Brembo opens expanded North American factory
Brembo celebrated the grand opening of its expanded North American manufacturing operations in Homer, Michigan on 22 May 2014. According to the company, the occasion marks Brembo’s commitment to North America. The investment, which will total more than $115 million dollars (83 million euros) through to the end of 2015, expands the facility that houses production of brake, disc, caliper and corner module manufacturing.
Continue ReadingPoint S presenting consolidation strategy at Reifen
While Point S used the 2012 Reifen show to announce the signing of partnership agreements in South Africa, Slovenia and Canada, at this year’s event the retail cooperatives will be reporting details of its consolidation strategy.
Continue ReadingMinnesota bans lead wheel weights
Minnesota governor Mark Dayton has signed the state’s lead and mercury wheel weights bill into law on 16 May, Tire Review reports. The legislation was presented in March of this year to both the state’s Senate and House. The new law includes a ban on the installation, sale and distribution of lead and mercury based […]
Continue ReadingGfK: Thai 1Q replacement tyre demand up 22%
Despite the ongoing political upheaval which has been plaguing the Thais since the start of 2014, replacement car tyre sales grew by 22 per cent in terms of unit volume in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the same quarter last year. This equates to some US$175 million in first three months of 2014.
Continue ReadingPirelli and Rosneft in synthetic rubber cooperation talks
Rosneft president and chairman of the management board Igor Sechin has held negotiations with Pirelli’s top management including Marco Tronchetti Provera on the subject of expanding the two companies well reported cooperation.
Continue ReadingLarge Turkish fleet partners with Vipal
Brazilian retreading material supplier Vipal, in partnership with Turkish retreading factory Tatkap recent won a tender to supply one of the largest fleets in Turkey, located in Istanbul. According to the companies, the IETT fleet runs 30,000 tyres on its vehicles, which serve a municipality, but working as a private company.
Continue ReadingPirelli figures suggest improved European tyre demand
The latest Pirelli tyre market watch figures suggest demand is continuing to improve in the European market in both the original equipment and replacement sectors. First off the European car tyre market (excluding Russia) showed a positive trend in April despite the unfavourable comparison.
Continue ReadingB&J launching Rocket Evo-Blades at Reifen
Buffing blade maker, B&J Rocket has announced that it is launching “Rocket Evo-Blades” at Reifen in Essen. The company refers to the launch as “an evolution”.
Continue ReadingMarangoni introduces Easy Stacker in US
Marangoni Tread North America has added Easy Stacker tyre handling equipment to the line-up of products offered by Marangoni. According to the company, the Easy Stacker is a technological advancement in the logistical handling of commercial truck tyres and is available for purchase now by any commercial or wholesale tyre operation in North America exclusively from Marangoni Tread NA.
Continue ReadingNexus Compact proving popular in South Africa, says PCL
Sheffield-based Pneumatic Components Ltd – better known as PCL – says its nitrogen inflation equipment is making hefty inroads into the South African market. The company shares that it is enjoying particular success with its Nexus Compact model. PCL says this inflator is unique in that it can be fitted to the inside or outside of mobile tyre service vehicles while covering every tyre inflation application, from passenger cars to large commercial vehicles, including trucks and OTR tyres.
Continue ReadingTraction Avant turns 80
The car that gave the motoring world its first taste of front wheel drive – and led to Michelin’s four decades in the vehicle manufacturing business – has turned 80. The Citroën 7A, the first Traction Avant, went on sale in May 1934. This was the beginning of the range’s 23 year production run, which eventually saw 759,123 Traction Avant units manufactured at Citroën’s Javel factory in Paris and in plants in the UK (Slough), Belgium (Forest) and Germany (Cologne).
Continue ReadingTom Williams joins Kenda as vice president engineering
Kenda has appointed former Hankook tyre engineer Tom Williams as vice president engineering of the Taiwan based tyre manufacturer. According to the company, he has been vice president engineering at Kenda in Taiwan since the beginning of March.
Continue ReadingNexen forms Aerokit Nexen European Drift Series team
Nexen Tire has announced plans to join the largest drift racing scene in Europe. The company announced that it has agreed a sponsorship deal with Team Aerokit Nexen, one of the teams fighting it out for glory in the Drift Allstars 2014 European Series, with the racing calendar running from the 17 May through to September.
Continue ReadingEvonik inaugurates tyre applied technology research building
On May 15, Evonik Industries inaugurated a new building that will house its precipitated silica applied technology research for the tyre and rubber sectors. In doing so, the specialty chemicals company has combined the world’s largest precipitated silica production facility plus research and applied technology into a single site. The facility, located in Wesseling, near the German city of Cologne, was built with a “low tens of million euros” investment and was completed within 13 months. Although inaugurated today, 34 technicians have worked at the site since October 2013.
Continue ReadingNexen leading Korean bloc 1Q results
Although it is the smallest of the three Korean tyre makers, Nexen has surprised some observers by being the only company in the country to increase both sales and operating profits in the first quarter of 2014. Of course the figures also show that both Kumho and especially Hankook remain significantly bigger than Nexen in terms of both measures, but the news caps a strong quarter for Nexen, which also announced the opening of a European factory and a number of awards and OE deals in the period.
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