Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber News
  • European Rubber Journal
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • Current Issue
  • Mid-Year Report
  • ADAS
  • News
    • OPINION
    • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
    • COMMERCIAL TIRE
    • GOVERNMENT & LAW
    • Humanitarian Award
    • RETAIL TIRES
    • SERVICE ZONE
    • TIRE MAKERS
    • Best Places to Work
    • RUSSIA WAR IN UKRAINE
  • Data
    • DATA STORE
  • Custom
    • SPONSORED CONTENT
  • Resources
    • Events
    • DIRECTORY
    • CLASSIFIEDS
    • SHOP FLOOR
    • AWARDS
    • ASK THE EXPERT
    • LIVESTREAMS
    • WEBINARS
    • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
    • RUBBER NEWS EVENTS
    • BALANCING
    • DEMOUNTING
    • SAFETY
    • TIRE REPAIR
    • TPMS
    • TRAINING
    • VEHICLE LIFTING
    • WHEEL TORQUE
    • Best Places to Work
  • ADVERTISE
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
September 13, 2004 02:00 AM

Michelin slots $180 mill.+ for expansions

Bruce Davis
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    Group Michelin has budgeted more than $180 million for expansion projects at plants in Northern Ireland, Brazil and Hungary and has selected a site in India for a $70 million tire plant to be built in partnership with Apollo Tyres Ltd.

    In Northern Ireland, Michelin will spend $26.5 million to upgrade its truck and bus tire plant in Ballymena by introducing new technology designed to enhance the ``capability, productivity and efficiency'' of the plant, rated at 950,000 units annually. Invest Northern Ireland (INI), a government agency, will contribute nearly $5 million in assistance.

    Neither Michelin nor INI said how much of a capacity hike the project entails or if it represents new jobs.

    In Brazil, Soc. Michelin Ltda. has budgeted $74 million to boost truck tire output 40 percent at its 23-year-old Campo Grande plant to 1.6 million units a year. The company also will spend $24 million to boost steel cord capacity at Itatiaia, which also is the site of a car tire plant equipped with Michelin's C3M automated production system.

    The expansions are intended to make Michelin do Brasil more self-sufficient, cutting down on the need to import and eventually to give the unit sufficient capacity to support exporting as well.

    Together, the two Brazil projects will create about 500 new jobs over their two-year duration, Michelin said.

    In Hungary, Michelin will spend $59 million to add capacity for passenger tires at its agricultural tire plant in Nyiregyhaza. The plant, originally built by Hungary's Taurus Rubber Co. Ltd. in 1979, will be converted to accommodate equipment for 2,500 passenger tires a day, Michelin said. The added capacity will create 200-300 jobs when it comes on-stream in June 2005, the Hungarian Ministry for Economic Affairs and Transport said.

    In India, Michelin and Apollo Tyres have chosen a site in Maharashtra state for a truck and bus tire plant to be built and operated by their Michelin Apollo Tyres Pvt. Ltd. joint venture.

    The partners also launched a 20-inch radial truck tire that carries both the Michelin and Apollo trademarks on the sidewall, reflecting the ``strong contribution of each partner'' to the joint venture.

    Initially, the new tire line will be imported into India until the venture's $70 million plant in Ranjangaon comes on-stream in 2005, Michelin said. The tires reportedly will come from Michelin's plant in China, according to Indian sources. The plant will have a capacity of 300,000 to 350,000 tires per year at full capacity, which should be achieved by 2007, a Michelin spokeswoman said. Expected employment was not disclosed.

    Michelin and Apollo agreed to set up the 51/49 venture last November. To create the venture, Michelin agreed to buy a 14.9-percent stake in Apollo for $28 million and to provide technical support for the manufacture of Apollo passenger car radials.

    In addition, Michelin began commercial production on July 7 at its new plant in Davydovo, Russia. The factory, located near Moscow, will make 2.1 million auto tires in 2005, eventually rising to 6.5 million by 2015 at the latest but possibly much earlier, a Michelin spokesman said.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Tire Business would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor Don Detore at [email protected].

    Most Popular
    1
    Discount Tire installs RoboTire at Arizona store
    2
    Average executive salaries found in Tire Talent report
    3
    Midas, Big O franchisee LWG poised for growth
    4
    Clif Armstrong joins TBC as commercial sales director
    5
    Conti rolls out new taglines for Conti, General brands
    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Newsletter Center

    Staying current is easy with Tire Business delivered straight to your inbox.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Subscribe to Tire Business

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • RSS

    Our Mission

    Tire Business is an award-winning publication dedicated to providing the latest news, data and insights into the tire and automotive service industries.

    Reader Services
    • Staff
    • About Us
    • Site Map
    • Industry Sites
    • Order Reprints
    • Customer Service: 877-320-1716
    Partner Sites
    • Rubber News
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Automotive News
    • Plastics News
    • Urethanes Technology
    RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Media Guide
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Classified Rates
    • Digital Edition
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • Mid-Year Report
    • ADAS
    • News
      • OPINION
      • BUSINESS/FINANCIAL
      • COMMERCIAL TIRE
      • GOVERNMENT & LAW
      • Humanitarian Award
      • RETAIL TIRES
      • SERVICE ZONE
      • TIRE MAKERS
      • Best Places to Work
      • RUSSIA WAR IN UKRAINE
    • Data
      • DATA STORE
    • Custom
      • SPONSORED CONTENT
    • Resources
      • Events
        • ASK THE EXPERT
        • LIVESTREAMS
        • WEBINARS
        • SEMA LIVESTREAMS
        • RUBBER NEWS EVENTS
      • DIRECTORY
      • CLASSIFIEDS
      • SHOP FLOOR
        • BALANCING
        • DEMOUNTING
        • SAFETY
        • TIRE REPAIR
        • TPMS
        • TRAINING
        • VEHICLE LIFTING
        • WHEEL TORQUE
      • AWARDS
        • Best Places to Work
    • ADVERTISE
    • DIGITAL EDITION