Cooper announces quarterly dividend
Cooper Tire & Rubber has announced a quarterly dividend of 10.5 cents per share on common stock, payable 29 March 2013 to stockholders of record at the close of business 6 March 2013. This will mark the 164th consecutive quarterly dividend the company has paid. Cooper Tire & Rubber will publish its fourth quarter 2012 results on Monday 25 February.
Continue ReadingETRMA welcomes EC package
The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association has welcomed the European Commission’s publication of the Product Safety and Market Surveillance Package, its proposed new rules to improve the safety of consumer products circulating in the EU and to step-up market surveillance concerning all non-food products, including those imported from outside the region.
Continue ReadingTrelleborg showing new products, promoting sustainable farming at SIMA
The emphasis at Trelleborg’s stand during the upcoming SIMA agricultural show in Paris will be efficient farming practices. Taking centre stage at the ‘sustainable farming’ themed exhibit will be a LED waterfall, which Trelleborg says reflects the company’s sustainable stance. This display will reportedly “create water-made images to promote Trelleborg’s environmentally friendly approach and also entertain visitors with an amazing visual experience.”
Continue ReadingNew long-haul tyres added to Kama range
The Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory in Russia has started production of two new Kama brand truck and bus tyres. The NF 202 295/75 R22.5 steer axle tyre and NR 202 295/75 R22.5 drive axle tyre are aimed at long-haul operators. Manufacture of these tyres began in January, parent company Tatneft reports.
Continue ReadingTaylor-Montebourg correspondence a ‘private matter’ – US Department of State
The verbal fisticuffs between Titan International’s Maurice Taylor and France’s minister of industrial renewal Arnaud Montebourg, first leaked to the world by financial newspaper Les Échos on 19 February, has been played down by the US Department of State. During the department’s daily press briefing on 21 February, Taylor’s disparaging comments regarding the French work ethic were broached and spokesperson Victoria Nuland asked whether the US administration considers investing in France any more (or less) difficult than investing in other European countries.
Continue ReadingBridgestone puts $300M price tag on relocated Shenyang plant
Further details of the new factory Bridgestone will build in China to replace its Shenyang plant have been announced, including the tripling of investment plans.
Continue ReadingFalken liveried Hot Wheels car available
The Falken Tire brand has been immortalised on a new Hot Wheels toy car model. The tyre manufacturer’s blue and teal livery kits out a model of the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, and can be found alongside the rest of the new Hot Wheels range in toy retailers.
Continue ReadingMichelin Energy Saver + tops 2013 ADAC summer tyre test
Michelin’s Energy Saver + in size 185/60 R15 H has topped the latest ADAC and Stiftung Warentest Sommerreifentest ahead of 28 other tyres in two sizes. The top mark in the other size, 225/45 R17 W/Y, was shared by Continental’s SportContact 5 and Goodyear’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2. In total 16 out of the 29 tyres achieved a score between 1.6 and 2.5, indicating a “good” rating. The tests, designed to examine performance on small and medium family cars, were performed on a Volkswagen Polo in the smaller size and on the Skoda Octavia. The full test results will be published in the March 2013 edition of the ADAC.
Continue ReadingGTÜ, Autoclub recommend Dunlop, Vredestein, Falken tyres
Germany’s largest officially recognised inspection organisation the Gesellschaft für Technische Überwachung (GTÜ) and Autoclub Europa (ACE) have conducted extensive summer tyre testing, giving the Dunlop BluResponse its highest recommendation, with the Vredestein Sportrac 5 in second place. One tyre receiving a “recommended” rating at a lower price point was the Falken ZIEX ZE914 Ecorun. The summer tyre received the rating by achieving an above-average environmental score at a low price to performance ratio.
Continue ReadingPirelli starts Romanian GP2 tyre production
Romanian news portal romania-insider.com stated on 21 February that Pirelli has begun the production of GP2 series racing tyres at its Slatina factory. Further details were not given, however the site notes that the Slatina factory, which is located 110 miles west of Bucharest, also produces GT series tyres.
Continue ReadingPirelli reschedules meetings, presenting new industrial plan in May
Pirelli intends to present its new 2013 – 2017 industrial plan to the financial community on 8 May 2013, in London. As a result, the Italian firm’s Board of Directors meeting, which will review the operational results for the three months ending 31 March, will now take place a day earlier, rather than on 8 May as announced. Furthermore, Pirelli’s annual shareholders’ meeting will now be held on 8 May 2013, and not on 13 May as previously announced.
Continue ReadingGoodyear senior notes offer to fund pension plan contribution
On 20 February, Goodyear Tire & Rubber announced that a public offering of its 8-year senior notes had commenced and will close on 25 February, subject to market and other customary conditions. The notes will be senior unsecured obligations and Goodyear says the offering has an aggregate value of US$900 million. They will be sold at 100 per cent of the principal amount and will bear interest at a rate of 6.5 per cent.
Continue ReadingContinental introduces “LifeCycle” solid rubber retread
Continental’s Specialty Tires business unit has added an eco-friendly product, LifeCycle, to its portfolio. The solid rubber tyre is retreaded upon selected used casings, the utilisation of which is said to lead to considerable savings in energy raw materials used in the production process, and this lowers product price. “With customers’ help this large-scale recycling initiative will help to bring down the number of scrap tyres needing disposal as well as the emission of climate-changing CO2,” shared Continental in a written statement. “Continental LifeCycle protects nature and offers cost savings.”
Continue ReadingTaylor letter ‘ignorant’, replies French minister
Maurice Taylor’s run for the Republican Party nomination in the US presidential election of 1996 ended in failure, and following recent events it is also unlikely the party will keep him in mind as a future Secretary of State. As expected, French industry minister Arnaud Montebourg has responded to the Titan boss’s strongly-worded letter with a few choice comments of his own.
Continue ReadingCV show launch for Hankook retread range
At last September’s IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Germany, Hankook UK sales director Barrie Horrocks told Tyres & Accessories of plans to introduce a bead-to-bead retread range in 2013. He also shared that the UK would serve as a pilot market for the new truck tyre retread line, which will be marketed under the ‘Alphatread’ brand name. Hankook now reports it will unveil its first Alphatread products at the Birmingham-based Commercial Vehicle Show in April, ahead of their UK launch in the second quarter of 2013.
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