Chinese tire cord company Xingda opens Thai plant

Chonburi, Thailand – Chinese supplier of steel reinforcement for tire and rubber products, Jiangsu Xingda Steel Cord Ltd has opened its first overseas manufacturing plant in Chonburi, the company announced 26 Sept.

With an annual production capacity of 100 kilotonnes, the plant has been described as a “significant milestone” in Xingda's globalisation strategy.

“Our overseas business has grown strongly during recent years, and now the Xingda Thailand plant will make us even more competitive... in the global market,” said Liu Xiang, general manager Xingda.

The Chonburi unit will produce steel cord products for tires for passenger cars, commercial trucks, and urban buses.

Located in Siracha County, Chonburi, the facility is claimed to enable “fast and flexible delivery” of products to the local tire makers in Thailand.

The facility features “latest-generation” processes and technologies, including automated and intelligent manufacturing, according to Xingda.

Xingda expects the Thai unit to broaden its experience of running a factory overseas and help as a stepping stone for operating more plants outside China.

“The Thailand plant is our first plant outside China, but definitely not the last. It will… pave the way for our further global expansion,” said Liu Jinlan, chairman of Xingda.

With 7,000 employees across its sites in Jiangsu and Shandong, China, Xingda is a supplier of steel reinforcing solutions for applications in tires, rubber tracks, conveyor belts, as well as hydraulic hoses.

To accelerate its pace of globalisation, Xingda recently opened two branch offices in Luxemburg and the US. The company also has regional technical service centres in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific regions.