Official Opening Of Bridgestone Poznan Plant
Bridgestones tyre factory at Poznan, Poland, has been officially opened. It is the companys sixth tyre factory in Europe and one of 46 across the globe. It produces 10,000 Bridgestone and Firestone tyres daily, mainly high- and ultra-high performance tyres, with a workforce of 540. The factory is a joint venture with state-owned Stomil Poznan SA.
Continue ReadingInternet Sales Disappointment
Continental has ended its co-operation with Autobytel Europe. The tyre manufacturer had intended to invest 15 million Euro in retail sales via the Internet. The company has revised plans and is eschewing B2C activities to concentrate on B2B developments. Swedish customers in the test market can already access the tyre module from car broker Autobytel.
Continue ReadingCo-operation Between Goodyear and Siemens VDO
Goodyear and Siemens VDO have announced plans to develop a progressive tyre pressure monitoring system which can be introduced to the market at an early date. The co-operation brings together Goodyears knowledge in the fields of tyre pressure control, sensors and interpretation of tyre temperature and pressure, with the know-how of Siemens VDO in electronics and common automotive systems.
Continue ReadingLexus Chooses Bridgestone Run-Flat As OE
Lexus has chosen the Bridgestone Potenza RE040 run-flat tyre (RFT) as original equipment for its new flagship SC430 cabriolet, allowing the car to travel safely even when the tyre has a puncture. The RE040 RFT also eliminates the need to carry a spare wheel, thus gaining valuable storage space in the boot of the compact car and saving weight.
Continue Reading“Essen-Motor-Show 2001” – On Course For Growth
The Essen-Motor-Show is putting its foot down! After the record exhibition in 2000 (with 394,800 guests, 12.4 percent more visitors), it has been accelerating once again: the range on offer, which already covered many diverse aspects of automobiles and related products, became even wider in 2001. A total of more than 550 exhibitors, including the leading automobile manufacturers, presented what was on offer on the global market in 18 exhibition halls. Special emphasis was placed on the sporty and individual vehicle models as well as on the wide range of vehicle accessories. Current racing vehicles from all motor-sport categories, including a large number of this seasons Formula-1 cars, supplemented the range on show, where all the major players, almost without exception, were represented. Many exhibitors had booked larger booth areas. Other automobile manufacturers who had not exhibited their makes before had announced their participation in the Number 2 of all German vehicle fairs. Because of the greater demand for exhibition space, the exhibition management had therefore decided to provide an additional large hall for the Automobiles and Tuning exhibition sections. VDAT – Verband Deutscher Automobil-Tuner e.V. (the Association of German Automobile Tuners) had also intensified its involvement in the Essen-Motor-Show 2001. VDAT members presented themselves exclusively in the VDAT Halls 5, 10 and 11 which were designed with a salon character.
Continue ReadingHow Kraiburg Regards the Future Of Retreading
Even before the dramatic changes in the worldwide economy after September 11th, the retreading business, as well as its suppliers, was facing hard times. Reduced demand, increased competition and price pressure characterised the depressed market. It was not unusual for material suppliers to experience a decrease in their third quarter results of around 20 percent. Uncertainty, pessimism and negative forecasts represented the collective mood in wide areas of the business. But Kraiburg, the Geretsberg (Austria)-based retreading supplier, is swimming against the stream and reports stable economic results and new strategic activities to meet future market challenges. Kraiburgs turnover in 2001, up till end October, is just half a percent below the companys performance for the first ten months last year. In addition, an agreement for a joint venture with the Bulgarian company Zebra was finalised in October. Since 1997 the Sofia based company Zebra has produced thin and light tread patterns which would have been uneconomic to produce in Austria. Kraiburg has invested around one million Euro in Zebras tread pattern production and 95 percent of the joint venture shares belong to Kraiburg. Within the next two years the Bulgarian production will be increased from 800 to 1,800 tons per year – using the same machinery and equipment.
Continue ReadingAgritechnica 2001
Agritechnica is the largest agricultural exhibition in Europe and the 2001 event was held in Hanover from 13th to 17th November. This year’s show area has increased by 4% to a total of 196,000 square metres and more than 1,300 exhibitors from 30 countries showed their goods and services. The exhibition showcases the latest advances in technology for modern agriculture, including tractors, other agricultural machinery, accessories and spare parts. Included in these are tyre manufacturers who offer agricultural tyres, with such famous names as Continental, Goodyear, Michelin, TWS and Vredestein, among others. Agritechnica usually proves a great draw for those involved in agriculture; this year with 247,000 visitors 9.5% more came through the doors than two years ago, 34,000 of these coming from 100 countries outside Germany, and similar levels were expected this time around. The November date for the show is well-timed, as this is the time of year when many farmers are planning their investments for the coming season.
Continue ReadingAgricultural Tyre Market: 2001 has been a difficult year
The world-wide market for agricultural machines and tyres is has been characterised by a rationalisation processes over several years. The leading competitors in the tyre sector (Michelin-Group, Trelleborg Wheel Systems (TWS), Continental and Goodyear) have more or less completed repositioning themselves in the market. The widest multi-brand variation has been attained by the Michelin-Group, which covers with its four brands (Michelin, Kleber, Taurus and Stomil) all price-segments and applications. However, the development of this tyre segment cannot be viewed in isolation. It is influenced and defined by a number of fundamental and mutually connected parameters. These are:· the general economical development of the agricultural sector,· the changing structure of the German agricultural sector since reunification,· seasonal influences/aspects (e.g. weather conditions) and· sales, numbers and specifications of agricultural machines (especially tractors).In Germany fewer and fewer farming companies have concerns about a permanently increasing average area of land - a trend that can be observed throughout the rest of Europe. At the same time agricultural machinery is becoming more powerful, larger and faster, and the tyre manufacturer has to produce a product that can cope with these demands and yet remain gentle on crops to ensure maximum yield.In the first half of the year 2001 the already decreasing number of machinery sales found an additional seasonal reason in the sinking investments of the farmers, due to the BSE and the FMD-crisis. The increased cost-consciousness of the farmers became obvious in an trend towards cheaper brands. In the second half of the year the tyre market recovered a little bit from its bad results in the first six months but the overall negative figures could not be overcome completely so that ultimately a five percent loss was expected, compared to the previous year. This meant a total number of 220,000 tractor tyres sold in Germany (radial: 143,000 pieces).
Continue ReadingStrike Ends At General Tire
Employees at Continental General Tire’s plant in Bryan, Ohio USA have signed an agreement ensuring an increase in wages and pensions plus a regulation of working time (a four shift programme, seven days a week) up to the year 2006. The same agreement will apply in Charlotte, General Tire’s largest plant in North America, where employees had been on strike for over a year to achieve these improved conditions. Continental’s workforce has diminished from 1,450 to around 1,300 following the strikes.
Continue ReadingBoss Of South Pacific Tyres Goes Ashore
John Gurrieri, CEO of South Pacific Tyres for five years, is leaving the company at the end of February after 29 years service to seek new challenges. South Pacific Tyres is a 50/50 joint venture between the Pacific Dunlop group and Goodyear.
Continue ReadingNew Power Station To Burn Tyres
Construction work is set to begin this month on a new power station which will burn 65,000 tonnes of scrap tyres annually. It is sited at Four Ashes in Staffordshire and is due to become fully operational in January 2002. The total cost will be around 332.4 million.
Continue ReadingPart Worn Tyres Collected By Mercedes
As part of the Mercedes Recycling System (MeRSy) the car manufacturer collected 508,000 part worn tyres in Germany during 1999.
Continue ReadingRecord BRV Membership
Membership of the German tyre retailers association BRV (Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkaniseur Handwerk) reached record levels in January, when 82 new tyre retailers joined. The association now has 1,115 members with 1,443 outlets, which represents around 73 per cent of the 3,500 tyre dealers in Germany.
Continue ReadingSupplier Accolade For Hayes-Lemmerz
The Anderson Consulting Supplier Index recently carried out a survey to establish the most stable and competitive US automotive suppliers and ranked Hayes-Lemmerz joint second alongside Federal Mogul. Top performer was Tower Automotive.
Continue ReadingManagement Changes At Pneuhage
Peter Schütterle is once again in the drivers seat at Pneuhage after the resignation of three managers. Hanshugo Sürth, Kurt Scholl and Holger Abeln left the company on 13th March. The company, one of the largest tyre retail and wholesale groups in Germany, made a loss last year. This came as a big surprise – possibly even for Schütterle, the owner of the group, who until now has not been involved in the group on a day-to-day basis.
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