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PORTUGAL
pressure all around the tread. The tyre is then cured in the OTR autoclave.
Sticking with OTR, the OTR hall is dominated by the huge MGT OTR buffer/ builder, however, this machine has no extruder facility. Instead, once tyres have been buffed and sent to the precure or hot cure line, those going to the hot cure line are placed on a building jig. Next to the jig is a rubber blender used to produce large rolls of rubber. The rubber is drawn off manually, a four man job, onto a mobile trolley. It is then brought to the casing, which has been painted with gum, and the rubber sheet is rolled on in as many layers as are needed to build the depth of rubber required. All the time the tyre builders pressure load the rubber to ensure even adhesion to both caracass and to each layer. The tyre is then cured and then put back on the MGT buffer builder, where an automatic tread cutting attachment cuts out the desired tread pattern. Inspection of the offcuts shows no layering that would indicate a variation in build, or voids that might create issues in use.
How does Fedima meet the market?
How does the company manage to offer such a variety of products and still remain viable?
Carlos Marques explains. “We need to be able to cover as many areas as is possible. We have built up our business over many years and have added lines one at a time. It would not be possible to enter the retreading market and operate as we do today. We offer what the customers ask for. Over the years the market has changed and we have to change with it. The market is very competitive and we have to do what we can to remain competitive. In the past the main demand from the market was for quality, quality, quality. Today
ever yone is concerned about price, price, price. Too many retreaders undersell their products, some sell at what has to be below the cost of raw materials. We won’t operate where we will lose money. Carlos turned and did some quick calculations and noted down a couple of comparable prices, one each from a competitor, one each of his own. “We know the cost of the casing, we know the cost of the raw materials. So with all other overheads either similar or ver y
close, how can there be any huge price differential? Our customers will tell us if the differential is in the quality of the rubber.”
So, competition from a market that is underselling itself creates a challenge, almost a game of “Last Man Standing” when competitors play such a price game. What other challenges does Carlos see for retreading?
“There is of course still the issue of the Chinese tyres, the cheap Chinese tyres that at one end depress the selling price by offering new at retread prices. People should still buy retreads because they are better quality, but many people don’t understand and will simply buy cheap Chinese tyres. At the other end of the equation, those tyres don’t last as long as a “western” tyre brand, and those casings are largely unsuitable for retreading, though increasingly quality new tyres are appearing from Chinese manufacturers. The current volume of unsuitable casings is one element in the casing shortage.” Fedima does in fact retread some Chinese tyres for specific jobs, off road use, public works etc.. where the rate of abrasion is high and
quality less important.
“Another cause of casing shortages is the fact that Michelin, Goodyear, and now Continental have started their whole life tyre management operations and they are trying to claw back all the good own brand casings.
“Our solution is to buy what stock is available from all around the world. In car tyres we almost exclusively retread Michelin casings, they are the best,” said Marques. “We also buy from Germany and Japan where they have a high volume of quality casings, particularly for car, light truck and 4x4. We buy large consignments of 4x4 casings from Australia. The sizes are slightly different to the European norm, but we can retread them to keep up with the still growing demand for 4x4 tyres throughout Europe. Fedima can offer a range of 4x4 tyres from road use only, to extreme off road, and competition tyres in specialist compounds too.
“Tyres are graded upon arrival A1 is a perfect casing and these go for long haul quality retreads, A2 may have been or may need repairs and these will be used for local transport
Rita and Carlos Marques,(left) with factory manager Carlos Trindad