Stamford Earns Certifications
(Akron/Tire Review) Stamford Tires & Wheels Inc. wheel manufacturing plant in Thailand earned TÜV CERT for process quality, and accreditation from the Vehicle Inspection Association (VIA) Japan for its in-house laboratory.
Continue ReadingAnalysts Cautious About Goodyear Cost-Cutting
Deutsche Bank analysts have reacted cautiously to the news that Goodyear is closing its Dunlop Tyre factory in the U.K. and ceasing production of bicycle tyres and inner tubes at its Poland plant. The company expects these actions to generate after-tax savings of between $30-$40 million per year. Goodyear has previously announced that it is targeting $250-$350 million in annual cost savings from reducing high cost capacity and shifting production to lower cost markets.
Continue ReadingWheel and Parts Plant for Bulgaria
In Sofia, Bulgarias Economy and Energy Minister Rumen Ovcharov and the Vice President of French company Montupet, Didier Crozet, are expected to sign the contract for the construction of an aluminium car parts manufacturing plant in the Industrial Park of Russe. The total investment will be 70 million Bulgarian Leva (35 million Euros) and 500 new jobs will be created in a three-year period.
Continue ReadingContinental Opens Brazilian Factory
Continental AG has just opened its new tyre plant in Brazil and said that it should be operating at full capacity within the next 18 months. The new low-cost production capacities play a key role in our concept for the future passenger tyre business in the loss-making NAFTA region. At the same time, the capacities allow for profitable growth, CEO Manfred Wennemer said in a statement released in Germany.
Continue ReadingESP “Could Halve Accident Rates” – Bosch
Bosch has reached a production milestone by announcing that it has produced 20 million Electronic Stability Program (ESP) systems since the technology was developed just over a decade ago. The company makes braking control systems at seven plants in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The active safety system detects the onset of skidding in a vehicle and works to counter it without any action by the driver. Recently published studies prove that car driver whose vehicle are fitted cause accidents much more rarely. If every new car were to be fitted with ESP, the number of single vehicle accidents resulting in serious injury could be reduced by up to 50 percent.
Continue ReadingContinental Wins Top Toyota Award
Toyota Motor Europe has presented its Supplier Award for Superior Performance in Project Management for 2005 to the Continental Automotive Systems Division. In doing so, Toyota paid tribute to the supplier’s performance in the development, production preparation and delivery of the brake system of the new Yaris subcompact car. This was the first time that Toyota transferred the system responsibility for a complete brake system to Continental Automotive Systems.
Continue ReadingMotorola Deal Increases Conti Market Capitalisation
The recent purchase of Motorolas Auto Electronics business by Continental has increased the German companys market capitalisation by 900 million Euros this week. Financial analysts appear to approve of the deal, describing it as a good fit and, at US$1 billion (812 million Euros), they feel that the price was right. The analysts also believe that the deal will quickly add to the groups operating profits.
Continue ReadingNatural Rubber Price Continues to Rise
The price of natural rubber is reaching a new high of US$2.16/kg; a rise of 22 per cent since January 1st and up 87 per cent since January 2005. As an example of the potential effect on tyre manufacturing, a 60kg truck tyre will contain around 24kg of natural rubber. Already this year, many tyre manufacturers have announced two lots of price increases and industry pundits expect further price rises if natural rubber prices stay at the current level.
Continue ReadingSmithers Group Buys Rapra Technology
The Smithers Group, an independent testing, consulting and contract research organization based in the US, has announced that it had closed a deal to purchase UK company Rapra Technology. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The announcement ends weeks of speculation of the fate of Rapra Technology, which was forced into Administration on 8 March.
Continue ReadingMichelin Saves Fuel for Haulier
Shepton Mallet-based Framptons Transport Services Ltd has identified an average fuel saving of 0.24 mpg (nearly three per cent) on its ERF ECT tractor units, following a trial of Michelin Energy tyres, which are designed for trucks operating primarily on major roads and motorways. The trial saw two tractor units fitted with 315/70 R22.5 A2 Energy tyres as original equipment in 2004, with the fuel economy carefully monitored for a period of 18 months. Fuel consumption was measured against identical vehicles in the fleet operating on Michelins E segment tyres.
Continue ReadingReport Says “Give Motorists Data on Tyres’ Fuel Efficiency”
The Fuel Efficiency Study by the Transportation Research Board in the USA has called on Congress to allow the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to collect data on the fuel efficiency of different tyres and to make this available to the public. The Board believes that, were they given all the facts, motorists would opt for the most fuel-efficient brands. If this were to happen, no doubt low rolling resistance and fuel efficiency would assume paramount importance in new tyre design.
Continue ReadingGoodyear to shut UK tyre plant in cost-cut move
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. on Wednesday said it plans to close an automobile tyre plant in the United Kingdom and a bicycle tyre plant in Poland (Debica) in order to achieve combined annual savings of up to $50 million. The largest U.S. tyre company, which is based in Akron, Ohio, said it has begun discussions with union employees as a step toward shutting its Goodyear Dunlop United Kingdom passenger tyre factory in Washington, northeast England. This action is expected to create annual savings of approximately $20 million and result in charges of between $75 million and $85 million ($55 million to $65 million after-tax). The cash portion of this charge is estimated to be $35 million to $40 million.
Continue ReadingDumping “A Malaysian Way of Life”
An article issued by the Malaysian National News Agency suggests that illegal garbage dumping is fast turning into a Malaysian culture. Tyres are prominent among the items being dumped and Professor P. Agamuthu from the University of Malaya said that illegal tyre dumps pose significant health hazards, as they attract rodents and insects, which can spread diseases. Tyres provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can multiply 100 times faster than normal in the warm, stagnant water trapped in old tyres and illnesses such as encephalitis and dengue fever have been attributed to mosquitoes breeding in piles of old tyres.
Continue ReadingAlcoa and DCX Develop WorkHorse Wheel
Alcoa Wheel Products Europe, together with DaimlerChrysler, has developed a new wheel for the Axor construction vehicle. This new wheel does not have any hand holes and it has been developed to protect the Axor construction vehicle’s disc brakes from sand and gravel on the drive/front axle. The application is as an inner dual wheel on the construction vehicle drive or tag axle, single on the front axle. Available sizes: 22.5 x 8.25, 22.5 x 9.00 and 22.5 x 11.75 (inset 120mm), 32 mm bolt holes and a brushed finish.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Moves Up Fortune 500 List
(Akron/Tire Review) Not only were Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. sales up in 2005, the $19.7 billion in revenue earned the company a new place on the Fortune 500 list, when the tyre manufacturer moved up to the 112th spot on the annual list, up from 120th position last year.
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