Sapphire Achieves New Safety Record
Sapphire Energy has announced a new safety record of 1000 days free of Lost Time Accidents for all of its six UK processing sites. Commenting on the achievement operations manager Bob Wain said: “Sapphire processes over 14 million tyres per year and handles 1000s of vehicle movements of finished product and whole tyres. This success comes from the safety culture, which has been developed by Sapphire since the company was formed in 2001. The record is of major significance for the industry and covers all staff, contractors and hauliers and was achieved during the construction of two new bespoke tyre processing plants at West Thurrock and Oldbury.” Sapphire awarded all staff with a “Safety Gift” to commemorate the achievement.
Continue ReadingGM Stands Out on Tyre Aging Issue
(Akron/Tire Review) In an unusual split from its Big 3 brethren, General Motors did not take the opportunity to stand with Ford and DaimlerChrysler on the subject of tyre aging. GM, in a statement issued earlier this week, said it would not endorse the other automakers’ position that tyres six years old or older should be replaced.
Continue ReadingFleet Operators Cautiously Welcome 3mm Campaign
Following RoadSafe’s launch of a campaign supporting more frequent tyre changing, the influential fleet business has cautiously welcomed the initiative, while warning of soaring costs. Research has shown that wet stopping distances can vary up to 10 metres between 1.6 and 3 millimetre tread depths.
Continue ReadingNew Hazardous Waste Regulations
New hazardous waster disposal regulations are come into force on 16 July 2005 and are expected to impact on around 20,000 sites related to the motor industry, with the Environment Agency having the powers to issue £300 on the spot fines to sites which are in breach of the law. Some things have a way of sneaking up on you, and the new Hazardous Waste Legislation is not different. Of course it doesn’t help when businesses bury their heads in the sand and pretend it’s not going to happen. And to some extent that’s what the UK tyre industry has been doing over these latest environmental rules and regulations. The issue raised its head at the NTDA’s Spring Conference, and highlighted a serious need to raise the industry’s awareness, something the association is trying to do, and quickly.
Continue ReadingStapletons Joins Whistleblower Hotline
Security Risk Management Ltd (SRM), a UK provider of operational risk management services, has announced that it has added Stapletons Tyre Services to its client portfolio. From 1 June SRM will be offering a dedicated confidential phone service providing Stapletons employees with the opportunity to raise any concerns relating to illegal or improper behaviour in the workplace. The service will be open to all of Stapleton’s 800 employees.
Continue ReadingUHP Tyres – More Than a Tuning Accessory
Wide and super wide tyres are developing into the first choice tuning accessories for cars, usually in combination with trendy light alloy wheels. One out of every four people interested in tuning fits their vehicle with alternative wheels, and a majority of these bump up the size of their wheels by one or two inches. Of these there are two kinds of customer - those that upgrade their rims but keep the same tyre size, and those that ‘tune’ their alloys, switching for more modern designs, while replacing tyres like-for-like.
Continue ReadingTVR Plotting MG Takeover?
The rumour mill is churning our speculation that sport car manufacturer, TVR’s, bosses are poised to launch a bid to buy what’s left of MG, Auto Express has reported. Not only that, but the report suggests that such a move would also see the company mothball its Blackpool, Lancashire, factory in favour of moving back to the currently idle Longbridge site in Birmingham. The idea is said to be backed an unnamed member of MG’s former management. Neither TVR or MG Rover administrator PriceWaterhouseCoopers gave any comment.
Continue ReadingThe ‘Market Leading’ CV Show and ATS
The Commercial Vehicle and Automotive Trade Show held last month, comprised of over 600 exhibitors, spread over 90,000 square metres and 11 halls making this year’s event the largest show ever held in the UK. Home to the UK’s road transport and automotive aftermarket businesses there were more car, van, truck, trailer, bodywork and road transport suppliers at the exhibition than at any other business to business show in Europe over the last year.
Continue ReadingMichelin Raises Siam Joint Venture Stake to 90 per cent
Groupe Michelin will buy a 30 per cent stake in its Michelin Siam joint venture from partner, the Siam Cement Group, raising its stake in the venture to 90 per cent. In a statement published on the Siam Cement web site, the company announced that it will gain 3.3 billion baht (£44.6 million) between 2005 and 2008 as a result of plans to reduce its stake in the joint venture. The company plans to steadily reduce its stake in Michelin Siam to 10 per cent from its current level of 40 per cent beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, it said in a filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand. In 2004, Michelin Siam recorded total revenue of 328 million euros.
Continue ReadingContinental Cuts Production at Charlotte Passenger Plant
(Akron/Tire Review) Continental Tire North America (CTNA) announced today that it is making a significant cut in tyre production at its Charlotte, North Carolina passenger and light truck/SUV tyre plant, a move that will result in some 200-300 layoffs. From 1 July, Charlotte production will be cut from approximately 25,000 tyres per day down to some 17,500. CTNA said the cutback was due to “a substantial increase in inventory levels for certain passenger tyre products and high process costs at the Charlotte plant.”
Continue ReadingAA Tops 2005 Roadside Assistance Index
The AA has been ranked as the top roadside rescue and recovery service in the annual JD Power 2005 Roadside Assistance Study. The survey records the opinions of over 23,000 motorists to create an index of customer satisfaction based on three main components – timing, performance of the patrol, and performance of the call handler.
Continue ReadingPirelli Sells Cable Business to Goldman Sachs for 1.3 billion euros
Pirelli & C SpA has sold its Energy and Telecom Cables and Systems business to Goldman Sachs for 1.3 billion euros. So what will the investment company get for its money? In 2004 the cable business turned over more than 3.2 billion euros, with an operating income (EBIT) of more than 110 million. The transaction includes intellectual property rights and Pirelli brand licensing for two years. While the business itself employs 12,000 people in its 52 plants around the world.
Continue ReadingFour People Critically Injured in Tyre Recycling Blast
Irish Health & Safety Authority officials are investigating an explosion at Crumb Rubber Ireland, the only collector and processor of scrap tyres in the Republic of Ireland.
Continue ReadingGassing on About Nitrogen
In the UK the implementation of nitrogen inflation is still a relatively new topic. But when ATS Euromaster began a nitrogen inflation trial at 25 of its UK outlets earlier this year, it stirred interest about the subject within the market.
Continue ReadingProgress Reported in BFNAT-USW Talks
(Akron/Tire Review) News reports from St Louis indicate union negotiators feel they are making progress in their contract negotiations with Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT). The two sides reportedly met through the Memorial Day weekend, and both sides said they expected to stay at the bargaining table through the first week of June.
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