Automechanika Asia ‘A Success’
Feedback from the fourth Automechanika Asia trade fair, held in Kuala Lumpur in early April, has been voted a success by visitors and exhibitors. There were 126 exhibitors from 17 countries (Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, PR China, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and USA).
Continue ReadingJP Morgan Analysts Up Cooper’s Rating
(Akron/Tire Review) JP Morgan analysts have upped their estimates for Cooper Tire & Rubber Co and upgraded its rating to “neutral.” The analysts said Cooper is benefiting from improved tyre pricing in the US and that its first-quarter results were in line with estimates. However, the company’s share price has depreciated by 20 per cent year to date, the analysts noted. Cooper’s EPS estimates for 2005 and 2006 were increased from $0.33 to $0.37 and from $0.50 to $0.70, respectively.
Continue ReadingYokohama Launches New European Subsidiary
At the beginning of April, Yokohama Rubber Co, made its Europe Office in Dusseldorf, Germany, a subsidiary called Yokohama Europe GmbH. Yokohama Europe will oversee Yokohama’s European marketing and sales strategies. According to the company, the move is part of efforts to strengthen Yokohama’s marketing strategy by more closely managing local operations. The new company will help reinforce sales by concluding comprehensive contracts with leading store chains around Europe and by accelerating original equipment marketing to European automakers. Yokohama now has sales companies in 10 countries in Europe - in the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, and Russia.
Continue ReadingBeru Sales Increase 9 per cent
Preliminary full year figures show that Beru AG increased total sales revenues by 9 per cent in the year ended 31 March 2005. Meanwhile the company conceded that sales of tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) failed to meet expectations. Beru’s 9 per cent sales figure fell just short of the company’s growth target for the 2004/2005 year. Beru had aimed to achieve 10 per cent growth during the course of the year.
Continue ReadingJaguar Cuts X-Type Production
Falling worldwide sales of the Jaguar X-Type – down 29 per cent in the first three months – have led Jaguar to reduce production of the luxury model. No X-Types were produced last week at the Halewood plant, which employs 2,300 people and, although production resumed this week, next week will see only three days of production. A Jaguar spokesman said that jobs were not in danger and that next year will see Land Rover’s new Freelander vehicle being manufactured at Halewood.
Continue ReadingBEN Team Raises Marathon Money
On Sunday 17th April thousands of people took to the streets of London to run the 25th Flora London Marathon. BEN, the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund, had a team of nine industry members running to raise money for the charity. This is the largest team BEN has ever entered into the gruelling 26.2 mile race and the Fund hopes to raise around £10,000 in sponsorship thanks to the participation and hard work of the runners.
Continue Reading“Bridgestone are Back”
The Renault of Fernando Alonso took first place at Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix, on a completely new design of Michelin Formula 1 tyre. Following the result, second place Michael Schumacher is reported to have pronounced that “Bridgestone are back.” “They have suffered a lot of (bad) publicity lately,” the Ferrari driver added. Now, following a successful race at Imola, the tyre supplier is confident that the team it supplies can push for the championship once again. “I think we can say that the Bridgestone was the better tyre today,” said technical manager Hisao Suganuma. Although Michael Schumacher’s car was lapping two seconds faster than any other car at one point, in terms of points Michelin supplied drivers dominated. Following Fernando Alonso’s win, and Michael Schumacher’s second place BAR Honda’s Jenson Button, filled the remaining podium space. After that all other point scoring positions were filled by Michelin drivers. “Its clear that (Bridgestone) have upped their game,” said Michelins Pierre Dupasquier.
Continue ReadingCTNA Displays Tyres at WasteExpo
(Akron/Tire Review) Continental Tire North America (CTNA) announced that it will showcase Continental and General-brand tyres from 3-5 May at the 2005 WasteExpo in Las Vegas. The tyres, to be featured at CTNA’s booth #4044, are built “specifically for the heavy service demands of the waste industry,” CTNA said.
Continue ReadingBrityrex is Back
Next month sees the much anticipated return of Brityrex. After an eight year absence the show is returning to Harrogate as Brityrex International and the organisers, ECI International, are determined to deliver exactly what they promised from the beginning - an exhibition dedicated to the tyre and related industries. Tyres & Accessories caught up with event organisers, Paul Farrant and Rowena Suthers, of ECI international, to discuss the up and coming event, in this, the final countdown to the show. There hasn’t been a UK tyre trade show for years, so why re-launch the show? “The UK is an important market and it should have its own tyre show,” enthused Rowena Suthers, when asked about the company’s decision to revive the show. Brityrex dates back to 1979 and was seen as the only opportunity for the UK tyre industry to get together and exhibit its wares. Tyre Exhibitions held the last show in 1997, an exhibition that Paul Farrant and Rowena Suthers, now ECI International, were originally involved with. As well as having first hand experience of the show itself, the organisers also bring with them the knowledge gained from running the successful exhibition, Tyrexpo Asia. Together the pair have 38 years of experience in organising exhibitions and as frequent exhibitors themselves they know what exhibitors want as well as what the tyre trade wants. “UK legislation is changing and shows like Reifen and SEMA can’t satisfy the needs of companies present in the UK market. Brityrex was never intended to be a Reifen or a Sema but it was meant to be as important to the UK market as they are to their respective markets,” explained Rowena. And what about demand for a UK show? “As the second largest market in Europe there is demand there, it’s an important market, it has always had its own event and it deserves to have its own show.”
Continue ReadingSpeedy Reorganises Fleet Service
In France, Kwik-Fit subsidiary Speedy has reorganised its fleet mobile tyre service. According to Speedy, the reorganisation is designed to better meet the need of its customers. In the Paris area, for example, it often takes “more than thirty minutes to get out to the customer from the nearest service centre,” explains Rodolphe Noulin, director of fleets and mobile services. Now the company has reinforced its coverage in the eight main districts of the “l’Ile-de-france” to eight mobiles vehicles instead of the six it had before.
Continue ReadingWheel Manufacturing in the UK
It would be something of an understatement to say that high raw material costs, the weak dollar and unprecedented competition from the Far East is affecting UK alloy wheel manufacturing. But, in the cases of the selection of companies that Tyres & Accessories spoke to, it is more a question of ingenuity triumphing over adversity. So, in the face of such pressing circumstances, how are UK manufacturers holding firm? Work smarter, not necessarily harder, they say.
Continue ReadingToyo Exhibits at “Auto Shanghai”
Toyo Tire and Rubber Co and president: Yoshio Kataoka are exhibiting the company’s products at the seven-day “Auto Shanghai 2005” at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Toyo say it will use this show to highlight its Proxes series, including the Proxes CT01, T1R and S/T tyres. Additionally, Toyo Tire says it plans to stimulate imaginations at the show with forwarding thinking products including the company’s Duraflat ‘run-flat’ product, along with automotive anti-vibration rubber and the Active Control Mount. In addition Toyo Tire representatives have said that the company sees the exhibition as an important opportunity to boost its brand image in the Chinese market.
Continue ReadingCheap Imports and High Costs Forces Indian Tyre Firms to Downsize
(India/Rubber Asia) Cheap imports from China and to a lesser extent from Thailand and South Korea, coupled with rising raw material costs are posing a serious challenge to the Indian tyre industry, Apollo Tyres chief operating officer Mr Neeraj Kanwar has said.
Continue ReadingTread Rubber Shipments to Grow This Year: RMA
(Akron/Tire Review) The Rubber Manufacturers Association’s (RMA) Tread Rubber Market Analysis Committee has reported that shipments of tread rubber will grow in 2005 to represent approximately 17 million retreaded tyres in the US. This will be the third consecutive year that shipments have increased, the committee noted. “Strong demand for commercial tyres will result in a 2.7 per cent increase in tread rubber shipments for the year,” the RMA also said. “This is nearly double the 1.5 per cent growth seen in 2004 shipments.” Growth will continue through 2007 at an annual rate of 1.5 per cent, the association forecasted.
Continue ReadingCicero Appointed New Denman Tire CEO
(Akron/Tire Review) Emanuele E (Manny) Cicero has been named president and CEO of Denman Tire Corp., effective 1 May, Denman Tire has announced. Cicero replaces Charles R.Wright, who is retiring.
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