Italy: Retreading Quote for Public Fleets
A new Finance Act that was passed at the end of December by the Italian Parliament provides that public bodies and the managers of public services will have to reserve at least 20 per cent to retreads in their orders of spare tyres for their fleets of passenger cars as well as commercial and industrial vehicles. The Italian retreading association, AIRP, representing a large concentration of machinery manufacturers and more than 100 specialised retreading companies, sees interesting prospects for their industry and underlines that the retreaders must now operate in compliance with EEC-UN Regulations 108 and 109 providing for retreads the same strict tests to be carried out as for the approval of new tyres.
Continue ReadingBuyback To End At Ford
Ford will cease its buyback offer for Firestone tyres at the end of March. Martin Inglis, the chief financial officer said that Ford had replaced around 9.5 million of the 13.5 million tyres included in the programme. The end date was intended to encourage the changeover of the remaining tyres at the earliest opportunity.
Continue ReadingLow Inventory Lifts Delphi Hopes
Parts supplier, Delphi, hopes that the automakers inventory reduction over the past year when production has been at a low, will result in a boost in business as low inventory forces manufacturers to place orders for new stock. In the meantime restructuring continues, with the loss of 11,500 jobs and the closure of nine factories.
Continue ReadingLosses At Lincoln Mercury Blamed On Firestone
Ford’s Lincoln Mercury division has been badly hit by the Firestone affair. Ford claim that the recall hit the Mercury Mountaineer brand hard. Losses of around $1 billion have been reported. Despite this downturn, Ford plan that Lincoln will concentrate on the SUV/Cross-over sector, and is expected to contribute around a third of the company’s profits by 2005.
Continue ReadingISO 14001 Recommended For Goodyear NA
All of Goodyear’s North American manufacturing plants have been recommended for certification to ISO 14001 Environmental Management System standard. The plants were audited by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Ltd. John Loulan, vice president of North American Tire operations said, “North American Tire is well ahead of the requirements set by major automotive manufacturers and also ahead of internal goals set for the end of 2002.” ISO 14001 is an international standard defining the requirements for environmental management systems used by an organisation to identify and manage potential impacts on the environment from its activities.
Continue ReadingMove Upmarket For C-Tyres
In an interview with T&A, C-Tyres Managing Director, Gary Oliver, highlighted the future for the Colway brand. The premium quality Formula Colway Tyre is planned to constitute 100% of company output by 2005. This is seen as a recognition that retread tyres can no longer compete as budget options, so have to be sold on quality and value.
Continue ReadingSpanish Moves For Goodyear
Goodyear Spain has reached an agreement with Neumaticos JM Martinez which will assist the tyre distributor switch core business from distribution to manufacturing. JM Martinez is to cease distribution of Marshal and Lassa and will concentrate on selling Goodyear brands. The Spanish press speculate that this may open the door to a Goodyear takeover of JM Martinez.
Continue ReadingOne Million Dollar Bill For Clean-Up
A tyre dump dating back to the 1950s which has lain unserviced since the death of the owner in 1977 is creating problems for Burlington County, Philadelphia. The stock of one million scrap tyres has been subject to arson attacks. However it is the fight against West Nile Virus, spread by mosquitoes which breed in the sheltered stagnant pools of water in the tyres that has finally generated the effort to clear the dump. Contractors are asking for one dollar per tyre to remove the stack, the operation may be grant funded - but the owners may be asked to pay back the grant over an extended period.
Continue ReadingEssen Show Without Michelin Group
Michelin will not participate in the Reifen 2002 tyre show in Essen with an own booth. It was reported that the managers of the tyre divisions (car, truck, agricultural ...) have had their own ideas and differing opinions as to the value of the fair and could not come to a conclusion. An official statement from the tyre manufacturer is expected shortly.
Continue ReadingBeru Success in North America
Beru together with its partner Lear, announced that the company has won a contract to supply one of the big 3 in North America with the TPMS tyre monitoring system. Beru expects sales of 20 million Euro from that contract alone in 2004 and 60 million annually in the following years.
Continue ReadingFord Will Sell Kwik-Fit
Goldman Sachs has been appointed to handle the sale of Fords Kwik-Fit Group as part of a move to concentrate efforts on core vehicle manufacturing businesses. The sale is expected to raise over one billion pounds (1.63 billion Euro). Ford bought the company from Chairman Sir Tom Farmer for 1.6 billion pounds (2.61 billion Euro) in 1999. Last week Sir Tom was emphatic that whatever the future of Kwik-Fit, he intended being involved.
Continue ReadingFarmer To Buy Back Kwik-Fit? (updated)
There is speculation in the UK press that Sir Tom Farmer may be poised to buy back Kwik-Fit from Ford. Ford would sell Kwik-Fit for $1 bn, it is suggested, which is just over half of what the car manufacturer paid for the company in 1999.
Continue ReadingFirst Colway Retread Truck Tyre
C-Tyres, the company formed after the management buy-out at retreaders Colway and Motorway, has started production. The first heavy truck tyre - a 385/65 22-5 - has just rolled off the production line. Branded Formula Colway, the new range consists of premium truck tyre retreads, says C-Tyres MD Gary Oliver.
Continue ReadingIndian Investment For Goodyear
Goodyear is set to invest the equivalent of US$ 36.4 million in Goodyear South Asia Tyres Pvt Ltd., the company which runs a tyre factory at Aurangabad, India. This follows a previous investment by Goodyear in 1999 of US$ 62.2 million. The factory produces tyres for both the OE and replacement markets.
Continue ReadingHayes Lemmerz Completes Sale of its System Service Division
Hayes Lemmerz International announced the sale of its non-core System Service business to Schedl Automotive System Service Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Verwaltungs-KG, in Germany. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Hayes Lemmerz acquired the System Service business in 1997 in connection with the acquisition of Lemmerz Holding GmbH. The business has approximately 250 employees and operates five tire and wheel assembly operations, one of which is a 49% joint venture (51% Continental in Portugal). These facilities are located in Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic and Portugal.
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