Marangoni buys majority share in Leader Rubber

Rovereto, Italy –  Marangoni Group has acquired a majority stake in South African tread maker Leader Rubber Co. SA (Pty) Ltd, Marangoni announced 30 Jan.

The increased shareholding, from 25% to 51%, will strengthen Marangoni’s presence in South Africa and in all the sub-Saharan markets, the Italian group said.

The move, it added, reinforces a 10-year partnership and efforts to develop agreements with local retreaders and grow exports to the region.

Leader Rubber is the exclusive distributor of Marangoni’s Ringtread precured retreading system to the South African market

The company also manufactures precured tread strips, OTR uncured rubber as well as consumables and machinery required for the retreading process.

In 2018, both parties agreed an investment by Leader Rubber in a ring production line in Johannesburg, noted Matthias Leppert, Marangoni’s EMEA sales manager.

The new unit is dedicated to Marangoni Ringtread dealers in the region and “since its execution, a positive trend in sales was established,” said Leppert.