Michelin Releases Longer Lasting Tyre
Michelin has launched a tyre that the company claims to be the most notable technological breakthrough since the radial technology was first applied to truck tyres in 1952. The tyre – Michelin’s X One MaxiTrailer – reportedly provides up to 50 per cent more mileage than a comparable standard 385/65 R 22.5 tyre.
Continue ReadingTyre Slasher Wreaks Havoc
Tyres feature strongly in this week’s UK news but for once it is news we could do without. More than a hundred cars in Gornal, north west of Birmingham, have had their tyres slashed by a young man – described as a ‘yob’ by local media - wielding a power drill. Residents awoke to find their cars sitting on wheel rims after the attack, and many are now facing hundreds of pounds in repair bills. Those affected include a disabled person whose car, with mobility stickers prominently displayed, had all four tyres slashed. A man aged around 25 was spotted at work with the drill at four o’clock in the morning, but he evaded capture in the subsequent pursuit.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Debuts Ad Campaign at Dealer Conference, Renews NASCAR Contract
(Akron/Tire Review) Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. introduced dealers to a new consumer marketing and advertising campaign that supports an all-new theme for the Goodyear brand: Get There. Larry Mason, president of consumer tyres, officially debuted the new message and accompanying television ads at Goodyears annual dealer meeting in Orlando, Florida.
Continue ReadingBoard Member Quits Amtel-Vredestein
(Akron/Tire Review) Amtel-Vredestein N.V. announced that it has accepted the resignation of executive board member Anne vant Veer, and managing director of Amsterdam Trade Bank N.V. He joined the Amtel-Vredestein executive board in September 2006. Vant Veer said he resigned for personal reasons. Amtel-Vredestein said it did not expect to replace him at this time, and his duties would be assumed by other members of the board.
Continue ReadingTIA Against Florida Retread Ban Bid
(Akron/Tire Review) TIA says it opposes a proposed Florida law that would ban the use of retreaded tyres in that state. Florida Senator Victor Crist proposed S912 earlier this year, calling for the ban.
Continue ReadingTitan to Show New Tyres – at Goodyear Meeting
(Akron/Tire Review) In what has to be an industry first, one tyremaker will take the stage at another tyre company’s national dealer meeting to introduce a series of new products. Titan Tire will be on hand at Goodyear’s dealer meeting in Orlando next week, to launch three Goodyear-branded farm and skid-steer tyres.
Continue ReadingChina Wheel – Expecting to Double Sales
China Wheel Holdings, manufacturer of wheel rims for carmakers such as Nissan and Toyota, has stated that it expects revenue to more than double within three years as new production capacity comes on stream and the Chinese passenger car market continues to grow.
Continue ReadingHayes Lemmerz Announces North American Cuts
Automotive component supplier Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. has announced further plans by which it intends to maximise long-term value for its shareholders through the ‘streamlining’ of its North American operations. Specifically, the Company announced:
Continue ReadingGoodyear Launches New Tyres at Dealer Meeting
(Akron/Tire Review) At the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. dealer meeting today in Orlando, Fla., Goodyear introduced the new ultra-high performance Eagle F1 all-season tyre, an expanded Wrangler SR-A tyre as well as the new Ultra Grip Performance and Ultra Grip SUV winter tyres.
Continue ReadingOne-on-One With Conti’s Claudio Boezio
(SA Treads, Douglasdale, South Africa) When we first met Claudio Boezio in early 2005, he had just assumed responsibility for Continental Tyre SA in his role as MD. At the time and by his own admission, he was fortunate to inherit a well-run, stable ‘ship’. But if there’s one thing that remains constant in the tyre industry, it’s change.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Firestone Opens Second Brazilian Plant
Bridgestone’s Brazilian subsidiary, Bridgestone Firestone do Brasil Indústria e Comércio Ltda., has inaugurated its second Brazilian facility, approximately two years after the announcement of plans to invest in the State of Bahia. Built to meet both domestic and export demand, the 7-hectare plant will focus on the production of car and light truck tyres and is set to directly generate 500 jobs, with a further 1,200 or so jobs expected to be generated in related fields.
Continue ReadingGetting Competitive with Dunlop
With Dunlop’s new product activity in 2006 restricted to the release of the niche market D407 Harley Davidson tyre and the Sportmax GPR100 maxi scooter tyre, the main excitement coming from the Dunlop camp centres upon racing and motorsport. And this enthusiasm comes from the very top - in the past few months the company has publicly voiced its intention to step up support for both motorcycle racing and MotoGP.
Continue ReadingTyrexpo Africa 2006 Proclaimed a Resounding Success
(SA Treads, Douglasdale, South Africa) After months of discussion, planning and hard work, Tyrexpo Africa 2006 – the first dedicated tyre show in the country after more than a quarter of a century - has come and gone. And by all accounts it was a resounding success. The three-day exhibition was based at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg in September, where over 110 national and international exhibitors and wholesalers took part, including Bandag, Ceat, Continental, Leaderquip, Malas, Maxxis, Michelin, Silverstone, Stamford and Vipal.
Continue ReadingASA Launches New TireMaster Web Site
(Akron/Tire Review) ASA Tire Systems launched a completely redesigned Web site – www.tiremaster.com – for its TireMaster software product. The interactive site allows users to find information on software products specific to TireMaster, a full version of TireMaster, ASA’s new TireMaster POS product, and its Inventory Exchange program. Users can also use the site to request information online, contact staff and download product datasheets at the new site.
Continue ReadingMRF Ltd. – Benchmark for the Indian Tyre Market
MRF Ltd. has been India’s most important tyre manufacturer since the industry’s earliest days in the subcontinent. The company was founded in the city of Chennai, previously known as Madras - hence the abbreviation MRF, which is short for “Madras Rubber Factory”. Today the manufacturer can proudly look back at its 60 years of history, and also show pride in its current annual turnover of 42.5 billion rupees (£486 million). According to analysts, MRF today holds a 24 per cent slice of the Indian tyre market and is also very active in export business as well as motorsports. Company sources state that MRF currently exports its products to 75 countries.
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