BANGKOK, Thailand (BRAIN)—Vittoria’s Lion Tyres factory in Bangkok not only produces Vittoria branded tires, but it is a large OEM tire maker for numerous high-end tire brands. As floodwaters continue to rise in Bangkok, officials at Lyon Tires say so far its factory is not affected.
“The water has not yet arrived at the gate of Lion Tyres, but we are prepared for the worst,” said René Timmermans, Vittoria’s commercial director.
“Our factory is situated in a well built industrial estate, close to the ocean. Given numerous canals for water management and being a little over a mile from the ocean, water should flow easily to the ocean and not stay where we are,” he added.
The heavy rains responsible for the flooding hit northern Thailand and rivers swollen with runoff have moved southward to the ocean, flooding many communities along the way, including Bangkok.
Because the heavy rains were in the north, and Thai rubber plantations are in the south of the country, Timmermans thinks rubber production at the plantations should be unaffected.
—Matt Wiebe
mwiebe@bicycleretailer.com
