Yokohama signs new labour agreement with steelworkers union
Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, LLC (YTMV) has signed a new four-year contract with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1023, according to Tetsuro “Tex” Murakami, president of YTMV, located in Salem, Virginia. “Both parties worked diligently to achieve a contract that is fair and equitable for all involved,” Murakami said, “and it highlights the positive working relationship between the two sides.”
Continue ReadingGeneva Motor Show announces 2015 dates
The 85th Geneva International Motor Show will run between 5 and 15 March 2015 at Palexpo, the exhibition’s organisers have announced. In parallel, the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (Zurich University of the Arts) has been mandated for the creation of the official poster/graphic for the 2015 edition of the show.
Continue ReadingNew R&D centre: Hankook breaks ground on ‘Technodome’
Groundbreaking took place yesterday on Hankook Tire’s new KRW 266 billion (£155.7 million) R&D centre in South Korea. When complete in 2016, the Daejeon-based Hankook Technodome will be the first of two new research and testing facilities the tyre maker plans to establish as the core instruments of its overall research and development infrastructure. The Hankook Technodome will serve as an incubator for innovative new technologies and eventually operate in tandem with a further facility that is scheduled to open in 2018, the Hankook Test Engineering Center in Sangju, South Korea. The Sangju site’s planned function is to act as a hub for tyre evaluation technologies, and it will be equipped with state-of-the-art tyre testing facilities.
Continue ReadingJohnson Controls opens new battery plant in China
Johnson Controls has expanded its presence in China with the opening of a new automotive battery manufacturing plant that will produce 6 million automotive batteries per year in the worlds largest new vehicle market, a market where 22 million new vehicles are produced annually. The company’s new 133,000 square metre facility in Chongqing City reflects an investment of US$154 million, and is expected to create more than 500 jobs when it reaches full capacity.
Continue ReadingMichelin intends to acquire Brazilian digital fleet management company
Michelin has announced its intention to acquire all outstanding shares of Sascar, the leading Brazilian digital fleet management and freight security company. Michelin said that the acquisition would help to strengthen its global truck fleet telematics business, calling it an important growth area.
Continue ReadingTrelleborg promotes radial benefits in Central America
In April, at Chinandega, Nicaragua, Trelleborg presented its radial range of premium agricultural tyres to several important producers in Central America. The event was organised by Emagro, Trelleborg’s distributor for Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala, and generated considerable interest and positive feedback.
Continue ReadingEuropean Commission threatens legislation on ‘unfair’ practices
The European Commission says it will initiate a “legally binding solution” to improve relations between car dealers and manufacturers unless an acceptable industry code of good conduct can be agreed between the two parties. The warning comes after what has been referred to as 18 months of reluctance and resistance from manufacturers and its European trade body ACEA in the face of consistent lobbying on the part of dealer representative bodies.
Continue ReadingStarco launches additional national websites
Further local websites have been added to the Starco’s online presence. New sites for Poland, South Africa, Sweden and France are now live, and the company says it will add further sites in the coming months.
Continue ReadingGiti enters the top 10 of leading tyre manufacturers
This year’s annual tyre manufacturer rankings have brought with them a number of key changes at the top of the table. The growth of Far Eastern manufacturers and Chinese companies in particular has long been observed, but 2014 sees Singapore-based Giti Tire break into the top 10 and Taiwan-based Maxxis/Cheng Shin Rubber retains its ninth position. Hot on Giti’s heels, 11th place ZC Rubber (producer of the Westlake brand) gained one place from its position in last year’s table. Indeed this part of the table is extremely close and, such is the competition at this level, if ZC Rubber had achieved the same figures as last year (assuming no-one else had done any better and excluding currency effects) it could have been in 10th position.
Continue ReadingOfficial opening of Ceat JV plant draws near
The latest joint venture plant set up by India’s RPG Group and Sri Lanka’s Kelani Tyre will officially open next week, states Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror. The publication says the Rs 600 million (£2.7 million) passenger car tyre radial factory, which is located at the existing Ceat Kelani site in Kelaniya, will enable the joint venture operation to increase its radial capacity by 70 per cent to 39,000 tyres a month.
Continue ReadingIs Bridgestone set to sponsor the Olympics?
Bridgestone could be about to announce that it will sponsor the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. However while it has confirmed that talks have taken place, the company is being much more tight lipped about sharing any details.
Continue ReadingBudapest runs on Ruzi
Brazil is not just a football country, but as a member of the BRIC also one of the fast-growing economies in the world. For 41 years Brazilian company Vipal has been engaged in the retread tyres business and is becoming increasingly involved in the European market. With high quality materials, a wide range of patterns and products and competitive prices, Vipal has already convinced many costumers.
Continue ReadingPutting rubber on the road
The recent history of how we deal with end of life tyres has been littered with ideas, but surprisingly few real success stories. In this opinion piece, Tyre Recovery Association director, Peter Taylor OBE shares his view on the use of tyres in rubberised tarmac.
Continue ReadingNexen 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 ReadingNokian acquires long-time North American partner
Nokian Tyres’ US-based operation, Nokian Tyres North America, has purchased the tyre distribution business run by Import Tire Inc. With this acquisition, Nokian takes on a business with an annual turnover in the vicinity of US$10 million. The distribution unit is headquartered in Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Continue Reading