Sailun First-Half Profit Drops Despite Record Sales; Ramps Up Overseas Expansion

Sailun First-Half Profit Drops Despite Record Sales; Ramps Up Overseas Expansion

Sailun Group reported a fall in first-half profit even as revenue hit a record high, as rising costs offset strong sales growth at home and abroad.

Net profit attributable to shareholders dropped 14.9 percent to 1.83 billion yuan in the six months ended June 30, the company said in its half-year report to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Operating revenue rose 16.1 percent to 17.59 billion yuan, driven by higher domestic sales and robust overseas demand.

Total profit fell 12.3 percent to 2.15 billion yuan, while earnings per share slid to 0.56 yuan from 0.66 yuan a year earlier. By contrast, operating cash flow surged 179 percent to 884 million yuan, reflecting stronger cash receipts from sales.

Overseas revenue jumped 18.7 percent to 13.41 billion yuan, accounting for more than three-quarters of the total, with domestic sales up 9.2% at 3.98 billion yuan.

The Qingdao-based company, ranked the world’s 10th largest tyre producer by industry publications, said it will pay an interim cash dividend of 0.15 yuan per share.

Sailun has stepped up global expansion to strengthen its supply chain resilience. Its new plants in Indonesia and Mexico rolled out their first tyres within nine to twelve months of breaking ground, among the fastest construction paces in the sector. In August, the company announced a plan to invest in a new facility in Egypt with an annual capacity of 3.6 million radial tyres.

It also continued investments in ongoing projects, including the third-phase expansion in Vietnam, semi-steel and all-steel tyre projects in Cambodia, and further capacity build-out in Indonesia and Mexico. In total, Sailun and its subsidiaries committed nearly 8.8 billion yuan in equity investments during the first half, funding both domestic sales companies and overseas units.

“The company has continuously promoted its globalisation strategy and intelligent manufacturing level to provide high-performance products for global users,” Sailun said in the filing.

Sailun warned that it continues to face risks from raw material price volatility, intensifying competition from global rivals such as Michelin and Bridgestone, and rising trade barriers in overseas markets.

Uber EV Drivers In UK To Get 50% Discount On Enso Tyres

Enso - Uber

Ride-hailing major Uber has introduced an exclusive offer for its driver partners in London, giving electric vehicle drivers 50 percent off on Enso high-performance, ultra-efficient tyres.

These tyres are specifically engineered for popular electric vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. The driver partners can purchase the Enso tyres via the Uber Marketplace app, giving Uber EV drivers direct access to more affordable EV tyres. 

Enso, an Earthshot Prize Finalist, produces tyres that it claims increase EV range, reduce tyre pollution and last longer than standard alternatives, delivering both environmental and economic benefits to Uber drivers.

This partnership is Uber’s first collaboration with an Earthshot Prize Finalist and is part of a wider partnership with The Earthshot Prize, founded by HRH Prince William. 

Interestingly, London is Uber’s global capital of electrification, with nearly 40 percent of all Uber rides in the city now fully electric. Through its GBP 145 million Clean Air Fund, Uber continues to help drivers switch to EVs, which is now further enhanced by access to specially discounted Enso tyres.

Brit Grant, Head of Electrification, Uber UK, said, “We’re proud to partner with ENSO as part of our ongoing mission to make it as easy and affordable as possible for drivers to go electric in the UK. Uber drivers are already switching to electric vehicles five times faster than the general public, and initiatives like this help us keep up that momentum. By reducing running costs and cutting emissions, this partnership supports our commitment to a cleaner, greener future for cities like London.”

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, CEO, Enso, said, “Enso is playing its part in reducing costs and environmental impact for Uber drivers today. This has been made possible through our partnership with Uber and The Earthshot Prize; a collaboration that brings together sustainability with scale and commercialisation to deliver real impact. Enso develops A-A rated tyres specifically for EVs like Tesla’s to give drivers more range on a single charge, pay less upfront for their tyres and replace them less often, all of which helps Uber drivers earn more per mile.”

Pirelli's Sensor-Equipped Cyber Tyre To Feature In Future Aston Martin Models

Pirelli's Sensor-Equipped Cyber Tyre To Feature In Future Aston Martin Models

A new partnership between Pirelli and Aston Martin will integrate Pirelli's pioneering Cyber Tyre technology into the British ultra-luxury brand's future vehicles. This system represents a significant technological advancement as the first of its kind capable of gathering real-time data from sensors embedded directly within the tyre's tread. These sensors feed information to Pirelli's proprietary software and algorithms, which then communicate seamlessly with the vehicle's electronic architecture.

This integration, developed in cooperation with Bosch Engineering, allows the car's main dynamic control systems, including ESP, ABS and traction control, to receive and utilise a comprehensive set of precise tyre data that was previously unavailable. By processing this information, an electronic control unit can optimise the vehicle's dynamics, enhancing both performance and safety. The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to innovation in the ultra-luxury performance sector. The adoption of the Cyber Tyre system marks a notable step forward in Aston Martin's pursuit of class-leading capabilities, leveraging detailed, real-time insights to refine the driving experience.

Despite Improved Sentiment, German Rubber Industry Reports Deep Losses

Despite Improved Sentiment, German Rubber Industry Reports Deep Losses

The latest data from the German rubber industry highlights severe challenges at the domestic location are compelling companies to fulfil local demand primarily through their foreign production facilities, according to the German Rubber Industry Association (wdk).

A recent business climate index indicates a slight improvement in industry sentiment for the second half of 2025. However, wdk President Michael Klein sharply contradicts this optimism, stating that the data reveals a far grimmer reality. He emphasises that critical performance indicators – including revenue, sales, employment and production – are all showing deeply negative results for the domestic market, underscoring a troubling exodus of manufacturing from its core German base.

Klein has acknowledged the federal government's pledge to launch an ‘autumn of reforms’ as a positive signal. Nevertheless, he insists these measures must urgently deliver tangible relief and cost reductions for industrial companies of all sizes. He argues that what is needed most is a decisive and rapid approach to the promised reduction in bureaucracy, stressing that only verifiable results, not further promises, will count towards improving the competitiveness of the German industrial location.

Sailun Group Breaks Ground On $1 Billion Tyre Plant In Egypt

Sailun Group Breaks Ground On $1 Billion Tyre Plant In Egypt

Chinese tyre manufacturer Sailun Group has begun construction on a new USD-1-billion tyre facility in Egypt. The plant is situated within the Sokhna integrated industrial zone, part of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE). This investment, one of the largest Chinese industrial projects in Egypt, was officially launched at a ceremony attended by SCZONE General Authority Chairperson Walid Gamal El-Din.

The expansive 350,000-square-metre factory will be developed in three phases over a three-year period. The initial phase is scheduled to become operational in 2026, with a planned production capacity of three million passenger car tyres and 600,000 truck and bus tyres annually. This first stage is expected to generate 1,500 new jobs. Upon full completion, the facility's total output is projected to surpass ten million tyres each year.

As a global leader in tyre manufacturing with an extensive international sales network, Sailun Group will utilise this new factory as a strategic hub. The facility is designed to meet rising demand within the local Egyptian market while also creating substantial opportunities for export to regional and international markets.