New Appointments at Dunlop Aircraft Tyres
Birmingham-based Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has recruited a new operations director. Marc Jordan, who joins the company from Trelleborg Group in Germany, will be responsible for ensuring that sufficient new tyre capacity is in place to support the company’s international expansion plan. He will also work with a locally based general manager in China to ensure best practice procedures adopted in the UK are followed in Xiamen when Dunlop Aircraft Tyres’ new retreading facility becomes operational there in 2009. During his career Jordan has held a number of senior operations management positions within the aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, marine, production and rail markets. While in his last role at Trelleborg Group, he won national industry awards for lean transformation and environmental excellence.
Continue ReadingPirelli Reveals New WRC Winter Tyres
Pirelli’s tyre range for this year’s FIA World Rally Championship has been completed with the addition of two new winter tyres. The first of these is the Sottozero Snow, which the Italian manufacturer claims will be best suited to events such as the Rallye Monte Carlo (which begins on January 24). The tyre is of similar dimensions to the PZero asphalt and is available with or without studs. As anti-deflation mousse is no longer permitted in WRC events, resistance to punctures has been sought through other means and the Sottozero Snow therefore features a reinforced shoulder to combat such occurrences. The compound used in the Sottozero Snow is reportedly very similar to that used on Pirellis winter road car tyres, however the tyre’s studability provides drivers with additional flexibility in marginal conditions. Competing teams will only be permitted by the FIA to use one type of tread pattern, construction and compound.
Continue ReadingYokohama Initiates Patent Proceedings Against Hangzhou Zhongce
The fortunes of Hangzhou Zhongce in the US have received another blow. Only seven months after the beginning of the now notorious Foreign Tire Sales recall of the company’s Westlake, Compass and YKS branded tyres, the Chinese manufacturer is facing legal action regarding the tread pattern used on some of the tyres it produces. On January 17 the Yokohama Rubber Company filed an intellectual property infringement complaint with the Miami office of the Florida Southern District Court. The document filed by Yokohama claims that Hangzhou Zhongce has copied the tread pattern design from its S.drive tyre range, a design patented in the US by Yokohama in November 2005. The alleged copycat tyres are marketed under the Sumo brand name, the private brand belonging to Singapore’s Stamford Tyres, and the models in question are the Sumo Firenza ST-08 and Sumo Akina ST-08.
Continue ReadingBlackcircles.com Adds a Personal Touch with New Call Centre
Last year online tyre retailer Blackcircles.com conducted a review of internet trends, and determined that customers are interested in comparing tyre prices online but still value the option of obtaining advice from a tyre professional. In response to this, the company is launching a new call centre operation at its Peebles headquarters. “One of the themes we have picked up from customers is that the Internet does not talk back to you and we aim to change that,” commented company managing director Mike Welch. “Our research has shown that people feel there is a general lack of access to expert advice within the tyre industry. By offering an expert call centre operation we believe we can win more business by making the experience of purchasing tyres far more interactive.
Continue ReadingInvestment Group Gets Large Stake in Titan
Citadel Investment Group LLC took what it calls a “passive” stake in tyre and wheel maker Titan International, according to news reports. Citadel bought a 5.7 per cent stake in the company – about 1.6 million shares. The investment firm said it does not plan to change or influence control in the company. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingYokohama Sponsoring NBA Teams
Yokohama Tire Corp. signed sponsorship deals with three National Basketball Association (NBA) teams, according to Dan King, Yokohama vice president of sales – the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, and the Golden State Warriors. Yokohama’s latest sponsorship move follows partnerships with three NFL teams, the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons, plus UCLA and USC college football. Yokohama also sponsored two minor league baseball teams last season, the Triple-A Columbus Clippers and the Double-A Reading Phillies. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingTVS Projects 30% Growth, Hints at Future Greenfield Expansion
TVS Tyres expects to maintain a growth rate of 30 per cent in the Indian market, reports the company’s marketing general manager. Mr. M Sivasubramanian told India’s Business Standard newspaper that this projected growth has already been witnessed over the last three years, during which time the company has raised its production capacity from 600,000 to 900,000 tyres. He added that each year TVS Tyres is investing Rs 4 million (£51,800) in research and development. Sivasubramanian also believes that the introduction of low cost cars, such as Tata’s long-awaited Nano, will not affect the two and three-wheel vehicle specialist’s sales. To the contrary, he commented, TVS project an increase in the demand for two wheeled vehicle tyres, in part due to the growing trend towards replacing tyres at shorter intervals than in previous years.
Continue ReadingLotus Choose Hofmann Megaplan
Tyre and wheel equipment supplier Hofmann Megaplan has recently installed a new tyre & wheel assembly line for Lotus at the car manufacturers factory in Hethel, Norfolk. The new facility includes a megaspin 900 TFT wheel balancer, megamount Boss tyre changer and various items from the speedline system including inflation system and wheel lifters.
Continue ReadingMichelin NA Chairman and President Micali to Retire
Jim Micali’s three-decade career with Michelin will draw to a close later this year. The company has announced the impending retirement of the Michelin North America chairman and president, who will hand over the reins to Richard (Dick) Wilkerson on August 15. Joining the company in 1977, four years after graduating in law from Boston College Law School, Micali’s early career with Michelin saw him serve in a number of positions within the company’s legal department, including two assignments in France. In 1985 he was named general counsel and secretary for Michelin North America, and in 1990 he moved on to become executive vice president of the North American legal and finance functions. Micali has served in his current role since 1996. Following his retirement, Micali will act as a consultant for Michelin North America and for several companies based in South Carolina.
Continue ReadingApollo Offered £20 Million From Hungary
It has been reported that Apollo Tyres was offered HUF 7 billion (£20.2 million) in incentives from Hungary’s government to secure the country as the base for the Indian tyremaker’s new factory. If accurate, this figure published in the Budapest Times is far less than the almost £70 million approved by the European Commission for Hankook in 2007. According to Hungarian prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, the Apollo subsidy equals about two-thirds of the Hankook subsidy per employee.
Continue ReadingFowler Welch Coolchain Gives Michelin the Thumbs Up
Specialist food distribution company Fowler Welch Coolchain has reported an increase in operating hours and less tyre related breakdowns after switching to a Michelin X-Terminal T tyre policy for its fleet of Terberg tugs. The company operates tugs across its five distribution hubs to move trailers on and off loading bays. The move to a Michelin policy follows a six-month tyre trial using a Terberg RT222 tug fitted with X-Terminal T tyres. This in-house trial saw the Michelin-shod tug carefully monitored, with weekly tyre inspections to check for wear and damage.
Continue ReadingHankook Sales Up, Ordinary Income Down in 2007
Hankook Tire reports positive sales and operating income results for 2007. The tyremaker has recorded sales of 2.253 trillion won (£1.2 billion), an increase of 9.2 per cent on its 2006 results. Operating income jumped 57.4 per cent from 174.54 billion won (£94.5 million) in 2006 to 274.79 billion won (£148.7 million) last year.
Continue ReadingQuestion of the Month: The Right Type
Recently there has been talk of how new EU laws favour low rolling resistance tyres. The concern is that the legislation would favour premium, energy saving tyres, but effectively outlaw budget products. While low rolling resistance tyres use less fuel, such a move would also limit consumer choice. So, is the concept of low rolling resistance type approval a good idea? Let your opinion count by voting online here.
Continue ReadingDeldo to Introduce Expanded Minerva Range
Since its introduction in 1992 Minerva has become well known as a private brand from Deldo. To give the brand more continuity and continued development, Deldo has entered into an agreement with two new manufacturers. Thanks to intensive co-operation with these Korean and Chinese manufacturers Deldo is now able to offer a very competitive size range, with a total of approximately 50 size ranges between 13 and 19-inches available in 2008. The patterns to be introduced have been developed for the European market where quality and uniformity have been the most important starting point.
Continue ReadingPirelli Official Tyre Supplier for Canadian Championship
Pirelli reports that, after three successful years in which it has demonstrated its strong commitment to the Parts Canada Superbike Championship, it has been re-confirmed as official tyre supplier. The contract has been renewed until 2011, and the Italian manufacturer sees the decision to again select Pirelli as proof it is the best partner for a spec tyre series such as the Canadian Championship.
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