Nizhnekamskshina to add all-steel radial truck plant

ERJ staff report (DS)

Nizhnekamsk, Tararstan -- Tatneft, the chemical company and parent of the Nizhnekamskshina tyre plant has said it intends to build an all-steel radial truck tyre plant in NIzhnekamsk, based on Continental technology.

The company said it expects to invest Rbl 17 000 million (euro 387 million) and forecasts capacity to be 1.2 million units/year. The first tyres are expected to be produced in 2010, but the plant will by fully on stream during 2011. The plant will be built on a 'greenfield' site.

Russian news agency Tatar-inform said the decision to build the plant was made in 2006, based on increasing demand for all-steel radials from Nizhnekamsk's biggest customer, JSC Kamaz.

Historically, Russian truck radials have been made from textile reinforcement. The new plant, said Tatneft, will be the first all-steel radial plant in Tartarstan. The company said demand for all-steel radial truck tyres in Russia will reach 1.7 million units in 2010.

Tatneft's tyre complex in Nizhnekamsk has recently added a new mixing room and increased capacity for car and liggt truck tyres using Pirelli technology.

Separately, Tatneft's trading arm, Kama, said that Indian company Tata Motors might place orders for the company's truck tyres and the company is discussing off-take deals with Indian tyre makers. All such deals would be subject to successful homologation trials, said the comapny.

In a third announcement, Tatneft said it held a round table meeting to discuss the state and prospects of developing domestic tyre production, the problems associated with growing pressure from foreign competitors, as well as the issues of developing modern domestic technologies and training professionals for the tire industry on the basis of Russian universities.

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Press release from Tatneft (round table and truck tyre factory)

Press release from Tatar-Inform (truck tyre factory)

Press releasefrom Tatar-Inform (Indian cooperation)