LANDAU, Germany-Gummi-Mayer KG, one of Europe's largest independent retreaders, has decided to phase out retread production this year, citing high manufacturing costs, inflexible work place regulations and shrinking selling prices. The decision will end 77 years of manufacturing in Landau. Gummi-Mayer, which produced 750,000 passenger and truck tire retreads in 1995, has been losing money from retreading for several years, said Hans W. Mayer, vice president.
The family-owned company will remain one of Europe's largest independent tire retailers and wholesalers, with 178 retail outlets in Germany and Switzerland.
Yokohama to build in Philippines
TOKYO-Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd., via an 80-percent owned joint venture, Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc., plans to build a $114 million plant to produce radial passenger tires on the site of the former Clark Air Force Base, a former U.S. facility 50 miles north of Manila, the Phillipine capital.
Scheduled to commence production in January 1998, the 378,000-sq-ft. plant will have an initial capacity of 5,000 tires per day, to be increased eventually to 10,000, Yokohama said.