Top Executives Of Bridgestone/Ford Meet
According to Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbum, the top executives of Bridgestone Corp. and Ford Motor Co. met in Honolulu last weekend in a move towards repairing the rift between the two companies over the recall of Firestone tyres on Ford Explorers. Bridgestone CEO Shigeo Watanabe met with Nick Scheele, Ford chief operating officer, a Bridgestone spokesman said, this being the first talk at senior management level between the two companies since their 100-year relationship was severed in May. The two companies agreed to further meetings, with John Lampe, CEO of Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., participating next time, although no timetable has yet been announced. Both Ford and Bridgestone want to resume their long-standing business relationship. The Japanese tyre manufacturer will, according to industry pundits, supply Bridgestone tyres at a special price in order to contribute to the costs incurred by Ford during its voluntary and hasty Firestone tyre recall.
Continue Reading“Ypsilon” by Continental
With the new Ypsilon tyre, which was shown for the first time at Agritechnica in Hanover, Continental is breaking into the 22.5 inch tyre sector. The Ypsilion combines all the benefits of implement and MPT radial tyres and is approved for speeds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph). Its all-round suitability means it can be fitted not only to trailed axles but also drive axles. In addition the new, revised Technical Manual comprising of over 100 pages has been published to coincide with Agritechnica. It contains a wealth of information about agricultural tyres, their tread patterns, tyre pressures and application conditions.
Continue ReadingWorse-Than-Expected Figures For Vredestein
Contrary to earlier forecasts, the Dutch Vredestein group has announced heavy losses for 2001. Sales and profitability on the German tyre market, which are very important factors in Vredesteins results, are under pressure.
Continue ReadingManagement Change At Goodyear Dunlop Europe
Henry Johnson, who was VP Goodyear Eastern Europe and then VP Goodyear Dunlop/Europe, has now been appointed Managing Director of the SBU (Sales Business Unit) Truck Tyres Europe. His successor is Arthur de Bok, who was previously with Procter and Gamble.
Continue ReadingBritish Supercar Fits Bridgestone 100 Per Cent
British supercar manufacturer Noble is to fit Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position tyres as 100 per cent OE to its new sports car, the M12 GTO. The car won Top Gear magazines 2001 Drivers Car Award and it delivers 310 brake horse power through a twin-turbo-charged 24 valve engine.
Continue ReadingRumours Regarding The Ford PAG Group
There is speculation in some business newspapers that Wolfgang Reitzle, boss of PAG (the luxury car segment), might leave his post. Reitzle is a close friend of Jacques Nasser, who recently had to quit his job as CEO of the Ford Group. It is said that the European luxury segment could become part of Ford Europe and lose its independence.
Continue ReadingNew Sizes for Vredestein
Dutch tyre manufacturer Vredestein is adding some new sizes to its existing product range, for example the dimension 350/60-16 12 PR TL to the Flotation+ profile. With the new Traxion+ sizes 420/70 R 28 and 520 R 38 it is also possible to choose extra wide tyres in the most popular horse power categories. Last but not least the Flotation Pro in 22.5 inches is now suitable for speeds up to 65 km/h. Additional sizes are also in preparation, such as 600/55 R 26.5, 700/50 R 26.5 and 800/40 R 26.5.
Continue ReadingChanges To Trelleborg Board
Chairman of Trelleborg AB Rune Andersson and Deputy Chairman Lennart Nilsson will retire at the companys Annual General Meeting next April. Andersson was appointed President and elected to the Trelleborg board in 1983, becoming Chairman in 1990. His replacement will be current Group Senior Vice President Anders Narvinger (53).
Continue ReadingWorld’s Largest Tyre From Bridgestone
Bridgestone has developed the worlds largest tyre, the 59/80R63 V-Steel E-Lug S, a radial tyre for dump trucks carrying loads of 380-400 tons. Customers in the mining industry are using increasingly larger equipment and tyres are evolving to match. The new tyre, which will go on sale next spring, stands 4.02 metres (13 ft 2.5 ins) tall and is 1.47 metres (4 ft 10 ins) across. Each tyre weighs 5.1 tonnes and has a load rating of 101 tonnes.
Continue ReadingFour New Motorcycle Tyres From Bridgestone
Bridgestone has launched four new motorcycle tyres. The first is the Battlax BT-090 an ultra-high performance tyre for mid-sized motorcycles. The tyre uses cutting edge technologies to create an ideal sporting on-road and race tyre. The second, the Battlax BT 012SS, is designed to give uncompromising performance for motorcycles over 600cc. Also announced are two new motocross tyres for medium and medium to hard circuits, the M401 (front) and M402 (rear) for medium terrain, and the M601 (front) and M602 (rear) for hard terrain.
Continue ReadingMore News On Kumho Sale
In South Korea, Kumho has revealed that it is on the verge of selling 80 per cent of its tyre unit for a price between $1.2 and $1.5 billion. The buyer is named only as a foreign investment fund but unconfirmed reports link the sale with J P Morgan and the private equity fund Carlyle Group. Carlyle was favourite to buy the ContiTech division when it was up for sale. Another report says that three foreign potential purchasers are in the running and an agreement should be reached in the next few months. The Kumho Group is having to sell assets in order to pay off debts; it currently has debts of $2.52 billion against assets of $3.3 billion.
Continue ReadingNew Tyre Concept From Goodyear
Concerning tyre design its no longer the geometric dimensions which represent the state of development, but rather the intended application. Goodyear is meeting this challenge with its most recent generation of radial tyres, the Optitrac product family. Segmentations which were popular in the 70s or 65s series have been replaced by the terms wide or volume. The launch of the Optitrac DT818 as a super-wide tyre and the DT824 as a volume tyre is regarded as a considerable step forwards towards the completion of this concept.
Continue ReadingRestructuring For Bridgestone/Firestone Inc.
US company Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. has announced a new corporate structure from Dec. 1st. The reorganised company will be known as Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding Inc (BFAH), which will be the holding company for a number of subsidiaries. John Lampe will be CEO and president of BFAH. The change has been made to take advantage of better financing rates and to re-focus on core businesses.
Continue ReadingExtended Break For Pirelli Factory
Workers at the Pirelli factory in Carlisle, UK, will enjoy a longer-than-usual break this Christmas. The plant will be closed from Christmas Eve to New Years Eve, instead of re-opening as planned on December 28th. Pirelli UK says that the move is in accordance with a decision by the parent company to reduce stock levels worldwide and it has been taken with the full agreement of the Unions. The Carlisle factory produces 10,000 tyres a day.
Continue ReadingRise in Pirelli Management
The Board of Directors appointed Giovanni Ferrario Managing Director, who also keeps the position of General Manager Pirelli. Responsibilities for all Operating activities are delegated to Giovanni Ferrario. Finally, Francesco Gori was appointed General Manager Tyre Sector.
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