Kerala based tread rubber manufacturer Crescent Rubber Crafts (CRC) has announced the appointment of a new dealer in Sharjah as part of a move to resume exports to the Middle East.
UAE Expansion for Indian Tread Rubber Manufacturer
The Aluva (Kochi) based firm had previously supplied precured treads to Saudi Arabia in 2015 but ceased supplying the Middle East for five years following payment difficulties.
“We have now appointed Master General Trading LLC as our dealer to market CRI treads in the UAE and the whole of the Middle East,” confided Abdu Samad of Crescent Rubber Crafts. “So far, we have shipped one container of hot rubber for the 12/24 tyre size along with a precured tread sample to the UAE dealer.”
About seven years ago the trend in the UAE market reversed towards hot rubber, which now makes up almost 60% of the local retreading market. This trend is driven by the fact that the use of hot rubber allows bead-to-bead retreading, which produces retreads that look like new, thereby helping to avoid fines imposed by the UAE transport authorities.
“We have supplied our premium quality silica (cooling agent) reinforced tread to withstand the high temperature of the Middle East and received positive feedback from the customers,” he added. CRC has also supplied its fast-curing hot rubber, which requires only 120 minutes to cure compared to the usual 150 minutes to cure, thereby saving electricity and reducing labour by saving 30 minutes per tyre.
The company says it is also looking at expanding in the neighbouring Saudi Arabian market, regarded as the largest retread market in the Middle East now. “Since the Saudi and Qatar relations improved, the market in Saudi is picking-up gradually and once again we have started receiving orders for precured tread rubber,” said Samad.
Meanwhile the tread producer is aggressively marketing its range in other overseas markets in Africa and South America. The company is now holding preliminary discussions there and hopes to start shipments in these markets. “We are in discussion with potential customers in Ethiopia, Colombia and Ecuador, and something concrete is likely to emerge from these markets soon, he added.
In addition to the above, Crescent Rubber Crafts has also started manufacturing black vulcanising cement (BVC) commercially in bulk quantity and sold 10,000 litres in January. The company has the capacity to produce 20,000 litres of BVC per month. “Our BVC is ready to use, and customers can use 100% of the material they buy since there is no wastage in the form of sediments which normally forms in the bottom of the containers,” said Samad.
