Enviro breaks ground on recycling facility
After several years of planning, Scandinavian Enviro Systems’ recycling facility in Sweden took a further step towards reality yesterday with a groundbreaking ceremony at the plant site in Uddevalla. Enviro, Antin Infrastructure Partners, and Michelin finalised the investment decision for the plant just under a week earlier.
Continue ReadingLinglong debuts 57” tyres
It is only a short while since Linglong Tire began producing 49-inch OTR tyres at its facility in Jilin, China, but these are no longer the largest tyres made there. Linglong has upsized its production portfolio in Jilin by manufacturing the first 57-inch tyres.
Continue ReadingReinventing the Wheel – investment in STARCO’s plant in Croatia
STARCO is undertaking significant investments in digital and green technologies and materials at its steel wheel factory in Croatia. It launched this project in mid-2023, installing a new automated reciprocater paint system that can simultaneously paint a larger number of wheels, thereby more efficiently using the painting line and ovens. Additional equipment will soon join this unit and commence operations within the first half of 2024.
Continue ReadingCDP report card – Nokian Tyres gains an A-
CDP has given Nokian Tyres an A- for its actions towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change-related risks. This is the fourth consecutive year that CDP has awarded Nokian Tyres an A- for its work in this area, and the Finnish company notes that scores of A and A- in the annual CDP Climate Change report represent “leadership level.”
Continue ReadingSRI quadruples profit in 2023
Despite significant interest rate hikes, geopolitical tensions, inflation and economic stagnation in some regions, modest signs of global economic recovery appeared in 2023. Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) reports experiencing notable improvements in the financial year ending 31 December 2023, including a “significant reduction” in freight costs compared with the prior year as well as a “lull in the soaring raw material and energy costs,” leading to significantly improved profitability.
Continue ReadingTyres & Accessories February 2024 issue now available to read online, download
The February issue of Tyres & Accessories Magazine is now available as an e-paper for subscribers to Tyrepress, following the distribution of the print edition. The latest issue includes special features on passenger car tyres and motorcycle and two-wheeler tyres. It also includes in-depth articles and analysis tackling current events and trends in the global tyre industry, such as the latest online tyre brand ranking data, a big acquisition for Bond International in the UK wholesale sector, and comment on the UK government’s decision to retain the frequency of the MOT test. Non-subscribers can gain access to Tyrepress with a print or online subscription, or tyre professionals can take advantage of the current Tyrepress Membership offer, helping to drive business online and stay informed with the industry’s leading magazine and websites.
Continue ReadingHigh costs & bureaucratic hurdles – Michelin on Germany factory closures
Germany’s days as an industrial superpower are coming to an end, opined Bloomberg on 10 February. The media firm blames competition from the USA, the energy crisis and declining Chinese interest in German products for this development, but there are further factors to consider. Michelin, which plans to close several plants within the country, suggests that an excess of bureaucracy is contributing to Germany’s unattractiveness as a manufacturing site.
Continue ReadingGoodyear lost $291 million in Q4 2023, but EMEA improvements
Goodyear’s fourth-quarter 2023 sales decreased 4.8 per cent compared to the previous year driven by “the impact of lower replacement volume and lower third-party chemical sales”. That and other factors resulted in a fourth-quarter 2023 net loss of $291 million compared to a net loss of $104 million – 180 per cent worse than the figure a year ago.
Continue ReadingBridgestone plant a ‘Factory of the Future’
Bridgestone Aircraft Tire Europe (BAE) has received a ‘Factory of the Future’ award for its facility in Frameries, Belgium. BAE is one of 17 firms honoured by Digital Wallonie, the Walloon Government’s digital strategy, at a ceremony that took place in Brussels on 8 February.
Continue ReadingConversions up 98% – Micheldever Group futureproofs its ecommerce
Micheldever Group is benefitting in a number of ways from an overhauled online presence. The company speaks of a “digital transformation” utilising CMS Storyblok and supported by digital agency Profound, a transformation that has resulted in “major commercial impact.”
Continue ReadingMichelin announces “very strong” 2023 results
Publishing its financial results for 2023, Michelin Group reports that “despite adverse market conditions and currencies” it achieved “high segment operating income” during the year. The company opines that this achievement underscores the resilience of its business model and its commitment to enhancing employee engagement and advancing sustainability initiatives.
Continue ReadingMichelin most prominent and best sentiment tyre brand in 2024
In 2005, Tyres & Accessories published the first in what would become a 12-year series of online brand prominence and sentiment analyses relating to the best-known tyre brands. That research was conducted in association with Envisional and latterly NetNames. Now, one of the brains behind the original data has developed “a new and improved methodology for quantifying brand prominence and sentiment”. Here, David Barnet, now brand protection strategist at intangible asset management specialists, Stobbs, presents the results of a new study looking at the online prominence and sentiment of tyre brands.
Continue ReadingCouncil approval for Pyrum Innovation’s second plant
Pyrum Innovations confirms it will begin construction of its second wholly owned end-of-life tyre recycling facility in the second half of this year. At a meeting on 6 February, the local council of Perl in Germanys Saarland region overwhelmingly approved the project. Pyrum has taken initial steps by ordering the first components for the plant and has recently established a subsidiary dedicated to its operation, Pyrum GreenFactory II GmbH.
Continue ReadingTyre recycling: Work to start on Enviro & Antin JV plant
Uddevalla Municipality in Sweden has authorised Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) to proceed with the construction of its new joint venture end-of-life tyre recycling plant. This clearance comes after Enviro, Antin Infrastructure Partners, and Michelin reached a final decision on the project’s investment on 7 February. Having secured all essential environmental and construction approvals, Enviro anticipates commencing construction in the first quarter of 2024.
Continue ReadingContinental marks million trip AIBA milestone
Since opening the AIBA (Automated Indoor Braking Analyzer) at its Contidrom proving ground in 2012, Continental has carried out more than a million trips at its fully automated tyre braking test facility, hurtling vehicles at speeds of up to 75mph in precisely reproduceable tests to evaluate tyre performance in a range of conditions. Acceleration is aided by an electromagnetic linear drive borrowed from roller-coaster technology.
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