Strong car markets in candidate states
In 2003 the automobile markets of the EU candidate states Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have developed strongly. According to press releases the Poles have bought 358,414 or 16 per cent more new cars than the year before. In Hungary the same figures amounted up to 210,000 cars or plus 21 per cent compared to 2002 while the Czech new car market only grew by 1.2 per cent.
Continue ReadingLampe announces retirement
Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. Chairman, CEO and President John Lampe has announced that he will retire on March 31, 2004. He will be replaced by Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) Chairman, CEO and President Mark Emkes. Emkes will retain his existing position as chair and CEO of BFNT. Lampe will remain on Bridgestone Americas Holdings board of directors at the request of both Emkes and parent company Bridgestone Corp.
Continue ReadingContinental Tire to raise prices
According to American media reports Continental Tire North America will raise prices for its Continental, General and private brand passenger car and light truck tyres in February. Prices will increase from three to six per cent.
Continue ReadingHonda and Nissan want the PAX system for the American market
The Japanese car makers Honda and Nissan have decided to bring new models onto the American market that are to be equipped with Michelin’s PAX system, writes Modern Tire Dealer referring to an announcement made earlier this week at the Detroit Auto Show. The French tyre manufacturer hopes to achieve a bigger share on the market. The PAX system itself will be produced in the United States.
Continue ReadingMichelin and Pirelli to enter OE contracts
At the Detroit Auto Show the Michelin and Pirelli have both announced new OE contracts with Ford. Michelin will deliver the BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW (18 inch) and BFGoodrich all-season Traction T/A (16 inch) to equip Ford’s Mustang GT. Pirelli Tire North America will also deliver tyres for the new Mustang GT, namely the P Zero Nero. For the new Mercury Montego, the Ford Focus ST, and the Ford Freestyle Pirelli will deliver its P6 Four Season tyre into Ford’s OE.
Continue ReadingToyo Tire will raise its prices
The Toyo Tire Corp. has announced adjustments to its North American prices as of February 1. The prices for passenger car and commercial tyres will increase by up to four per cent. Like several other tyre manufacturers Toyo explained this step with rapidly increasing raw material prices.
Continue ReadingMichelin NA to eliminate communications position
Michelin North America Inc. has downsized its communications department since January 1, 2004. The decision was taken under the Call to Action initiative, says the company. “This decision was taken only after serious consideration and conclusion that the functions of the position should be redistributed among the rest of the team to optimise efficiency and effectiveness.” In line with the change, Kondria Woods, manager for communications operations and measurement, departed Michelin North America as of December 31.
Continue ReadingNokian Tyres introduces a new studless winter tyre
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi for passenger cars is a successor for the popular Hakkapeliitta Q friction tyre and it has been developed for the Nordic, Russian and North American markets. Consumer sales with the wide size range will start in the autumn of 2004, writes Nokian in a press release. Several technical innovations developed for the new R speed rated (170 km/h) friction tyre improve grip properties especially when braking and accelerating on snowy, slushy, icy and wet surfaces. The tyre has been manufactured without using harmful high aromatic oils.
Continue ReadingKumho’s latest tyre plant with automated production
Kumho Tires Ltd. has completed construction of a tyre plant equipped with an automated production unit in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul. The company is the first Korean tyre maker to have the automated system that so far is used by only the five top tyre companies around the world - Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental and Pirelli. Kumho said the automated production unit combines nine stages of tyre production, cutting the length of the production line from 1.2 kilometers to 800 metres. About 100 billion won (84 million US dollars) was spent on the construction over the past two years and four months. The new factory can produce 6,000 tyres per day, with annual production capacity expected at 2 million. The companys total annual production now is 36.6 million tyres.
Continue ReadingPolitics and Black Circles
The politics of Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh seem to be dragging Black Circles, the Internet tyre provider, into the arena. The quango boss in charge of promoting Edinburgh’s anti-car road tolls has been branded “hypocritical” after investing thousands of pounds Black Circles. Michael Howell, the chief executive of Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (TIE), has been at the forefront of controversial plans to introduce congestion charging. However, he has committed thousands of pounds to Black Circles. Mr Howell insists that his business interests do not clash with his position. But Ian Whyte, the Tory leader on the city council, said: “It sounds like Mike Howell has a secret wish to serve motorists - maybe he should bring that into his other professional life and ditch the toll plans.” Fred Mackintosh, the transport spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said he was concerned that board members and executives on TIE should have any commercial interest at all.
Continue ReadingKeeping the noise down
A new research project into tyre noise on roads could lead to recommendations for improving the security and noise performance of Europe’s roads. The project, which is being carried out by Dr. Roger Pinnington and his team at the University of Southampton’s Institute of Sound and Vibration (ISVR) and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, aims to develop a model tyre that the researchers can use to gauge whether it is the tyre or the road surface that is producing the noise. The tyre model being developed will allow the researchers to determine whether the problem of traffic noise is the responsibility of the tyre manufacturers or the road constructors.
Continue ReadingGoodyear’s Pension Funded Status worrying
While the US- Automobile Industry and most of the suppliers could improve their pension fund positions, Goodyear is, according to analysts, an exception. Compared with liabilities of 2.2 billion US-Dollars at the year end 2002; those could now have risen to 3 billion US-Dollars. Analysts from Deutsche Bank do not see potential for Goodyear shares and recommend a cautious stance. They still have doubts that Goodyear can manage the long awaited turnaround in North America this year despite the fact that the markets as well as the tyre replacement market have shown strong improvements.
Continue ReadingBridgestone to build truck radials in India
Bridgestone plans to set up a plant in India that will make truck radials and help it establish a firm foothold in the country, the worlds fifth biggest tyre market. The tyre manufacturers local unit, Bridgestone ACC India, currently manufactures radial tyres for passenger cars and small vans at a factory located near Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Sources said Bridgestone officials are preparing a project report on the size of production capacity and investments required to set up the plant, which will take around 18-24 months to build.
Continue ReadingIndia reduces duty on Chinese tyres
Indian tyre manufacturers will have to compete with tyre imports from China at much lower protection levels in 2005. The Indian Finance Ministry has formally included China in the list of countries that can avail themselves of preferential rates of Customs duty on specified products under the Bangkok Agreement. Mr D. Ravindran, Director-General of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), said that the five per cent concession in Customs duty would definitely result in more imports of truck and bus tyres into India from China.
Continue ReadingWennemer slams inflexible German labour market
The head of Continental AG slammed the German government on Monday for failing to tackle an inflexible labour market and said it was being forced to expand in cheaper locations abroad. “The decisions for the next two or three years have already been made. The government and the unions can no longer do anything about it - factories will be built elsewhere”, Chief Executive Manfred Wennemer told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Continue Reading
