TME expects the current production level of 3,000 pre-cure TBR retreads per month at the Telok Gong site to jump to a projected level of 4,500 by mid-2020.
TME Capitalise on Recent Investment
TME Tyre Retread Sdn Bhd are preparing to capitalise on their recent investment and relocation to a new operating facility, which has freed up additional production capacity and opened new market opportunities for the Port Klang-based retreader.
As a retreader, TME has only been active for three years, having been created when Edmund Teng left Kit Loong Commercial Tyre.
As of today, this leaves Teng with 11 years’ experience in the industry and an abundance of knowledge and skill to fall back on as he plans to take TME into the future following the move to the new facility.
Teng is expecting the current production level of 3,000 pre-cure TBR retreads per month at the Telok Gong site to jump to a projected level of 4,500 by mid-2020, representing 70 per cent capacity.
“Once we are fully up and running and operating smoothly we are projecting a monthly production level of 4,500 pieces per month. At full production we will be looking at 7,000 pieces, but we clearly would require the market demand to optimise and satisfy this production level.”
Despite having healthy current and projected production levels, one issue that consistently affects all retreaders and not just TME is that of casing supply. Teng opines that high-quality casings are becoming sparse.
“Retreading is going fine, but casings are becoming more and more a thorn in our side. We are currently being supplied from Japan using the typical Japanese brands (Bridgestone, Yokohama, Falken and Toyo) .”
As things stand TME currently has 38 employees in the operation with 15 accounted for by production. The rest of the team are split between logistics, storage, collection, warehousing and sales.
However, this is all set to change with the projected production increase as Teng revealed that the company plans to employ another 10-15 production staff, depending on production levels. According to Teng, the increase in staff numbers is an inevitability and a crucial step forward if the retreader wishes to cover the production expansion over its two shifts starting at 8.30am and 8.30pm respectively.
At present production is supported by the company’s 28-tyre autoclave, which Teng suggests is ‘the largest chamber in Malaysia’. Despite boasting a chamber of this size, Teng admits that plans are underway to purchase and install a second 22-tyre autoclave to further assist the production process.
The investments don’t stop there though, with an additional buffing machine being purchased to complement the array of new toys at TME’s disposal as they take a stride into the future.
In terms of TME’s other suppliers, Teng disclosed that TME mostly use tread from Maxrubber, Bright Polymer and GIIB and that he “doesn’t see much performance difference between the brands.”
Besides selling retreads, TME are also the exclusive distributor for the Chinese brands, Hawkway and Firemax in Malaysia, a business which has been performing well for Teng up until now.
Teng additionally touched on decisions that face all fleet operators all over the world when it comes to the age-old question of “retreads or Chinese new tyres”.
“Historically transporters have opted for Chinese tyres due to the price differential between retreads and new tyres. However, perhaps they weren’t aware of the mileage of Chinese new tyres. With 30,000 kilometres on a Chinese new tyre and sometimes having the ability to retread them, the question has always been ‘are you saving money?”
In an overwhelmingly competitive local market that is heavily affected by the issue of new Chinese tyres, pricing strategies will always be heavily compromised. Cost-cutting and efficiency strategies turning waste into a revenue streams are valuable methods for retreaders to remain competitive and protect themselves from aggressive pricing.
TME are additionally the Tech Tyre Repair distributor for Malaysia, with the company distributing across Malaysia to retreaders. With this distributor agreement, TME also provide Tech tyre repair training using the brand’s products, as well as on the correct method for fitting tyres.
Teng adds, “we promote tyres with Tech’s training to the transporters and fleets. We even sometimes co-participate with them at trade fairs.” In addition to participating in trade fairs with Tech, the retreader has also previously attended road shows and events organised by truck and bus exhibitions.
Teng’s strategy is based on the concept of ‘offering a full package that has quality at its core’. In the long term, this strategy will be supported and upheld by lowering costs in terms of production and automisation that will allow TME to charge cheaper prices and remain competitive against Chinese imports. The key to the success though will be maintaining the quality level that their clients demand whilst cutting costs.
TME完成新厂搬迁
TME轮胎翻新私人有限公司正在准备好好利用他们的近期投资，迁移至一个新的工厂。此新厂将为位于巴生的TME带来额外的生产能力和打开新的市场商机 。TME开始活跃于轮胎翻新行业才3年，它是Edmund Teng离开吉隆商业轮胎后才创立的。
Teng在这个行业拥有11年的经验。有着丰富知识和技能作为后盾的他，将随着搬迁到新工厂把TME带入未来。
他预期在Telok Gong工厂时每月3，000条的预硫化卡车轮胎产量，能在2020年中旬提高到4，500条 ，也就是其产能的70%。
“一旦我们的工厂完全设立好，操作顺畅后，我们每月预计可生产4，500条，在全面生产下则可达7，000条。然而，我们需要市场需求来优化和满足生产水平。”
尽管拥有现有预测的健康生产水平，TME也和其他的翻胎业者一样，面对着胎体短缺的问题。他认为高品质的胎体越来越少。
“我们的翻新生意做得不错，但胎体短缺的问题却愈发严重。我们目前采用来自日本的日本品牌（普利斯通、横滨、飞劲及东洋）胎体。”
目前，TME拥有38名员工，其中有15名负责生产。其他的则分别负责物流、库存、收集胎体、仓储及销售。
然而，他说随着该公司提高生产水平的计划，这些都会有所改变。他打算聘请10-15位生产部员工 ，当然这要按生产水平而定。据Teng表示，增加员工人数是必然和向前迈进的关键步伐，如果他们希望分别透过它的两个生产班次，分别为早上8时30分和晚上8时30分来实现其生产扩展。
目前，他们拥有28个硫化罐，他表示他们是马来西亚拥有最多硫化罐的公司。尽管已经拥有如此多的硫化罐，他坦言，他们正在计划购买和安装第二个能够硫化22条轮胎的硫化罐来支持工厂的生产程序。
投资并没有就此停止，他们也计划添加打磨机，作为新设备的补充。
谈到TME的其他供应商，他透露说TME主要采用马胶、Bright Polymer 及GIIB的胎面胶，并表示这些品牌在性能表现方面没有太大的差异。
除了销售翻胎，TME也是中国Hawkway和Firemax轮胎在马来西亚的独家经销商，截至目前为止他们的新轮胎经销业绩表现良好。
他也特别谈起所有车队业者所面对的老问题，那就是在翻胎和中国新轮胎之间应当如何取舍 。
“运输业者一直以来因价格因素，往往在中国新轮胎和翻胎之间选择了前者。然而，他们或许没有意识到中国新轮胎的里程数。 中国新轮胎可提供30，000公里的里程数，再加上你或许能够翻新它们，问题在于你是否真的省钱？”
在竞争剧烈，深受中国新轮胎影响的本地市场，价格策略往往会被妥协。开源节流，将浪费转为利润是翻胎业者保持竞争性和避免受激进定价影响的宝贵方法。
TME也是泰克轮胎修补的马来西亚经销商，该公司将泰克产品分销给全国翻胎业者。TME 在该合约下，为泰克产品用户提供泰克轮胎修补培训，并教导他们如何正确地安装轮胎。
他补充：“我们透过泰克培训将轮胎推销给运输业者和车队。我们有时候也在贸易展中和他们合作 。”除了在贸易展中与泰克合作外，该公司也曾参加卡车和巴士展所主办的路秀和活动。
他的策略是‘提供一个以品质为核心的完整配套’。长期下来，该策略将在生产和自动化方面支持和坚持降低成本，让TME能够以比较低廉的价格，与中国进口轮胎竞争。成功的关键是在降低成本外，维持客户所要求的品质。
