Vehicle recycler calls for three-yearly Classic MOTs
A nationwide vehicle recycling specialist is calling for a three-yearly MOT for classic vehicles, after receiving over 500 disposal requests for cars registered before 1988, in the past 12 months. The Department of Transport is currently considering changing existing MOT legislation to make any vehicle manufactured before 1988 exempt from MOT testing, instead of existing rules that state vehicles manufactured before 1960 are MOT exempt. However, Remove My Car believes that all vehicles, regardless of age should be made to undergo some sort of inspection and refers to its own statistics to demonstrate that pre-1988 vehicles are being considered dangerous by the British public, and responsibly disposed of.
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Toyota chalks up seven million global hybrid sales
The pace of Toyotas worldwide hybrid vehicle sales continues to accelerate with a further million units added in just nine months, taking the cumulative total through the seven-million mark. Toyotas hybrid range continues to grow, with 28 different passenger car models (including the Prius Plug-in hybrid) currently sold in more than 90 countries and regions. The new model strategy for 2014-2015 features 15 new hybrids, including in the UK the new Lexus NX 300h crossover and RC 300h coupe. In the future more new models and markets will be added.
Continue ReadingGerman authorities give Michelin green light to acquire Ihle Baden-Baden
The German Federal Cartel Office has decided that no further proceedings are necessary prior to granting approval for Michelin’s planned acquisition of Ihle Holding AG, parent company of tyre wholesaler Ihle Baden-Baden AG. In an official notification, the Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) reported that the acquisition is seen as posing no problem.
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New chairman, president at Toyo Tire & Rubber
Toyo Tire & Rubber has announced the appointment of Akira Nobuki as its new chairman, effective 1 November. Upon taking up this new position, Nobuki will step down as company president; this role will be assumed by Takuji Yamamoto, who on 1 November will hand over his duties as executive corporate officer to Tetsuya Kuze, who becomes Toyo’s third representative director. The company says it has increased its number of representative directors from two to three in order to strengthen its group management system in light of growth and expansion. Kuze will also be promoted from senior corporate officer to executive corporate officer, and he takes on the role of general manager of Toyo’s Corporate Planning Division from Sadao Ichihara, who will become deputy group executive officer of the company’s DT Business.
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Trelleborg releases ‘Tire Efficiency’ app for iOS, Android
Trelleborg has extended its digital portfolio with the launch of the ‘Tire Efficiency’ app for use on iPad and Android tablets. Based on the concept of total cost of ownership, the app measures the benefits provided by a set of Trelleborg tyres for one axle both in terms of cost savings and reduced working time.
Continue ReadingBridgestone releases latest mid-term management plan
The Japanese word ‘dan-totsu’ can be translated as ‘unrivalled or ‘unassailable’, and this is what Bridgestone aims to be; in its Mid-Term Management Plan 2014, released today, the tyre maker outlines the steps it intends to take on the path to reaching a dan-totsu position.
Continue ReadingPirelli representatives attend autoclave incident hearing
Pirelli representatives attended a procedural hearing at Carlisle Crown Court on 6 October in the ongoing case related to death of George Falder. The hearing saw the judge sets the timescales for the next steps of the case.
Continue ReadingPirelli a Top Manufacturer Award finalist
Water awareness at Pirelli’s Carlisle plant has put the company in the running for a prize at The Manufacturer of the Year Awards 2014. Pirelli is on the shortlist as a finalist in the Sustainable Manufacturing category joining the likes of Coca Cola Enterprises; Johnstons Sweepers; the Vallant Group; and Encirc & Capporo Industries.
Continue ReadingSolvay names Nuyttens as president of Solvay Silica
Solvay Group has appointed An Nuyttens as president of its Silica Global Business Unit, succeeding Tom Benner who left the Group.
Continue ReadingMarangoni buys Recamax Reifen GmbH
Marangoni Group has acquired Recamax Reifen, a German distributor of earthmover retreads. The purchase follows the acquisition of Wenzel Industrie in 2009. According to the company, the partnership between Recamax and Marangoni has been going for more than 25 years. It was reinforced with the objective of consolidating and strengthening Marangoni Group’s presence in Germany, one of the most important markets in Europe.
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Indonesia’s president-elect supports Maxxis tyre factory plans
Indonesia’s newly elected president promised support for Maxxis’ planned tyre factory in the country in a meeting with company officials in Jakarta at the end of September. Accompanied by members of the company’s Indonesia management team and a representative of Taipei’s Economic and Trade Office in Jakarta, Maxxis president Dr Wally Chen met with president-elect Joko Widodo 29 September.
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Pirelli Scorpion Winter top in SUV tyre test
In the current SUV winter tyre test presented by German motoring magazine Auto Zeitung Allrad (issue 5/14), eight size 235/65R17 H/V tyres are put through their paces on an Audi Q5 TFSI Quattro. The magazine’s team voted the Pirelli Scorpion Winter test winner. Four further tyres, the Dunlop SP Winter Sport 4D, Goodyear Ultragrip+ SUV, Michelin Latitude Alpin LA3 and Uniroyal MS Plus 77, were rated “highly recommendable”. Sixth place was held by the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-80 Evo, and the wooden spoon was shared by the Kumho l’Zen RV KC15 and Nokian WR SUV 3.
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Hankook extends luxury SUV tyre supply with US deal
Hankook Tire will supply its Dynapro HT all-season tyre as original equipment for the 2015 Lincoln Navigator, an SUV built primarily for the North American market. The company views supply of the 275/55R20T tyre as further penetration into both the Lincoln brand and the luxury SUV segment as a whole. In addition to this new agreement for the Navigator, Hankook supplies Ford’s premium vehicle division with tyres for the Lincoln MKT full-size touring saloon and MKZ mid-size passenger car.
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Groundbreaking held for Hankook’s US tyre plant
Construction work has officially begun on Hankook Tire’s new factory in the United States following a groundbreaking ceremony held at the plant site in Clarksville, Tennessee on 9 October. The new facility, which is expected to begin operation in 2016 and will reach a production capacity of 12 million units, is Hankook’s eighth production facility worldwide and first in North America.
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Bridgestone develops new tyre allocation for Australian MotoGP round
A brand new tyre allocation will be introduced for the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, including a newly-developed asymmetric front slick tyre. Bridgestone says the front slick it is making available for this weekend’s event at Philip Island is a soft specification tyre that uses Bridgestone’s soft rubber compound in the left shoulder while an extra-soft rubber compound is used in the lesser-used right shoulder in order to offer superior warm-up potential. The asymmetric front slick is being offered as part of Bridgestone’s standard front tyre allocation, with the other two front tyre options in the allocation being conventional, symmetric slick tyres.
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