Retreading Business caught up with Ederson Pichini, Technical and Commercial Manager, and Thiago Contim, Industrial Director of Tectyres Indústria e Comércio LTDA, about the company’s history, global ambitions, and the role of innovation in strengthening its offer to retreaders.
Family Roots and Company Growth
Founded in 1994, Tectyres has its origins in the entrepreneurial vision of João Bosco Contim, Thiago’s father. Before establishing the company, Contim had worked for many years with Irmãos Bórnia, a respected Brazilian manufacturer of retreading equipment which ceased operations in the early 1990s. With the market suddenly lacking domestic suppliers, Contim recognised a business opportunity and set out to build a company that could combine technical expertise with reliable supply with an innovative approach to both hardware and customer service.
Three decades later, Tectyres has established itself as one of the most respected manufacturers of retreading equipment in Brazil. From its base in Sorocaba, São Paulo, the company now serves hundreds of customers, ranging from small independent retreaders to some of the country’s largest commercial networks and truck centres. Its reach also extends far beyond Brazil, with equipment in daily use across Latin America, Central America, China, South Africa, and the United States.
In-House Manufacturing as a Strategic Advantage
One of Tectyres’ defining features is its commitment to producing everything in-house, a rare feat in today’s industry. All equipment is built internally, beginning with the arrival of steel sheets and raw materials. This not only includes mechanical fabrication but also the automation systems that underpin retreading operations.
According to Pichini, this approach offers two key advantages: consistency of quality and the ability to innovate quickly. “By producing everything internally, we maintain full control over each stage of the process,” he explains. “It allows us to ensure reliability while at the same time adapting designs to meet specific market needs.”
The company employs 20 people in production and a further five in administration, a size that allows for flexibility while still delivering at an industrial scale. The relatively lean team is supported by investments in automation and process efficiency, reducing reliance on manual labour at a time when skilled operators are becoming harder to find.
Customer Support at the Core
Beyond manufacturing, Tectyres places an exceptional emphasis on customer service. Every installation comes with training, and ongoing support is built into the company’s model. Advances in communication have transformed the way after-sales service is delivered. Today, approximately 95% of service cases are resolved remotely through video calls or direct remote access to machinery. The company does not charge customers for this remote assistance, a policy designed to build trust and maintain long-term relationships, which is clearly working.
Partnership with Hawkinson
A significant milestone in Tectyres’ development has been its nearly 20-year partnership with US-based manufacturer Hawkinson. Acting as the company’s official representative in Brazil and across South America, Tectyres has been able to strengthen its portfolio and provide customers with a broader range of options.
The partnership, say Pichini and Contim, is built on mutual trust and shared objectives. While sales have been strong, growth has been tempered by structural challenges in Brazil, particularly the weakness of the local currency against the US dollar and high import taxes. Despite this, the partnership remains a cornerstone of Tectyres’ international strategy.
Expanding Product Development
Tectyres is also investing heavily in research and development. In recent years, the company has focused on testing new alloys, introducing lean automation processes, and reducing labour requirements in assembly and machining. The goal is to deliver equipment that is both easier to operate and more affordable for retreaders.
These efforts have already borne fruit. The company has been able to supply automatic buffing machines and bonding extruders at highly competitive prices in the Brazilian market, expanding access to advanced machinery at a time when many retreaders are under cost pressure from low-priced imported tyres.
Looking ahead, Tectyres plans to launch additional products designed to simplify retreading operations, particularly in regions where skilled labour shortages present a bottleneck to efficiency, an industry-wide problem in some parts of the world.
International Ambitions
While Latin America remains the company’s strongest export base, Tectyres is increasingly eyeing opportunities elsewhere. In Argentina and other parts of the continent, sales are supported by Distribuir S.A., its regional partner for Latin America. Beyond the region, China, South Africa, and the United States are all markets where Tectyres has placed equipment in recent years.
The US market, in particular, is a priority for future expansion. In the past, it represented a significant share of the company’s revenues, and Tectyres is keen to return to a stronger position there, taking advantage of renewed interest in automation and efficiency among North American retreaders.
Balancing Innovation and Affordability
The broader retreading industry is facing challenges ranging from currency volatility and high import tariffs in Brazil to competitive pressures from low-cost Asian tyre imports in the wider global market. In this context, Tectyres is seeking to strike a balance: delivering reliable, easy-to-operate equipment while keeping prices accessible to its diverse customer base.
“Our focus is always on ensuring retreaders have access to the right tools at the right price,” says Contim. “By continuing to invest in research, automation and customer support, we believe we can play a role in strengthening the competitiveness of the retreading sector both in Brazil and abroad.”
From its origins as a family business responding to a gap in the market, Tectyres has evolved into an established international player.
With in-house manufacturing, a strong partnership with Hawkinson, and a commitment to continuous innovation, the company remains focused on equipping retreaders with technology that is reliable, efficient, and cost-effective. As it looks to expand its footprint in North America and beyond, Tectyres exemplifies how Brazilian manufacturers are carving out a place on the global stage of tyre retreading.
