Far Reaching Consequences
Following negotiations that lasted some three years, on December 18, 2006 the Council of the European Union unanimously adopted the REACH (registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals) Regulation. With the stated key objectives of REACH being the registration of chemical substances and to transfer a measure of responsibility for the safe use and handling of chemicals and hazardous substances from EU member states to those companies producing and importing such substances, this is a piece of legislation that the tyre industry cannot ignore. And it comes into effect on June 1. As a tyre wears the chemicals contained within are released back into the environment, and while research indicates that the pollution created by tyre wear particles accounts only a small proportion of traffic pollution, there are numerous substances involved. According to the 2006 annual report released by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), the European tyre and rubber industry utilises approximately 4,000 raw materials, of which 90 per cent are preparations. Therefore it is perhaps not surprising that the report also indicates the industry has been identified as belonging amongst the five downstream users to be most heavily affected by the REACH provisions.
Continue ReadingUS Court Backs Goodyear in Pay Discrimination Case
A ruling handed down by the US Supreme Court has set a precedent limiting employees’ ability to sue an employer for pay discrimination in cases relating to decisions made years earlier. The court decided in a 5-4 ruling on a case centred upon the application of deadlines for complaining about discriminatory pay decisions that it would become too difficult for employers to mount a defence against any claims “arising from employment decisions that are long past.” The plaintiff, Lilly Ledbetter, instigated legal action against Goodyear Tire & Rubber based upon her claims that after 19 years of employment at the company’s facility in Gadsden, Alabama she was earning US$6,000 a year less than the lowest-paid male employee performing the same work. Ms Ledbetter argued that her gender was the primary causal factor for this pay inequality, which she claimed been ongoing for a number of years. A jury initially made a decision in Ledbetter’s favour and awarded her $3.8 million, later reduced to $360,000.
Continue ReadingToyo Sells Australian Parts Business
Toyo Tire & Rubber have announced the sale of their Australian subsidiary’s automotive interior parts business. This move comes eight years after the parent company in Japan discontinued its involvement in the automotive interior parts business. The Australian subsidiary, Toyo Tyre & Rubber Australia Ltd, will now focus solely upon its tyre sales and distribution role. The transfer sees the company’s facilities in Sunshine, Victoria changing hands, along with 69 Automotive Interior Parts Business employees. Toyo has not released specific details regarding the division’s new owners.
Continue ReadingNew Look for N.E. Wholesale
For N.E. Wholesale looking good isn’t the most important attribute they like to shout about but it certainly helps when operating in such a competitive industry. You may have read in a previous edition, N.E. Wholesale who’s head office is based in Middlesbrough have undergone a revamp in bringing their brand into the new decade and have opted for a simple yet classy look for their new logo.
Continue ReadingNew Wanli UHP to Hit the Market
(Akron/Tire Review) St. Louis-based Zisser Tire has introduced the Wanli S-1089 ultra-high performance tyre. According to Wanli Performance Tire, Zisser’s marketing arm for the line, the new Wanli S-1089’s tread a large serrated center rib for lateral stability and wet traction, and directional tread blocks. Wanli Performance Tire said the new product is “engineered for comfort and performance in large diameter applications.” The W-rated tyre will be available in nine sizes covering 20- to 24-inch applications, as well as one in size 305/30R26. The tyre, which will be available in late June, said the company, will carry a UTQG of 280AA, and will be covered by Zisser’s free replacement warranty.
Continue ReadingAvon Offers to Keep Performance Cars Cool With Winter Products
Avon Tyres has expanded its cold-weather programme with the addition of new sizes to fit a broad variety of popular high performance cars and 4x4s. Introduced to tackle the precarious driving conditions motorists face from November onwards, the Ice Touring ST and the Ranger Ice have been introduced for high performance saloon cars and 4x4s, respectively. The Ice Touring ST’s specially-engineered tread pattern is designed to deliver grip and handling in winter temperatures. Its high silica content, together with extensive siping, helps keep the tread blocks flexible at very low winter temperatures, which aids grip in the wet and traction in the snow. Wide spacing of the tread blocks also helps prevent the tread clogging up with snow.
Continue Reading“ESC Saves Lives!”
According to the European Commission Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry, every year more than 40,000 people die and over one million are injured in motor vehicle accidents within the European Union, with loss of vehicle control identified as the main cause of accidents involving serious injury or death. As a result the European Commission is putting its weight behind a campaign to highlight the necessity to fit vehicles with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems, launching a Europe-wide ‘Choose ESC!’ campaign at the Bridgestone European Testing ground near Rome on 8th May 2007. Commission vice-president Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry Policy, said: “The benefits of ESC are undisputed. In line with the CARS 21 programme, we are preparing the obligatory installation of ESC into new passenger cars via international harmonisation. Until it becomes mandatory, the voluntary choice of ESC is more than welcome.” The CARS 21 group, established in 2005 and comprised of experts from industry, government and other leading groups, has adopted a 10-year “roadmap” to make the EU’s car industry cleaner, safer and more competitive through the adoption of applicable legislation.
Continue ReadingSiemens Says Continental AG Bid is Low
(Akron/Tire Review) According to European news reports, Gerhard Cromme, supervisory board chairman of Siemens, said Continental AG’s $13.4 billion bid for Siemens VDO, the company’s automotive electronics unit, is not high enough. Various sources say that TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. has also made an indicative bid and that private-equity firms are also interested.
Continue ReadingMichelin Enjoying Strong European Truck Volumes
Michelin could report a pre-tax profit (EBIT) increase of up to 40 per cent for the first half of 2007, according to Deutsche Bank analysts. The positive performance has been supported by strong truck replacement market sales. Truck replacement markets are reportedly up by a 14 per cent in Europe (+3 per cent year-to-date) and down 7 per cent in North America (-5 per cent year-to-date). Michelin’s advantage here comes in the fact that it has a better country mix for this scenario with 50 per cent of sales being generated in Europe and only 35 per cent in North America (55 per cent of these are passenger car tyres, with 33 per cent truck tyres). Add to that the fact that selling prices are up to 50 per cent higher in Europe than in North America, and analysts expect strong first half EBIT increases.
Continue ReadingSolideal Factory in China achieves ISO 9001 Certification
Solideal is pleased to announce that Solideal Rubber Products (Qingdao) Co. Ltd has achieved the ISO 9001: 2000 Quality management certification from Lloyds Shanghai on April 25th 2007. After one year working on the project, the factory was audited by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance and has officially been granted the certification for quality management, aligning itself on all the other Solideal factories worldwide. Since 1996, Solideal has strived to achieve and maintain ISO certification for its factories and research and development facilities. Through its global network of manufacturing, distribution and service centers, the Solideal group supports the Forklift and Tire dealers throughout the world. The Solideal group employs over 7000 people in 20 countries.
Continue ReadingMichelin Foot-Pump Wins Auto Express Product Honour
Auto Express, Britain’s largest circulation motoring weekly, has recognised the outstanding quality and value for money of the Michelin Twin-Barrel foot pump with one of its twenty annual Product Honour awards. The Michelin Twin-Barrel pump scored a maximum 5-star Best Buy rating in a multi-brand product test carried out by Auto Express to check the accuracy, pumping power and ease of use. Whilst the Twin-Barrel foot pump takes the important Product Honour, the Michelin Single-Barrel foot pump took the “Recommended” award in the same group test making it an impressive one-two for Michelin auto accessories range. The Auto Express Product Honours list is respected throughout the aftermarket industry with retailers and consumers recognising the relevance of the distinctive labels. Tests on the pumps included assessments on how many psi each pump delivered after 30 pumps, the accuracy of the gauge calibration, footplate grip and stability.
Continue ReadingCut Out the Waiting With Harvie
Harvie Tyres’ attendance at Brityrex coincided with the release of the company’s brand new 84 page catalogue. This new and larger catalogue reflects Harvie’s ongoing commitment to expanding their product range, and the 2007 edition contains more than 1,300 items with many new offerings including wheel aligners, balancers, tyre changers and alignment lifts. A number of these products are the fruit of a recent supplier partner arrangement deal negotiated between Harvie and Pro-Align, and make a valuable addition to the Prema range of tyre repair equipment and kits that Harvie has become so well known for, plus a wide selection of Trax lead free balance weights, valves, bead lubricants, air line equipment and tools of every description.
Continue ReadingEU Commission Approves Bridgestone’s Bandag Acquisition
The European Commission has cleared Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc’s proposed acquisition of Bandag. After examining the operation the Commission concluded that the transaction “would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.” Making its decision the commission concluded that the new combined firm would continue to face strong, effective competition from companies such as Michelin, Goodyear and Kraiburg. According to the report, the main horizontal overlap occurs between the parties with regard to the re-treading business, particularly the supply of re-treading material to independent businesses active in the re-treading of tyres. However, the Commission’s examination of the proposed merger showed that the horizontal overlaps between the activities of Bridgestone and Bandag are limited and that the transaction would not lead to major structural changes on the re-treading market.
Continue ReadingMichelin Gives Tyre Safety Training in Africa
International development agency Transaid has launched a Tyre Safety Awareness Campaign in Malawi and Zambia, which commenced with a series of training courses led by Phil Rochester, a Training Manager at Michelins head office in Stoke-on-Trent. The initiative forms part of Transaids wider programme of work on road safety and professional driver training, which aims to reduce the number of road traffic crashes in Africa, which records 10 per cent of all such incidents, despite having just four per cent of the worlds total vehicle parc. A total of 10 training courses were delivered over a two week period to key audiences which included traffic police, road safety agencies, road transport operators and public transport operators. Each course provided basic information on safety checks and how to avoid dangers associated with poorly maintained tyres, with training delivered to 270 people.
Continue ReadingESP – Providing Online Expertise
E-Solution Professionals has been supplying e-commerce platforms for the tyre industry since 2001 when the company signed up its first TireWeb user. Today TireWeb is the most widely used business to business e-commerce program in the US, and E-Solution Professionals project that in their home US market more than 7 million tyres will be sold on TireWeb sites during 2007, with some business receiving upwards of 70 per cent of their wholesale orders via TireWeb. According to E-Solution Professionals USA sales manager Brian Erickson, the company’s specialised experience in the area of e-commerce solutions, such as the ability to connect with every type of accounting software in use, has enabled them to deliver a product that exceeds customer expectations. “Many companies have designed their own software, invested a lot of money into it and are at first reluctant to stop using it,” he explains. “But when they see what ours can do for them they have a change of direction.”
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