Goodyear Invests In Tyre Inflation Systems
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has taken a minority interest in the Cycloid Company, of Pennsylvania. Cycloid markets ACS (Air Compressor System) which uses a compressor mounted at the centre of the wheel to maintain air pressure in truck tyres. The companies are looking to develop similar systems for cars, vans and light trucks.
Continue ReadingNatural Rubber Prices Hit 11-Week High, Oil Prices Down
Mixed news on the raw material front, as natural rubber prices rose to 36.75 cents/pound, the highest price for eleven weeks. Fear of a supply shortage was the cause. Crude oil prices fell slightly, following the ten-year high prices of last month.
Continue ReadingDT 830 – New Supervolume Agricultural Tyre From Goodyear
Goodyear has introduced a new, supermodern agricultural tyre specifically for harvesters and tractor units. The new products have been developed with soil protection and high load resistance in mind. Thanks to its 900 mm width, tractor units equipped with the new DT830 remain within the three metre maximum legal width for highway use without the need for a special license. With a maximum pressure of 2.2 bar the new tyre is capable of carrying loads up to 11.8 tons. For use on delicate soil conditions the DT830 is well qualified with a low pressure of 0.8 bar and a wheel load of 7.5tons it creates a footprint of 96 cm by almost 90 cm, offering a contact area of more than 0.8 square metres. In addition the radial belt cords guarantee an even distribution of pressure over the whole contact area. Goodyear offers the DT830 in three sizes; The 900/55 R 32 to be available in Spring 2001, the 900/60 R 32 available in pre-series at present, and the 900/50 R 42 which is already available through Goodyear outlets. Find out more in the November issue of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG.
Continue ReadingRecall Burdens Ford Results
Ford Motor Company has suffered a reduced profit of 888 million US-$ in the third quarter, compared to the same period for 1999 (959 m). Ford Chairman Jacques Nasser attributes the results to the Firestone recall. To provide good tyres to Ford customers is more important than realising short term profits.
Continue Reading“SP Super Sport 9000” From Dunlop
At the Essen Motor-Show, tyre manufacturer Dunlop is showing a new high performance tyre, called SP Super Sport 9000. It is a mixture of the SP 9000 and the racing tyre which is supplied exclusively to the German Tourcar Masters. The new tyre will be available in 17 and 18 inch sizes and it will be released in spring 2001.
Continue ReadingNew Order For Dunlop Sales Department
At the beginning of November, Hans-Burkhard Brandt became Sales Director for the Truck Tyre Department at Dunlop. His predecessor, Frank Pickshaus, becomes Assistant General Manager of the distribution section of the OE-department. At the beginning of 2001, the present Dunlop Sales Director Hans Jürgen Wagner will become General Manager in Hanau. Christian Stein, now Sales Director Commerce, will be promoted to Sales Director.
Continue Reading“No U-Turn On Job Cuts”, says Edouard Michelin
Edouard Michelin has confirmed that Michelin will go ahead with plans to reduce its European workforce by 10%, referring to the initiative as not just a cost-cutting plan or headcount reduction. It is a productivity plan that has an upside of speeding up growth. In the same interview, Edouard Michelin said that tyre industry consolidation was not at an end. Michelin, he said, will eventually have to make some kind of link, alliance, or even acquisition in Asia. He also suggested that medium-sized tyre companies will either merge or join the club of the large companies.
Continue ReadingProfit Warning For Avon Rubber
Avon Rubber, British supplier of components for the automotive industry and not to be mixed up with the tyre manufacturer Avon, has released a profit warning. Due to pricing pressure and the strong British Pound the company will probably not achieve the profits expected. Experts think that Avon Rubber is too small for a global market, while the company itself recently blamed falling car production in the UK for the drop in annual profits.
Continue ReadingReifen Schneider Calls In Receiver
The German tyre dealer Reifen Schneider (Mulheim-Karlich) called in the receiver in late December last year. At its peak the company was selling about half a million retreaded tyres from the Technic Group and it is most likely that the Germans were strongly affected when the British retreader ceased trading at the end of 1999.
Continue ReadingSpeedline Wheels For the Pope’s New Lancia
Italian company Lancia has built a new limousine as a present for the Pope. The car will be fitted with four special aluminum wheels produced by Speedline (Tabina).
Continue ReadingYokohama To Phase Out Truck & Bus Production At Hiratsuka Plant
As part of a policy to consolidate truck tyre production under one roof, Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd has announced it will phase out production of truck and bus tyres at its Hiratsuka, Japan plant by the beginning of 2002. All radial truck and bus tyre will then be produced at the companys larger plant in Mie, Japan and the Hiratsuka plant will concentrate on the production of non-tyre products.
Continue ReadingPhoenix Ambitious
Former tyre producer Phoenix (Germany) wants to double sales by 2005 (1999: EURO 859.7 million). Core businesses (now accounting for 86% of turnover) are car vibrations and acoustics, conveyors and hose systems.
Continue ReadingContinental Denies Shareholding in Apollo Tyres
Continental has denied reports in Indian newspapers that it has a 15% shareholding in Apollo Tyres. Continental is in talks with other companies in India but the results will not be announced until later this year.
Continue ReadingReifen Junginger Under The point S Roof
Speculation is now at an end: on 14th April, the German tyre sales company Reifen Junginger was sold. The new owner is Josef Herl, MD of point S Reifen Herl GmbH and one of the founders of sales cooperative Partner GmbH. Herl plans to completely restructure the new point S Reifen Junginger over the coming months.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Optimism Boosts Share Price
Goodyear recently turned in a bullish report on its first quarter performance. The market was impressed, as the companys shares rose 47% from its 52-week low in March. Industry analysts predict a good performance from Goodyear in the short term, with shares rising further.
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