(Akron/Tire Review) Portland-based Tire Factory has hired Anthony Showen as its new chief operations officer. Showen joins Tire Factory with more than 15 years of experience in operations and manufacturing. Tire Factory is a marketing group with some 180 retail locations in 11 western US states.
The Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier has been endorsed by UK consumer tests declaring the Qualifier best overall and rated number 1 for wet grip. The consumer survey, carried out by the UK magazine, ‘Ride’ compared the top road tyres in the market. In a major study amongst 10,000 UK riders, The Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier was matched against the latest offerings by Avon, Bridgestone, Continental, Metzeler, Michelin, and Pirelli in vigorous assessments of grip, wet weather performance, mileage and value
(Akron/Tire Review) TRIB has added two new international members, one from China and the other from Oman. Joining TRIB are Favorsea International Group Ltd., based in Jiangsu, China, and House of Tyres LLC, based in Oman. The new members give TRIB a total of 460 members in 37 countries. “TRIB continues to grow internationally as more and more companies in the retread industry throughout the world realize that TRIB is the only international retread industry association,” said Harvey Brodsky, TRIB’s managing director.
(Akron/Tire Review) Sumitomo Rubber Industries unit TBC Corp. has named Tim Miller as the group’s CFO and executive vice president. Previously, Miller was senior vice president of finance. Miller joined TBC in September 2000 from First Tennessee Bank National Association, and his background includes more than 14 years of experience in finance, treasury, and banking.
The Agricultural & Forestry Tyres division of Trelleborg is publicising its new brand strategy. On 25 and 26 September in Italy, Trelleborg invited more than 80 journalists from Europe and North America and 40 top managers of global major tractor makers to hear about its strategic plans for driving the brand transition from Pirelli Agricultural Tyres to Trelleborg. Basically Trelleborg plans to strengthen its brand in order to make it an “autonomous and synonymous specialization in agriculture.”
Chinese manufacturers want to and, in fact, already are benefiting from strong international demand for OTR tyres. One company that follows these lines very closely is the China Noble OTR Tyre Co., Ltd. When at the turn of the century it was becoming more evident that there was going to be a strong growth on the profitable OTR tyre market, Noble Tyre decided to jump on the bandwagon. The company’s co-founder Sky Zhuang said in an interview with Tyres & Accessories that this was the time when Noble decided to change its production plans. The company used to produce truck tyres and then changed over to the production of OTR tyres and thus invested considerable amounts of money from 2001 onwards.
For a company like Shandong Linglong Rubber Co., Ltd. presence at the CITExpo is obligatory. In the past other major Chinese manufacturers like Giti Tire or Chengshan used the CITExpo for their purposes. This year Linglong was by far the biggest manufacturer exhibiting at the Shanghai tyre show with all the other tyre majors missing. For export manager Merry Wang this doens’t mean that Linglong has to act like its competitors. On the contrary: “We want to build a brand,” she says with self-confidence.
Overall values of the UK’s 50 leading tyre companies are on the up, rising 10 per cent in the period studied by a new Plimsoll Publishing report. 35 of the companies included have seen their values increase by a staggering 20 per cent. This is a direct result of improved profitability and a conscious effort by their managers to place their company’s on a firm financial footing. These companies are building a solid foundation to further enhance their values in 2007, the report says.
Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced that its Advan Sport (V103) tyre has been approved by Brabus GmbH of Germany for its Brabus Rocket. Tyres will supplied n size 255/35ZR19 (96Y) for the front and 285/30ZR19 (98Y) for the rear. Yokohama Rubber have also been approved for the Brabus MV12 sport utility vehicle (SUV).
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A new tyre recycling technology has been successfully tested in North Wales, leading to suggestions a new commercial-scale recycling plant will open next year. Used Tyre Distillation Research Ltd told letsrecycle.com it has opened a fully functioning pilot plant to demonstrate its new processing technology at Ruabon, near Wrexham. According to the report, plans to purchase equipment have already been made, which could scale the pilot plant at up to 17,000 tonnes annual capacity. There are also said to be hopes of developing further plants in the UK and abroad.
Kwik-Fit Fleet has won a two-year sole supply contract with Pendragon Group to supply fast-fit and tyre management services to the three contract hire and fleet management companies within the organisation. The new deal, which Kwik-Fit Fleet won after fighting off competition in a competitive tender, means Britain’s largest independent fast-fit company will supply services to the 25,178 vehicles operated by Pendragon Contracts, Bramall Contracts and Vardy Contract Motoring.
Kwik-Way Products Inc. is seeking US state assistance to establish a joint venture with a Chinese company. The company is seeking a “$135,000 forgivable loan” from Iowa’s Economic Development Set-Aside Program administered by the Iowa Department of Economic Development. David Parks, president of Kwik-Way Products, told online news sources his company is forming a venture with Launch Tech Company Ltd. of Chenzhen, China.
(Akron/Tire Review) Arnco announced that it is expanding production output at its processing plant in Berea, Ohio, which opened one year ago. The flatproofing supplier said it is more than 25 per cent ahead of projections in meeting worldwide demand for polyurethane flatproofing products. “Equipment operators are doing everything they can to get more wear from their tyres because of today’s severe tyre shortage, and we would not be able to meet this increased demand for flatproofing if we had not opened the Berea facility last July,” said Larry Carapellotti, president of Arnco.
With unit sales of 7.06 million expected for 2006, a domestic replacement market share of 26 per cent and thriving export sales, no wonder Lassa producer Brisa is expanding its manufacturing and warehousing headquarters. As Brisa (Bridgestone Sabanci Tyre Manufacturing and Trading Inc) continues the $176 million production expansion programme it started at its Izmit plant in Turkey in 2004, Tyres & Accessories went to see how the plans are developing and visit some of the company’s retail outlets in Istanbul.
Michelin has won a significant new ‘pence per kilometre’ (PPK) contract to supply tyres to Pullman Fleet Services (PFS), which manages around 1,100 of the 1,800-strong Tesco.com home delivery fleet in the UK. The contract, previously held by Goodyear, sees Michelin Agilis tyres fitted as standard to all new vehicles joining the fleet, with tyres on existing vehicles being replaced as necessary.
