Wanli is considering building a tyre manufacturing facility in the Far-East outside of China.
Wanli Tire Considering Overseas Expansion
Wanli Tire Corporation is in the midst of evaluating an overseas expansion. The Guangzhou headquartered tyre major says it is considering building a tyre manufacturing facility in the Far-East outside of China. “We are analysing the possibility of a new site in a neighboring country such as Malaysia, Indonesia or Vietnam,” said a source on condition of anonymity at the CITEXPO 2018 in Shanghai.
This follows on from a 2017 announcement that the company would be investing $1 billion in a new radial tyre production site in South Carolina in the USA. Wanli plans to make this investment over period of eight years in two phases that eventually offers employment to over 1,000 people on completion. The official also declined to comment on the status of the US plant.
The holding of US project may have prompted the Vanlead Group tyre subsidiary to look for alternative site for expansion in proximity to China considering the volatile evolving scenario in the international tyre business.
Wanli’s Guangzhou plant produces about 17 million PCR tyres annually, while the company’s Hefei Plant commissioned in 2016, produces 2 million TBR tyres. While Wanli is the Group’s biggest brand in export markets, the company also manufactures tyres under the Sunny and Aptani brands. It promotes PCR tyres under all three brands but market TBR tyres only under the Wanli brand.
The tyre maker has strong OE business as its tyres are being used as OE fitments on 84 vehicles produced in 23 auto factories including Citroen/Peugeot, Dongfeng, Nissan, JAC, FAW, GAC Trumpchi, Honda etc.
Wanli exports 52% of the overall sales volumes, with OE making up to 30% and domestic retail sales 18%. The company maintains 200 resale agents and 4,000 retail outlets spreads over the major part of the country.
The brand also boasts a racing pedigree, Wanli is currently first brand from China to sponsor the Japanese D1 Grand Prix, placing it in the same league as other major global brands Bridgestone, Toyo, Goodyear and Dunlop.
万力评估新远东工厂
万力轮胎股份有限公司正在评估海外扩张计划。这家位于广州的主要轮胎制造商表示，它正在考虑在远东，中国以外设立轮胎制造厂。“我们正在考虑在邻近中国的国家如马来西亚、印尼或越南建立新工厂的可能性。”此消息来自上海2018年CITEXPO的匿名人士。
该公司在2017年宣布说，他们将投资10亿元在美国南卡罗来纳州新建一个子午轮胎制造厂。万力计划在8年里分两个阶段进行投资，并将在完工后雇用1千名员工。 不过，该公司代表拒绝发表有关美国工厂的进展。
国际轮胎业务的不断改变和拥有美国项目，可能促使万力集团轮胎子公司在中国附近寻找可替代的扩充地点。
万力的广州工厂每年生产约1，700万条轿车子午胎，而该公司在2016年投产的合肥工厂则可生产200万条卡客车子午轮胎。除了最大的出口品牌万力以外，该集团旗下还有Sunny和Aptani 品牌。该公司以万力、Sunny和Aptani销售轿车子午胎，并以万力品牌销售卡客车子午胎。
该轮胎制造商拥有强大的原装配备业务，为23家汽车工厂，包括雪铁龙/标致、东风、日产、江淮、一汽、广汽传祺及本田等制造的84款汽车提供原配胎 ，。
万力出口占总销售量的52%，原装配备占30%，本地零售销量占18%。该公司在中国各大城市 拥有200家转售代理和4千家零售店。
此外，该品牌还拥有赛车血统，万力目前是第一个赞助日本D1 锦标赛的中国品牌，使它得以与其他主要的全球品牌如普利司通、东洋、固特异及南洛一同出现在联赛之 中。
