Yokohama Subsidiary Gains ISO Certification
Yokohama Rubber reports that its US subsidiary engaged in the manufacture of rubber hoses for vehicle air conditioning and power steering units, SAS Rubber Company, became ISO 14001 certified in December 2007. According to Yokohama, the ISO 14001 certification of the Ohio facility comes as part of the company’s Grand Design 100 plan (GD100), first announced in April 2006; under the principles of GD100 all Yokohama group companies have been working on acquiring ISO 14001 certification, and all eleven of the company’s production bases in Japan and the corporate head office have already done so. Of Yokohama Rubber’s 13 overseas locations, nine, including SAS Rubber Company, have also been certified. The remainder, Yokohama reports, are working to complete the process at the earliest possible time.
Continue ReadingThe Nominations Are In…
Chris Anthony Editor, Tyrepress.com/Tyres & Accessories Tyre Industry Publications, Federation House, Station Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2SA, United Kingdom +44 (0)1782 969860 The content herein is expressly intended for the person(s) addressed, and for business purposes. Any other communication is the sole opinion of the author and not necessarily the views of Tyre Industry Publications Ltd.
Continue ReadingSnap-on Introduces Wheel Alignment Guide
Snap-On Equipment has published a “comprehensive guide to wheel alignment,” which aims to simplify the complex subject. The guide provides detailed information and illustrations on a number of topics, ranging from pre-alignment checks, types of aligner and workshop bay requirements, through to alignment terminology, such as toe-in an toe-out and adjustment methods. Chris Behan, general manager, Snap-on Equipment, comments: “There’s no doubt that more sophisticated chassis technology combined with the growing damage risk from our pothole ridden roads has made the importance of correct wheel alignment even more significant. Wheel alignment is a complex subject and I hope our new guide simplifies some of the complexity.”
Continue ReadingCM Drawing Upon Decades of Experience
Columbus McKinnon, a company that manufactures a broad line of material handling products for use in a host of industries, has been building shredders specifically designed to meet the requirements of the tyre recycling industry since 1982. All aspects of the recycling processed can be accommodated by Columbus McKinnon produced machinery, from pre-shredding oversized tyres through to the delivery of wire-free crumb rubber – and the company proudly claims the equipment it produces has helped it become a recognised leader for the highest production, best chip quality, and lowest operating costs.
Continue ReadingJK Tyre – Past, Present & Future
When JK Tyre & Industries vice-chairman and managing director Raghupati Singhania introduced truck radial tyres onto the Indian market in 1976, people questioned the sense of the decision. Yet more than three decades on JK Tyre has not only been vindicated through the widespread adoption of the technology by its competitors; today the manufacturer holds a 70 per cent market share in this segment. Speaking with India’s Financial Express newspaper, Mr. Singhania expressed no doubt that decisions, such as that he made in the 1970s, are vital for a company’s well being. “That’s what leadership is all about. It may not be the popular view but you have to have your own understanding and judgment.” This understanding and judgement has aided JK Tyre during its occasionally bumpy journey from a small player with an annual capacity of 500,000 units 30 years ago to today’s tyre major with a presence in 75 national markets.
Continue ReadingNext Generation Recycling
Highly regarded turnkey project supplier Van Aarsen International can rely upon almost 60 years of experience when designing machines for the tyre recycling industry. The Netherlands based company has built-up a broad knowledge and wide experience in every area of various process industries, and over the decades has developed into one of the world’s leading companies in process technologies. Van Aarsen machines are produced in the Netherlands, and possess the reliability and level of quality that has given equipment sourced from this part of the world such a strong reputation. The company states its main strength as the ability to keep the entire technical process in mind when developing machinery, whilst producing designs that can then be adapted to every client-specific situation. As Van Aarsen puts it, knowledge and experienced is combined in an innovative manner of thinking and working.
Continue ReadingHauling Coal with Semperit
Ayrshire based haulier French & Son shift a million and a half tonnes of coal each year to local railheads and into southern England, and the company has praised the durability of the Semperit tyres fitted to its vehicles. For almost three years Semperit has been the tyre of choice for the long-established firm of Tom French & Son of Cumnock. Their 42 trucks – mainly Volvo mid-lift axle artics – move between 6,000 and 7,500 tonnes of coal every day from a local open cast mine. It’s very demanding work, both for the vehicles shuttling constantly between the site and the nearby railhead and for those on the long haul work.
Continue ReadingSolutia Files Suit Against 3 Banks
On Feburary 6 Solutia Inc. filed a complaint in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York against the three banks that had executed a firm commitment to fund a US$2 billion exit financing package for Solutia, but to date have refused to meet this commitment. These banks are Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs Credit Partners L.P., and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. The supplier of chemicals to the rubber industry is seeking a court order requiring the banks to meet their commitment and fund its exit from bankruptcy. The complaint also asserts that the banks should be stopped from invoking the clause they claim relieves them of their obligation due to their improper conduct and misrepresentations to the company, and further claims that the banks fraudulently induced Solutia to enter into the initial engagement by promising that the financing was firmly committed. Solutia and the banks have agreed that Solutias claim to require immediate funding of the $2 billion package should be heard by the Court on an expedited basis, with the trial to conclude by the end of February – prior to the expiration of the banks commitment.
Continue ReadingOne Million KM and Still Rolling with Michelin
How much mileage do you expect from your tyres? 40,000 kilometres? Does 100,000 kilometres sound impressive? That’s chicken feed for Samworth Brothers – a MAN TGA 6x2 tractor unit belonging to the Plymouth based food distribution company has clocked up a cool million on the same set of Michelin XDE2 drive axle tyre casings. The company achieved this admirable performance by following Michelin’s Four Lives tyre policy and through stringent tyre maintenance managed in-house by its own Michelin-trained technicians. Not wishing to claim all credit for the Methuselah-like longevity of the XDE2 casings, Michelin adds that the high professional standards of the Samworth Brothers company drivers also made a difference.
Continue Reading‘Poke Us, and We’ll Poke Back’ – Titan Tire
One of the key agitators behind the US Department of Commerce’s anti-dumping duties has praised the February 6 decision to introduce tougher measures against subsidised OTR tyres from China. Titan Tire, a vocal advocate of US business rights, released a statement on the issue from company chairman and CEO, Maurice M. Taylor. “Todays decision will help to restore conditions of fair trade to the US market for OTR tyres by requiring Chinese imports to be priced fairly,” announced Taylor. “For far too long, US producers of OTR tyres such as Titan and our workers have had to compete against Chinese tyres sold at dumped prices, which is illegal. Now, importers and producers will have to compete on the same level field as other producers.”
Continue ReadingWRAP Advocates Using Tyre Rubber on Public Rights of Way
WRAP is aiming to convince local authorities and private landowners of the practical and environmental benefits of using tyre-derived rubber crumb in constructing, upgrading and repairing public rights of way. The campaign builds on a successful WRAP-funded trial, run in conjunction with Nottinghamshire County Council, which has already shown that the inclusion of tyre-derived rubber in rights of way offers a versatile, durable and widely-acceptable surface. Peter Jarman, Rights of Way Manager at Nottinghamshire County Council, said that Local Authorities are obliged to provide surfaces which meet the needs of as many user groups as possible, adding: “The surfaces themselves have demonstrated that they are durable and suit the needs of all our main user groups. The feedback we have received has certainly been very positive and we consider the trial a success. Finding a surfacing solution which best satisfies the varying needs of the different users is a significant challenge for local authorities and we’re extremely pleased with the way these trial sections have performed. We are now looking for more opportunities to incorporate recycled tyre material in other surfacing projects.”
Continue ReadingFirst New MG Roadsters Expected in May
Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) is aiming to start producing MG TF roadsters in Nanjing in May and at its plant in Longbridge, Birmingham, within three months of then, a senior executive told the Financial Times. However the cars relaunch could be delayed further by quality and production. According to the report, MG is also studying at least three new models, including a replacement for the TF, which it hopes to produce from 2010, Chen Hong, SAICs president told the newspaper. About 70 per cent of the new models manufacture - including their engines - will be made in China. The remaining 30 per cent is expected to be produced in Europe.
Continue ReadingStamford Tyres Releases New Falken Range in India
Stamford Tyres Distributors India Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Stamford Tyres, has launched the new Falken ZIEX ZE912 radial across its distribution network in India. Working in partnership with Falken tyre manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Stamford Tyres will market the ZE912 tyre to owners of passenger cars, wagons and mini-vans. Mr. Wee Kok Wah, president of Stamford Tyres said, “the ZE912 will become the core product of the Falken range that we sell. It sits in the middle between its top ultra-high performance tyres and its entry-level line. The ZE912 is a high-performance tyre with broad market appeal, with sizes that can fit at least 80 per cent of the mid to upper segment passenger cars and MPVs now used on Indian roads. This means if a driver pulls up at one of our dealer outlets, we will have a ZE912 tyre that will be just right for his car.”
Continue ReadingDouble Coin Introduces North America Fleet Program
Double Coin Truck Tire is rolling out a fleet programme for its North American customers. Known as the Double Coin National Account Fleet Program, the scheme enables medium and large-sized trucking fleets to purchase high quality Double Coin TBR products at competitive pricing through the extensive dealer network across North America. “Fleets that have a large geographic coverage across North America currently purchase Double Coin truck tyres from local dealers independently. This program now allows these fleets to receive standardised, centralised pricing and billing direct from Double Coin,” company officials said.
Continue ReadingMMH Supplying Eldan Equipment at Home and Abroad
West Sussex based marketer and distributor of recycling equipment, MMH Recycling Systems, reports it is continuing to supply top quality equipment for the tyre recycling industry through its partnership with Danish manufacturer Eldan Recycling A/S. During 2007 MMH supplied new equipment to four recycling facilities, and in the coming few months several more plants, currently under production, will be delivered to UK customers. The company provides a complete service to its customers, which can include designing, building and commissioning everything from a single machine to a complete, highly automated, tyre recycling plant. Equipment supplied by MMH Recycling Systems and used by many successful tyre recyclers employs a simple, reliable and cost effective method of shredding & granulating tyres and separating the resultant rubber, steel and fibres.
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