Magna Tyres to expand Dutch production plant again

Hardenberg, The Netherlands – Magna Tyres Group has announced plans to expand its recently opened OTR (off-the-road) tire plant in Hardenberg, only three months after starting up another expansion at the site.

The expansion, which is set to “be finalised” by the yearend, will increase production capacity in the 17.5R25, 20.5R25 and 23.5R25 ranges to 7,000 units a year in 2019.

The move, said the company on 13 Nov, is in keeping with the 2018 – 2023 business plan to continue growth.

Magna Tyres almost doubled production capacity for its 26.5R25 and 29.5R25 OTR sizes at the Hardenberg facility in August. That was just six months after it officially opened the unit for the production of its ‘Made in Holland’ tires.

In January, Magna Tyres — a privately held contract manufacturer of OTR, industrial and truck tires — initiated production of OTR tires at its expanded and re-engineered OBO Tyres retread plant in Hardenberg.

At that stage, Magna Tyres officials disclosed that the company was also in the process of increasing curing capacity further to keep up with demand.

The Hardenberg operation started with the production of heavy-duty off-highway lines at the expanded OBO Tyres plant: the MA02 grader/loader line, M-Terrain articulated dump-truck line and AG24 agricultural line.

Magna Tyres, which was founded nearly 40 years ago, had previously contracted manufacturing out to tire makers in China and Taiwan, while maintaining a design and engineering staff in Europe.

According to Magna, the tires produced in Hardenberg offer customers in the US, Turkey and Brazil ‘an advantage’ as they are not subject to Chinese anti-dumping tariffs.