Bridgestone’s Yasukawa: MotoGP “a Very Important Platform”
The 2009 MotoGP season was the first for Bridgestone as the series’ Official Tyre Supplier. Looking back on the season in a question and answer session, Bridgestone Motorsport director Hiroshi Yasukawa explained the importance of MotoGP to other areas of the company’s business, why Bridgestone misses tyre-based competition in the sport, and the new challenges that come with being exclusive supplier. Rather than supporting seven teams and a total of thirteen riders as was the case at the end of last year, Bridgestone supplied tyres and provided support to every team and rider on the grid. In total there were five race-winners, including the first MotoGP win for Andrea Dovizioso and the first on Bridgestone tyres for Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, and eleven different riders finished on the podium. The World Championship was won by Valentino Rossi and the Fiat Yamaha Team at the Malaysian Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the season.
Continue ReadingDunlop to Produce Tyres Again at Sahaganj, India
Indian news sources are reporting that Dunlop India is to resume production at its plant in Sahaganj from 2 December. A company press release stated that workers have been informed via a notice hung at the factory’s entrance. Its reopening had been delayed at first by the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company following its first suspension on 30 November, 2008. Electricity supply to the factory was delayed by deliberations over credit terms. Power was restored on 9 November following the acquisition of a bank guarantee. The plant’s medium-term closure was precipitated by the refusal of a number of workers to accept a temporary shutdown.
Continue ReadingAvon Tyres Releases New Storm 2 Ultra at NEC Show
Avon Tyres will release a successor to its popular Storm ST family of sports-touring tyres at this year’s International Motorcycle and Scooter show at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, later this week. The new Storm 2 Ultra builds on the performance of the Storm ST and, says Avon, improves upon it in a number of areas. Developed from the award-winning Storm ST tyre, the company says the new Storm 2 Ultra offers more mileage and improved grip in all weathers and road conditions.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Fuel Max a Popular Science Innovator
US based science and technology magazine Popular Science has included Goodyear’s Assurance Fuel Max in its 2009 “100 Most Innovative Products of the Year” list. The Goodyear tyre appears in the Automotive Technology category of the "Best of What’s New" section and is featured in the magazine’s December issue and online at www.popsci.com.
Continue ReadingNew ContiTread Winter Pattern Launched
HDW Scandinavia is the new extreme winter pattern in the ContiTread range of precured tread strips, produced by Marangoni under a partnership cooperation with Continental. The line has been specifically designed for the needs of northern countries, where vehicles frequently travel on roads covered by snow or ice and where the temperatures are quite low for many months of the year.
Continue ReadingCapacity Increase Planned for Cooper Tire’s Findlay Plant
A US$10 million investment is being made to increase capacity at Cooper Tire & Rubber’s Findlay, Ohio factory. The funds, says Cooper, will be directed towards increasing capacity through automation, cost improvements and retooling to support market trends. The investment will also enable up to 100 new people to be hired at Findlay.
Continue ReadingThe Trade Group Expands Private Brand Trademaster Garage Equipment Range
Garage equipment specialist, The Trade Group has recently introduced new own-brand products to compliment its range (it specialises in the distribution of Hofmann Megaplan equipment). Company representative, Stefan Bullworthy explained that The Trade Group now believes its range contains products to suit the smallest garage to the largest tyre shop, including the new own brand, Trademaster wheel care equipment:
Continue ReadingNot All Balancers Are Equal
For almost 20 years, Rema Tip Top International has been the distributor of Equal Tire Performance; the revolutionary method of balancing wheels and tyres for trucks, light trucks and motorcycles. Equal is a plastic polymer granule which provides a continuous, maintenance-free solution to tyre force variation and imbalance for the life of the tyres. It can be installed on mounted tyres via the valve stem or, even easier, for unmounted tyres, simply drop a bag into the tyre, mount the tyre and, within a few miles, the bag breaks apart, allowing Equal to perform its function.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Retail CEO to Speak at AASA Conference
The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association has announced that chairman, CEO and president of Bridgestone Retail Operations LLC and executive vice president of Bridgestone Americas, Larry Magee will do the honours as keynote speaker at its third annual Vision Conference. Aftermarket Business reports that the conference will take place on 17 March at the InterContinental Chicago O’Hare, Rosemont, Illinois.
Continue ReadingMichigan County to Brand Tyres, Add Security to Stem Thefts
In an effort to thwart ongoing tyre thefts, the Genesee County (Michigan) Road Commission has resorted to branding every tyre it buys for its vehicle fleet, reports Tire Review. The branding effort is apparently part of strategy officials say are being made to prevent future thefts of tyres and other equipment, according to the Flint Journal. Last week Road Commission chairman David Miller and vice chairman James Pomeroy told the county Board of Commissioners about seven policy changes, including the serial number branding plan, but have still yet to discuss the scope of internal thefts at the road agency or how the thefts occurred. In late October, the Road Commission suspended one employee without pay and turned an internal investigation of tyre thefts over to the Michigan State Police.
Continue ReadingCorniche to Premiere “Vegas” Alloy at Essen Motor Show
Swiss wheel manufacturer, Corniche has announced that it will launch its new light alloy wheel at the Essen Motor Show (Hall 2, Stand 314). Vegas, states the company, delivers a modern interpretation of the classical five-star wheel; “not only the five double spokes, but also the lowered centre renders a dynamic character. The multi-part look and the high-gloss finished rim well reflecting the spokes, enhance the vibrant appearance.” The wheel is, states Corniche, “made for style-conscious drivers who put special emphasis on an elegant performance and appreciate the cosmopolitan design language of the model.” It will be available in sizes: 8.5x19, 9.5x19, 8.5x20 and 10x20 inches.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Wilson Plant Gets Wildlife Re-Certification
The 300-acre Freedom Wildlife Habitat and Refuge at the Bridgestone Americas tyre plant in Wilson, North Carolina, was recently re-certified under the Wildlife Habitat Council's Corporate Lands for Learning and Wildlife at Work programs, says a report from Tire Review. “We are very excited to attain Wildlife Habitat Council re-certification,” said Jim Pridgen, Wilson plant manager. “Our habitat gives us a great opportunity to reach out to the local community and young people with a hands-on environmental message.”
Continue ReadingCheng Shin to Build New Taiwan Plant
Sources reported by China Knowledge indicate that Taiwan based Cheng Shin Rubber will invest NT$12 billion (£223.5 million) establishing a new tyre manufacturing facility in its home market. Construction work on the new plant is expected to get underway in June 2010 and be completed a year later. According to a company financial executive the facility will hold an initial capacity of 14,000 passenger car tyres and 3,000 truck and bus tyres; output from the new site will help raise Chen Shin’s passenger car tyre production capacity by 10 to 15 per cent.
Continue Reading40 Today – Yokohama Tire in the US
It is forty years since Yokohama Tire Corporation commenced business in the US. The company’s first headquarters – the first sales operation to be set up outside of Japan – was located in Los Angeles and opened its doors for the first time on November 24, 1969. Four decades later, YTC services a nationwide network of more than 4,500 points of sale through its four distribution centres.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Canada Receives State Funds for Plant Modernisation Work
Bridgestone Canada will receive funds from the Province of Quebec to assist in the upgrading of its Joliette facility. More than CA$40 million (£22.7 million) is to be invested in purchasing new equipment for the passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyre factory, including a government contribution of $4.8 million. The non-repayable government contribution, comments the department, is aimed at improving the plant’s productivity.
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