Pirelli in Top 1% of S&P Global Sustainable Yearbook 2024
S&P Global has published its Sustainability Yearbook 2024, with Pirelli distinguishing itself as the only firm within the Auto Component sector to qualify as a ‘Top 1%’ company. Commenting on this achievement, Marco Tronchetti Provera says the recognition confirms Pirelli’s “capacity to integrate its sustainability strategy along the entire value chain.”
Continue ReadingHamaton enlarging European distribution facility
As of next month, Hamaton will supply European customers from a larger premises. Although the manufacturer of TPMS solutions, tyre valves, inflation products, tools, and accessories isn’t moving far, remaining within the Siemensring business park in Willich, Germany, from 11 March it will operate out of a “large, modern space that matches our ambition for growth and will provide increased storage space, improved facilities, flexible office space, and bigger social areas for our clients and staff.”
Continue ReadingL4T Group extends tyre recycling remit to USA
Ireland-based end-of-life-tyre recycling company Life for Tyres Group (L4T Group) is establishing its first processing facility in the USA. Government agency Louisiana Economic Development shares that L4T Group will set up shop at the Port of South Louisiana, investing US$46 million to build a plant on a 10-acre (4-hectare) site.
Continue ReadingGoodyear’s rationalisation plan – will Beaurepaires disappear from Australia?
Last September, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company approved a “rationalisation plan” for its operations in Australia and New Zealand, an overhaul that involves divesting or closing 100 retail and fleet locations and nine warehouses. With Australian media reporting that negotiations for a sale have faltered, the number of retail sites to close may end up being more than this quoted figure.
Continue ReadingYokohama commits to SBTi
On 30 January The Yokohama Rubber Co., Lt. submitted a commitment letter to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)1, the first step in gaining validation of science-based targets (SBTs) for greenhouse gas emission reductions consistent with standards established by the Paris Agreement.
Continue ReadingTyremakers sued in US class action antitrust lawsuit – public communications and high prices at centre of case
Days after the European Commission announced that it is investigating a number of leading tyre manufacturers in relation to allegations of price-fixing, the same companies have become the subject of a similar class-action lawsuit in the USA. The class action relates to “…purchases of tyres within four years prior to the filing” – which clearly relates to a potentially enormous number of tyres. The case basically alleges that the named tyremakers colluded to raise and sustain higher tyre prices and that such action was at least partly facilitated via public communications. The named tyremakers have all already denied price fixing and stated their compliance with the law and their cooperation with investigations in relation the EC investigation.
Continue ReadingContinental probably cutting more jobs than previously announced
Last autumn, German business publication Manager-Magazin caught wind of plans at Continental to axe 5,500 jobs in its Automotive group sector. Continental confirmed this shortly afterwards. The magazine now has another exclusive, citing inside information that Continental is currently discussing the elimination of “more than a thousand additional jobs,” leading to cuts in research and development being “more severe than expected.”
Continue ReadingApollo Tyres appoints new sales manager in France
Apollo Tyres has appointed Olivier Pataud as country sales manager for France. He succeeds Francois Hien, who becomes the company’s new “head of customer experience projects” operating across all of the company’s product groups in France. Pataud joined Apollo Tyres last year as a key account manager for the Passenger Car Tyre division.
Continue ReadingSailun Group joins SBTi
Membership in the Justice League? Not quite, or not yet – but Sailun Group has joined several organisations and initiatives dedicated to doing good in recent times. The company confirms that it is now a member of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). It also recently became the first Chinese tyre maker to join the United Nations Global Compact.
Continue ReadingVMI gains Silver EcoVadis Medal
Business sustainability ratings company EcoVadis has awarded VMI a Silver EcoVadis Medal for its progress toward sustainability. By achieving Silver status, the machinery specialist is in the top 15 per cent of all companies worldwide that EcoVadis assessed by EcoVadis for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices in 2023.
Continue ReadingZC Rubber building factory in Mexico
Not only is Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd (ZC Rubber) setting up a new factory in Indonesia, the Hangzhou, China-headquartered tyre maker has also unveiled plans for a plant in Mexico. The company is looking to establish a manufacturing facility in Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila, with a potential size of up to 600,000 square metres. It will also build a North American warehouse centre adjacent to the factory to improve the local distribution network and optimise cost efficiency.
Continue ReadingNew Pyrum Innovations reactor already at 75%
Pyrum Innovations is working to bring two new reactors into operation at its main Dillingen plant in Germany’s Saarland, trebling the facility’s capacity. It began a second test run of the first of these, reactor 2 (TAD 2), on 30 January and reports “initial successes” towards the reactor’s commissioning.
Continue ReadingMichelin Guide 2024 Great Britain & Ireland now out
The Midland Hotel in Manchester was the setting Michelin chose to mark the 50th anniversary of The Michelin Guide in Great Britain & Ireland. It also presented the 2024 restaurant selection, which includes 1,162 restaurants.
Continue ReadingSRI using AI to reduce tyre air resistance
A new simulation technique will aid tyre development at Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) by helping to minimise the impact of air resistance. This ‘Tire Aerodynamic Simulation’ technique uses artificial intelligence to visualise the airflow that develops around the tyres when a vehicle is in motion, and the Falken brand manufacturer will use the knowledge it gains to “pursue the development of a tyre shape that optimises aerodynamic performance.” SRI aims to launch an EV tyre developed using Tire Aerodynamic Simulation in 2027.
Continue ReadingBridgestone closing Shenyang, China TBR tyre plant
It appears that Bridgestone is preparing to close its tyre factory in Shenyang, China. A plant employee told our Tyrepress China site that production in Shenyang ceased at the end of January 2024 and that Bridgestone will officially shutter the site at the end of February. As of 5 February, Bridgestone had issued no official announcement regarding the plant.
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