Vipal trains customers in Nova Prata at “UniVipal”
Representatives from five companies attended the training program at Vipal’s head office in Rio Grande do Sul recently. According to the retreading materials supplier the goal was to share the knowledge the firm has acquired over more than 40 years of experience. Vipal, which is the Latin American leader, reports that it developing several such initiatives. These activities, like those fostered by the UniVipal corporate university, are intended to benefit customers around the world. In September, Vipal’s partners from Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia attended a four-day training session at the company’s head office in Nova Prata, Rio Grande do Sul.
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Kings Road Tyres builds brand portfolio, fleet in year following sale
At the beginning of 2014, Kings Road Tyres entered a new era. A controlling interest in the wholesaler was purchased by a group involving Chinese European and North American interests, and involving the Sailun Group “indirectly”. Following its sale, the existing management team, led by Adrian Bader, has overseen the development of its brand portfolio, with an increased involvement in the passenger car segment for the commercial vehicle tyre specialist heralded by an agreement to distribute Aeolus-branded PCR and 4x4 products. KRT says this deal, launched at October’s Brityrex show, alongside other investments in its brand portfolio and business infrastructure is setting up leading UK tyre wholesaler Kings Road Tyres (KRT) for a sustained period of long-term growth.
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UK, European new car registrations rise in September
Registrations of new passenger cars within the European Union were up for the thirteenth month in a row in September. Information published by the ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) shows a 6.1 per cent year-on-year increase in registrations for the month across the combined EU28 and EFTA regions, and a 5.7 per cent rise for the EU15 and EFTA regions.
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GT Radial to make Euro Bus Expo debut
Early next month Euro Bus Expo 2014 is coming to the NEC Birmingham, and GT Radial will attend the show as an exhibitor for the first time. A range of products aimed at the passenger transport segment will be on display at the GT Radial stand, with the GSR225 Combi Road and GAU861 all-position urban city-bus tyres heading a comprehensive portfolio.
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Renault to take a million Maxion ‘VersaStyle’ wheels this year
Maxion Wheels reports that it will supply Renault with more than a million VersaStyle wheels for the vehicle maker’s Megane, Megane Scenic, Clio and the Dacia Logan and Dacia Sandero Stepway models during the course of 2014. The company has already sold a million VersaStyle wheels in total this year, and more than 15 million units since VersaStyle wheels were first introduced in 2005.
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WG Tanker Group celebrates 18 months with Westlake tyres
WG Tanker Group, which describes itself as a “one-stop-shop for all powder tanker requirements”, is celebrating its relationship with Westlake tyres (distributed by Vacu-Lug Traction Tyres) 18 months in, saying it would not look elsewhere for a similar product.
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Toyo Tires partnering Leicester City
Leicester City Football Club has announced that Toyo Tires will be joining the Foxes as a Club Partner for the 2014/15 season. Toyo Tires’ club partnership will see the Japanese company enjoy a “considerable commercial presence” at King Power Stadium, while their branding will also be visible on City’s first team training wear. Keishi Inoue, managing director of Toyo Tires UK, said: “Our partnership with Leicester City starts at a great time, because it provides a fantastic opportunity to grow our brand with a genuinely aspirational club on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages – the Premier League.
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Mahle Aftermarket UK appoints new operations manager
Mahle Aftermarket has appointed a new operations manager at its UK headquarters near Wolverhampton to oversee the expansion of its warehousing facilities and installation of a new parts handling systems.
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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.
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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.
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