Bridgestone and Scottish Coal – Tyre Management is the Key
The seemingly ever-increasing demand for plant and equipment from China in particular has had dramatic effects on the earthmover tyre market. In an attempt to meet demand, Bridgestone’s factories are operating at maximum capacity and the company has revised its production capacity forecasts. It had planned to increase earthmover tyre production by 80 per cent between 2004 and 2008, but this schedule is being accelerated. The effects of the tyre shortage are neatly encapsulated in what is happening to the UK coal mining industry. The opencast mining industry in the UK is Western Europe’s largest and accounts for around 18,500 tyres a year. Bridgestone has been the market leader in this sector for over 10 years.
Continue ReadingCooper Promotes Three to Marketing Posts
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. promoted Douglas Brown, Michael Inbody and Amy Niese to positions as marketing managers. Most recently, Brown was a regional credit manager; Inbody was an advertising manager; and Niese was marketing programme analyst.
Continue ReadingCGS Promotes Semperit Brand
At the end of 2005 CGS Tyres launched its new SuperVolumeTyre (SVT) - an innovation designed to serve demanding machinery, according to the company. But it didn’t stop there. At the same time CGS launched the Semperit agricultural brand, effectively re-branding its Uniroyal line, while also releasing its 2006/2007 databook. CGS also introduced its new Semperit agricultural tyre brand in November, during the Agritechnica exhibition in Hanover. The move amounts to the re-branding of its Uniroyal products under the Semperit moniker. According to CGS, this brand is characterised in particular by an excellent price/performance ratio. Unlike the Continental brand, Semperit will be marketed exclusively through selected distributors in Western Europe. For farmers and contractors in the British Isles this means RH Claydon in Great Britain and Phillip White Tyres and Donnegal Tyres in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. Accompanying the launch, CGS has created modern new advertising concepts, which are said to allude to the Semperit passenger car range. CGS will offer Semperit cross-ply and radial tyres. By offering a “large dimension range,” the company says the brand represents an alternative to other competitors in the quality segment. The Cultor-S (standard radial tyres) and Cultor-70 (70 per cent radial wide base tyres) were also presented at Agritechnica. Speaking with CGS’ UK commercial managing director, Andrew Mabin, reveals that the company is in the process of negotiating OE fitments with a number of well-known machinery manufacturers, which could be finalised in the early part of 2006. As far as the GB distributor, RH Claydon is concerned the introduction of the Semperit brand is good news. “Semperit is a good name, its an exciting brand to bring back into the market,” commented RH Claydon’s Dick Anderson. When asked how he thought customers would respond to the brand name change, he added: “We had excellent sales with Uniroyal and we expect the same with the Semperit.” Tyres & Accessories learnt that there may be one or two minor alterations to the product range, but generally the transition is expected to be smooth with most of the changes taking place with cross-ply fitments. According to Andrew Mabin six Semperit sizes are already available with another scheduled for a January 2006 release. For its part RH Claydon intends to promote the brand through the production of new Semperit brochure and show exposure, starting with January’s LAMMA show in Newark. In order to explain the reasoning behind CGS’ decision to re-brand its Uniroyal products, the recent history of the company has to be examined. CGS Tyres develops, produces and markets its own brand Mitas agricultural tyres, as well as the licensed Continental, Barum, Semperit and Euzkadi brands. The company licences these brands on a “long term basis”, as it did with Uniroyal until recently. When CGS bought Continental AG’s agricultural division in November 2004, the licensed brands came with it. However, now the time has come for the company to launch the Semperit brand. CGS says it will offer “excellent price/performance ratio” products under the Semperit name. The broader CGS Tyres business unit makes a wide range of products - from the lawnmower to combine harvester tyres. CGS Tyres is active in 11 international locations and contributes to approximately 40 per cent of the total turnover of the larger CGS-Group. These sales are said to make CGS Tyres the second-largest manufacturer of agricultural tyres in Europe, Behind Michelin. CGS agricultural products are manufactured at its Czech factories in Otrokovice, Zlin and Prague. The Otrokovice plant specialises in the production of radial drive wheel tyres. Radial tyre production there represents 80 per cent of total output. With the addition of two further production plants, CGS Tyres expects to be able to expand capacity to approximately 500,000 units in the coming years.
Continue ReadingConti Dedicates Zvolen Brake Plant
Only 10 months after breaking ground in April 2005, the Automotive Systems Division of Continental AG has dedicated a new production plant for brake callipers in Zvolen, Slovak Republic. In the future, the plant will produce high-performance brake callipers, some of which will be supplied to automotive plants in the fast growing Automotive Region Eastern Europe (AREE). Continental Automotive Systems plans to invest more than 60 million euros in the Hydraulic Brake Systems Business Unit, which plays a significant role in securing its international competitiveness.
Continue ReadingCSEasy Does it from Continental
Continental has introduced what the company describes as “a novel wheel/tyre system” which it believes could revolutionise the fitting of industrial tyres. Called the CSEasy, the tyre can be fitted on any Lemmerz-type rim without using a mounting press and using only a special, conical-shaped adapter and a torque wrench. The advantages are obvious; no call-out delay and greatly reduced downtime as the tyre is fitted on-site straight away. “CSEasy,” says Continental, “will revolutionise Super-Elastic tyres forever.” However, there is more to the CSEasy than just simple fitment, as the tyre claims to offer operational benefits compared with conventional Super-Elastic tyres. These benefits include lower rolling resistance, greater tolerance to heat build up and enhanced load-bearing capabilities. CSEasy tyres will be introduced in popular sizes during 2006 and 2007. The sizes available from January 2006 are 180/70-8 and 7.00-12, with size 125/75-8 being introduced in April. Thereafter, size introductions will be as follows: 150/75-8, 200/75-9 and 225/75-10 (from July 2006); 6.00-9 and 250/75-12 (from October 2006); 5.00-8 (January 2007) and 6.50-10 (July 2007). The CSEasy has been tested in the field by a number of companies, with Continental analysing the results. One operator has been trialling the tyres on a fleet of around 40, 4.5 tonne forklifts with an average of 2,500 hours operation annually. The current average service life is 1,200 hours, or around six months’ average use. After six months use, the CSEasy has nearly 40 per cent of its tread left, thus adding greater service life to the benefits gained from ease of fitting. Case study number two involved a fleet of over 100 forklifts, ranging from 1.6 tonne to 7 tonne. Again, the tyres have been operating for six months and the indications are that the wear rate is better than the tyres in current use. When it comes to mounting the tyre, the person in charge of service and maintenance of the fleet described it in the following four words: ”Simple, fast, reliable, efficient.” When it comes to comfort, he adds: “There have been no complaints of fatigue from the drivers, it handles well on the vehicle and my personal impression is that it offers a soft ride.”
Continue ReadingCommercial Tyres make initial ContiOnlineContact
Leading truck tyre dealer and service provider, Commercial Tyres has become one of the first ContiNetwork Partners to implement the ‘all-new’ version of Continental’s online tyre ordering system across its operations throughout the South East of England. The system, branded ‘ContiOnlineContact’, has been available to dealers stocking Continental product for sometime now, however this latest version of the system has undergone a complete makeover, giving it an entirely new look and dramatically increased functionality. Oliver O’Reilly, product manager for ContiOnlineContact commented: “The emphasis for the system has shifted from being a dedicated ordering tool to a powerful and flexible online ordering and product information resource.”
Continue ReadingTaking the Strain
Current health and safety guidance means tyre businesses are well advised to investigate what options are available to them. And, in terms of the safety benefits, there aren’t many options better than automatic lifting equipment. Following the NTDA’s attempts to raise the profile of this issue through the introduction of a manual handling guide, Tyres & Accessories investigates the issues and explores what equipment is available. In addition to tyre lifting equipment, this feature will cover all the lifting equipment that tyre dealers need.
Continue ReadingMichelin Long-Term Tyre Deal With Transrent
Transrent, the UK commercial road transport and financial services group, has Michelin a five year supply deal worth an estimated £15 million. The deal will see Michelin equip Transrent’s fleet with new and replacement tyres and is thought to be the longest commitment given by a trailer rental company to a tyre manufacturer.
Continue ReadingEarthmover/OTR Tyres
Following a global shortage of OTR tyres, mine operators and other consumers of the largest of tyres are tearing their hair out at the prospect of having wait for the opportunity to get their punctured vehicles moving again. Distributors and manufacturers however are seizing the opportunity to answer these needs with products and services. T&A will bring you the latest news from the OTR/Earthmover tyre segment.
Continue ReadingTitan Reaches Agreement With Union
Titan International, Inc. has reached an agreement with the United Steelworkers in a civil RICO case that began in September 2000. The case was dismissed on Wednesday, 1 February in Springfield, Illinois. “This disagreement started with the strike on May 1, 1998, and it has been a real fight,” said Maurice M Taylor, Titan chairman and CEO. “There’s no question that both parties were putting a lot of passion and money into this lawsuit. Titan believed it would have been successful, just as we were successful in the shareholder derivative suit brought against Titan by law firm Milberg Weiss, Bershad, Hynes, and LeRach LLP, but during negotiations with Goodyear on their North American farm tyre business, which took over 22 months, it became clear that Titan and the USW have a common goal—American jobs that pay fair wages and benefits. Titan agrees with that, but Titan believes it runs the factories, and if you pay for eight hours of work, you should get eight hours of work,” said Taylor.
Continue ReadingBandag Net Earnings Halve
Bandag Inc’s fourth quarter 2005 net earnings slid to less than half of their 2004 level despite strong net sales of $252.3 million (£142 million), up seven per cent. Consolidated net earnings totalled $12.1 million, compared with $30.8 million in 2004. According to the company, net sales were positively impacted by foreign currency translation to the tune of approximately $3.5 million. Announcing its full-year 2005 results, Bandag reported consolidated net sales of $914.6 against $864.3 million in 2004. Consolidated net earnings for 2005 were $49.5 million compared to $66.9 million in 2004.
Continue ReadingSome Freedom for Shredded Tyres in Landfill Engineering
Defra has allowed some shredded tyres to be used for “certain landfill engineering purposes” after the landfilling of tyres is officially banned in July. The news follows research conducted by the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP). Initial interpretation of the Landfill Directive declared that from July this year only whole tyres would be permitted for this purpose and the use of shredded tyres was therefore precluded. However, according to the NISP this move would have had serious environmental consequences; because NISP had already identified replacement aggregate as a re-use option for up to a quarter of this year’s UK tyre waste.
Continue ReadingGoing, going, gone – Blackcircles launches Online Auction Site
Online tyre business, blackcircles.com, has launched a ‘virtual auction’ website. Designed as a way of bringing cut-price quality products to the masses, the company is aiming to use its reputable image to shine a light on the sometimes questionable world of Internet tyre auctioning. Whether or not the site is aiming to or, can realistically compete with, global giants like eBay is another question.
Continue ReadingBridgestone R249 Voted Spanish Truck Tyre of the Year
Bridgestone’s R249 steer-axle radial has been voted commercial vehicle ‘Tyre of the Year 2006’ in Spain. The award, promoted by ‘Neumáticos y Mecánica rápida’ magazine, is now in its seventh year. Winners are selected by a group of more than 50 independent professionals, ranging from tyre workshop technicians to distributors, representatives of the media and members of several associations. Bridgestone reports that it conducted extensive testing in nine countries, including Spain in the course of producing the R249. The manufacturer designed the product based on user requirements identified in a long-term study covering almost 1000 European fleets.
Continue ReadingSuperior Industries Restructures Van Nuys Facility
Superior Industries International, Inc is restructuring its manufacturing facility in Van Nuys, California, laying off approximately 375 employees, out of 635 manufacturing employees. Superior’s corporate offices and 125 corporate staff, which also are located at this facility, will not be affected by the downsizing. The company reports that manufacturing will continue despite the job cuts.
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