Belshina expanding, upgrading capacities

Bobruisk, Belarus -- Tyre and rubber products maker JSC Belshina Belarus Tyre Works is planning to boost its output of tyres by 7 percent during 2008 through more efficient use of its production capacity.

Among projects Bobruisk-based Belshina has earmarked for this year are launching a tyre assembly system, upgrading existing processing lines and expanding production of heavy-duty off-the-road (OTR) tyres. An investment sum was not disclosed.

In the OTR sector, the firm recently commissioned a high-capacity steel radial tyre assembly system supplied by VMI Group of the Netherlands. The system uses flat-drum building technology and assembles green tyres in sizes between 17.5 R25 and 24.0 R35, Belshina said.

The new equipment will be used mainly for manufacturing 21.0 R35 and 24.0 R35 sizes for rigid dumper vehicles. In addition, Belshina plans to upgrade its existing assembly units for the production of 33.0 R51 tyres aimed at the same type of vehicle.

The upgrades will allow the company to expand OTR tyre output to 28,480 units per year and to introduce 37 new types of tyre by 2010.

Its main customers for tyres are Minsk Automobile Plant and Production Association Minsk Tractor Works, both in Minsk, Belarus. The firm said it also plans to boost domestic supply of its products by developing a retail network across Belarus.

Belshina manufactures a range of 200 sizes of tyres for cars, trucks, road construction vehicles, buses, tractors and agricultural machinery. The tyre maker exports its products to markets in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), across Europe, and in Africa, the Americas and the Middle East.

From Tire Business (A Crain publication)