Goodyear Names Laura Thompson as VP of Business Development
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Laura Thompson as vice president of business development reporting to Darren Wells, senior vice president of business development and treasurer. The move became effective 1 June 2005.
Continue ReadingRailways Recycle 10 Million Tyres
Used tyres are finding positive applications within another mode of transport – the railway. More than 10 million tyres have been recycled to be used as rubber level crossings, and in platforms and track access points. The European Union generates 300 million new tyres every year. In the UK between 25 and 30 million tyres are discarded. Network Rail’s 10 million tyre figure refers to the total number of tyres used if all of its waste rubber crossings were put together. None of the crossings used a single ounce of virgin rubber. Network Rail deputy chief executive Iain Coucher said: “Network Rail and the rail industry are committed to caring for and enhancing the environment, and balancing this with the need to deliver a reliable and safe railway network. This recycling initiative underlines the efforts being made to ensure the railway is an environmentally positive mode of transport.”
Continue ReadingCould Nitrogen Offer Retreading Benefits?
In this column SA Treads editor, Liana Shaw, explains why nitrogen inflation could offer little-known benefits to retreaders. It is probably no secret by now that I am a fan of nitrogen in tyres. I have spoken with too many fleet operators who swear by the cost-saving benefits of running on nitrogen, not to be a believer. I have also been using nitrogen in my own car tyres for over a year and enjoy not having to check tyre pressures every time I fill up. Unlike the inconvenience of running on air, which tends to escape from tyres at a rapid rate, the composition of nitrogen gas – which is characterized by larger molecules – substantially reduces the rate of emission. Then take the heat factor, long acknowledged as a tyre’s biggest enemy. Being an inert gas, tyres inflated with nitrogen run cooler, thereby prolonging tyre life. So far, so good. But could nitrogen’s properties and unique features extend further so as to be able to render valuable assistance to the retreader? The experts seem to think so.
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 ReadingBridgestone Closes in on Kwik-Fit Purchase
Bridgestone is taking the lead in the race to acquire Kwik-Fit. According to the Financial Times, the Japanese manufacturer has teamed up with Mitsubishi Corporation to bid for Kwik-Fit and has already seen off early interest from Michelin and Wal-Mart. Bridgestone executives have been in London since last month working on their bid. “They are taking it very seriously,” said one person close to the auction. The Japanese group has a strong presence in the US through its Firestone unit, but has long been trying to crack the European market and looked at Kwik-Fit the last time it was on sale.
Continue ReadingSapphire 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 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.
Continue ReadingPrivate Brands Optimise Margins
It is not only manufacturers that sell tyres. Wholesalers too are getting more and more involved in the market with their own tyre brands, the so-called private brands. These brands offer a variety of advantages to the owner: they give the tyre wholesaler the opportunity to chose the market segment where they want to place these tyres and – even more important – they offer the wholesaler the opportunity to optimise its margins by determining the right price.
Continue ReadingMichelin Announces Commercial Price Hikes
(Akron/Tire Review) For the second time this year, Michelin North America (MNA) is raising prices on some of its commercial tyre product lines. Prices on Michelin and BFGoodrich branded replacement medium truck tyres will jump three to five per cent, MNA said. The increase will hit direct-billed fleet accounts as of 1 July, but won’t hit dealer accounts until 1 September, the company said. Prices on OTR tyres sold in North America will increase by an average of 7 per cent, from the same date. Prices on replacement market agricultural tyres sold in Canada will go up five per cent on average, while agricultural tyre prices for US customers will increase by an average of eight per cent, also from 1 July.
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