New Size for Nokian Forest Rider
The Nokian Forest Rider, designed for CTL (cut-to-length) forestry machines, is said to be the first functional radial tyre for professional forestry use. The size range for the tyre, which Nokian reports has won over users with its driving comfort, durability and supreme traction, is now expanding. The newly available 24.5-inch rim size offers increased mobility and load-bearing capacity to smaller forestry machines. This larger size will also enable smaller machines to bear increasingly substantial loads and efficiently tackle demanding harvesting jobs. This latest Nokian Forest Rider rim size has a width of 650 mm.
Continue ReadingNZ Tyre Shop Worker Saves Man with Tyre Tube
A tyre shop worker in New Zealand used a tyre tube to save a drowning man after an unplanned lunch-break detour to view adverse weather conditions took him to the shores of the Grey River on the northwest coast of the South Island. Glen Redmond, of Tasman Tyre Treads, acted swiftly when a woman yelled for help, informing him that her husband had fallen into the choppy waters. He inflated a truck tyre inner tube and, attaching a rope, threw the rig to the drowning man. The man had been clinging precariously to rocks, against which he was battered until the floating tube allowed him safely to drift clear and away from the waves. Eventually the coastguard was able to haul him out of the water. Redmond’s quick-thinking has been hailed by the rescue service as saving the victim’s life. His heroic actions presumably gave him the best possible excuse as to why he was late back from lunch.
Continue ReadingPirelli Appoint New Road Racing Technician
Pirelli Tire has unveiled its new road racing technician: Chris Jensen of Denmark is set to join road racing manager Christoph Knoche in providing Pirelli rubber for North American road racing. Jensen joins the Italian giant from Parts Unlimited, where he was for various lines a brand manager. He has also spent time as a mechanic in World Superbike and World Speedway. He describes joining Pirelli’s team as “like joining a rock band nearing the height of its career” in a Pirelli press release. Knoche, Jensen’s new manager, added that, “Were looking forward to Chris contributing greatly to the Pirelli experience. After two record-setting seasons of podium finishes in the AMA Superbike series we have high expectations for next year… Next year we plan on doing even better at every racetrack.”
Continue ReadingHiQ Experiences “High Level” of Franchise Interest
Mark Brickhill, the group managing director of Goodyear Dunlop, has released a statement commenting on the “high level of interest from ambitious businesses wanting to join us in investing in the future growth of HiQ” following the announcement of the company’s plan to sign long-term franchise agreements. The move towards longer franchises comes as a manoeuvre that will prevent a proposed management buyout from taking place, while also extending the scheme that has seen great success in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Brickhill continued, stating that since the announcement of the extension of the franchising system to all parent-owned HiQ sites in England and Wales, many businesses had applied to join the scheme: “On the closing date (May 16th) we had more bidders than the total number of franchise regions. This puts us in a strong position to make choices that ensure we have committed franchisees on board who share our vision in strengthening the network.
Continue ReadingUK Online Car Parts Supplier Reports European Buying ‘Frenzy’
One UK based online car parts retailer reports a ‘frenzy’ of ordering from our motoring friends in France, Germany and Spain. Quoting a new report, car parts direct says that these continental customers are saving as much as 70 per cent compared with buying in their own country. Export sales of car parts to do-it-yourself mechanics and the garage trade have increased by 285 per cent in the last year as the value of the euro has risen by around one-fifth. The UK’s weak currency, a good availability of spare parts and fast and low cost delivery into Europe are fuelling record export sales for the online mail order specialist, carparts-direct.co.uk.
Continue ReadingKRT Looks to Continue Independent Success
With an inventory in excess of £7 million, Kings Road Tyres (KRT) claims to have secured a high level of penetration into the UK market for truck and bus tyres. KRT has been marketing and distributing TBR tyres for the past four decades in which time it has become one of the largest independent distributors in the UK and Ireland. The company’s extensive TBR stocks range from premium brands such as Bridgestone, Continental and Dunlop to Firestone and its own brand Kingstone, all the way through to the economy range of Kumho and its very latest additions - Infinity and Aeolus. KRT is very proud of its ability to offer a wide range of brands and fitments, covering short and long haul, construction, on/off road and city tyres, maintaining a choice of tyres to suit their customer’s needs, while making the best effort at combining quality with competitive pricing. The firm claims to be “committed to offering customers a product to suit both quality and price.”
Continue ReadingUS Congress Orders Rolling Resistance Information Campaign
Following some 12 years during which it blocked any attempt to introduce a tyre rolling resistance standard, the US Congress has responded to climbing fuel prices by ordering a consumer information programme by next year to inform consumers what to expect from tyres in terms of fuel economy. Since 1996 a congressional ban on adding such information to existing grading standards has been in place and renewed annually.
Continue ReadingGeorgia on Toyo’s Mind for Expansion
Toyo Tire is ready to invest in a third Georgia expansion since 2004. Governor Sonny Perdue has revealed to local news sources that the Japanese company will invest a further $270 million in its White, Bartow County facility, creating another 400 jobs. The company hopes to double output to 5.2 million units a year in 2011, with a total of 850 employees working in the newly-expanded factory.
Continue ReadingAdvans Face Varied Race Demands, Comments Watanabe
With a widely differing range of tracks already visited during the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) and its Formula Master partner series in 2008, official tyre supplier Yokohama reports it faces a huge challenge when designing tyres for both series. Although the ADVAN tyre production for both formulae is very similar, the design and development process has to take into account an enormous amount of variants, resulting in very different tyres.
Continue ReadingFormer Hayes Lemmerz CEO, CFO Found Liable for Securities Fraud
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that on August 20 a federal duty found former Hayes Lemmerz International CEO Ranko Cucuz and former CFO William D. Shovers liable for securities fraud charges against the SEC. The verdict followed a two-week jury trial in Detroit, Michigan.
Continue ReadingMAK to Appear at Automechanika
Italian wheel manufacturer MAK has announced that its presence will be felt at the next Automechanika – the international fair dedicated to car components and accessories. The event will be held in Frankfurt between Tuesday 16 September and Sunday 21 September. Automechanika will give MAK the opportunity to speak with many international dealers: the company promises to the opportunity to increase its contacts and business, especially since it exports many of its products. “Looking at our growth and considering our purpose to develop our business in those foreign countries that seems to be more interesting concerning car fashion accessorizes, we have to say that we must be present and exhibit MAK range at such an important international fair as Automechanika: there we can optimize our business,” says Emanuele Roncadori, MAK Export Manager.
Continue ReadingPirelli Shuts Burton Plant too
Having temporarily shut its Carlisle plant after a fault with the building’s boiler, Pirelli has also sent home its workforce at the company’s other UK factory in Burton. Pirelli told its workers that production would be suspended while checks were performed on the company’s boiler system. However, there is as yet no word on when the workforce will be able to return to the plant.
Continue ReadingGoodyear VEBA Trust Gains Court Approval
Goodyear reports that the Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association trust (VEBA) proposed by it and the United Steelworkers union has been approved by the US District Court. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Goodyear will now make a US$1 billion cash contribution to the VEBA, which will provide healthcare benefits to the companys current and future USW retirees. This one-time contribution will be made initially from existing cash reserves and available credit lines. Gaining court approval for the VEBA is a win-win for Goodyear and for our current and future USW retirees, said Goodyear Chairman Robert J. Keegan. This agreement both protects retiree benefits for years to come and removes a significant legacy obligation from our North American business.
Continue ReadingBelle Honored for 50 Years With Goodyear
Michigan-based Belle Tire recently celebrated its 50th year of doing business with Goodyear. Goodyear chairman and CEO Bob Keegan and other company officials visited Belle Tire on Aug. 15 to present anniversary awards. Belle Tire, which began business in 1922, started with Goodyear in 1958 when it took on the Kelly-Springfield line. Don Barnes, the Kelly salesman who put the deal together, later came on as a partner in Belle Tire, buying 100% ownership in 1984. Today, Belle Tire operates 80 retail locations across Michigan and northern Ohio, with seven offering commercial tires and service. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingAircraft Tyre Production Begins at Bridgestone’s Tokyo Plant
Production of new aircraft radial tyres has begun at Bridgestone’s Tokyo Plant in August, reports the company following the completion of the facility’s initial phase. Once the Tokyo Plant is fully completed, which will likely occur by the end of 2011, Bridgestone estimates the factory’s overall production capacity of new aircraft tyres will be approximately 2.5 times the current level.
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