Western Isles install tyre baler
The council of the Western Isles, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has introduced a purpose-built tyre baler at its Bennadrove Recycling Centre. This will compress and bale tyres received at its Rueval landfill site. The horizontal baler, manufactured by German company HSM, was modified to specialise in compressing car and lorry tyres into large blocks. Each block contains about 170 tyres and weighs about one tonne. Council spokesman Nigel Scott said the blocks would initially be used as an engineering material for landfill site development works. He added: There is considerable potential for other on-island uses as similar blocks have been used in other areas as a sustainable material for coastal erosion defences, road construction and land stabilisation projects.
Continue ReadingGoodyear: Ratification assured
Goodyear has now officially announced the ratification of the labour contract with the members of the Steelworkers, who have announced that they will be using this contract as a pattern for their negotiations with Goodyears competitors. However, this plan is more or less unpromising.
Continue ReadingBridgestone To Re-open Plant Today
The fire-ravaged Bridgestone factory at Kuroiso City in northern Japan will resume limited production today, said corporation president Shigeo Watanabe at a press conference. He added that the shortfall in production would be made up by Bridgestones other Japanese factories.
Continue ReadingWorker Dies In Explosion At Japanese Recycler
A worker was killed and two others injured - one seriously - when a 15m-high furnace exploded at a Japanese tyre recycler. The explosion, at Fuji Recycle in Ichihara, caused a fire that burned for two hours before being extinguished.
Continue ReadingUS Consumer Magazine Rates Pirelli As “Best Buys”
Consumers Digest, a US magazine, has chosen Pirelli tyres as best buys in three categories. The P6000 Sport Veloce was named a premium BB in the All-Season category, the P400 was an economy BB in the Touring category and the Scorpion Zero was an economy BB in the light truck/SUV section.
Continue ReadingSmarTire signs Chinese distribution agreement in principle
SmarTire Systems has announced that it has signed an agreement in principle appointing Beijing Boom Technology Co. Ltd. as the master distributor of SmarTires Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) in China. Beijing Boom Technology has agreed to purchase over $1.5 million in additional aftermarket passenger car TPMS systems at fixed intervals over the next twelve months. In order to maintain its status as SmarTires master distributor in China, Beijing Boom Technology must also purchase approximately 3.9 million dollars in additional aftermarket passenger car TPMS systems during the twelve-month period commencing September 1, 2004 and establish a network of certified dealers in all provinces of China by May 1, 2004.
Continue ReadingSurvey Shows Tyre Fly Tipping On Increase In UK
A national survey of members of the National Tyre Distributors Association reveals that over a third of respondents have been the victim of illegal fly tipping of tyres within the past six months. Results vary according to location; 70 per cent of dealers in South and West Wales reported fly tipping on their premises, while the best area was the North East (25 per cent) and the worst was the South East and London, where 95 per cent of dealers reported illegal tyre dumping in their area.
Continue ReadingBorbet in South Africa
Murray & Roberts has sold 50% of the business of AWI South Africa to Borbet GmbH of Germany, with effect from 1 July 2003 and subject to approval by the competition authorities.
Continue ReadingTitan announces third quarter cash dividend
The Board of Directors of Titan International, Inc. (NYSE: TWI) has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $.005 (one half cent) per common share for the third quarter of 2003. The cash dividend is payable October 15, 2003, to stockholders of record on September 30, 2003.
Continue ReadingGoodyear To Appeal $10 Million Hose Award
A judge in the USA has ordered Goodyear to pay almost $10 million compensation to 34 householders, for a faulty heating hose that was used in their homes. Goodyear, as manufacturer of the hose, and a now-defunct distributor of the product were found equally liable. The actual damages award against Goodyear was $4 million, with a further $5.7 million added in interest from the date of installation of the hose. Goodyear said it will appeal the decision.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Fire “Will Impact On Earnings”
Although the fire at Bridgestones factory in Kuroiso City is now under control, the after-effects are only now becoming apparent. Production has been halted indefinitely until the extent of the damage has been assessed. Spokeswoman Setsuko Ozaki, quoted on the Automotive News website, said we have no idea when production will resume or how big a blow the fire will have on our earnings, but with an incident this big, theres bound to be some impact. Analysts suggest any impact on earnings would be small, but this didnt prevent Bridgestone shares falling seven per cent on the Tokyo Stock Exchange at one point, against a market that rose two per cent overall. Shares in rival tyre manufacturers Yokohama and Sumitomo Rubber Industries rose by more than five per cent.
Continue ReadingPirelli OE On New Maserati
The Maserati Quattroporte made its world debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, fitted with Pirelli P Zero Rosso tyres as OE. The Quattroporte is described as the fastest sedan in the world, with a top speed of 172 mph, and the tyre sizes are 245/45 ZR18 (front) and 285/40 ZR18 (rear).
Continue ReadingThe Intelligent Tyre Takes A Bow
Also on show at Frankfurt is the second generation of tyre pressure control systems, developed by Siemens VDO Automotive and Goodyear. This is permanently embedded in the tyre and, as well as transmitting information about pressure, it records information on tyre wear and mileage. Because it is part of the tyre, there is no transfer of sensor needed if the tyre is moved from one wheel to another.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Labour Agreement Looks Set For Approval
The website of the United Steelworkers of America shows that, of the 10 Goodyear factories that have voted so far whether or not to accept the proposed new labour deal, thrashed out between the company and the union, nine have voted for acceptance. The lone dissenting voice is that of the factory at Union City, Tennessee, where 52 per cent of the workforce voted to reject the deal. In order to be ratified, the deal needs the support of the majority of the plants and of the majority of the union members.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Fire May Affect Supply
The fire at Bridgestones factory in Kuroiso City, Japan, has been brought under control, with nearby residents returning home after staying overnight at public facilities. It is anticipated that the fire will disrupt supplies to car manufacturers, with 150,000 tyres out of a total stored of 250,000 having gone up in flames. Mitsubishi is reported as saying that it will seek stocks from other manufacturers from 16th September, when stocks of Bridgestone tyres are expected to run out, while Toyota says that it does not expect the fire to disrupt its operations and the company will get tyres from other production sites.
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