The Long Arm of the Law
The legislation regarding winter tyres is diverse across Europe, but the distinctive safety advantages of winter tyres are convincing drivers and national governments to consider making the use of winter tyres compulsory. In turn this provides retailers with a strong selling point for customers that plan to drive abroad to enjoy ski holidays for example. The reasons for increased legal recognition is not only the advantages of winter tyres on snow and ice. The tyres safety benefits on slushy, wet and dry but cold roads are getting more and more recognized.
Continue ReadingFar From Frozen
With less than 1 per cent of the total UK market, no-one is saying the cold weather segment is huge, but speaking to influential market representatives reveals that the last couple of years have seen the industry make renewed efforts to raise awareness, emphasising both the safety benefits and profitability that cold weather tyres offer. Some manufacturers are even expecting the segment to total 3 million units “in the medium to long term.” Tyres & Accessories spoke to the leading cold weather players and asked what progress they have made and what’s happening next? In short the answer is growth. Many of the manufacturers surveyed by T&A said 2005 was a good year for cold-weather sales, while all were positive about their performance this year. T&A estimates, based on Europool figures suggest that almost 54,000 non-truck winter tyres were sold in the UK last year, up almost 15 per cent on 2004.
Continue ReadingRenault Business Finance Signs With Kwik-Fit Fleet
Kwik-Fit Fleet has won a rolling tyre repair and replacement contract with Renault Business Finance, which operates a fleet of over 11,000 vehicles. The contract, which went live on 1 August was won from a so-far unnamed rival supplier. The new arrangement will mean that Kwik-Fit Fleet, together with the Renault Dealer Network, will be the principal supplier of tyre services to Renault Business Finance. Michelin and Continental will be the primary tyre manufacturer suppliers under the terms of the new arrangement.
Continue ReadingAmtel-Vredestein Launches Winter Tyres at Moscow Auto Show
Amtel-Vredestein N.V. is to introduce its latest products for the first time in Russia at the Moscow International Motor Show 2006 (30 August to 10 September.) Tyres to be spotlighted include the Vredestein Sportrac 3, Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta, the new Amtel NordMaster ST-310 and the Amtel NordMaster CL winter tyres.
Continue ReadingSapphire Processes 50 Millionth Tyre
Sapphire Energy Recovery is celebrating the recovery of its 50 millionth end of life tyre at its processing facility in West Thurrock, Essex. Sales and marketing manager, Ryan Mifflin explained: “Fifty million tyres represents a saving of more than three quarters million cubic metres of landfill space, enables tyre manufacturers to meet their producer responsibility obligations and provides tyre change depots with a sustainable disposal route.
Continue ReadingConti Narrows Search for China Production
Continental AG has narrowed the search for its first Chinese production facility to two possible locations, Tyres & Accessories has learnt. Both plots are greenfield sites and the selection is expected to come down to which area offers the best economic incentives. Continental AG board member Dr Hans-Joachim Nikolin told T&A the plant will follow the same model as the company’s recently opened, Camacari, Brazil, factory and will produce 4 to 6 million passenger car tyres and between 400,000 and 600,000 truck tyres using “standard” Continental technology.
Continue ReadingMichelin Dundee to Receive Multi-million Pound Investment
Tyres & Accessories has learnt that Michelin is planning to investment a double-digit million pound figure in its Baldovie, Dundee production facility. Yesterday the manufacturer announced the Dundee factory is to keep annual production at 6.5 million units, but plans to lay off almost 10 per cent of its workforce. Michelin’s Baldovie production plant produces Michelin, BFGoodrich and Kleber passenger car tyres exclusively in the 13 – 15-inch range.
Continue ReadingAmtel-Vredestein Obtains Credit
(Akron/Tire Review) Amtel-Vredestein is taking a 350 million ruble credit line loan at 13 per cent from Rosbank, according to a report out of Russia. The credit facility was taken by subsidiary Amtel-Chernozemie OJSC, which pledged 20 per cent of its assets (about 1,78 billion rubles) as loan security.
Continue ReadingTRIB Offers Retread Plant Tour CD
(Akron/Tire Review) TRIB has a new free CD available that provides an inside look at today’s modern retread plants. The e-tour highlights all steps of the retread process from the initial inspection through the final inspection after which the tire is ready for another full life. The CD was produced in a modern pre-cure retread plant, according to TRIB, and single copies are available at no cost to interested parties. TRIB said there is a nominal charge for multiple copies. To order, call 888-473-8732 or e-mail info@retread.org. A Spanish language version is also available.
Continue ReadingRetired Employees Protest at Goodyear and Bridgestone
The Akron Beacon Journal has reported that nearly 200 retired unionised workers have protested outside Goodyear’s corporate headquarters and later in front of Bridgestone Firestones Akron Technical Center to protest what they said are the tyremakers’ proposals to reduce retiree benefits. The protests, were aimed at pressuring Goodyear and Bridgestone in contract negotiations with the United Steelworkers of America. The union and two tyremakers are working under day-to-day extensions of contracts that expired in July. Negotiations started in June.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Successfully Protects Trademark Rights in China
Bridgestone (China) Investment Co., Ltd. has successfully filed a trademark infringement complaint to the Guilin Industrial & Commercial Administration Bureau. The complaint, which was wholly upheld, was against Guilin Car Wings Car Accessory Co., Ltd for closely resembling the appearance of “car wing” outlets run by Bridgestone Corporation’s Chinese subsidiary.
Continue ReadingDeveloper Eyes Ex-Amcast Plants
In the US, property developer Bill Bean is close to acquiring the two Indiana factories closed last April by Amcast, putting 500 workers out of a job. The factories made wheels for General Motors Corvette and light trucks and were shut down after Amcast failed to agree terms with GM, which was undergoing substantial financial restructuring.
Continue ReadingKwik-Fit Introduces Aircon Recharge Service
Kwik-Fit has announced the launch a brand new vehicle air conditioning recharge service across 100 centres in Greater London and the South East. Recent research from Kwik-Fit has found that almost 900,000 motorists from Greater London drive a car with a neglected and depleted air con, which can lead to trouble, as more than 630,000 motorists from Greater London admit they’ve lost their temper because of the heat.
Continue ReadingImproved Natural Rubber Prices Could Ease Manufacturing
If the current raw material price trend continues, it could help improve margins at tyre manufacturers. Natural rubber, which accounts for about a quarter of tyre raw material costs, is down over 20 per cent from the all-time high it hit earlier this year.
Continue ReadingDel Balzo Aids Marangoni Development
UK TV viewers of BBCs Top Gear motoring programme will be familiar with the character called The Stig – an anonymous driver who regularly puts cars through their paces by driving them at the limit. Italian tyre manufacturer Marangoni has its own version of the Stig who, according to the company, has the task of assisting the Marangoni research and development team in testing and analysing each product’s ‘intelligence’, on track and road. The information gained is used to ensure performance, comfort and safety are optimised for everyday drivers. The main difference is that the identity of Marangoni’s ‘Stig’ is not shrouded in mystery – he is in fact former F3 driver and European GT Champion, Cristiano del Balzo - the current Director of the Italian equivalent of the MSA, the CSAI Velocità.
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