Sumitomo Rubber Europe GmbH and Dunlop Tech GmbH yesterday celebrated the opening of their European Development Centre campus with over 100 invited guests.
After a construction period of well over one year, the 30,000sqm premises in Hanau-Steinheim now houses facilities for tyre development and testing, including Falken Tyres, and the production of liquid latex and the design of tyre pressure monitoring systems.
The historic building was sensitively restored in accordance with heritage protection regulations and subsequently converted into offices. All construction works and machinery installation were completed on schedule, enabling operations to start at the facilities and offices in May.
"We are extremely grateful to the Hanau Business Development Agency and Head Mayor Claus Kaminsky, who provided excellent advice and assistance during our purchase of the property," says Bernd Schuchhardt, managing director of Dunlop Tech GmbH. "We are delighted to have both companies, Sumitomo Rubber Europe and Dunlop Tech, now operating under one roof, so to speak; the new centre will simplify communication and focus expertise."
"The spacious offices at our new centre will open up a host of further expansion opportunities for us," comments Dr. Bernd Löwenhaupt, managing director of Sumitomo Rubber Europe GmbH. "Our new technical and chemical laboratories provide us with the opportunity for testing and analysing tyre compounds and tyres in-house for the first time and are readily expandable. This will boost the speed and efficiency of our research and development operations in Europe. The tyre hall is also more spacious, allowing us to store and fit more tyres. These new and enlarged premises cater perfectly to the increased overall growth we have experienced in recent years."
"By attracting these two companies to establish their new centre here, we have gained a more than worthy successor for the premises formerly occupied by DS Smith Packaging. We are happy that such an environmentally aware, future-focused and innovative companies have chosen our region for their new location," says Claus Kaminsky, Head Mayor of the City of Hanau.
About Sumitomo Rubber Australia
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) is the sixth largest tyre manufacturer in the world. With 11 global tyre manufacturing facilities, SRI produces tyres for passenger cars, light trucks, trucks & buses, motorcycles and agricultural machinery. Sumitomo Rubber Australia (SRAU) is the local subsidiary and manages three brands – Falken, Sumitomo Tyres and Ohtsu. For more information visit www.falken.com.au.