“One Just Has to Admire Him For That”
The last message I would ever hear from Edouard Michelin was as follows: For Michelin it would have been totally unthinkable to leave people in the lurch who have shown their loyalty to our group over so many years. From an economic point of view, Michelin should have sold its rubber plantation after it became obvious that the plantation in the North of Brazil, close to Salvador/Bahia, could not be managed successfully and would continue to lose money. But, instead of selling the plantation and abandoning the people, leaving them without hope, Michelin looked for other and better alternatives and created the Ouro Verde project. To download this obituary as a PDF file please click here.
Continue ReadingMaywood Reaches Isle of Man
Maywood Equipment Group has supplied The Douglas Corporation on The Isle of Man with the largest platform lift in their considerable range. The Finkbeiner 25 tonnes platform lift was part of a major equipment order secured by Maywood. Maywood is the sole importer for the Finkbeiner range of electro-hydraulic mobile column lifts as well as this platform lift which is available with capacities from 25 to 50 tonnes and platform lengths from 6.5 to 18 metres.
Continue ReadingYokohama Adds Sizes for Advan, Parada Spec-X, and ES100
(Akron/Tire Review) In the US Yokohama Tire Corp. has expanded its performance tyre lines – Advan Sport, Advan S.4., Advan S.T., Parada Spec-X and ES100 – with a series of new sizes. During this year, Yokohama added 27 sizes to the Advan Sport line, seven sizes to the Advan S.4. line, and three sizes to the Advan S.T. line. Seventeen sizes were recently added to the Parada Spec-X line, and two sizes were added to ES100 line.
Continue ReadingFederal Corporation Launches Three Websites
Taiwan-based Federal Corporation has launched three new websites - www.federaltire.com, www.herotire.com and the company’s corporate site www.federalcorporation.com. All are available in English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions. Federal Tire has a brand new look and Hero Tire now has its own independent site, emphasizing its focus on this stand-alone brand. Viewers are now able to browse the latest product offerings from Hero and Federal, download the branded screensavers, and shop from the company’s latest merchandise collection.
Continue ReadingNew Audi Q7 to Sport Bridgestone Tyres
The wait is nearly over for one of the most eagerly anticipated new car models of the year, as Audi prepares to deliver the first UK specification versions of its Q7 sport utility vehicle (SUV) next month. The striking newcomer is the company’s first-ever large off-road vehicle, and will be the first car on UK roads to be fitted with Bridgestone’s new Dueler H/P Sport tyres.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Voted ‘Best Investor’ in Poland
For the second year running, Bridgestone Poland has won the ‘Best investor in Poland’ award from Poland’s Rzeczpospolita newspaper, the country’s respected business and political daily. The award was received by Mr Hiroyoshi Takigawa, President of Bridgestone Poland Sp z o.o., from the Polish ministers of Finance and State Treasury at a ceremony on 25 April 2006. Rzeczpospolita is renowned in Poland for its annual ranking and review of the country’s top 500 companies, including both locally-owned firms and subsidiaries of foreign companies. At the same time, a jury appointed by the newspaper makes awards to outstanding companies across several categories.
Continue ReadingNew Recruit at Viking
Don McIntyre has joined the Business Development team at Viking International. McIntyre has been appointed as Business Development Manager for Manchester, where he will be responsible for developing new business leads and maintaining relationships with existing customers.
Continue ReadingNext Tread Utility Promises to “Kerb” Costs
The latest ‘Next Tread Utility’ tyre will be displayed at the Chartered Institute of Waste Management Show on 13 15 June, demonstrating the Next Tread commitment to developing bespoke tyres to suit specific industry applications. ‘Next Tread’ is the retread brand of Goodyear Dunlop Tyres, and the tyre giant claims that kerbing damage is a major reason for premature tyre wear and unscheduled replacement for municipal vehicle operators.
Continue ReadingPirelli Readies IPO Plans
(Akron/Tire Review) Pirelli SpA has cleared a key hurdle in its quest to issue stock for its tyre group. Milan’s bourse cleared the listing of shares in Pirelli Tyre, but no timetable for the possible listing was given. Regulator Consob must still approve the IPO. Mediobanca SpA and Banca Akros SpA have been retained by Pirelli to handle the potential IPO.
Continue ReadingExperian Launches UK “Tyre Identifier”
Experian, the global information solutions company, has launched a unique new service for the UK tyre industry in partnership with DriveRight, the global supplier of wheel and tyre data. Tyre Identifier is a new development allowing the UK automotive industry to access comprehensive tyre data instantly and accurately so that it can identify the correct replacement tyre for any given UK passenger car. DriveRight holds an extensive database of over 9,000 specific vehicle platforms for aftermarket wheel and tyre retailers, distributors and manufacturers, which has been incorporated into Experian’s comprehensive vehicle database to create Tyre Identifier.
Continue ReadingTyre Contract Talks Open, USW Already Unhappy
(Akron/Tire Review) Formal negotiations between the United Steeelworkers (USW) and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. for a new master contract have opened, and already it appears negotiations will be difficult. Both sides exchanged their basic contract proposals this past weekend in Cincinnati, with the USW finding the tyremaker’s proposal “unacceptable.” Talks are scheduled to open 13 June.
Continue ReadingECI International – Three Shows, One Company
ECI International are regular exhibitors at Essen and this year the company had no fewer than three of its own shows to promote – Tyrexpo Africa (Johannesburg, September 2006), Brityrex International (Manchester, May 2007) and Tyrexpo Asia (Singapore, September 2007). So how was the Essen exhibition? ECI International managing director Paul Farrant was delighted with the response, saying: “Reifen 06 was tremendous for us, as it always has been in the past, but this time, with three shows to promote, we were kept busy from start to finish.”
Continue ReadingSmarTire Gains First Major European Bus Manufacturer
SmarTire Systems Inc. has announced that Van Hool NV has selected SmarTire to supply its tyre pressure and temperature monitoring systems (TPMS) on its buses and coaches. Van Hool is Europes largest independent bus manufacturer. The company exports 85 per cent of its buses and coaches, 60 per cent of them to Europe and an average of 600 coaches a year to the US.
Continue ReadingAnalysts Point to Boom in Brazilian Vehicle Production
Brazilian motor vehicle production is on a roll, with both output and export figures reportedly at all time highs in May 2006, according to the Brazilian Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Association, Antavea. The exact figures have not yet been published but they must be higher than April’s 182,481 passenger car registrations to break the record production figures. In 2005 the Brazilian vehicle manufacturing industry produced 2,009,494 cars, 365,648 light commercial vehicles 153,158 commercial trucks and buses.
Continue ReadingHistory Made on Dunlop Bike Tyres
The reputation of Dunlop as a full road race tyre received a huge endorsement recently as Morecambe based John McGuinness, riding factory prepared HM Plant Honda machinery, moved into the list of TT Hall of Fame with eleven Isle of Man TT victories. First to congratulate McGuinness as he crossed the line was 10 times winner Giacomo Agostini.
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