Tyre sales in fast lane

By PAULA OLIVER

Importers may be struggling as the kiwi dollar plumbs new depths, but the favourable investment conditions have got the orders rolling in for a Christchurch tyre plant.

A multimillion-dollar investment by worldwide tyre giant Bridgestone/Firestone in its South Island factory has led to the development of a tyre that is being exported in significant numbers to Australia.

General manager John Staples said the company was benefiting from the weak dollar. There was more overseas interest in locally made tyres - and competitive pricing was part of the reason.

Mr Staples said the first shipment of the new TZ100 tyre would go to Australia, and other countries in the Asia/Pacific region had expressed interest.

"We could have gone the same way as the local assemblers, but Bridgestone/Firestone recognised that the production facility in New Zealand was worth hanging on to, and decided to make further investment."