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MALAYSIA
Coltrac has opted to utilise a Steinbichler Intact 1200-2 shearography machine at its new factory
Leighton Asia Gives Thumbs Up to Tough Tread
Present in Asia since 1975, Leighton Asia is one of the region’s leading construction and mining service providers. Via an expanded business network, the company provides a wide range of services in the civil and infrastructure, building and contract mining sectors.
Like Goodway and its subsidiary, Bigwheel OTR, Leighton Asia is also committed to quality products and is constantly striving to enhance them. With similar core values, it is no surprise that Leighton Asia found an ideal partner in both Goodway and Bigwheel OTR. Having made a name for conducting business the green way, Leighton Asia’s commitment to the protection of the environment is evident in their projects and standard
operating procedures. Staying green is a vital component of their sustainability strategy for continuous improvement. As such, Leighton Asia would always look for partners who share their passion to prevent pollution and conserve energy. So when Bigwheel OTR revealed that it only uses Tough Tread tread liners from GIIB, for earthmovers, dump trucks and mining vehicles, Leighton Asia saw the perfect partner for its vehicles.
Bigwheel OTR’s sales and production manager, Mr. Jansen Ng comments, “Given both companies’ shared goal - greening the mines, I am confident that this will be a beginning of a long journey for both our companies. We will both work closely together to promote the green industry.”
Coltrac’s Managing Director Tom Tai
New Factory for Coltrac
Swee Hing Tyres Invests in Pre-cure Capacity
Malaysian Truck tyre dealer and retreader Coltrac has expanded production capacity by moving from its existing facility in Sungai Buloh to new premises in Shah Alam and investing in a range of new, hi-tech equipment designed to optimise product quality. The move to the new factory, which was completed in 2010, has allowed Coltrac, which currently manufactures around 250 retreads per day using Supercool tread rubber, to increase its capacity to 150,000 tyres per annum, a level of production which Managing Director Tom Tai expects to reach within 2 years.
“We are focusing on technology”, says Tai, “By investing in the best equipment, we will be able to increase our sales”. The company has invested heavily in the new plant, which contains four 25-tyre pre-cure chambers, an Intact 1200-2 shearography machine from
Steinbichler, the latest AZ machine CTC-SB VII and two NDT Spectra nailhole detectors. The plant is fitted with a monorail system throughout. Besides retreading, Coltrac is also active in new tyre sales, marketing Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental and Goodyear truck tyres, as well as Total Lubricants
As part of its expansion plan Coltrac is developing a network of service centres and already offers a 24 hour breakdown service across peninsular Malaysia using a mixture of its own breakdown team and contractors. The company opened a Bridgestone truck service centre in the North Port in Klang in 2008 and in early 2012 a Michelin Truck Service Centre (MTSC) will be opened in Sungai Buloh. Both are equipped with the latest in tyre service equipment including Hunter Hawkeye Elite Alignment, Hunter Vibration Control System, M522 Fiap (Italy) Fully
Automatic Tyre Changers and Royal 928 Fiap (Italy) Tyre Changers. The aim, says Tai, is to open one service centre in every state across Malaysia. Coltrac, which now holds MS224 and ISO 9001/2008 certification, is also focussing heavily on the environmental benefits of its products, promoting itself under the “Go Green” banner and insisting on using low PAH products bearing the Supercool brand name. Coltrac services a wide range of customers from cargo/haulage to tippers. “Retreading is a tough industry”, says Tai, “but Coltrac can grow stably because of our focus on quality, safety as well as services”.
Malaysian retreader and tyre wholesaler Swee Hing Tyres has invested in a new Italmatic autoclave with a view to increasing capacity at its retread plant. According to Managing Director Chuang Koon Seng, the new equipment was expected to be operational by the end of 2011 and was expected to result in a capacity increase at Tayar Celup Tanda Batu Sdn Bhd, the company’s retreading subsidiar y. According to Chuang, Swee Hing currently produce between 2,500 and 3,000 retreads per month using both pre-cure and mould cure methods. The investment will increase capacity to 4,000 units per month.
Swee Hing is a significant regional tyre dealer in Johor state. The company runs a network of tyre retail centres in the Johor Bahru area including 8 car tyre centres and a further two truck tyre centres, one of which is a Continental Bestdrive Centre and the other a Michelin centre. Tayar Celup Tanda Batu is based in Pasir Gudang, just outside Johor Bahru, which is near the port area and hence handy for the significant haulage and logistics business located in this area, located at the Southern tip of peninsular Malaysia.
According to Chuang’s son, Operations Manager Chuang Shin
Yang Swee Hing’s retread operation produces retreads under two brand names. Milestone, accounting for 25 per cent of production, is the company’s premium retread brand. Says Chuang; “We are trying to push our premium brand as it provides the best cost per kilometre. However, we have to give the customer what he wants and for this reason, the remainder of production is made up of our economy brand. Hitex”.
According to Chuang Shin Yang, the company expects its own wholesale business to be a major help in helping to increase retread sales. “Our expansion programme focuses on leveraging on our network first, primarily in Johor and Melaka. Our aim is to supply high quality products and a good service on 24- 7 basis. We have trained mechanics in our autocentres to provide a one- stop, comprehensive service to our customers. This includes fleet management and we carr y out periodic inspections for our customers, measuring tread depth so we can provide regular cpk reports”.
In addition to retreads, Swee Hing also sells a wide range of new truck tyres. The wholesale business is an official Continental/Sime dealer but also sells Yokohama, Goodyear and Michelin.
42 Retreading Business