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NEWS
French retread major, Pneu Laurent celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. At a time when the wider industry has been in crisis, this French retreader has kept its cool and has continued to recruit staff and invest in cutting edge technology at its plant at the heart of the regional nature reserve of Morvan.
Pneu Laurent was created sixty years ago and is now the leading French retreader for truck and bus tyres with a staff of around 500 employees. The company is now an important player in the local economy and a significant employer in the region.
The company has registered with the local tourist office in the Yonne, regularly hosts visits that are open to all. This is seen as an
evolution of the industrial sector and Pneu Laurent sees this as an important tool to open hearts and minds to the enterprise and its products.
The factory uses the latest technology and operates to the highest standards possible. Equally, Pneu Laurent has invested in training and developing staff skills and has worked with local colleges to develop a highly qualified team with the aim of building staff competency, growing the level of professionalism and giving staff ownership of their working environment. Ultimately, this develops a sense of belonging and pride in the workforce in their work and in the business.
TRIB Elects New President
The Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) has elected Brian Hayes as its new president. Hayes, vice president of manufacturing for Purcell Tire & Rubber Co., was announced at the annual board of directors meeting. Hayes began his two-year term in January 2013.
“Brian is a respected leader in the retread industry. His wealth of experience will continue to benefit our board of directors, our association and the industry as a
whole,” said Bob Majewski, outgoing TRIB president.
Hayes has spent his entire professional career with Purcell, dating back to 1988. In 1996 he was promoted to manager of
the Fenton Retread Plant in St. Louis, MO, and then manager of the Retread Plant in Potosi, Missouri. He was promoted to his current role in 2004 and has responsibility for five Commercial Plants and one OTR Plant.
Malaysia Eyes up Nigerian Opportunities
As part of the task given to it to promote Malaysian products and services in other countries, the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) delegation visited Lagos, Nigeria for a Specialised Marketing Mission (SMM).
The delegation brought with them four Malaysian companies that deal in rubber and precured retreading materials for tyres, formulated wax for candle and coating application and the making of soaps, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and plastic packaging.
Director, Lifestyle Section, Trade and Services Promotion Division of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, Aureen Jean Nonis said that they were in Nigeria to explore business opportunities on selected products and services sectors in the country and also establish networking and business contacts with the business fraternity in the cities visited.
“We feel that by collaborating with companies in Malaysia, Nigerians can enjoy the products we have developed over the years. We have come a long way and we have very good quality products that we export all over the world with competitive prices and value for money and
we want to share them with Nigeria”, she said.
Speaking on the possibility of investing in Nigeria, Nonis stated that their options are open but are at the moment promoting their country’s products with future plans of investment.
“At the moment, our options are actually open. We are still promoting our products in Nigeria. However, if Nigeria likes to talk about technology transfer, the companies are ver y open. We can assist in establishing industries in the countr y and we can provide with the know-how and raw materials.”
The representative of one of the companies, Goodway Rubber Industries Sdn Bhd, George Tan Tay Keong said they offer premium quality products which can compete with other products anywhere in the world.
Nonis finally said that they look forward to having a close relationship with Nigeria in the future, adding that they hope to come back next year in a bigger group.
6 Retreading Business
Pneu Laurent Celebrates 60 Years
Tructyre (Fleet Management Ltd) Acquire PK Commercial Tyres
UK based fleet management operator Tructyre (Fleet Management) Ltd, has announced that it has acquired PK Commercial Tyres group of companies with effect from October 2012.
Both companies, having worked closely together over a number of years, have good synergies that made the acquisition a natural move in order to strengthen Tructyre’s current and future position in the ever changing market.
Glenn Sherwood, Managing Director of Tructyre (Fleet Management) Ltd said “Paul Kuske, Managing Director of Commercial Tyres, with 40 years’ experience in the industry, will be
staying on in the business for the foreseeable future to work alongside myself in order to integrate the two companies”.
The two companies combined will now operate a fleet of in excess of 95 service vehicles and 21 points of sale covering 10 counties in the South and South East corner of the UK.
Both companies with a number of dynamic key projects in place will be rolled out in due course by an excellent team of people on both sides, which will enhance its products and services offer to its all-important customers, in meeting their needs now and in the future.