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NEWS
Reifen Ihle Files for Insolvency
The expansions attest to our long- term commitment to meeting the demands of our customers, and will allow us to raise the bar for our customers even higher."
The new factor y building will add 4200 square metres of assembly floor space, and the new R&D and
Engineering office will add workspace for 150 to 200 engineers. Also, a new parking lot is being built in Epe to hold 375 additional cars. The municipality of Epe has welcomed the expansions and the economic growth they will generate.
The shock news from the European retreading industry at the end of February was the announcement from the court of Neu-Ulm in Germany that the Günzburg based retreader and tyre retailer Reifen Ihle had been forced to file for insolvency.
reported to have supported the reorganisation plan.
In the meantime Prof. Dr Martin Hörmann has been appointed as Administrator with a view to finding out if there is any interest in the company. His priority, he said, was saving as many jobs as possible.
OBO’s Big Surprise at Reifen
Retreader OBO Tyres is set to offer some interesting alternative suggestions as to what else can be done with used tyres.
Instead of showing all its retreading products, OBO Tyres has decided to throw in a surprise act for the forthcoming edition of Reifen Essen. A “full time show” will be performed at the Dutch-German retreaders stand in the Gallery between hall 2 and 4. The exact content of the activity remains a secret until the fair opens but a hint is given; a multi- application of used tyres.
Next to the show the OBO Sports bar is open with some of the best football matches in history. Shown on a big screen you can view some of the all-time finals in World Cup and European Cup football.
Reifen Essen will also see the launch the OBO Reifen App, the German version of the previously released Dutch app. The smart app allows German users to quickly determine if their damaged tyres can be repaired or retreaded. Casings can be offered
in the same app and dealers can partner up. All information is available at the booth.
But have they forgotten all about tyres? No is the answer, in addition to the informal activities that characterise OBO Tyres, some of the fast moving retreaded tyres will be shown at the company booth. “We have narrowed it down to our popular retreads such as the hot remould 23.5R25 EM- loader/dumper and our agricultural 24R20.5 transport+. Also, we are bringing some precure tyres for transport and a special, hand-cut lawn tyre” says Eef Brinks, Commercial Manager. “Something for everyone to show our versatility.” “We are not the largest but we want to be the most inventive. This shows in our tyre solutions, our services and now our presentation.”
All visitors are invited to visit the OBO Tyres stand at GA 114. You might be the lucky one to receive a personalised gift.
Photo: Berthold Veh: Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung
The company, which employs 230 people in four different businesses including a retread plant and a chain of twelve tyre retail stores, gave several reasons for the insolvency including poor sales throughout the German tyre sector, the mild winter and the loss of a number of key retread customers including the DIY chains Praktiker and Max Bahr. Also important will have been the decision by Continental to switch their retread production from Ihle to their new plant in Hannover.
It had been known that the loss of these customers had forced Ihle to undertake a restructuring of their business. However, according to Gerhard Bäuerle, Chairman of the Works Committee, a meeting had been held on 5 February at which those present had been told that financing for the restructuring plan was 98 per cent in place. The sudden insolvency had therefore come as a shock, and the reason why expected funds had not materialised was not clear, although this was not apparently due to lack of support from the banks, who are
Managing Director Jürgen Eigenbrodt, meanwhile, has been quoted as saying that the fundamentally solid foundation and the positioning of Reifen Ihle for the future would allow a quick rehabilitation of the company.
More recently, in an interview with local newspaper Augsburger Allgemeine, Hörmann has been quoted as saying that creditor groups have supported reorganisation plans for three of the four Ihle Group companies, namely Reifen Ihle GmbH, Reifen Ihle Service GmbH and RIG Technische Produkte GmbH. According to Hörmann, talks with suppliers had also been positive and several potential investors/buyers had also emerged, which the Administrator was in the process of evaluating. In the meantime the company was looking forward to expected boost in sales from the annual changeover from winter to summer tyres, which, it was hoped, would offer the beleaguered company some financial breathing space.
New Retread Plant for Marso
VMI Group Announces Major Expansions
VMI Group has announced major expansions to be completed in 2014. In Epe, a new factory building will be constructed, and current buildings will be restructured to enhance lean production. A new R&D and Engineering office will also be built. In China, VMI is working with authorities to expand its facilities
there. The expansions reflect strongly increased turnover at VMI. "These developments are testament to VMI's long history of expertise, innovation and success," said Harm Voortman, President & CEO. "Our ongoing efforts to stay ahead of the competition have inspired us to develop and build the best- performing machines in the world.
company, which manufactures 10,000 Bandag retreads per annum, has been a Bandag retreader for 20 years and received a 20 year award from Bridgestone Bandag at the
outlets in Romania and one in Serbia. Marso is an exclusive dealer of Nokian, Matador, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, Riken, BKT tyres, and KRKZ wheels.
Hungarian retreader Marso has announced the opening of a brand new Bandag retread plant at their headquarters in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. The new plant, opened by Marso CEO Sandor Somlai, was opened in the presence of the Mayor of Nyíregyháza. The
official opening event.
Marso, an ISO 9001 certified company, is a major tyre wholesaler and retailer , exporting to more than 50 countries across all five continents. The company has 24 service outlets and, 80+ dealer Partners across Hungary, nine
The 20 year Bandag Retread Partner award is presented to Marso: Left to right: Jeroen Lust, Armin Müller, Amand Dahi, Antonio Ianetta, Steven Janssens, Sandor Somlai, Otto Poroszka, Peter Berecz, Mark Faggyas
4 Retreading Business