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Tyre Expo Africa

It was the first of its kind on the African continent, an exhibition dedicated totally to tyres and tyre-related products featuring both local and international manufacturers and suppliers. The event effectively highlighted the growing importance of the South African commercial transport market as a potential hunting ground for offshore tyre companies, lured by the prospect of profits in this rapidly expanding arena, writes Paul Collings.

According to exhibition coordinator Rowena Suthers of UK-based event organisers, ECI International, "the three-day expo held at the Sandton Convention Centre in mid September attracted over 110 national and international exhibitors, including Bandag, Ceat, Continental, Leader Tread, Malas, Maxxis, Michelin, Silverstone, Stamford and Vipal, as well as many international wholesalers." 

Raining rubber
Readers of Fleetwatch are no doubt familiar with the coverage these pages give to the issues facing the local tyre industry and many of the aforementioned names will sound unfamiliar. This is understandable considering the event was the first time many of these companies have displayed their wares on our soil. 

But, says Suthers, the expo was not only for local tyre buyers: "A total of 2738 quality tyre trade visitors representing 44 countries attended the show over the three day period. In addition to visitors from within South Africa, others came from Botswana, Burundi, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Samoa, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Overseas visitors came from Australia, China, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, U.A.E and the US."

Obviously, this suggests a marked recognition by the international transport industry of South Africa's importance as a continental (perhaps global) hub for the distribution of commercial vehicle tyre products. Says Suthers, "for those entering the African market for the first time, the show was a good initial exploratory opportunity which also highlighted the need for a long-term commitment plan in order to establish their products and brand name within the African market."

Leader Tread (above and left) exhibited a range of new imported technologies that kick truck tyre retreading up to the next level - in short, improved CPK. Bandag took (above and left) pride of place at the expo and won a 'Gold Award' for the best stand. Its Electronic Casing Inspector sparked a lot of interest too.

Tyre irony
This is perhaps the salient issue underpinning the expo - the question of whether newcomers to the local market will effectively support their products and comply with both local trade and standards regulations, or not. The integrity of an exhibitor (importer) must be questioned when, as happened to this journalist while visiting the expo, upon asking an Asian exhibitor to tell more about his truck tyres, the exhibitor remained seated in his chair and said, "Sir! Can you please come tomorrow, I'm having a bad day!"

This attitude characterises the current climate of 'dumping' tyres in emerging economies, the illegal practice of invading existing markets with 'cut' prices and promises, only to disappear into the ether once the deal has been struck, ignoring the ethical issues of fair trade and customer support. The irony here is that said importer has no doubt spent a fair packet getting his exhibit together only to waste an opportunity (albeit simply one of promotion) because his day didn't turn out as planned.

A couple of coups
For many of our local tyre stalwarts, the show was a great success and the 'tyres-only' format enabled them to launch their latest products to qualified buyers. Laurent Colrat, marketing director, Bandag SA, says, "we chose Tyrexpo Africa 2006 as a platform to showcase our latest innovations and it proved to be not only a good marketing decision but also a significant strategic move, allowing Bandag SA to stand out in South Africa's highly competitive and sophisticated tyre market."

The tyre retreading game is just as competitive as its OE counterpart and two new innovations were on show that significantly enhance the retreading process, so critical to overall truck transport operating costs. The first is Bandag's Electronic Casing Inspector machine, the ECI 1300, developed to detect small tyre damage which is invisible to the operator. "This is possible due to technological solutions incorporated in this equipment that uses electrical currents to determine damage to a casing," explains Colrat. "The ECI 1300 is primarily used for identification of nail holes, small cuts, tears, repair failures and other defects that cannot be seen with the naked eye. The technology enables retreaders to circumvent the retreading of damaged casings which is of course a total waste of time and money." 
  

Bandag BMS Tyre

Leading edge technologies
For Leader Tread, the expo served as a launch pad for its 'RingTread' product, a design process imported from Italy. The principle behind the tread design is that the tread is manufactured in a ring with no joins or splices. The compounds used are the latest being used in the new tyre industry utilizing zero oil and low rolling resistance compound technology, says Leader Tread's Brett Sproson.

"The RingTread is cured in the same shape and form that it is fitted to the tyre, thereby reducing any unwanted bunching, off centre and skew treads on the finished tyre," explains Sproson. "Leader Tread also launched its premium range of truck retreading material called 'Plus'. This product is developed for the transporter who is looking for the lowest cost per kilometre. Also on our stand was our new imported non-destructive tyre inspection machine. The inspection system is called 'shearography', utilising laser and vacuum imaging. It is the only one of its kind in South Africa." 

Tread wisely
All told, the expo made plain the growing international interest in Africa's coming of age as a vital link in the global logistics chain. All the exhibitors may have had the niche focus of automotive rubber but the fact that well over 2000 visitors passed through the gates suggests that money is ready and waiting to be spent on the region, by people with a vested interest in the business of better trucking.