Tyre Asia – May-June 2018

18 Tyre Asia April/May 2018

STRAIGHT TALK

The tenure of the

new president of the

European Tyre and

Rubber Manufacturers’

Association (ETRMA),

Franco Annunziato,

probably will witness

considerable changes in

the global tyre industry,

seeing the trends in auto

sector, regulations and

changing consumers’

behavior. In an interview

with Tyre Asia,

Annunziato, who is

Bridgestone’s EMEA’s

Vice President, said:

“Today’s automotive

industry is at a turning

point: it must embrace

the upcoming digital

revolution, automated

and connected driving,

environmental challenges

(such as climate goals),

societal changes and

growing globalisation.

Tyre producers are looking

at this as a way to foster

innovation and growth.”

European tyre market:

One rule for all

Franco Annunziato

Major Asian tyre

manufacturers are shifting

their focus to the European

market, a highly regulated and

quality driven market. How

will this change the dynamics

of the European tyre market?

Will we see the competition on

prices in Europe?

European Union is a free market economy

and the European tyre industry has

promoted historically free trade – which

means that all economic factors in the

market are playing by the same rules,

supported by effective enforcement actions

on the market.

The evolution of the social, political,

technological and economic environment

has prompted an equivalent change in

both end users and vehicle industry

expectations with a subsequent expansion

of the market segmentation.

The tyre industry in Europe invests millions

of Euros in innovation every year and

results are visible in terms of performances

for all products presently available on the

market. Performances/price ratio reflects

the wide offer of products to mirror such

segmentation, while all of them must

fulfil the minimum requirements that are

required to grant a safe driving.

The tyre performance regulatory labelling

being introduced in Europe helps the

users to choose the best products for them

referring to and trusting the rules behind

this system.

It goes without saying that the European

tyre producers do not fear low cost imports

as long as all the actors on the market play

and demonstrate playing by the same rules.

Surveillance campaigns run in the recent

past have demonstrated that this is not

always the case.

Therefore, we do believe that a Legislation,

without an effective enforcement and

deterring measures, is damaging for all

the stakeholders (consumers, industry,

community ) a will enhance our efforts to

off-set such risk.

Availability of natural rubber

is a growing concern and now

it has been included in the

critical raw material list? How

will the inclusion of the NR in

the critical raw material list

help the industry?

Natural rubber will continue to be a

strategic raw material for the tyre industry

and as such it demands an accurate long-

term supply strategy that involves the

entire eco-system.

The listing of Natural Rubber as critical

raw material will surely contribute to raise

the political attention to the development

of a sustainable NR overall supply scheme

with the target to achieve a “ multi

win-win” scenarios for the benefit of the

environment, the NR producers and the

tyre manufacturing industry.

There is a growing emphasis

on e-mobility in Europe. Many

car makers have already

announced their plans of

complete ban on diesel

vehicles. How will this change

the European tyre industry,

on technology and marketing

fronts?

Today’s automotive industry is at a turning

point: it must embrace the upcoming digital

revolution, automated and connected

driving, environmental challenges (such

as climate goals), societal changes and

growing globalisation.

Tyre producers are looking at this as a

way to foster innovation and growth,

while contributing to the enhancement

of the social impacts of people mobility,

including technologies for a safer and

greener journey and the development of

products and services more tailored on the

consumers’ needs.

The tyre is and will continue to be the

single contact point between the road and

the vehicle, as such crucial to ensuring a

safe driving and needed mobility.

The vehicle drivers or owners are

responsible for having and maintain the

proper and compliant tyre equipment

By Sharad Matade

Continued on page 31