manufacturer, Belshina, fit into this picture?
Nokian has dropped its 2022 financial guidance as a result of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia where Nokian runs a tyre manufacturing plant in Vsevolozhsk, near Saint Petersburg.
Bridgestone Firestone Americas
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Rosava
Nokian
Belarussian Ministry for Finance
Nokian Tyres