Warranties Continue to Confuse Motorists
A national survey has found that many motorists wrongly believe they have to take their car to a manufacturer’s franchised dealership for servicing. Hi-Q conducted a nation-wide survey of over 400 motorists to question just what people understand about their warranty. Only 30 per cent of people believed their warranty would be valid if they took their car to a garage other than the manufacturer’s dealer. 38 per cent believed their warranty would be broken if they took the car to an alternative independent garage and 32 per cent didn’t know either way.
Continue ReadingIntroducing Monbat
Monbat may not be a well known brand in the UK at the moment but according to the company all that is about to change. The brand has been driving sales across Europe and having signed a contract with Squadron Batteries earlier this year the UK is Monbat’s next target. Partly owned by Texaco Chevron, Monbat has been manufacturing batteries for over 45 years. The company specialises in heavy duty, high specification batteries for rail and military applications, as well as manufacturing UPS batteries for the telecom industry. Its car and commercial vehicle batteries are produced in the same manufacturing facility and to the same quality standards says the battery manufacturer.
Continue ReadingYokohama Domestic Tyre Price Increases
Yokohama Rubber has announced that it will introduce a four per cent price increase in the price of domestic replacement tyres in September. The last domestic replacement tyre price increase was a 5-6 per cent hike in May 2004. Local news sources are reporting that the price increase could cover as much as 60 per cent of input cost increases.
Continue ReadingPirelli Cable Business Sale Gets EU Approval
The European Commission has approved Goldman Sachs’ acquisition of Pirelli’s engery and telecomms cable businesses. The commission found that no company controlled by Goldman Sachs is engaged in the EU in the same markets as those in which the acquired businesses are active, and therefore will not impede competition. In addition the commission observed that the acquired businesses face strong competition from companies such as Corning and DrakaComteq.
Continue ReadingBeru Aims to Increase Earnings and Sales Revenues
The executive board of Beru AG says it aims to increase earnings and sales revenues by high single digit rates. Beru AG increased its total revenues by 8.8 per cent to 385.8 million euros in the past financial year. EBIT decreased to 50.5 million euros, due to one-time exceptional effects totalling 5.0 million euros. In addition, the company’s executive committee and supervisory board want to suggest a dividend of 1.10 euro for each share to the general meeting on 21 September 2005. Despite increasingly tough competition and pressure on prices, BERU believes it is well positioned for the future with its strong product pipeline.
Continue ReadingF1 Back On Track in France?
This weekend’s French Grand Prix, was a lot more straight forward than last month’s US race – Renault and Michelin’s Fernando Alonso won what commentators described as an emphatic victory. Mclaren’s Kimi Raikonnen took second place, while Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher filled the last remaining podium position. Jenson Button gained his first points of the season by taking fourth place (Button’s San Marino result was annulled after BAR were disqualified).
Continue ReadingContinental Supplies BMW M5 and M6
Continental is to supply the new BMW M5 Limousine and the M6 Coupé. The German automotive supplier will provide both its MK60 E5 brake system and ContiSportContact 2 tyres. “Once again, BMW is placing its trust in our know-how and expertise for its top sporty models, following the current M3 and M3 CSL models. We’re very pleased about this,” said Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann, president of Continental Automotive Systems and member of the Continental AG Executive Board.
Continue ReadingBridgestone 2005 OP Down 9 per cent
Bridgestone Corp is likely to post less of a drop in 2005 group operating profit than it expected. Reports in the Nihon Keizai newspaper say the improved figures have been assisted by robust sales of high-value-added products worldwide. The reports suggest Bridgestone will publish operating profit of just over 180 billion yen ($1.61 billion), down some 9 per cent from a year earlier. In February, the company estimated that its group operating profit would fall 14 per cent to 170 billion yen. Both figures look conservative compared with the Reuters Estimates consensus, which puts the figure nearer 195 billion yen.
Continue ReadingPirelli and Metzeler Top MCN Tyre Guide
Pirelli and Metzeler brand tyres have topped Motor Cycle News’ (MCN) “Ultimate Tyre Test.” Broken into 3 distinct categories - Sports, Performance and Extreme - MCN tested the tyres at Michelin’s purpose built tyre testing facility at Clermont-Ferrand, France. In addition to Pirelli and Metzeler, Michelin Pilot Power, Avon Viper Sport, Dunlop D208, Pirelli Diablo and Bridgestone BT014 tyres were examined. In each discipline the tyre testers looked atride quality, feel under braking, feel turning in, cornering grip, steering precision, flickability, drive out of turns, confidence. A maximum of 10 points were available for each test.
Continue ReadingThe Search for Britain’s Most Energetic Boss
Small business employees across the country are being encouraged to nominate their boss as the most energetic in the country. Powergen’s ‘Britain’s Most Energetic Boss 2005’ is looking for bosses with positive energy, whose enthusiasm and commitment to their employees or community makes going to work fun and rewarding, not a chore. The search aims to reward the hard work and dedication of the bosses of the UK’s 3.7 million small businesses.Employees who nominate their boss at www.energeticboss.co.uk between 4 July and 12 August 2005 could win a case of champagne for themselves, and a well deserved break of a lifetime to New Zealand for their boss.
Continue ReadingCTNA Files Charges Against Union
Continental Tire North America, Inc. (CTNA) has filed an unfair labour practice charge against the United Steelworkers union (USW) in relation to its Bryan Ohio OTR tyre manufacturing facility. The announcement follows attempts by Rodos Giants (part of the Roesler Group) to buy the plant. The union refused to enter into a labour agreement with the company.
Continue ReadingCanadian Autoparts Toyota to Increase Wheel Capacity 17 per cent
Canadian Autoparts Toyota Inc, which makes aluminium wheels for Toyota Motor Corp, is expanding its operations in British Columbia with a $39-million investment. The expansion will increase wheel capacity at the Delta site by almost 17 per cent to 1.68 million units annually, starting July 2007. The 19,000-square-metre plant produces 22 wheel models for Toyotas vehicles and employs about 230 people, a number that is set to increase to increase to 260.
Continue ReadingHayes Lemmerz Sells Equipment and Engineering Division
Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc has sold its wholly owned Equipment and Engineering subsidiary, located in Au Gres, Michigan. The equipment business was sold to Todd G Carlson and former Hayes Lemmerz employee Daniel D Minor. The business will be renamed CMI - Equipment and Engineering, Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Continue ReadingCabot Further Expands Chinese Carbon Production
Cabot Corporation has announced that it will build a new specialty carbon black unit at its plant in the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Area (TEDA) in China. Cabot Performance Products (Tianjin), a joint venture with Shanghai Coking Chemical Company, will invest nearly $30 million in building the special unit that is set to have a capacity of approximately 20,000 tonnes. The unit is scheduled to begin production in the second half of 2006.
Continue ReadingYokohama Opens Chinese Sealant and Hose Assembly Plants
Yokohama subsidiaries, Yokohama Hamatite, a passenger car sealants supplier, and Yokohama Hoses & Coupling have held a joint opening ceremony of their new Chinese factories. Yokohama Hoses & Coupling (Hangzhou) will start by assembling 2,500 hoses monthly, raising output 10,000 units monthly through 2008. The capital investment for equipment and facilities will total $350,000, the company reports.
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