Federal, Kenda join ITMA

As members of ITMA, the two firms will receive timely updates on any proposed regulatory and legislative changes that affect the sale of tires within Europe, the ITMA said, and will be invited to the association's regular technical meetings.

Da-Wu Chen, global sales and marketing director of Federal Tyres, said being a member of the ITMA would help it penetrate the European market and “meet local customers' expectations.”

Federal, which is celebrating its 60th year in business during 2014, does not list a European subsidiary and did not say how its tires are distributed in Europe.

Kenda did not comment on joining the ITMA, but Peter Taylor, the group's director, said, “Kenda's membership demonstrates the extra levels of support and intelligence that is needed to compete effectively within Europe….”

Kenda has set up a subsidiary company, Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. Europe G.m.b.H. in Oldenburg, Germany, to represent its interests.

In its mission statement, the ITMA says it works closely with other tire industry associations, U.K. government departments and the European Union to monitor and respond to proposed regulations that are likely to impact or affect its members.

Other members are:

• Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd. of China—no European representative listed.
• ATG Group of India—Kirkby Tyres Ltd. of Liverpool, England, is the sole distributor and importer for Alliance tires in the U.K. and Ireland.
• Chengshan Tire of China—Alfred Graham Ltd. of is the brand's agent in the U.K.
• Shandong Jinyu Tire Co. Ltd.—represented in the U.K. by Bond International of York, England.
• Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd.' Falken brand—represented by Falken Europe in Offenbach, Germany.
• Al Dobowi Group's Infinity brand—represented by Infinity Tyres Europe Ltd. of Kingsbury, England.
• Giti Tire Pte. Ltd. of China—represented by GITI Tire (UK) Ltd. of Manchester, England.
• Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. of China—represented by HangZhou Zhongce Rubber of Gerolstein, Germany, and Westlake Tyres (Westlake brand) of Kingsbury, England.
• Kumho Tire Co. Inc. of South Korea—represented by Kumho Tyres (UK) Ltd. of Sutton, England.
• Cheng Shin Rubber Co. Ltd./Maxxis International of Taiwan—represented by Maxxis International (UK) Ltd. of Suffolk, England.
• Nexen Corp. of South Korea—Represented by Nexen Tyres of Hertfordshire, England.
• P.T. Multistrada Arah Sarana Tbk. of Indonesia—no European representation listed.
• S.D. International—a private brand business represented by S D International of Hertfordshire, England.
• Sailun Co. Ltd. of China—no European representation listed.
• Shandong Linglong Tyre Co. Ltd. of China—no European representation listed.
• Stamford Tyres International of Singapore—no European representation listed for Stamford's Firenza brand.
• Triangle Tire Co. Ltd. of China—represented by Triangle of Norfolk, England.
• Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. of Japan—represented by Toyo Tyres UK Ltd. of Rushdan, England.
• Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. of Japan—represented by Yokohama HPT Ltd. of Milton Keynes, England.

Separately, Federal noted that it recently hosted a meeting of its Chinese dealers in Heilongjiang Province, where the dealers had a chance to test Federal's latest winter tires—the Federal Himalaya ICEO and and Hero Alpaza AP01—at Yabuli Reservoir near Harbin, China.

The company also noted that its Australian distributor Cometti hosted a delegation of Australian dealers at Federal's factory and warehouse in Taoyuan, Taiwan.