Vipal Rubber, one of the world's leading manufacturers of tyre retreading products, celebrates an important milestone in 2021: 15 years of operations in Eastern Europe. With a Distribution Centre in Slovenia since 2006, Vipal also has a branch office in Europe. Approximately 50 local customers are supplied with Vipal treads, as well other tyre retreading products and tyre repairs of the brand, in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, the Balkan and Baltic nations. The Czech Republic ranks fifth in terms of sales volume for the company on the continent.

Tyre retreading is considered important for the transport segment across Europe. It offers advantages such as lower fuel consumption and lower ecological impact. Together with high quality processes, these factors are in line with the Circular Economy. Throughout these 15 years, Vipal Rubber has kept permanent dialogue with the market, in order to serve the market with products and solutions that meet these important economic and ecological demands.

Among the products supplied to in Eastern European countries are the VT110, VT220, VL140 and VRT3 treads. In the Czech and Slovak markets, the VT110 is recognised as being well suited for tyre retreading. 

Vipal also supplies tyre repair products to several Eastern European distributors. Among the main ones are repairs such as patches and valve reinforcements for inner tubes. There are also other top selling products such as the Pinhole Identifier, Activator for Rubber Surfaces, Sealer, Adhesive and Vulcanizing Cement.

"Since we set up inventories in Europe in 2006, countries like the Czech Republic have always been our priorities. Firstly, because of its people, then the high retreading rate and great acceptance of retreaded tyres, also because the excellent quality of the local retreaders and their technology”, Fabricio Nedeff comments, Commercial Manager at Vipal Europe. The commercial team has a representative of Czech origin on the team, Michal Baxa, what demonstrates the interest and importance the company gives to businesses in this market. "Today, the country ranks fifth in volume for Vipal Rubber's European branch office", Nedeff adds.

One of the main suppliers of the Eastern European transport segment, Carling s.r.o, from Brno, in the Czech Republic, proves Vipal's strong performance in the region. Carling has been one of Vipal´s commercial partners for 11 years and Vipal Rubber is considered one of its three biggest suppliers. “The main reason is the above-standard business conditions, a result of the long-standing partnership. The most popular products are the tread line for regional tyres and for civil construction. We believe that the European Union's support for the circular economy will increase turnover for both companies”, says Mr. Ivo Lojda, Logistics Manager at Carling. 

In Europe, in addition to the Slovenian Distribution Centre, Vipal has two others: one in Felixstowe, England, and another in Valencia, Spain, the latter is where the company's European subsidiary is also located. With four factories and another ten distribution centres spread across strategic points around the globe, which supply around 90 countries worldwide, Vipal also counts on Vipal Machinery, a segment of the company that produces tyre retreading equipment using its own technology. In 2020, Vipal Machinery arrived in Europe, in Spain to be exact, when the retreader Recauchutados Muralla SA (Remusa) acquired one of its models, the VOC 760 extruder. Aside from that, Vipal´s machinery can also be found in Brazil, the United States, New Zealand, Argentina, Uruguay and El Salvador. 

This strong performance is recognized by the market. Recently, Vipal won three important international awards in the first edition of the Recircle Awards. The company won in the categories of Best Supplier of Precured Treads, Best Supplier of Tyre Retreading Equipment and Accessories, for Vipal Machinery, and Best in Innovation in the Tyre Retreading Industry, the latter for the Eye Control technology case. The award, promoted by Autopromotec 2021, Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling, recognized contributions made to the circular economy by companies and professionals within tyre manufacturing, retreading and recycling industries.