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AUTOPROMOTEC
Autopromotec a Big Success for Italmatic
open markets in other African countries, but retreading is a difficult sector in some countries and of course there can be economic and political challenges in some states.” So, AkarMak is looking at the market
in a positive light, examining the areas where the market is likely to develop and is taking steps to build business when the opportunity arises.
Autopromotec 2017 was a very successful exhibition according to Massimo Ghitturi of Italmatic who presented his company at two booths at the show.
In Hall 19 Italmatic presented their new range of tyre shop accessories promoting Italmatic brand in balancing weights (Italweights), patches (Italrepair), valves and TPMS (Italsensor), paste, grease, etc.
The exhibition was used to launch the 22nd edition of the company’s catalogue, which was well received by clients visiting the stands. Italmatic also announced their own new web site and its mobile app available for free to download from Google Play and App Store.
In hall 22 Italmatic presented their full range of retreading equipment,
including the OTR MGT line, able to retread tyres up to 63”.
Italmatic announced it was introducing a new control system for its autoclaves (TRUCK and OTR) to manage the vacuum system in automatic mode in order to prevent the loss of tyres during the vulcanisation cycle using envelopes. The new software also allows a complete traceability of all the data processed using a dedicated database, with evident advantages in terms of accuracy and quality products.
Italmatic also presented its new Energy presses line called VR-Energy, with an advanced heating plant designed with steam proportional valves and vacuum insulation to save up to 70 per cent of energy used.
Saspol Quietly Confident
Italian press manufacturer Saspol, is facing the same challenges as every other European manufacturer, cheaper imported products from China. However, Davide Dondena takes the view that the quality of the Saspol equipment will win the decision. “When you manufacture a tread press you
have to be sure that there is evenly applied pressure, or else the output quality is lacking and the tread will be uneven.”
The news from Saspol this year was that 2017 will see the launch of a new solid tyre press, with the release details coming by mid-summer.
Hules Banda Takes a Long View
EIB Roll Out the New
Portuguese rubber compounder and retread materials supplier EIB were another supplier in a positive mood at Bologna. Tiago Coutinho smiled as he introduced the company’ three new pre-cure treads. – an on-off road truck tyre; A Long Haul Fuel Saver, and an Earthmover tread.
The Long Haul tread uses a new compound developed by EIB and laboratory tests on the tread show that it should give extremely good
positive results.
The new on-off road tyre is an update of the widely available BDA pattern offered by all suppliers. However, this update follows some of the latest tread pattern designs available, and it is also now non- directional and is expected to offer a longer service life.
The Earthmover tread is one of two new treads in a range that will be developed to fill a gap in the market.
In an honest interview with Heriberto Romero from Hules Banda, there was an admission that the supply of Chinese tyres round the world was hurting retreaders and of course retread suppliers. In a sanguine approach, Heriberto acknowledged that the future was not looking particularly positive and he expressed a belief that governments really needed to intervene if jobs and businesses were to be able to survive in the long term.
Asked about the market in Mexico, he gave the following breakdown. The largest players are Galgo and Bandag, each with about 27 per cent, Bandamatic comes in next with around 17 per cent of the market, followed by Michelin 14 per cent,
Vipal 11 per cent, Conti with 2 per cent and Goodyear with one percent. Of the new tyre market, this was where there were worrying signs, he said. Chinese tyres accounted for 50 per cent of all new tyre sales, and the main players shared the remaining 50 per cent of the market.
The challenge is clearly from Chinese tyres. If things continue without any changes then life will become very difficult.
“People see new as new and they make no differentiation between quality. So, they buy Chinese tyres as new tyres regardless of the quality, or the cost per kilometre. They buy when they can afford and they are buying new Chinese tyres rather than quality retreads.
22 Retreading Business