Vipal Rubber names new European manager

Valencia, Spain – Vipal Rubber has appointed US business manager Frederico Schmidt as its European branch general manager, the company announced on 2 Dec.

Schmidt began his career in Vipal’s headquarters in Brazil 15 years ago, and was subsequently transferred to the US as technical coordinator and, subsequently, served as the regional business manager.

Vipal formed a joint venture with Mezcla Caucho of Spain in July, to manufacture its hot-tire retreading products in Europe for the first time.

The JV focuses on the production of non-vulcanised rubber strips, the first production line for the Brazilian brand outside Brazil, said a Vipal announcement in July.

The company produces non-vulcanised rubber strips from a facility in the city of Aspe in Alicante. Vipal Europe, based in Valencia, Spain, is responsible for selling the local production.

Vital Rubber parent company Borrachas Vipal S/A of Nova Prata, Brazil has been in the tire business since 1973. It claims to be one of the world´s leading manufacturers of tire retread and tire inner tube repair products.