Linglong Tire has entered into a cooperative agreement with Chinese car-making joint venture company SGMW. The new partnership commenced with the signing of a strategic cooperation framework agreement at SGMW’s headquarters on 30 December. Under the agreement, the two parties will collaborate on product design, development, application, quality assurance, cost optimisation and manufacturing over a long-term basis.
Linglong Tire has signed an extension to its partnership agreement with VfL Wolfsburg, continuing as its “club of Champions” partner. Li Wei, vice present of Linglong Tire, attended the signing ceremony held by VfL Wolfsburg in Foshan China on 23 May, 2019. He said: “as an old friend of VfL Wolfsburg, Linglong is very glad to continue to cooperate with the club and give full play to the brand effect of both sides.”
Shandong Linglong Tire’s plans to set up a tyre factory in Serbia gained a further boost on 17 September with the finalisation of an investment framework agreement with the country’s Ministry of Finance. The document was signed by Linglong chairman Wang Feng and Siniša Mali, Serbia’s Minister of Finance, at a ceremony in Beijing also attended by Aleksandar Vučić, President of Serbia.
Shandong Linglong will ship original equipment tyres to Volkswagen and Renault from its planned factory in Serbia. This is the news shared by Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vučić on his website today. Vučić writes that Wang Feng shared news that the factory would supply the two vehicle manufacturers once production begins in 2020.
On 1 September 2018, Chinese vehicle manufacturer FAW Group Corporation signed a product technical cooperation framework agreement with Shandong Linglong Tire. The two parties intend to collaborate on the development of tyres for new models produced by FAW.
Linglong Tire is examining tyre pyrolysis technology and its application to waste tyre recycling. The tyre maker shares that it organised a conference on the subject at its headquarters in Zhaoyuan, China on 24 July, an event attended by 13 academics and experts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Sichuan University, Zhejiang University and Beijing University of Technology.
Shandong Linglong Tyre Co., Ltd. has selected Cimcorp as its strategic partner for tyre plant automation, and the Finnish manufacturer and integrator of turnkey robotic tyre-handling and order fulfilment solutions is currently working on two projects for Linglong. In addition, Cimcorp will provide solutions for Linglong Tire’s new greenfield facility in Jingmen, China.
On Saturday 17 March, vehicle manufacturer Geely Auto held its Annual Supplier Conference in Sanya, China, and one of the companies honoured with a ‘Best Partner’ award during the proceedings was Linglong Tire. The tyre maker states that this award from Geely represents the “biggest affirmation” of its activities last year.
As Linglong Tire notes, China imports more than 80 per cent of the natural rubber its manufacturers use. The company views rubber sourced from dandelions as a potential strategic raw material in the coming years, and in order to promote the industrialisation of dandelion rubber, it plans to invest RMB 30 million (£3.4 million) to set up a new company. The tentative name for this firm is Linglong Dandelion Science and Technology Development Company.
The establishment of Atlas as Shandong Linglong Tire’s flagship tyre brand in China has been further reinforced by the opening of the first Atlas-branded retail outlet within the country. The centre in Guangzhou aims to meet the “highest industry standards” in regards to design, equipment, products, service, scale and professionality, comments the tyre maker.
Joint developmental work between Shandong Linglong Tire and the Beijing University of Chemical Technology recently bore fruit with the successful production of 3D printed polyurethane tyres. The tyre maker comments that this 3D tyre printing is a first in China.
Chinese tyre maker Shandong Linglong Tire co. Ltd. has opened new subsidiaries in Luxembourg and Mexico City. According to Linglong Tire the Mexico tyre unit, Elite Faith Mexico, S.A. DE C.V., and Luxembourg investment unit Linglong Luxembourg S.à r.l, will engage in the import and export of tyres and raw materials required for their manufacture.
An announcement made by Shandong Linglong Tire at the Auto Shanghai show marks the introduction of a long-established US tyre brand into the Chinese market. At a press conference held on 22 April, company chairman and president Wang Feng welcomed the Atlas brand to China. The launch portfolio consists of seven passenger car and SUV product lines.
Shandong Linglong Tire Co Ltd has reported increased sales and profits for 2016. In its 2016 Annual Report, the Chinese tyre maker declares net sales of RMB 10.5 billion last year (£1.2 billion), a 20.4 per cent increase from 2015 and a record high. Operating income rose 32.3 per cent to RMB 1.1 billion (£124.7 million) and net income was up 49.0 per cent to RMB 1.0 billion (£113.4 million).
As of 1 January, Shandong Linglong Tire has been elevated to the status of Club of Champions partner with German football club VfL Wolfsburg. The tyre maker had served as a VfL-TopPartner since the start of 2015, and Wang Feng, founder and chief executive officer of Linglong Tire, signed the new, extended deal at the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg on 14 December together with club managers Thomas Röttgermann and Dr Tim Schumacher. The company is one of three Club of Champions partners, holding this status alongside Nike and logistics specialist Grupo Sesé.