Cooper Names Formula D Drivers
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has selected its team of drifters for the Need for Speed Formula Drift (Formula D) drifting series. Casper ”Da Ghost” Canul and Matt Vassallo and Rob Fleming from Team Enjuku will lead the drifting team. Cooper will supply the drivers with Cooper Zeon 2XS, Zeon ZPT and Zeon Sport A/S tires.
Continue ReadingAvon Tyres Launches New Web Site
Avon Tyres is promoting its online brand exposure with the launch of a new web site, accessible at www.avontyres.com The new site streamlines the tyre selection process, and provides a comprehensive guide to Avon Tyres and their extensive list of products.
Continue ReadingNew OE Deal Cements Hankook’s High Performance Credentials
From February of this year, Hankook tyres are being fitted to the fifth generation Golf. The Volkswagen Golf has been the single best-selling model of car in Western Europe since the first generation debuted in 1974. Hankook will supply the high performance Ventus Prime K105 205/55R 16. Furthermore since Hankook moved into its purpose built warehouse complex, high performance stockholding has more than doubled, company representatives told Tyres & Accessories.
Continue ReadingNew High Performance Viking Pattern
The Viking tyre range has been further enhanced with the introduction of the new Protech II pattern, replacing the current Protech 500. Exclusively available from Viking International, the Protech II’s asymmetric pattern is said to be the perfect combination for wet and dry conditions.
Continue ReadingFood Transport Fleet Benefits from Regrooving
David Price Food Services Ltd is enjoying an average 27.8 per cent increase in mileage performance from each of the Michelin drive axle tyres on its fleet of 26 commercial vehicles by regrooving them in-line with Michelin’s recommendations. According to the manufacturer, the company fits new Michelin 295/80 R22.5 XZE 2+ and XDE2+ tyres as standard across its fleet, with each tyre regrooved by the local ATS Euromaster branch when the tread depth reaches two to three millimetres.
Continue ReadingMaking High Performance Better
Since BFGoodrich took over supplying some WRC teams, the brand has been showing its high-performance colours. Now managers are offering independent dealers some great opportunities to taste the hi-octane lifestyle. Like other influential companies Michelin group brand BFGoodrich has felt the effect of a downturn in general passenger car replacement market. However, though sales volumes dropped in the first half of 2005, associate brand manager Dominic Clark reports that this was compensated for in the second half -against the market trend. While some sources put the total market downturn between 11 and 13 per cent, BFGoodrich only experienced an 8 per cent drop in the first half of 2005. In the second half sales compensated for the first half results and the company ended the year only 1.2 per cent down on 2004.
Continue ReadingTrelleborg Completes Sale of Goodall Rubber
Trelleborg has completed the sale of US subsidiary, Goodall Rubber Co. Goodall, which sells and distributes industrial supplies, primarily hoses and hose connectors, in the US and Canada, has slightly more than 400 employees and generated sales of approximately SEK 650 M in 2005.
Continue ReadingAmerican Racing Introduces Dominator Wheel
(Akron/Tire Review) American Racing Equipment Inc. has added the Dominator, a new all-terrain wheel, to its ATX series line. The new wheel, available in eight lug applications, features a five-spoke design, a “cavernous lip” and barbs on the spokes. It was designed to complement customized, lifted trucks, according to American Racing. The Dominator is available in 17x9, 18x9.5 and 20x10 sizes and comes in a diamond-cut finish, coated with Teflon or chrome.
Continue ReadingTIA Hires Director of Membership
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) announced the hiring of Megan Schwartzmeyer as director of membership. To meet the growing demands of the membership department, Ms Schwartzmeyer will focus on membership sales and services.
Continue ReadingCooper Net Sales up 16 per cent
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. announced that net sales set a new quarterly record of $597 million for the three months ending on Mar. 31, compared to $514 million in the same period of 2005. Cooper said its acquisition of Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Passenger Tire Co. Ltd. and Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co., Ltd. increased sales by $48 million in the quarter, and higher prices, improved product mix, and higher unit sales volumes in North America and Europe added $39 million.
Continue ReadingRosava Counts on OE Orders From Volkswagen
Not all of the Soviet Union’s tyre manufacturers exhibited at Tires & Rubber Moscow in March. While Amtel and Sibur decided not to come, Niznekamshina, Belshina, Moscow Tyre Plant and Rosava (from the Ukraine) all booked floorpsace. Rosava, a closed joint-stock company which is listed but not traded on the stock exchange, belonged to Amtel until a year ago, then a Ukrainian investment bank called “Finance and Credit” took over. Before and after that change of ownership, the annual production was and is about 6.7 million tyres, explains Rosava’s deputy commercial director Roman Y. Rybachuk. This output includes some 6 million (radial only) passenger car tyres and 700,000 truck tyres. The manufacturer supplies about 50 per cent of the Ukrainian PC market, Mr Rybachuk continues. And about 20 per cent of the annual output (1.4 million units) is exported to Russia, and another 10 per cent to the other CIS states.
Continue ReadingToyo Named Official Tyre of New ‘Fast and Furious’ Movie
(Akron/Tire Review) Toyo Tire USA Corp. will provide the official tyre “The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift.” The blockbuster movie, “The Fast and The Furious,” and its sequel, “2 Fast 2 Furious,” created a new awareness of the automotive aftermarket, according to Toyo.
Continue ReadingBrisa Aims to Establish Lassa Brand in Russia
One European tyre manufacturer that clearly is expanding at the moment is Brisa-Bridgestone Sabanci Tyre Manufacturing and Trading Inc. Since 2003 the Turkish joint venture company has invested about $174 million into the expansion of its local production capacities which will eventually increase by 55 per cent to more than 10 million units. In order to distribute this growing production capacity the Turkish tyre manufacturer is looking for new customers that should come from Russia, says Haldun Kuran. Right now there is no market for Brisa in Russia, the international sales director continues. But very soon the company will sell its first Lassa branded tyres on the Russian market through the “Pole Position” francise, which is linked with Bridgestone and operates about 100 point of sales.
Continue ReadingTires & Rubber Moscow Awaits its Jubilee
The fact that the Russian tyre market is among the most interesting in the world could not have failed to raise expectations about the Tires & Rubber Moscow exhibition, which took place for the ninth time in March. Although the organisers of the Russian tyre show reported a drop in the numbers of exhibitors and visitors, organisers Maxima are confident about the future and believe that the show is on track. The 10th anniversary exhibition will take place in Moscow’s Expocentr from 12-15 March 2007.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Philippines to Add 50 Dealers
(Akron/Tire Review) Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s Philippines business will add 50 more dealers and introduce new products in the region, according to the Philippine newspaper Manila Bulletin.
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