Iran tire maker signs MoU with French industry group

Tehran – Iranian tire maker Barez Industrial Group and the French rubber & plastics industry association UCAPLAST (Union des Syndicats des PME du Caoutchouc et de la Plasturgie) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance technological cooperation between the two sides.

Signed during the IranPlast 18 trade show, 24-27 Sept, the MoU outlines seven cooperation areas including tire & component design, production management, raw materials, standardisation, maintenance, logistics as well as HSE, a Barez official told ERJ.

According to Iranian press, the agreement was signed between Barez CEO Parviz Akhavan and the head of the French organisation, Denis Vaillant in Tehran on 25 Sept.

During the ceremony, Barez CEO Parviz Akhavan said the MoU marked a significant progress for Barez amid severe US sanctions.

“The French trade union is a leading European union in this industry and works with giants such as Michelin and Continental,” said Akhavan.

According to Akhavan, Barez has achieved the E-mark European standard for its tires, which it supplies as OE fitment on Peugeot models 2008 and 301 in Iran.

The standard certificate, the CEO said, played a key role in signing the MoU.

Barez is the largest Iranian tire maker with two production plants in in Kordestan, western Iran, and Kerman central Iran. The company currently produces 5 million units of passenger car tires and 200,000 truck and bus tires annually at the two plants.

UCAPLAST is an independent employers’ organisation representing small and medium-size French enterprises in the rubber and plastics industry

Last year, during the IranPlast show, the organisation signed an MoU with the Iran Polymer & Petrochemical Institute (IPPI) to produce automotive rubber parts in Iran.

The MoU envisaged the formation of a JV between IPPI and French car maker Citroen for production of automotive parts.

The deal has been hampered by the return of US sanctions on Iran since the Trump administration pulled out of an international nuclear deal in May this year.

Image source: Qatreh news