Let the Good Times Roll: Asia's Juggernauts Keep Tiremakers Sweet

Continental Tires Malaysia Sdn Bhd CEO Benoit Henry discusses:     - May acquisition by Continental AG, of the remaining 30 per cent stake it didn’t already own in Continental Sime Tyre Sdn Bhd from joint venture partner Sime Darby;   - Whether amicable - price paid for the stake;   - 100 per cent foreign ownership - whether allowed;   - First ASEAN office - in a rubber-producing country - proposition today;   - Other issues: education - staff quality - 'lack of ambition' - mobility - 'taking a risk';   - Reliance on rubber - weather patterns - unpredictable fuel costs and labor shortages - extreme price volatility in rubber supplies - strategy;   - Rubber prices heading downwards since March - whether reflection of waning global demand - factors;   - Rubber substitutes - proportion used in relation to natural rubber - long-term adoption - state of technology - safety / performance issues;   - Regional - International market- issues;   - Tiremakers - Michelin - Pirelli - yourselves - outperforming market generally as well as Europe’s automotive sector - reasons - factors;   - Local operations - issues - demand for highly-skilled workers - staffing - extent of operations - amount invested - quantum of future investment - value chain - outlook;   - German manufacturing - expertise - R&D - whether consider Asia-based R&D in future;   - Emphasis on human capital;   - New technologies: level of progress - time to commercialisation.