Manufacturers Use Tactilus Footprint Profiling System
Sensor Products LLC has produced a “next generation” tyre tread footprint profiling system, which is already in use by manufacturers like Kumho. Capable of thousands of uses with consistent repeatability, the Tactilus is reportedly able to detect a wider range of pressures and offers greater advantages to engineers than its predecessor in the areas of adaptability and customisation.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Unveils New Machinery in Australia
Bridgestone Australia Ltd has unveiled a new Tyre Assembly Machine (TAM) at its Salisbury, Australia facility. According to the company, the new TAM represents a “significant investment” and will be used to manufacture 17 inch tyres, which are currently sourced from outside Australia.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Launches ‘Advanced’ B250
Bridgestone has launched what the company calls its “most technologically advanced general use tyre to date.” The new tyre will replace the original equipment B391 and B390 tyres, and the B330 Evo, which is sold purely in the replacement market. The move is designed to simplify the company’s range of general use tyres, increase brand recognition, and make the ordering process easier for dealers, the company said in a statement.
Continue ReadingFour Falcon Board Members Quit
Four Falcon Tyre board members have resigned, only days after the company was bought by the Ruia group. The company informed Bombay Stock Exchange that Vidya Manohar Chhabria, Komal C Wazir, Mohan M Thakur and Deepak Chaudhuri (the former executive director) had all resigned. The resignations took effect on 1 December, it emerged.
Continue ReadingMichelin Plans South Carolina OTR Expansion
Michelin is planning to expand a Lexington County, South Carolina plant that makes large earthmover tyres, the associated has press reported. With reference to the current earthmover tyre shortage, Michelin said the company is investing in a South Carolina facility “west of Columbia.” He said capacity will be added there but did not discuss the size of an expansion nor a definitive timetable.
Continue ReadingCGS Acquires 100 per cent of Rubena
Czech rubber company Ceska Gumarenska Spolecnost (CGS) has bought Rubena Hradec Kralove, increasing its stake from 99.95 per cent, Interfax reported. The CGS group also includes rubber and tyre producers Mitas and Buzuluk
Continue ReadingLexus to Fit Bridgestone Potenza Tyres
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) announced that its Bridgestone-brand Potenza RE92A tyre has been selected for OE fitment on the 2006 Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 luxury sport sedans.
Continue ReadingRuia Acquires Dunlop India and Falcon Tyres
The privately owned Ruia Group has closed a deal to buy Dunlop India Ltd and Falcon Tyres Ltd, from the Dubai-based MR Chhabria group for a reported 2 billion rupees (£25 million). “An agreement has been reached between Mr Pawan Kumar Ruia and the (Chhabria) Jumbo Group to hand over both Dunlop India and Falcon Tyres,” said H Sandu, a Chhabria group spokesman, confirming the development took place at a meeting in Mumbai.
Continue ReadingTyre Fire Still Burning Eight Months Later
The tyre-based liner of a former quarry near Sevenoaks in Kent is still burning, eight months after a fire was started by arsonists. The owner of the site, Cory Environmental, had planned to turn the land into a new landfill site.
Continue ReadingAnalysts Believe Charlotte Plant Closure Inevitable
Continental’s Charlotte, North Carolina, plant is likely to close happen when the company’s Brazilian operation is fully operational in 2007, Deutsche Bank analysts have reported. The analysts’ comments come after the plant’s management asked workers to choose between a 35 per cent wage reduction (from $21/hour to $13.7/hour) and production cuts in order to save $15 million dollars a year.
Continue ReadingCTNA Gets OE Deal From Autocar
(Akron/Tire Review) Continental Tire North America (CTNA) said that its Continental brand medium truck tyres have earned standard equipment fitments on Autocar’s Xpeditor line of trucks. The OE contract includes CTNA’s Continental HSU and HDL steer and drive tyre lines.
Continue ReadingMichelin Going After Counterfeiters
(Akron/Tire Review) Groupe Michelin has gone on the attack against alleged counterfeit tyres, calling on the European Union Trade Commission to take action against a flood of counterfeit medium truck tyres, units the manufacturer said could pose highway dangers.
Continue ReadingAmcast Files Second Chapter 11
Amcast Industrial Corp has again filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy three months after emerging from an earlier filing, according to court documents. Previously the company had filed for bankruptcy in November 2004 before clearing this status in August.
Continue ReadingDelticom Opens US Online Store
Online retail and wholesale operation, Delticom AG has opened up an online store for US consumers. Tires-easy.com claims to offer purchasers quicker, easier and 25 per cent cheaper than other methods.
Continue ReadingCooper Drops Avon From UK Company Name
From the 1 January 2006 Cooper-Avon Tyres Ltd, will be known as Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe Ltd. The news follows the launch of a new international corporate image at the SEMA show in November and is seen as an effort to unify the company’s global operations. While the move is clearly linked to the company’s efforts to enhance the global recognition of its Cooper brand, this will not be at the expense of the Avon brand, according to Cooper.
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