At the Business Forum on the tire and rubber industry, the German-Iranian Chamber of Industry and Commerce hosted leading industry representatives and the Association of the Supply Chain for Raw Materials and the Production of Tires, Tubes, Retreaded Tires and Rubber Products of Tehran Province. Representatives of Yazd Rubber Industries, Iran Tire Manufacturing, Karagostar Engineering, the Association of Tire Retreaders, Faravar Lastic Isatis, as well as a number of other companies and industry representatives attended the meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting, following the release of a message from Mohammadreza Taghi-Ganji, Chairman of the Tire and Rubber Association, and a welcome address by Pirouz Navaei, Secretary of the Association, Kasra Emam-Saffari, Deputy Managing Director of the German-Iranian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, referring to the Chamber’s services and activities, emphasized the importance of holding specialized meetings and forums with representatives of various industries. He discussed the trade situation between Iran and Germany regarding tires and rubber and spoke about Germany’s capacities and advantages for this industry in Iran. Referring to the Chamber’s role as a bridge between economic actors in the two countries, he also emphasized the importance of maintaining and developing trade relations between Iran and Germany. Referring to the trade situation between Iran and Germany in the tire industry, Emam-Saffari said: “Iran is not specifically an importer of finished tires from Germany. However, there is significant potential for cooperation between the two countries in areas such as the supply of raw materials, knowledge and technology transfer, obtaining the international standards required for exports, as well as training and upgrading the expertise of human resources, and Germany’s capacities can be utilized in these areas.” He also emphasized that with the increase in energy costs in Germany, tire production in Germany has reached 74 percent of capacity, while competitors with lower energy and labor costs are producing the tires needed by Germany.
In another part of the meeting, Hadi Amir-Shaghaghi, CEO of Iran Tire Manufacturing and Vice Chairman of the Association for the Supply of Raw Materials and Tire Production in Tehran, referring to the situation of the tire industry in Germany, said: “Tire production in Germany has faced a significant decline in recent years, and this trend has also been accompanied by workforce reductions. Rising energy costs, including electricity and oil prices, are among the factors contributing to higher production costs and changes in the operating conditions of companies in this industry.” He also referred to the considerable annual volume of tire trade in Germany and emphasized Iran’s potential to develop cooperation in this area.
One of the main topics of discussion was the potential for cooperation in the areas of raw materials, tire design, chemicals and component supply. Saeed Taghvaei, a member of the Board of Directors of Yazd Rubber Industries, said in this regard: “In the field of chemicals, the potential for cooperation between Iran and Germany can be utilized. In addition, establishing connections between small and medium-sized enterprises and specialists in this field in the two countries can contribute to the development of trade and the reduction of existing barriers to imports and commercial cooperation.”
The potential of specialized tire and automotive exhibitions for developing business relations and becoming familiar with the latest developments in the industry was subsequently discussed. Participants emphasized the importance of visiting exhibitions, becoming familiar with new technologies and establishing direct contact with companies participating in these events. It was also proposed that specialized content from relevant conferences and events, including recorded files, be made available to members. Emam-Saffari, Deputy Managing Director of the German-Iranian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said in this regard: “The Chamber will make the necessary plans to utilize the potential of specialized exhibitions and establish contact with relevant companies.” Specialized training and knowledge transfer were also addressed by the participants. Tire industry representatives, referring to the importance of training in enhancing the capabilities of the industry, proposed utilizing the capacities of specialized German institutions to hold training courses. The establishment of specialized platforms for training and knowledge exchange among industry representatives in the two countries was also emphasized.
In another part of the meeting, the issue of standards, specialized laboratories and the development of relations with companies active in the tire industry was discussed. Engineer Afkhami-Aghda, CEO of Faravar Lastic Isatis, said in this regard: “By identifying and introducing German companies active in this field, a basis can be created for negotiations and establishing direct contact between companies in this sector, thereby creating new opportunities for technical and commercial cooperation.” The possibility of cooperation in the field of standards, the registration of specialized companies and the use of the capacity of representatives of certain standards in relevant laboratories was also discussed by the participants. In the area of information, it was proposed that news, articles and specialized materials related to the tire industry in Germany be made available to members of the Chamber and the Association so that industry representatives can gain greater awareness of developments and specialized trends in the German market.
At the end of the meeting, the continuation of relations between the German-Iranian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Tire Association and the follow-up of the issues discussed were emphasized. The development of relations with German companies, the use of the potential of specialized exhibitions, educational and technical cooperation, and the exploration of new business opportunities were also considered as areas for follow-up in future cooperation.
