AKRON (Sept. 11, 2006) — The world´s tire makers need to find ways to harmonize a growing cadre of national technical tire labeling standards that threaten to swamp the tire industry in paperwork and added costs, according to Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. CEO Francesco Gori.
Speaking today to an audience of tire technicians attending the 25th annual Tire Society meeting, Gori called these labeling requirements — some already in force, others being considered — "technical barriers to trade."
"Most (of these requirements) do not help the tire industry," he said. "They may help one or the other individual company or national industry, but not the industry as a whole."
In particular, Gori cited national technical regulations coming into force in such nations as China, Indonesia and Nigeria as examples of these restrictions. Taken to their extreme, these types of regulations would require tire makers to mold specific technical specifications on the sidewalls for the respective countries.