Nova Motorsport, the tyre supplier set up to succeed Avon following its closure last year, has invested ?20 million (US$21.64m, £16.85m) to develop a new manufacturing hub in Portugal.
The British company, which acquired Avon’s residual stock after the brand was shut down, purchased the existing Camac Pneus production site located on the banks of the Ave river and is undergoing a major refurbishment to turn it into a ‘new European centre of tyre manufacturing excellence’.
The site, situated between the cities Porto and Braga, will enable Nova to resume production of new Avon Motorsport products and develop new racing tyres for the future.
Over 200 trucks have been used to transfer the tyre manufacturing equipment from Avon’s previous headquarters in Melksham, UK, to the new site in Portugal. The Melksham site was auctioned off by Avon’s parent company, Goodyear, in February but the buyer remains undisclosed. Nova was set up by former Avon employees and has launched a recruitment drive for its European manufacturing programme. ‘The creation of Nova Motorsport’s new European centre of tyre manufacturing excellence represents a crucial strategic step for the imminent resumption of production of legendary Avon Motorsport tyre products,’ said Nova Motorsport chief technical officer, Mike Lynch.
‘Integrating Nova Motorsport’s engineering and design resources into the Camac facility has significantly enhanced the site?s ...