In 2023, Vipal Rubber completed 50 years of history. The date is marked by the company's maturity and consolidation in several European countries. Europe is a continent where it has been operating since 2006 with its own branch, based in Valencia, Spain. During this important period, it chose to reinforce its presence in the territory by expanding its commercial structure, covering new markets and increasingly investing in trusting relationships with its partners.  

One of the main events in the first half of the year is the arrival of Vipal's Commercial representative in the DACH Region, Thomas Giermann. With over 18 years of experience in the sector, Giermann reinforces its operations in countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland - three relevant markets for the tyre retreading segment among the 48 nations served by the company on the European continent.   

In order to expand commercial coverage to Africa, a process that began in 2020 with North Africa and the Middle East, in 2023 the European branch began serving the entire continent.   

Frederico Schmidt, general manager of Vipal in Europe, highlights the satisfaction of expanding its presence in those regions. “We are very happy the company offered us this challenge of looking for new partners. The proven quality of Vipal’s products and services will help us a lot in this process.”  

This year, Vipal not only consolidated its presence in other continents, but also strengthened its relationships with partners. The annual meeting with customers in Europe took place in the Alicante region, a stunning setting. The event stood out as a significant chapter in this journey, where the company not only celebrated achievements, but also charted new paths for the future.  

The event took place between the 22nd and 24th of September and was attended by customers from Italy, Croatia, Spain, Turkey, England, Poland, South Africa, Romania, the Czech Republic and Germany. It also counted on the presence of the European commercial team as well as the General Manager, Frederico Schmidt, and the Commercial Manager, Fabricio Nedeff. Vipal Rubber's International Sales Manager, Gilson Dugno, was also present and emphasised the richness of culture provided by the diversity of the participants.   

The gathering marked the third consecutive edition of the event – previously hosted in Barcelona and Valencia, highlighting Vipal's continued commitment to creating conducive environments to networking and strengthening ties with its partners.   

 The company celebrates significant award wins in 2023   

The search for proximity to customers is not just an approach, but a value. In November, Vipal Rubber was recognised in four categories at the Recircle Awards 2023, an international award with voting open to the public. One of the distinctions was given to Vipal's Commercial Manager in Europe, Fabricio Nedeff, chosen as Employee of the Year. For Nedeff, the recognition validates the effort to be in tune with the needs and expectations of partners, contributing to business growth and ensuring personalised deliveries.    

Furthermore, the company also gained prominence in the 2023 Fleet & Service Award promoted by the Automotive magazine, from Portugal, in the Environment category. The recognition is aimed at companies, entities, products, services and professionals for the excellence and merit of their activities in the areas of Fleets, After-Sales, Heavy Duty, Industrial Machinery and the Environment.   

For Fabricio Nedeff, the awards reinforce that Vipal is on the right path, being recognised by customers and positively impacting them. “The retreaded tyre, in itself, is an important part of the circular economy and represents benefits to the environment. Combined with our initiatives in the manufacturing process, such as effluent treatment, research into raw materials from renewable sources and reuse and recycling of materials, we were able to deliver even more", highlights Nedeff.