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 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 ReadingWaste firm wins recycling contract
CCR Logistics Systems AG, a German provider of waste-management systems, won a contract from PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Europe’s second-biggest carmaker, to set up and operate a recycling program for the company’s U.K. dealers. CCR Logistics didn’t say how much the contract was worth. The Munich-based company’s contract includes collecting oil, batteries, tires, florescent lighting and other waste from the dealerships.
Continue ReadingArvinMeritor to sell APA JV Shares to Kayaba
ArvinMeritor has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its 75 per cent shareholdings in shock absorber producer AP Amortiguadores (APA) to joint venture partner Kayaba Industry. The sale is subject to regulatory approval, and terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Continue ReadingKoSa buys plant from Michelin
Polyester fibre manufacturer KoSa, with regional headquarters in Charlotte South Carolina, will buy Michelins textile factory in Winnsboro. The site, which has 185 employees, makes and treats polyester fabric used in tyre manufacturing. The agreement includes a multi-year contract in which KoSa will supply Michelin with fabric for its tyre-making operations.
Continue ReadingGoodyear majors with Volvo
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced that it has reached global supply agreements to become a major tyre supplier to the Volvo Group in Europe and Brazil. Last month, Goodyear was named standard equipment tyre supplier for the Volvo Groups Volvo and Mack truck operations in North America. Goodyear, with the three-year contracts, will now be a key supplier to the Volvo Groups three major truck brands - Mack, Renault and Volvo - on three continents. Reaching this global agreement with a world-class customer such as Volvo is a major accomplishment and a testament to Goodyears product quality, technology and customer service - not only on one continent, but on three, said Robert J. Keegan, Goodyears chairman and chief executive officer.
Continue ReadingWaste Solution Group and Credential Environmental merge
National waste management specialist The Waste Solution Group (WSG) has merged with waste solutions and environment specialist Credential Environmental Limited (CEL). The agreement took effect on the 17th 2003. Both WSG and CEL will continue to operate autonomously, with Managing Directors Mick Fishwick (WSG) and Mike Jordan (CEL) remaining in post. All Directors of WSG will remain in post and Mick Fishwick will join the CEL Board.
Continue ReadingPhillips Carbon Black profits up
Phillips Carbon Black has announced its net profit in the year ended in September had jumped 244 per cent on the back of a 10 per cent growth in sales. A spokesman for Phillips Carbon Black said significant growth in carbon black offtake was expected next year. We have reached an agreement with a leading tyre manufacturer for export of 25,000 tonnes of carbon black. We are negotiating with another tyre manufacturer for a similar deal, he added. The company is raising the capacity of its Baroda plant from 18,000 tonnes at present, to 88,000 tonnes. The production capacity of its plant at Durgapur is being scaled up by 25,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes.
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