DriveRight appoints new chairman, international staff
DriveRight Data has appointed Keith Jordan as board chairman as the company expands its global operations. A recent partnership with long term financier Finance Wales is designed to facilitate strategy to strengthen the companys position of preferred supplier of fitment data to the global wheel and tyre industry, coupled with a plan to establish new business units within emerging countries and enhance its international presence in the market.
Continue ReadingBridgestone breaks ground on Wilson plant expansion
A five-year, US$164 million project to expand Bridgestone’s 42-year old Wilson passenger car tyre factory in the US state of North Carolina got officially underway yesterday with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site. During phases one and two of the investment, which will involve an investment of nearly $100 million, 167,000 square feet (approximately 15,500 square metres) of manufacturing space will be added to the plant. Daily output will rise by 3,000 tyres to 35,000 tyres a day by 2018.
Continue ReadingApollo wins Global Green Future Leadership Award 2016
Apollo Tyres was recently awarded the Global Green Future Leadership Award 2016 by World CSR Congress. The company received this award under the Best Waste Management category for its Clean My Transport Nagar (CMTN) initiative in the trans-shipment hubs across the country. Starting with Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar in Delhi, in 2012, the company’s CMTN initiative is currently running in the trans-shipment hubs of Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kanpur and Mumbai, in addition to Delhi.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Fuelmax truck tyres in Mercedes-Benz Efficiency Run 2015
Goodyear reports that its rolling resistance optimized Fuelmax tyres on trucks taking part in the Mercedes-Benz Efficiency Run 2015 contributed to an overall reduction in fuel consumption of up to 14 per cent.
Continue ReadingMichelin boosting winter tyre production in Canada
A temporary production increase will soon be implemented at a Michelin plant in Canada in order to meet high North American market demand for winter tyres. According to Jeff MacLean, president of Michelin North America (Canada), the tyre maker will boost production of the Michelin X-ICE Xi2 at its Pictou County facility; the additional output will be sold both in Canada and in export markets.
Continue ReadingTech showing new TPMS product lines in Essen
2016 has already seen the launch of the T-Pro1 in January, which together with the T-Pro2, launched in Autumn 2015, boasts combined coverage of over 95 per cent of direct-TPMS enabled vehicles, covering vehicle groups such as BMW, Nissan, Land Rover, Jaguar and Subaru, as well as numerous others not currently found in other aftermarket sensors.
Continue ReadingOE tyres: Continental to directly supply Japanese and Korean car makers from April
With the imminent demise of the 14-year old Yokohama Continental Tire joint venture withJapan’s Yokohama Rubber, German tyre maker Continental is gearing up to take over direct deliveries of its tyres to vehicle manufacturers in Japan and Korea. “From 1 April 2016, we will solely supply Japanese and Korean original equipment customers ourselves. This means we will directly offer our premium Continental tyres in Japan and Korea,” shares Tansu Isik, who heads Continental’s APAC region original equipment passenger car tyre business.
Continue ReadingYokohama denies Alliance (ATG) acquisition rumours
Yokohama has denied press reports that it is aiming to buy a majority of Alliance Tire Group (ATG). Acquisition talk had suggested private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) was in talks to sell what would amount to a majority shareholding of its stake in ATG (which is currently 90 per cent) to Yokohama.
Continue ReadingHankook China workers protest shift changes
On 1 March 2016 around 100 Chinese Hankook tyre workers protested against the decision to move to a three-shift rather than a four-shift working pattern. However while some sources described this as strike action, Hankook representatives denied these claims and said production has not been affected.
Continue ReadingHamaton launching OE-R sensors on 108m2 Essen stand
Hamaton has booked a 108 square metre stand for the Essen show, where the TPMS firms plans to exhibit “a complete range” of its sensors and valves including its new OE-R sensors. Hamaton will be in hall 1, at stand 1C15. Reifen 2016 takes place from 24 to 27 May at Messe Essen in Germany.
Continue Reading77% of SMMT members want to stay in Europe
OEMs making cars in the UK want to stay in Europe. 77 per cent of SMMT members say remaining in Europe is best for their business, according to 2016 survey by independent pollster ComRes. Indeed, there is strong support for EU membership across the board, with 88 per cent of large SMMT member companies and 73 per cent of SME members in favour of remaining. This is the second time SMMT members have been canvassed on their Brexit views – and the second time the overwhelming majority have stated that staying in Europe is best for their business.
Continue ReadingFinnish lawyers: Nokian tyre consumers could claim 30% money back
Turre Legal, a Helsinki-based law firm, believes anyone who bought tyres from Nokian Tyres during the last decade could be eligible for a settlement, following the firm’s tacit admissions that it mishandled magazine tyre tests.
Continue ReadingTyre wholesaling – a decade of change
Ten years is a long time in the tyre world. Over the past decade, European industry observers have witnessed the eco tyre niche blossom into a mainstream segment, seen the implementation of regulations such as REACH and the EU tyre label, and looked on in amazement as end users stopped sniggering at Chinese-made tyres and began looking upon them as a serious, and cheaper alternative to established brands.
Continue ReadingTop Ruote becomes regional Membat distributor in Italy
Membat, the Barcelona-designed “Mediterranean tyre brand”, has appointed Top Ruote its distributor in the Marche and Abruzzo regions of Italy. The tyre and wheel distributor and wholesaler will have exclusive rights to the Membat brand within these two territories. Through this arrangement, Membat anticipates “considerably” higher sales through Top Ruote and a closer business relationship.
Continue ReadingTop tyre manufacturers deny involvement in tyre test manipulation
Along with Nokian’s admission and apology for “mistakes” in its practices concerning tyre tests, the Finnish tyre manufacturer stated that “several operators in the field… have been suspected or evidence has been presented against them of differences between tyres in magazine tests and tyres that are for sale in stores.” After the Nokian statement’s implication of other tyre manufacturers in malpractice regarding independent tyre testing, Michelin immediately responded by stating categorically that it has “never designed or manufactured tyres specifically for tests conducted by the media, automobile associations or any other organisations.” Tyres & Accessories approached 11 more of the world’s leading manufacturers, many of whose products regularly appear in magazine tests, for their response to the question: Have you ever designed or manufactured tyres specifically for tests conducted by the media, automobile associations or any other organisations? Listed below are their responses.
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