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CZECHIA
Sampling Retreading in Czechia
road network and a generally modern truck and bus fleet. Retreading has been recognised by the fleet sector as a route to cost savings and until recently output had been sustained at a high level, but 2015 and 2016 have seen the impact of cheap Chinese tyres taking its toll here as they have done elsewhere.
The retreaders here are not 100 per cent confident in the future and there is an expectation of a shrinking industry that leaves consolidation as
a route to increase market share, but that cannot be a long term
resolution to the issue of Chinese tyres.
Almost universally, the threat of tyre labelling for retreaded truck tyres was shrugged off as a, now, minor issue that would be dealt with by the tread suppliers or the tyre manufacturers in the case of those offering Goodyear Next Tread, ContiRe, Remix, Bandag or Novateck. Kraiburg and Marangoni also believe that they have the answer, and so too do the other suppliers on the market such as Vipal and Galgo. Retreading Business thanks Daniel Brichta (Marangoni), Michal Baxa (Vipal) Milan Gajdoš (Kraiburg) and Mark Faggyas (Bridgestone) for their help in making this visit possible.
This issue of Retreading Business sees interviews with seven leading retreaders in Czechia. Now, some readers will be wondering, where?
Czechia is the officially preferred name for the Czech Republic. During our visit we heard the country called either Czechia or the Czech Republic. Czechia is not a new name, it has been used for hundreds of years and predates the political title of the Czech Republic and is considered by many to therefore represent the countr y on a more inclusive basis.
The Czech government has asked people to use the term more frequently both at home and internationally. So, for this feature, we will comply with their wishes.
Czechia is a country in Central Europe, part of the former Czechoslovakia. The country split into Czechia and Slovakia in 1993. Its population is around 10.5 million. It is centrally located in Europe and it has become a transit country for trade moving both east to West and North to South – although, like its neighbours Poland and Hungary, the North South trade route has been curtailed by the embargo on trade with Russia and the financial position of the Ukraine.
The retread sector in Czechia is, as everywhere else, under pressure from the dumping of Chinese tyres on the European market. In recent years the country could boast of 27 retreaders of var ying sizes, today that figure could be as low as 20
operational retreaders – there is some disagreement over the actual number of retreaders operating today.
There are three car tyre retreaders producing maybe 180,000 or more car tyre retreads and the truck tyre sector is estimated to be about 160,000 units, of which 140 – 145,000 units are sold in Czechia. Of those, maybe 10,000 are from hot cure plants. One of the retreaders is German owned, and virtually all of its output is sent to Germany.
The key suppliers in the Czech market are Marangoni and Kraiburg followed by Vipal, Galgo, Midas, and of course each of the main tyre manufacturers has a place with Next Tread, Remix, ContiRe and Novateck.
Retreading had long been a tradition in Czechia, and under the Soviet-era governments the industr y was important to keep the nation’s trucks and bus fleets moving. At that time, hot cure was the only retread method available and by all accounts quality was not particularly high on anyone’s priorities.
Most of today’s retreaders in Czechia and in neighbouring Slovakia either grew out of those “pre-change” operations, or were established shortly after “the change”. We refer to “the change” because that is how the transition from Soviet-era to free market and Western democracy is referred to by many (also in Poland and Hungar y).
Today, Czechia is a modern, liberal countr y with a modern
Alma Pneu: 18 Years of Ringtread
There is nothing like starting at the top, and that is what Alma Pneu did. 18 years ago Radek Indrák set up Alma Pneu starting up from the outset as a
also an outlet for Alma Pneu. The retread plant is dedicated to retreading and also houses the Alma Pneu head office in Novŷ Jičín.
Marangoni’s Daniel Brichta (left) with Alma Pneu’s Radek Indrák
18 Retreading Business
Marangoni Ringtread retreader. For 18 years Alma Pneu has remained a Ringtread specialist. Alma Pneu operates a chain of six Vianor retail service outlets in Moravia and sells both new and retreaded tyres. As a member of the Vianor network, Alma Pneus also uses a range of Nokian Noktop treads to supplement the Ringtread operation.
The Vianor network has some 60 outlets in Czechia and one dedicated truck outlet which is
The retail operation handles passenger car and truck and bus tyres, and that gives this compact business operation some protection from market fluctuations. However, retreading is at the core of the business and sales of the retreading operation are almost exclusively through the Alma Pneu retail outlets.
The original plant came from Marangoni 20 years ago, and Radek Indrák has remained loyal to the Italian manufacturer