Latest news with #tyres
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
China says it is concerned by EU probe into Chinese tyres
BEIJING, May 29 (Reuters) - China's commerce ministry said on Thursday that China would defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms when it was asked about the European Union launching an investigation into China's alleged dumping of tyres. China is "very concerned" by the EU's move and urges the bloc to engage in dialogue and consultation with China to solve each other's concerns, a spokesperson for the ministry said in a regular press briefing.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Tap, buy, drive: Malaysians are getting new tyres the e-way
KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — A couple pulled into a moderately busy tyre workshop in Seksyen 15, Shah Alam just after 11am, greeted by the low whir of air compressors and the rhythmic clanking of wrenches on alloy rims. There were no queues, no awkward negotiations, and no uncertainty about the bill. The new Kumho-brand tyre for their latest-generation Perodua Myvi had been purchased online days earlier — with discount vouchers and a pre-booked installation slot. This, increasingly, is how Malaysians are buying tyres: the same way they shop for power banks or pet food — online, often via platforms like Shopee. 'The cheaper price is the main thing for me,' said 31-year-old Imran Anuar, who had left Puchong with his wife that morning. 'Walk-ins are usually a bit more expensive. Online, you get vouchers. I got an RM30 discount voucher myself. 'Once you make the purchase, the workshop gets in touch to fix a slot. So when you arrive, everything's already confirmed. You just hand over the keys, no need to wait around wondering when it'll be your turn,' he added. Imran Anuar speaks to Malay Mail about buying tyres online at a walk-in workshop in Shah Alam. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin Buy Now, Pay Later options have also made it easier for customers to commit to tyre purchases online, especially during leaner months. Though he had bought tyres online before, this was Imran's first visit to this particular shop: Performance Tyre Malaysia. Installation and balancing were included; wheel alignment cost extra — a small add-on, which he accepted without fuss. 'From the moment you make the payment, everything runs smoothly,' he said, as more cars began pulling into the workshop bay. Another customer, who preferred to remain anonymous, said he had travelled from Cyberjaya to the same workshop, attracted by the better price listed on Shopee. 'Tyre prices at workshops in my area can go up to RM100 more. So I bought it online and came to Shah Alam instead, just to get the tyre changed,' he said. Behind the scenes, Lucas Liow Poh Hooi, in a white polo shirt and clutching a folder, moved briskly between workstations, responding to customer queries while keeping an eye on operations. He is the second-generation owner of Performance Tyre Malaysia, which he now runs with his brother. They inherited the business from their late father, who first opened it more than two decades ago. 'I started selling online to get more exposure and attract new customers,' Liow told Malay Mail. 'But tyres are ageing products, so we're very careful not to overstock. If the inventory sits too long, customers might worry they're getting old tyres. I only keep what's needed and restock once we're running low,' he added. In the past, customers would travel based on word of mouth. Klang and Shah Alam were known shorthand for good deals. Today, the same search happens in silence — through browser tabs, e-commerce platforms and WhatsApp. 'Everything's more transparent now. Anyone can compare prices online,' Liow said. Lucas Liow Poh Hooi speaks to Malay Mail during an interview at Performance Tyre Malaysia in Shah Alam. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin About a decade ago, customers often showed up with handwritten price comparisons from other shops. That, too, has changed. 'You hardly see that anymore. Now they just message us on WhatsApp or Shopee, and pay online,' Liow said. Online sales have made customer flow more predictable, he added, helping the business absorb slower months like this year, when Hari Raya and Chinese New Year landed unusually close together. Liow officially joined full-time 10 years ago after his studies, but he had been helping since childhood, inflating tyres with his father. 'Last time, they'd spend 20 or 30 minutes asking questions, comparing prices. Now, they just read the online product listing and decide. There's less interaction between us and the customers, but it is more efficient,' he said. This shift is mirrored on platforms like Shopee. The company said Malaysians are increasingly browsing tyre options online, watching product demos via Shopee Video, and using Shopee Live to ask questions in real time. Many buyers compare prices and specifications, then book installation with a nearby workshop — often directly through the platform. 'This seamless online-to-offline journey is especially common for car tyres, while motorcycle tyres are usually delivered and installed at the buyer's convenience,' it said in a statement to Malay Mail. Tyre and rim sales on Shopee have grown by over 70 per cent year-on-year. Car batteries and automotive fluids are also seeing double-digit growth, reflecting rising trust in online platforms for vehicle upkeep. A worker installs a tyre for a customer at Performance Tyre Malaysia in Shah Alam. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin At the workshop counter, 65-year-old Ahmad Jaffar waited with his wife. A loyal customer since the early days, he still prefers the walk-in experience. 'One time I sent my car for a wash next door, and I just walked into the workshop to ask about their services and prices. Everything was reasonable,' he recalled. While he understands the appeal of Shopee, he remains cautious. 'I don't really trust buying expensive items on Shopee. You need to know which listings are genuine. 'When you buy online, you can't inspect the product. Here, I can see the tyres myself. These things aren't cheap, I want to be sure,' he said. And it's not just about the rubber. 'You also need to understand the pricing, get proper advice. That's one thing I like about coming here. I can ask questions and get a full explanation. It gives me peace of mind.' For long-time customers like Ahmad, that personal touch still matters. But today, they are the exception. Tyres are just one example of how walk-in purchases are moving online. These days, Malaysians are just as likely to order refrigerators, washing machines and furniture from e-commerce platforms — items once thought too bulky or complex to buy without seeing in person.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Tyremaker Goodyear India posts quarterly profit on higher replacement demand
May 27 (Reuters) - Tyremaker Goodyear India ( opens new tab reported a profit in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, as higher replacement demand for tyres offset the impact of higher rubber prices. U.S.-based Goodyear Tire's (GT.O), opens new tab Indian unit posted a profit of 48.7 million rupees ($570,578) for the three months ended March 31 against a loss of 42.1 million rupees a year ago. Goodyear India supplies tyres to BMW ( opens new tab and Toyota (7203.T), opens new tab among others and depends on automakers' sales for a major chunk of its revenue. Total vehicle sales in India rose 1.8% year-over-year in the reported quarter but analysts said that demand for replacing old or worn out tyres sustained. Rival CEAT ( opens new tab missed its quarterly profit estimates last month, while MRF ( opens new tab beat estimates. Goodyear India's revenue from operations rose 9.5% to 6.03 billion rupees, compared to a 15.6% fall last year. Its total expenses grew 7.2%, led by a 28.7% rise in cost of materials consumed. The company had expected a pick up in replacement demand, which is cyclical in nature, in the fiscal year ending March. Its shares closed 1.6% higher before the results. ($1 = 85.3520 Indian rupees)
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Drivers give mixed reviews to Monaco two-stop rule
Leading Formula 1 drivers gave mixed reviews to the new Monaco Grand Prix rule that forced drivers to use three sets of tyres in the change was introduced because of growing concerns about the tendency towards uneventful grands prix on the narrow street intention of the rule was to add extra jeopardy. Overtaking is almost impossible in Monaco and in recent years the races have tended to be processional if it does not Lewis Hamilton said that, while the rule "didn't make a big difference necessarily for me", F1 bosses "need to keep on trying with this one".But four-time world champion Max Verstappen said: "Up front, it didn't do anything." And race winner Lando Norris said the rule had "just given people opportunity by luck – by waiting for a red flag, waiting for a safety car".The Briton added: "You're not getting a more deserved winner in the end of things, which I don't entirely agree with. I think it should be the person who drives the best race and deserves to win."Norris' remarks reflect what did happen in the race. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who was running fourth for most of the grand prix, left his final pit stop until the last gave him the lead from Norris, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Oscar idea was to hope there was a red flag in the last part of the race. This would have allowed Verstappen to benefit from a rule that allows drivers to change tyres when a race is that happened, Verstappen would have taken a restart on fresh tyres and been able to win. As it was, he dropped back to fourth when he made his final mandatory stop at the start of the last said: "It depends what you want. Do you want to manufacture races? There hasn't been any more overtaking here. I thought that was what was wanted."Verstappen said: "We had nothing to lose. "You just hope that something happens and you get lucky, but... that didn't come the whole time." Norris added: "Overtaking has never been good in Monaco, ever. So, I don't know why people have such a high expectation. But I also think Formula 1 should not turn into just a show to entertain people. It's a sport. It's who can race the best, who can qualify the best."Everything was about yesterday. That's the way it's been since whatever the first year – 50, 60 years ago. So, the last thing I want is manufactured racing, and we definitely need to stay away from that and do a better job with cars, with tyres."Championship leader Piastri said: "It definitely made it a bit more tense at a few points. You had to push more at certain points to kind of recover the safety car windows to other cars around you, or put yourself outside of someone else's safety car window. So there were some strategic elements involved. But ultimately, at the front, I don't think it changed a whole lot."It would have been quite a different story if there was a red flag with five laps to go and Max would have won. I'm sure if we keep this going in the future, eventually a result like that will happen. Is that what we want to see? I don't know. But at the front, I don't think it changed a huge amount this weekend."McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: "The race was interesting in terms of how many scenarios needed to be considered. "The main limitation remains the fact that you cannot overtake. This is quite structural as a limitation. I am not sure exactly how this can be modified, can be changed, just simply by imposing a certain number of pit stops."Stella said he was "interested" to see whether the new rules next year, which introduces cars that are 10 centimetres narrower than this year with a new style of engine, make a difference."I would hope that this change of the cars will make overtaking possible, even at least when you are three seconds faster, because at the moment if you are three seconds faster, still you cannot overtake," Stella said."But this has very much to do with the size of the car, with the speed of the car and the grip, which means that the braking zones are anyhow very, very short. There's just not materially the space in braking."Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: "We tried something, we tried an experiment with two-stop, didn't change anything in the outcome."Wolff said F1 should consider introducing a rule to prevent teams using one car to back up the field to advantage another driver, as both Racing Bulls and Williams did on Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur said such a rule would be "impossible" to added: "It's a very, very difficult track. You obviously can't overtake. But still, an amazing spectacle and an amazing location. So many people. I've never seen so many people here. It's insane."And to drive it on a single lap, it's incredible. So, the Friday and Saturday is unbelievable. And the Sunday is kind of the day that you want off, almost."
Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
EU launches anti-dumping probe into Chinese car and truck tyres following industry complaints
BRUSSELS, May 22 — The European Commission said yesterday that it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into car and truck tyres made in China. The European tyre industry, which says it employs 75,000 people in 14 EU states, has said the tyres for cars and small trucks are being 'dumped' or imported at unrealistically low prices, the European Commission said in a statement. The EU has already imposed anti-dumping measures on imports of Chinese bus and lorry tyres. In 2024, the EU market for car and small truck tyres was worth more than €18 billion (RM86.8 billion), according to the EU. 'Today, the European Commission launched an investigation to assess whether anti-dumping measures are warranted on imports of tyres for passenger cars and light lorries from China,' said the commission statement. 'If the investigation confirms that the EU tyre industry suffers from injury or threat of injury because of dumped imports from China, the commission may impose anti-dumping duties on imports if these are found to be in the interest of the EU.' The statement said the investigation could take 14 months but that 'provisional anti-dumping measures may be imposed within eight months if dumping and consequent injury have been provisionally established.' — AFP
