Aeolus details plans to upgrade Chinese tire production facility

Henan, China – China’s Aeolus Tyre has detailed upgrading plans for its existing tire production facility at the Jiaozuo City economic and development zone industrial park.

In a 3 April environmental impact report – published and approved by the ecological environment bureau of Jiaozuo City, Henan province – Aeolus said it was investing Yuan1.47 billion (€185 million) at the site.

The project, it said, will see the addition of annual production capacity for 20,000 units of giant OTR tires at the facility, which is also undergoing further upgrading programmes.

According to Aeolus, the site currently has capacity to produce 130,000 units of all-steel OTR tires and 1.2 million all-steel radial truck tires per annum.

However, the company is now completing an earlier project to convert the lines to expand production of 'giant' engineering tires to just under 111,000 units/year, while eliminating capacity for the manufacture of 1 million TBR tires.

Once all the projects are completed, Aeolus said, the plant will be able to produce 260,930 all-steel OTR tires and 200,000 all-steel load-carrying truck and bus tires.

The report did not provide a timeline for the completion of all projects.

Explaining the rationale, Aeolus said sales of construction machinery and demand for aftermarket services have “continuously increased” in recent years.

The 'giant' OTR tires to be added in the expansion, said the tire maker, will have “great market demand and high added value, while optimising the company's product structure.”

According to the environmental impact report, the project will not require new land, and will see some equipment replaced in the original rubber mixing workshop – as well as adding a new moulding and vulcanisation workshop.

Aeolus Tyre, part of China’s Sinochem Group, operates two factories to the east and west of the Jiaozuo City economic and development zone.

The expansion, said Aeolus, will take place at the western factory, which has been operational since 2007.

The factory is mainly engaged in the production of all-steel engineering radial tires, all-steel load-carrying radial tires as well as R&D and sales.

The unit also included a 5 million units/year passenger car tire plant, which was sold to Pirelli in 2016.