Home » Supplement » Formula one
From the F1 tracks to the streets
By Fei Lai |
April 17, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A major factor in ensuring vehicle safety and refinement is wheel technology. Dedicated to providing only high-quality alloy wheels, safety part of vehicles, YHI Manufacturing Group, the Alloy Wheels Division of YHI International Limited, a publicly listed Singaporean company, promotes original design and distinctive quality.
The company is in its third year of a supply and sponsorship agreement with Formula One team, Scuderia Toro Rosso, to provide F1 wheels bearing the group's proprietary brand Advanti Racing.
Under YHI's umbrella of renowned brands, Advanti Racing is the propriety house brand and is the official wheels partner of F1 Scuderia Toro Rosso.
This partnership started in 2008 and was Advanti Wheel's first foray into serious motorsports sponsorships. Advanti is currently sold in 54 countries and regions including China.
Advanti F1 wheels are different from normal alloy wheels. Made from forged magnesium alloy due to its low density and high strength, they are machined in one piece to make them as strong as possible. They are secured onto the suspension uprights by a single central locking wheel nut.?
Richard Tay, group managing director of YHI International Limited, says the participation in Formula One is aimed at raising the value of its proprietary brand, especially at a time when copies and pirates are a bit rampant.
Another alloy wheels brand from the YHI Group is OZ Racing Wheels. OZ is an Italian company of which YHI became the biggest shareholder in 2005.
Since 1971, OZ has been designing instruments dedicated to producing wheels for the most prestigious cars in the world.
Worldwide, OZ is synonymous with high profile motorsports events and has won more than 100 world titles since 1984. Recently celebrating 25 years in F1, OZ in 2010 is the official partner of the Renault, Red Bull and BMW Sauber F1 teams.
Enkei Corporation Japan, a long-time partner of YHI Group, is the largest wheels manufacturer in the world. Enkei is currently sponsoring the MacLaren F1 team.
The legend of YHI International Ltd, now the recognized distributor of high-quality automotive and industrial products, and a familiar and trusted name in alloy wheel manufacturing as an original design manufacturer, has grown by leaps and bounds since its humble beginnings as a sole proprietorship established in 1948.
Today, YHI has 28 subsidiaries and associated companies located in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, USA, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UAE and Italy, with four manufacturing plants in Shanghai and Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, Taoyuan in Taiwan and Sepang in Malaysia.
Listed on the main board of the Singapore stock exchange in 2003, the company has successfully diversified its business and carved a niche in the global automotive arena.
Tay, the group managing director, has an appreciation of ups and downs of the global after-market, having been involved in the industry for so many years.
"The global after-market used to be dominated by America, Japan and European countries. However, since 1980, the Western impact blew to Asia and soon led to the rise of an after-market in South Asia," he says.
"After 2000, China started to become a new force in Asia's after-market. In the past decade, more than 100 factories emerged in China, leading to irrational competition. In 2004 there was an obvious decrease in price due to over capacity.
"Many private enterprises did no analysis on the market. Thus, YHI spared no effort in branding based on fine quality, and F1 gives us all the reasons as it's the top racing event."
Positioning Advanti alloy wheels as an affordable luxury accessory, YHI boasts a strong research and development team bringing creative and customized service to clients. Each month, five to six new designs will be formed at the R&D center, creating the latest market trend.
"We place great emphasis on timely introduction of new designs of alloy wheels to the market, in response to changing market demands and preferences," Tay says. "In the spirit of innovation, we have also successfully created and marketed our own Advanti brand of alloy wheels, which has been well-received by customers worldwide.
"Our distinctive edge lies in our in-house capability from design and development to manufacturing, marketing and distribution of alloy wheels. It enables us to meet our customers' unique specifications within a relatively short turnaround period."
While Westerners are quite familiar with car customization concept of "increasing and improving car performance" by upgrading alloy wheels, Tay thinks Chinese should gradually get the idea. But safety is always the top priority.
"Young people today like good maneuverability, stability and beautiful lines," Tay says. "I advise them to choose renowned brands rather than getting wheels on the cheap end, which are mostly copies. Alloy wheels are indispensable to safety. Everyone must bear that in mind."
As a brash, young man in the 1970s, Tay used to tear around the old Thomson Road circuit in his Mini Cooper S, winning several trophies during the old Singapore Grand Prix days.
Though age has caught up with him, the 59-year-old now indulges in his passion for fast cars in another way.
"I look forward to continue the contract with F1 and will also support domestic car racing," Tay says.
The company is in its third year of a supply and sponsorship agreement with Formula One team, Scuderia Toro Rosso, to provide F1 wheels bearing the group's proprietary brand Advanti Racing.
Under YHI's umbrella of renowned brands, Advanti Racing is the propriety house brand and is the official wheels partner of F1 Scuderia Toro Rosso.
This partnership started in 2008 and was Advanti Wheel's first foray into serious motorsports sponsorships. Advanti is currently sold in 54 countries and regions including China.
Advanti F1 wheels are different from normal alloy wheels. Made from forged magnesium alloy due to its low density and high strength, they are machined in one piece to make them as strong as possible. They are secured onto the suspension uprights by a single central locking wheel nut.?
Richard Tay, group managing director of YHI International Limited, says the participation in Formula One is aimed at raising the value of its proprietary brand, especially at a time when copies and pirates are a bit rampant.
Another alloy wheels brand from the YHI Group is OZ Racing Wheels. OZ is an Italian company of which YHI became the biggest shareholder in 2005.
Since 1971, OZ has been designing instruments dedicated to producing wheels for the most prestigious cars in the world.
Worldwide, OZ is synonymous with high profile motorsports events and has won more than 100 world titles since 1984. Recently celebrating 25 years in F1, OZ in 2010 is the official partner of the Renault, Red Bull and BMW Sauber F1 teams.
Enkei Corporation Japan, a long-time partner of YHI Group, is the largest wheels manufacturer in the world. Enkei is currently sponsoring the MacLaren F1 team.
The legend of YHI International Ltd, now the recognized distributor of high-quality automotive and industrial products, and a familiar and trusted name in alloy wheel manufacturing as an original design manufacturer, has grown by leaps and bounds since its humble beginnings as a sole proprietorship established in 1948.
Today, YHI has 28 subsidiaries and associated companies located in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, USA, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UAE and Italy, with four manufacturing plants in Shanghai and Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, Taoyuan in Taiwan and Sepang in Malaysia.
Listed on the main board of the Singapore stock exchange in 2003, the company has successfully diversified its business and carved a niche in the global automotive arena.
Tay, the group managing director, has an appreciation of ups and downs of the global after-market, having been involved in the industry for so many years.
"The global after-market used to be dominated by America, Japan and European countries. However, since 1980, the Western impact blew to Asia and soon led to the rise of an after-market in South Asia," he says.
"After 2000, China started to become a new force in Asia's after-market. In the past decade, more than 100 factories emerged in China, leading to irrational competition. In 2004 there was an obvious decrease in price due to over capacity.
"Many private enterprises did no analysis on the market. Thus, YHI spared no effort in branding based on fine quality, and F1 gives us all the reasons as it's the top racing event."
Positioning Advanti alloy wheels as an affordable luxury accessory, YHI boasts a strong research and development team bringing creative and customized service to clients. Each month, five to six new designs will be formed at the R&D center, creating the latest market trend.
"We place great emphasis on timely introduction of new designs of alloy wheels to the market, in response to changing market demands and preferences," Tay says. "In the spirit of innovation, we have also successfully created and marketed our own Advanti brand of alloy wheels, which has been well-received by customers worldwide.
"Our distinctive edge lies in our in-house capability from design and development to manufacturing, marketing and distribution of alloy wheels. It enables us to meet our customers' unique specifications within a relatively short turnaround period."
While Westerners are quite familiar with car customization concept of "increasing and improving car performance" by upgrading alloy wheels, Tay thinks Chinese should gradually get the idea. But safety is always the top priority.
"Young people today like good maneuverability, stability and beautiful lines," Tay says. "I advise them to choose renowned brands rather than getting wheels on the cheap end, which are mostly copies. Alloy wheels are indispensable to safety. Everyone must bear that in mind."
As a brash, young man in the 1970s, Tay used to tear around the old Thomson Road circuit in his Mini Cooper S, winning several trophies during the old Singapore Grand Prix days.
Though age has caught up with him, the 59-year-old now indulges in his passion for fast cars in another way.
"I look forward to continue the contract with F1 and will also support domestic car racing," Tay says.
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