Nexen Europe boss ‘takes over new functions’
Nexen Tire reports that Joo-Ho Song, The former president of Nexen Tire is to “take over new functions” at the company. Nexen was at pains to point out that the news marks the end of “an almost two year lasting success story of the Korean top manager in Germany”. No details of who will follow Joo-Ho Song have yet been released, but an announcement is expected shortly.
Continue ReadingBridgestone appoints northern UK consumer marketing manager
Bridgestone has appointed Wim Belckx as its new north region consumer marketing manager. Now based in Leamington, the 34 year-old, originally from Belgium, has worked his way up the Bridgestone ladder since his first job as a marketing analyst at BSEU in 2003. Belckx takes up his position having headed Brussels’ newly created pricing department in 2010.
Continue ReadingNeil Ebbs president of GEA
Neil Ebbs, of MAHA UK, was appointed president of the Garage Equipment Association, (GEA), at the association’s AGM, which was held at the GEA offices in Daventry on 3 April 2014. Ebbs’ experience in running the UK division of MAHA is likely to be beneficial to the progression of the association as it seeks to “improve safety and standards in the garage equipment industry”. MAHA is an abbreviation of MAschinenbau HAldenwan, which roughly translates as manufacturer from Haldenwan. (Haldenwan is a small Bavarian town, however, today MAHA are one of the largest European equipment manufacturers). Neil Ebbs takes over from Andrew Bates of Straightset, who has served as president for the past two years.
Continue ReadingToyo appoints new European boss
At the start of this year, Naoki Gonsui became president of Toyo Tire Europe and on 1 May he took on the additional role of president of the newly-created Toyo Tire Deutschland sales subsidiary. It was clear from the start that his main focus would be upon the restructuring of Toyo’s European organisation and establishing the new German sales subsidiary, yet it was assumed Gonsui would remain in his European roles following the successful completion of this task until the end of 2014. However Gonsui has now been unexpectedly recalled to Toyo’s headquarters in Japan, where new duties await him in the Planning department.
Continue ReadingHeuver strengthens national teams
When Tyres & Accessories spoke with Bertus Heuver earlier this year, he shared that Heuver Tyrewholesale was adopting a more geographic-based strategy in regards to its marketing, and was in the process of appointing new team members to enable the wholesaler’s national teams to cover all areas of Europe where it regularly does business. Four members have been added to the Heuver team in recent months.
Continue ReadingNew BBIF chairman
The British Battery Industry Federation (BBIF) has a new chairman – Justin Smith. Smith is a director of CPC Batteries in Surbiton, Surrey and has been vice-chairman of the BBIF for the past two years. He succeeds Alec Morgan of Banner Batteries.
Continue ReadingNew factory manager at Nizhnekamsk tyre plant
Berovich Portnoy has succeeded Anwar Fasikhovich Vakhitov as factory director of the Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory in Russia’s Republic of Tartarstan following the latter’s appointment as director of the Tatneft-Neftekhim Management Company. Portnoy was previously chief engineer at the Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory, a position he held since 2007. Vakhitov was appointed executive director of the newly-established Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory in March 2007 and headed construction of the plant before named factory director when it entered operation in 2009.
Continue ReadingTom Williams joins Kenda as vice president engineering
Kenda has appointed former Hankook tyre engineer Tom Williams as vice president engineering of the Taiwan based tyre manufacturer. According to the company, he has been vice president engineering at Kenda in Taiwan since the beginning of March.
Continue ReadingContinental South Africa makes strategic appointments
Continental Tyre South Africa announced the appointment of Niel Langner as marketing manager; Jiminy-Ann Knoetze Bosman as public relations and communications manager; and Morris Naiker as national sales manager on 14 May 2014. The move is being described as a set of strategic appointments designed to strengthen the firm’s tyre sales position in the country.
Continue ReadingACEA elects Renault CEO as new president
The Board of Directors of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has elected Carlos Ghosn, chairman and CEO of Renault, as its new president. Ghosn takes over from Philippe Varin, former chairman of the Board of Management of PSA Peugeot Citroën. This change is effective immediately.
Continue ReadingPelmar Engineering appoints new CEO
Israel-based tyre industry machinery specialist Pelmar Engineering Ltd. has named Joseph Anglister its chief executive officer. Anglister began his new role on 1 May and takes on some of the duties formerly carried out by managing director Hagai Peled.
Continue ReadingAlliance Tire Americas boss Cicero stepping down
Manny Cicero, president of Alliance Tire Group’s North American operation, will leave the company at the end of this month. Alliance Tire Group says the decision on Cicero’s departure was “mutually agreed upon”, and he will remain through to the end of 2014 as an advisor to the ATG board of directors. A successor has not yet been named.
Continue Reading241 jobs as Schrader invests £56M in N Ireland TPMS facilities
Schrader has announced an investment of £56 million-plus, creating 241 new jobs at its Carrickfergus and Antrim TPMS facilities. The major investment will see the company expand its production facilities over the next three years. It is also undertaking five research and development projects, and a major staff training programme to equip its engineers with the latest design and production techniques.
Continue ReadingVacu-Lug’s Alan Setchfield retires after 48-year career with retreader
After almost half a century with Vacu-Lug, Alan Setchfield is retiring. Having begun his career as a yard boy in Grantham’s already long established tyre remoulding plant on 2 May 1966, aged 17, Setchfield can look back on a 48-year career, rising through the company. “I’ve enjoyed the journey and made many friends along the way,” he said, “But don’t worry, there’s plenty of tread left on this tyre for many miles to come!”
Continue ReadingGiti appoints retail network development manager to expand GTPC UK programme
Giti Tire has appointed Lorna Craig as its retail network development manager. The position has been created with a brief to develop further the GT Radial Performance Centre (GTPC) programme in the UK. Craig, formerly a brand manager with GT Radial distributor Micheldever, will work in partnership with the wholesaler to achieve this goal.
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