Dunlop Aircraft Tyres to Open First Facility in America
British manufacturer Dunlop Aircraft Tyres today announced that it is to establish its first retreading facility in the United States.
The company, the world’s only specialist aircraft tyre manufacturer and retreader, will use the base to boost its competitiveness across the Americas, particularly on popular narrow and wide-bodied jet airliners and military aircraft.
Until now, Dunlop has been successfully supported by independent distribution and retreading partners in the Americas who distribute new tyres and retread the company’s tyre casings for regional turboprops and jets.
By offering local retreading within the region, Dunlop will bring increased choice to airlines, military aircraft operators and maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities.
Dunlop, based in Birmingham, UK, already supports a number of US-based airlines. In particular, the company’s tyres are a popular choice for operators of regional jets and turboprops including the Bombardier Dash 8 series and Embraer E-Jets.
Major customers include Compass Airlines which operates 42 E-Jets for Delta Connection and Republic Airlines which operates more than 150 Dunlop equipped E-Jets on behalf of America Eagle, United Express and US Airways Express.
Republic recently placed an order placed an order for a further 50 aircraft, which will take its total E-Jet fleet to 223 by 2017.
“This new retreading facility, which will also distribute new tyres, will position us to expand our market share on several popular aircraft, including the Boeing 737NG,” said Dunlop Aircraft Tyres’ chairman, Ian Edmondson.
“Overseas expansion has been key to the company’s recent success. We now export more than 80 per cent of the products we make in Birmingham and our strategy of offering local tyre distribution and retreading has already proven itself successful in Asia Pacific.
“This latest investment is good news for our employees in Birmingham, it’s good news for our customers and it will be good news for the community in which we decide to establish the facility.”
Dunlop is currently evaluating a number of potential sites in the South East of the USA and is planning to open the facility in early 2016.
In 2009, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres opened a similar tyre distribution and retreading facility in China. It now employs nearly 60 people and supports airlines across Asia Pacific including Air Nelson, ANA, China Express, Japan Air Commuter, Mandarin Airlines, QantasLink and SpiceJet.
