Michelin’s Rickard Acknowledged for Service to Tyre Recovery Sector
Years of work in the field of tyre recovery and in the tyre industry as a whole has earned Michelin Tyre PLC managing director Jim Rickard a lifetime achievement award from the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA). Rickard is the first ever recipient of this award from the association, which he received at the recent TRA annual dinner in front of more than 100 distinguished guests from the tyre recovery industry.
Continue ReadingEuropean Used Tyre Recovery Rate Reaches 96%
ETRMA, the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association, claims that the market for tyre derived products has become one that is “sustainable and economically viable.” Despite that fact that the recession is having a negative impact on the supply of end-of-life tyres to sorting and recycling companies, the ETRMA confirms that a positive trend in the management of end of life tyres is occurring, and the European recovery rate has now reached 96 per cent. “This achievement also promotes Europe as one of the most advanced regions in the world in the recycling and recovery of tyres,” claims the ETRMA in a press statement.
Continue ReadingDemand for Industrial Tyres Lifts Trelleborg Wheel System sales
Although its year-on-year sales share of the group total slipped from 11.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2009 to 10.7 per cent in quarter two of this year, sales at Trelleborg Wheel Systems grew two per cent year-on-year during the three month period. Sales for the division came to SEK 795 million (£70.7 million), a figure that represents eight per cent organic growth counterbalanced by negative six per cent exchange rate effects. EBITA margin in the three months between April and June 2010 was 10.3 per cent, down from 13.8 per cent a year earlier. The Swedish company states that markets outside North America and Europe recorded positive performance for volume and earnings.
Continue ReadingMichelin Lands Air France-KLM Contracts
Michelin has signed two 10-year contracts with the airlines Air France and KLM. Under the terms of these, Michelin tyres will be fitted on around 425 aircraft operated both by the Air France-KLM Group and by other airlines for which Air France and KLM provide maintenance services. These aircraft include 37 Boeing B777-300 ERs, 66 Boeing B737-NGs, 145 Airbus A320s and three Airbus A380s.
Continue ReadingHankook Sees Q2 Profits Surge
Hankook Tire reports its profits in Korea jumped 22.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2010 to KRW 822.3 billion (£443.1 million), a figure the Korean tyre maker claims to be its highest ever quarterly result. This quarter high water mark was achieved on the back of a 13.0 per cent year-on-year increase in global consolidated sales, to KRW1.4 trillion (£754.4 million) and a 22.7 per cent year-on-year growth in operating profit to KRW 177.7 billion (£95.7 million).
Continue ReadingSchaeffler Announces Asia Expansion Plans
The Schaeffler Group – the German company best known to us for its dealings with Continental – has given news of its plans to carry out further expansion in Asia, an area in which it says localisation is opening up additional opportunities for growth. Investments totalling 300 million euros will be made in this region, including the construction of two factories in China to supplement the existing manufacturing facilities there which are operating at full capacity, and one factory in India. Construction of the new factories is to be completed by 2012. Research and development capacities in Japan and India will be expanded as part of the investment, and production capacity at the company’s eleven existing manufacturing locations (in China, India, Korea and Vietnam) will also be increased.
Continue ReadingMichelin and Claas Sign Cooperation Agreement
A three-year cooperation agreement recently signed between Michelin and German agricultural machinery manufacturer Claas is expected to strengthen the two company’s collaboration in several areas, such as research, development and market intelligence. According to Michelin, the agreement demonstrates the two partners’ “confidence in today’s changing farm markets and their shared commitment to developing their operations in this sector.”
Continue ReadingShareholders Approve Pirelli RE Split
At an Extraordinary Shareholders' meeting held on July 15, Pirelli C. & SpA shareholders approved the separation of Pirelli Real Estate from the Pirelli Group by way of proportional assignment to ordinary and savings shareholders. These shareholders will be assigned a total of 487,231,561 ordinary Pirelli RE shares that are currently held by Pirelli & C. To this end, the shareholders approved a reduction of the share capital in an amount equal to 178,813,982.89 euros, a sum that corresponds to the value of the Pirelli RE stake being assigned and was determined on the basis of the official Pirelli RE share price as of 14 July 2010.
Continue ReadingMichelin Updates Analyst Consensus
Michelin's Investor Relations Department has updated its company consensus. The figures presented in the consensus are based upon data published by financial analysts who monitor the Michelin share, or directly collected from them. The average of the analysts’ responses anticipate full-year 2010 net sales of 16,772 million euros, increasing to 17,979 million in 2011 and 18,832 million euros in 2012. The analysts’ average figure for operating income and operating margin in 2010 is 1,138 million euros and 6.8 per cent respectively. For 2011 these figures are 1,436 million euros and 8.1 per cent, and 1,696 and 9.0 per cent for 2012. The average estimate for net income this year is pegged at 637 million, while in 2011 and 2012 net income is expected to rise to 870 million and 1,041 million respectively.
Continue ReadingHankook Inaugurates Global Education Facility
Hankook Tire has established a Global Education Center in Korea, a facility it says is intended to “collaborate and foster the company's production system.” Located within the tyre maker’s Daejeon plant, the new centre is intended to enhance the skills and abilities of staff working in production and other positions at factories in Korea, China, Hungary, as well as in plants Hankook intends to set up in the future. Through the Global Education Center, Hankook Tire expects to strengthen collaboration between members of its global production network, thereby ensuring production quality is of a unified standard.
Continue ReadingEvonik Establishes Independent Carbon Black Company
A reorganisation of Evonik’s carbon black activities has led to the founding of Evonik Carbon Black GmbH as a legally independent management company under the umbrella of Evonik Industries. The new company came into being on July 1 with Jack Clem in the position of CEO and Rainer Wobbe serving as CFO. The company’s operational headquarters is currently located in Frankfurt, Germany, however it will move to the city of Hanau on October 1. Evonik says the existing carbon black product portfolio and customer relationships will not be affected by the spin-off.
Continue ReadingConti Reports Successful Eurobond Placement
Continental AG reports its €750 million euro-denominated bond has been successfully placed with qualified investors in Germany and abroad. With this, says Conti, the company has completed a further step in improving its debt maturity profile. The notes have a term of five years and will be issued by Conti-Gummi Finance B.V. and guaranteed by Continental Aktiengesellschaft and certain company subsidiaries. The coupon will be 8.5 per cent, with interest payable semi-annually in arrears.
Continue ReadingThe Right Information Changes Everything, ASA Tells Michelin
Bibendum, better known as the Michelin Man, can effortlessly wage colossal battles against evil fuel pumps to rescue motorists from high prices – but he appears to have found his kryptonite in the form of the Advertising Standards Authority. Following 15 complaints over its advertised claim that the EnergySaver tyre could save up to 80 litres of fuel, Michelin has accepted the ASA ruling that it must change the wording of its television commercial when wishing to continue with the “right tyre changes everything” campaign.
Continue ReadingYokohama Tire Implements Organisational Changes
The organisational structure at Yokohama Tire Corporation has been altered following Jim MacMaster’s retirement on June 30. President and CEO of Yokohama’s US operation, Takao Oishi, has not named a direct successor for MacMaster, who served as executive vice president and COO. Instead, Dan King, previously vice president of sales and marketing, will now also be responsible for corporate strategy and planning, while Gary Nash has been promoted to vice president, off-the-road (OTR) division and Yukio Kuroda now oversees technical services and product liability.
Continue ReadingToyo one of ‘Thailand’s Best Friends’
The Kingdom of Thailand has named Toyo Tire & Rubber one of ‘Thailand’s Best Friends 2010’ in acknowledgement of its importation of Thai natural rubber. Thailand’s Best Friends 2010 is a project implemented in line with a strategy to maintain and promote close relationships with purchasers and overseas importers of Thai products. The project, run by the country’s Ministry of Commerce, began in 2009.
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