JK Tyre to Invest 1.2 billion Rupees in Radial Tyre capacity
(India/Rubber Asia) JK Tyre chief RP Singhania recently announced that his company plans to increase annual production of truck and bus radials to 1.5 million units by 2010. At the same time Mr Singhania spoke of his confidence that India’s road infrastructure “is getting better now.” JK Tyre told local media that the company plans to invest 600 million rupees in alternate years in its Mysore (South India) plant to increase the capacity from its current annual capacity of 370,000. JK currently holds an 85 per cent market share in the radial tyre segment.
Continue ReadingReinventing the Truck Tyre
French manufacturer Michelin claims to have reinvented the truck tyre. And following development after development over the years, this is no mean feat. According to the manufacturer, Michelin’s new Durable Technologies will offer improved mileage, payload and load capacity including gains of up to 50 per cent compared to “more traditional solutions.”
Continue ReadingMichelin Criticises FIA’s ‘Incoherent’ Rules
Michelin has criticised the FIA’s new Formula 1 rules, hitting out against the association’s “hidden motives.” In an official statement the French tyre manufacturer said it is “perplexed by the step backwards of the FIA’s F1 regulation for 2006” which it says are “incoherent with the FIA’s proclaimed policy to reduce costs.”
Continue ReadingNew GT Radial National Distribution Centre Opens
The new Compass Group GT Radial National Distribution Centre was formally opened in October by Mr William Gozali, the Senior Export Manager of PT Gajah Tunggal tbk Indonesia.
Continue ReadingNew F1 Tyre Rules Confirmed
The FIA World Motorsport Council has officially approved new Formula 1 rules, which will see the series re-introduce a control tyre and bring back tyre changes. The new rules also mean larger wheels and slick tyres will be used. The new rules state: “Each driver will be permitted to use seven sets of dry-weather tyres for each event. All tyres used for qualifying and race must be of the same specification. Tyre changes will be permitted at any time during the race.” While the reintroduction of pit-stop tyre changes and the use of more than one set of tyres will begin next season, the control tyre concept, larger wheel sizes and slick tyres were originally slated for 2008. However, the FIA has allowed for this collection of rules to be brought forward to 2007 if an 80 per cent majority of the Formula One Technical Working Group agree to do so before the end of December 2005.
Continue ReadingBRMA to Become BTMA
The BRMA is to separate into two associations – one for tyre manufacturers and another for rubber companies. The move will take effect on 1 January 2006 when the two groups will be known as the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (BTMA) and the British Rubber and Polyurethane Products Association (BRPPA). While the two groups will become distinct entities, the new associations have not ruled out working together in areas such as health & safety and environmental issues. Eight tyre companies will form the initial membership of BTMA, while around 35 firms are expected to move to BRPPA
Continue ReadingCooper Buys Majority Share of Chinese Manufacturer
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire 51 per cent ownership in Shandong Chengshan Tire Company Ltd. (Chengshan) of Shandong, China, and will partner with that company to create Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Passenger Tire Co. Ltd. and Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Truck Tire Company Ltd. Cooper said the total investment in the acquisition would be approximately $70 million.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Sets Quarterly Sales Mark, Hits $142 Million Profit
(Akron/Tire Review) Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co reported net income of $142 million, the company’s best quarterly result since the third quarter of 1998 and up substantially from its 2004 third quarter profit of $38 million. The profit came against record quarterly net sales and strong results from its tyre operations, Goodyear said. Goodyear recorded sales of $5 billion for the quarter, up 7 per cent from $4.7 billion during the same period last year. 2004 period. Third quarter tyre unit volume increased to 58.4 million units, up 1.8 per cent from last year.
Continue Reading3363 Picks Bridgestone
Bridgestone UK and Truck Point, its network of independent truck tyre dealers, have won a three-year contract with wholesale food distributor 3363 First for Foodservice to provide total tyre management services.
Continue ReadingDunlop Revives Buzz Cuts at SEMA
Dunlop’s treadheads are to return to the SEMA show, with 200 buzz cuts expected to take place at the event. The manufacturer reports that Chicago barber, Nate “Scissorhands” Hoops, is sharpening his haircutting tools, and Dunlop Direzza DZ101 tread designs are dancing in the heads of the throngs visiting the automotive aftermarket show. Hoops is expected to reach a clipping rate of 50 heads-per-day clip. Andy Traicoff, director of Dunlop marketing in North America, said: “Dunlop’s booth is all about performance - from sleek treadheads to sideways drifting cars to the annual ‘Maxxed Out’ Awards. There also will be plenty of surprises. Because the SEMA Show emphasises tuner-style automotive accessories, the venue is a perfect fit for Dunlop.”
Continue ReadingAmtel-Vredestein Launches “Premium” Vredestein Brand in Russia
(Akron/Tire Review) Since its formation in the aftermath of communism in Russia, Amtel has had its eye on greater things. Once a collection of low-tech, Soviet-era tyre factories, bought up by founder and India native Sudhir Gupta, Amtel has invested heavily in modernising its plants and improving its tyre technology. Steady growth gave the company the capital to make a bold move, which it completed in April with the acquisition of Dutch tyremaker Vredestein Banden. Now, it has unleased that top-shelf tyre brand on the Russian market.
Continue ReadingDelphi Secures Apprentice Training with Nationwide Autocentres
Delphi’s service and aftermarket training centre has been selected by one of the UK’s leading vehicle repair networks, Nationwide Autocentres (NWAC), to train young apprentices aged between 16 and 24 attending its new technician accreditation programmes. Each course lasts three years and, over this period, the first pilot group of 53 students from 120 NWAC in the Midlands will receive a total of 18 weeks hands-on training. In addition to becoming familiar with diagnostic techniques, Delphi has designed a bespoke outward bounds programme to encourage team building, trust and leadership skills which are seen as equally important to overall personal development.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Partners with Tredit
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co has partnered with Tredit Tire & Wheel Company, Inc to provide tyre and wheel assemblies to original equipment trailer manufacturers. Tredit is a leading supplier of wheel and tyre and wheel packages for trailers used in the recreational vehicle, cargo, horse/livestock, boat and utility segments.
Continue ReadingBandag ‘Adapts’ its Organisation
Bandag has confirmed the news that more than a dozen staff members, including director of sales Peter De Cabooter, have left its European organisation, as was first published at www.tyrepress.com. According to the international retreading system supplier 16 employees have left the company. These people were said to be mainly operating in South European and CIS countries although some Brussels based personnel were also affected. “Some call this restructuring, we prefer to describe this as right sizing for our future business model and allocating resources where they should be,” Bandag said in its statement. “Most of the job losses were part of a longer process of fine-tuning our organisation for future developments.
Continue ReadingLexus Club Line Up in Watford
The grounds of STS Watford were graced with a line-up of high performance Lexus cars when it recently hosted a free tyre health check event with the expertise of it’s resident doctor, Tony ‘Dr’ Bones. STS Stapletons Tyres and Exhaust Centre, based on Lower High Street, Watford hosted a unique Geometry and Wheel Alignment Health Check Day for the Lexus Owners Club, where top geometry wheel alignment expert, Dr Bones performed stringent tyre safety checks on over 30 Lexus cars.
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