Reifen China 2008 Opens with 25% Visitor Increase
Reifen China 2008 opened its doors in Shanghai today, with over 3000 visitors entering the city’s New International Expo Center for the show. The show’s organisers - Messe Essen, China United Rubber (Group) Company and concept partner Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkanisieur-Handwerk (the German equivalent of the NTDA) - were all reportedly pleased with the 25 per cent increase in visitor numbers compared with the 2007 show. Over 110 companies from 16 countries are exhibiting their products and services at Reifen China covering 3500 square metres of floor space (31 per cent more than the 2007 show).
Continue ReadingB.F. SRL Expanding Into New Export Markets
In the area of wheel balancing weights, B.F. srl believes it stands out in terms of its enterprise in researching new weights and solutions to meet all market requirements. The ISO 9001:2000 certified company reports it has made a number of important decisions in recent years, including the creation of a technical department for internal projection, which is capable of designing and manufacturing balancing weight production machinery, along with moulds and all relevant spare components.
Continue ReadingContinental Named Fleet Van Tyre Provider of the Year
This year’s inaugural Fleet Van awards ceremony in Birmingham saw Continental Tyre Group named as Tyre Provider of the Year. The judging panel evaluated entrants based on a number of criteria, which included: validated performance of the current product range; availability of supply; simplicity of fitment and evidence of the company’s commitment to future development and innovation. Trevor Gelken, Editor of Fleet Van Magazine commented: “We were very impressed with Continental’s performance in all of the judging categories, but the deciding factor for us was the outstanding focus on safety”. Continental actively promotes safety through its work with road safety and government organisations using initiatives such as the 3mm minimum tread depth campaign. In addition, safety has always been the first consideration for Continental’s research and development teams in developing new product.
Continue ReadingContinental AG Removed from DAX
On December 3 Continental AG was removed from the Frankfurt stock exchange’s DAX index. The Deutsche Börse relegated Conti from the DAX to the MDAX mid-cap index because the company’s market capitalisation no longer fulfilled DAX criteria. The decision was taken regarding Continental’s market capitalisation on the evening of December 2, and the company will appear in the MDAX as of December 22.
Continue ReadingLloyd Fraser Gets Vacu-Lug in Focus
Lloyd Fraser Supply Chain has renewed its three-year contract for Vacu-Lug to supply tyres for tis Focus DIY distribution contract. The agreement covers a total of 162 items of equipment and features a combination of fixed-price and pence-per-kilometre pricing. A total of 59 Scania tractor units, 76 Don-Bur double-deck trailers and 27 Lawrence David trailers are included within the agreement, which will see new Yokohama tyres fitted to all steer axles and Vacu-Lug Duramold retreaded tyres on the trailers. Reflecting the nature of the operation, the tractor units are on a pence-per-kilometre tariff while the trailers are charged for at a fixed monthly rate.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Takes “Small Step Backwards” in Moon Tyre Development
Goodyear and NASA have, in the US tyre major’s own words “taken one small step backward to make one giant leap forward” in their preparation for future missions to the moon and to Mars. A project jointly funded by Goodyear and the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has recently been completed. This project called for the development and production of twelve exact copies of the original wire-mesh moon tyre used on the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle in the early 1970s. The creation of these replicates was, says Goodyear, the first step toward understanding this unique non-pneumatic tyre technology, and its applications on both the moon and Earth.
Continue ReadingThe House That Tyres Built
A Canadian family in Gravenhurst, Ontario is making ready to build a new family home with a distinctive new twist; it will be made from recycled tyres. “Tyres absorb the heat all day long, then release it at night as it gets cooler on the outside,” an excited Paul Punshon told local news sources. The architect of the scheme says that the used rubber has been easily sourced – people have paid him to get rid of them. The tyres will be stacked and covered in concrete, which should allow them to provide the heating Punshon suggests they can. The entire home will be made from recycled objects and will attempt to reach self-sustainability. As for the building work, Paulson appears to have a willing and eager pool of potential helpers: “We are getting e-mails from all over Canada, the East Coast, (and) West Coast that say they will work for free, they just want to learn how to do it.”
Continue ReadingCooper Reaches Tentative Agreement with Findlay Union
A tentative agreement between Cooper Tire & Rubber and the United Steelworkers Local 207 regarding the company’s Findlay, Ohio facility has been reached. If this agreement is ratified, a new three-year contract may be implemented. The Findlay plant manager has said the agreement places the facility in a position to be more competitive, something seen as a major step towards maintaining operations at the site in light of Cooper’s plans to close one of the company’s four US factories.
Continue ReadingStandard & Poor’s ‘B+’ Rating Affirmed for Giti Tire
Standard & Poors Ratings Services said it has affirmed Giti Tire’s B+ long-term corporate credit rating with a negative outlook, based upon the company’s weak financials going into 2009. It also affirmed Gitis B- foreign-currency issue rating on the companys unsecured notes. Furthermore, Standard & Poor’s says all Giti’s ratings have been removed from CreditWatch, where they had been placed with negative implications in September.
Continue ReadingReifen China off to a Successful Start
The organisers of the Shanghai based Reifen China 2008 exhibition have reported a successful first day. On December 4 more than three thousand trade visitors attended the show at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, an increase of 25 per cent on the previous year. Show hosts CURC (China United Rubber (Group) Company) and Messe Essen, along with major sponsor BRV (Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkanisieur-Handwerk - the Federal Association of the Tyre Trade and the Vulcanisers Skilled Trade) expressed their satisfaction with this result, particularly against the background of current global economic unease.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Concludes Anti-Vibration Rubber JV Agreement
Bridgestone has concluded an agreement with India’s Sundaram Industries to establish a joint venture to produce anti-vibration rubber for use in vehicles. The Tamil Nadu based company is a member of India’s Prominent TVS Group, and a leader in the field of anti-vibration rubber in that country. Bridgestone first concluded a technical assistance agreement in anti-vibration rubber for automobiles business with Sundaram Industries in 1996, and the two companies have built a close relationship over the years. Bridgestone believes the joint venture will enable the production and sale of high-quality products boasting technical superiority at a competitive cost in the expanding Indian market, and lead to an enhanced global supply chain.
Continue ReadingMichelin to Jointly Develop Electric Powertrains
Michelin has reportedly teamed up with a Chinese company to jointly develop electric powertrains. Information published by Automotive News indicates that the French firm has signed an agreement with battery material supplier CITIC Guoan Mengguli (MGL) to develop electric powertrain systems for electric vehicles and plug in hybrids. The system will integrate Michelins active wheel technology with lithium ion batteries from MGL, and the two companies will jointly develop controllers for the system.
Continue ReadingHankook Design Acknowledged at iF Awards
Hankook Tire has picked up awards for the design of its enfren and Optimo 4S tyres at the iF Product Design Awards 2009 ceremony, held in the German city of Hanover. The two tyres became the first passenger car tyres to ever win the design award organised by the International Forum Design. They were both awarded in the ‘Transportation’ category, and were judged according to their technology, environment friendliness, functionality, safety and design quality. The tyres are appraised independently for their quality and performance in terms of the environment and fuel efficiency, and Hankook attributes the tyre’s recognised innovative qualities to its consistent 5 per cent investment into its Kontrol Technology programme, which it states is one of the highest proportional levels of R&D investment in the tyre industry. The enfren tyre was launched in Korea in June 2008 and according to the Korea Automotive Technology Institute reduces rolling resistance by 21 per cent and improves fuel economy by two per cent. The Optimo 4S is currently the only tyre in the world and first all-season tyre ever to receive the famous German eco-label, the Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel, in use since 1978 and considered to be the world’s first environmental-related label for products and services).
Continue ReadingHankook to Sponsor Scottish Rally Championship
Next year the MSA Scottish Rally Championship will gain the backing of Hankook Tire – and the manufacturer is apparently already considering extending the sponsorship deal further. Hankook replaces the County Saab motor group, following five years’ involvement, as the championship’s main sponsor. We are delighted to be focusing our attention in 2009 on the Scottish Rally Championship, said Hankook motorsport manager Mike Patterson. The series attracts some intense competition and the enthusiasm and professionalism of the organising team has been instrumental in finalising this deal.
Continue ReadingContinental Sime Relocates Retreading Facility
Continental Sime Tyre is relocating its retreading operations. The majority Conti owned Malaysian joint venture company will move the plant from Alor Gajah in the Southern Malay Peninsula to Petaling Jaya, near Kuala Lumpur, in a series of stages, starting early 2009. The relocation is expected to be completed by March 2009.
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