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INTERVIEW
and sometime as an activator/accelerator of our activities in the precure business especially with reference to the Ringtread segment but not only. The Marangoni Group’s most advanced hot cure and precure equipment and technologies are now working in many important retreading plants around the world. TRM, which stands for Tyre Retreading Machinery, is now the company’s division which is in charge of the development and technical support of retreading equipment, with Marangoni Meccanica now focused on machineries and solutions for new tyres. We have also reorganised
our technical assistance department with the development of a Global Service Network and are looking forward to the release of new machinery from TRM during the course of the year.
RB
Where are your priorities in other developing markets?
GF
We currently have an eye to Russia, where we are setting up our first joint venture retreading plant with the Tatneft Group, which is the manufacturer of Kama truck tyres. Beside this venture until now we have only had a presence with independent retreaders in St Petersburg and Moscow, while the Kama retreading joint venture plant is based in Nizhnekamsk in Tatarstan, which is another important industrialised area.
In China we have realised that our initial approach was not finding an adequate response from the market, and we are in a process of downsizing and reorientation of our activities in the precure business while concentrating our attention on our pilot shops, in order to learn how to develop a retreading model which can satisfy the requirements of the local fleets in that region. Growth in quality retreading in China is negligible and not increasing, but we are gaining experience.
In India the situation is somewhat different –and is a bit more advanced. Here we are looking to establish a few selected retreaders and then develop the market. In 2015 we will be looking at this with more attention and resources.
Africa is also very promising in the short term, and is growing at 10 per cent per annum. This market is particularly attractive because new truck tyre manufacturing is limited and protected by import tariffs, so retreaders will have an advantage. Africa is a key area of priority for us, and we believe that the pre-cure market here will eventually be bigger than in Europe. In South Africa, we are working closely with a local manufacturer, Leadertread, with whom we have a lot of synergies. We plan to double our size and product range offering in South Africa quite soon
RB
Finally, what are your plans for your machinery division?
GF
Tyre retreading machinery has always been a successful activity and very important as a complement
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