Federal and Kenda join ITMA

ERJ staff report (TB)

Essex, UK – Taiwan tire makers Federal Corp. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. Ltd. have joined the Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA), an Essex-based group that represents the interests of imported tire manufacturers in the European marketplace, reported Tire Business.

Kenda and Federal become the ITMA’s 20th and 21st members.

As members of ITMA, the two firms will receive timely updates on any proposed regulatory and legislative changes that affect the sale of tires within Europe, the ITMA said, and will be invited to the association’s regular technical meetings.

Da-Wu Chen, global sales and marketing director of Federal Tyres, said being a member of the ITMA would help it penetrate the European market and “meet local customers’ expectations”.

Federal, which is celebrating its 60th year in business during 2014, does not list a European subsidiary and did not say how its tires are distributed in Europe.

Kenda did not comment on joining the ITMA, but Peter Taylor, the group’s director, said, “Kenda’s membership demonstrates the extra levels of support and intelligence that is needed to compete effectively within Europe…”

Kenda has set up a subsidiary company, Kenda Rubber Industrial Co. Europe GmbH in Oldenburg, Germany, to represent its interests.

In its mission statement, the ITMA says it works closely with other tire industry associations, UK government departments and the European Union to monitor and respond to proposed regulations that are likely to impact or affect its members.