Amtel to make 1 million Vredestein-brand tyres in Kirov in 2006

Moscow -- Amtel Holdings has announced plans for the integration of the Enschede-Netherlands-based Vredestein brand and factory with its own tyre manufacturing operations in Russia. Part of that integration is a new name, Amtel-Vredestein and a new financial structure.

Amtel intends to import some 30 000 Vredestein-brand tyres from the Enschede factory and to make a further 15 000 Vredestein tyres at its factory in Kirov during 2005. In 2006 this will increase to 200 000 imports and 1 million manufactured in Russia.

The company said the Enschede plant has capacity for about 5 million tyres per year, while Amtel's total production in 2004 was 14.39 million units.