Vipal opens distribution center in England

NOVA PRATA, Brazil — Brazilian tire retread materials producer Borrachas Vipal S/A has opened a distribution center in the United Kingdom to be closer to its customers.

Vipal said the facility, which will have capacity for up to 500 tons of products, further strengthens its presence in Europe. The warehouse is located in the English Coast town of Felixstowe, home to the largest container port in the U.K. It will be operated through an agreement with Denholm Group, part of a conglomeration of companies that operates in various segments, including shipping and logistics.

The new center will service England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and is expected to begin operations in November. Vipal said it aims to increase its market share in the region and is striving for growth of up to 8 percent.

Among the top five markets on the European continent, the United Kingdom has been served by Vipal since 2007, according to the company, through one of its customers, Vacu Lug, which it called one of the top retreaders in England and Europe. Vipal previously operated out of and serviced the U.K. through Vacu Lug's distribution center in Germany.

“We perceived the need to increase agility in the process, which is why we pursued the partnership with Denholm to open the English center,” said Alessandro Campos, general manager of Vipal Europe.

In addition to the Felixstowe facility, Vipal has three other distribution centers in Europe — located in Spain, Germany and Slovenia. It also operates centers in Australia, Mexico, Colombia, and has three in the U.S., in Florida, Virginia and California, along with branch offices in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia as well as in Spain, Australia, the U.S., Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Colombia.

Through its authorized retreaders and permanent regional teams, Vipal said it supplies about 90 countries on all continents, with Europe, Latin America and the U.S. its main markets. The company said it “invests in the development of specific products to improve performance in different regions.”

Vipal, founded in 1973 in Nova Prata, Rio Grande do Sul, has about 3,000 employees and operates two plants in Nova Prata and one in Feira de Santana, Bahia. It claims it was the first Brazilian company in the sector to be ISO 9002 certified, also is ISO 9001: 2008 certified, and has a performance check certificate from IFBQ/INMETRO for its line of tire treads.