Tire maker Matador Puchov plans to invest SKK 738 million this year. Out of this investments of SKK 447 million will be destined for the M-Pneu division and the High Technology Production (HTP) project, aiming to increase high quality tire production in the company and in its joint venture in Russia, Matador Omshkina to 7 million pieces in 2006, the company informed SITA.

In early 2003 the company signed supply contracts on tire industry machines and equipment made by the company’s Matador Machinery division. In January the company also signed a contract with British company Farrel.

This year investments are also destined for services, sales centers and retail outlets. In the division M-Dopravne Pasy the company plans to make investments into the reconstruction of conveyor belts and vulcanization press control systems. Investments into this division will total SKK 20 million. The main Matador Machinery investments will be into purchasing a processing center from German company Deckel for delivery in May this year. Total investments into this division are projected at SKK 30 million.

Investments allocated for the Rubber-Industry Research Institute (VUG) operated by the company this year should reach SKK 65 million destined into software and sports tire development section. Investments of SKK 39 million are projected for power production.

The Matador Group associates 25 companies. The core company business is the production and sale of tires, conveyor belts, industrial rubber products and rubber industry machinery.