REACT exceeds 9000, expands into Republic of Ireland
The NTDA has now issued more than 9000 REACT licences to commercial tyre technicians assessed as competent to work safely at the roadside across the UK. The need for such a system is clear. Prior to the introduction of REACT in 2011, some technicians were seriously injured and others killed while working at the roadside.
Continue Reading
Michelin not interested in F1 tyres that “destroy themselves”
According to comments from Florent Menegaux, we shouldn’t expect to see Michelin in Formula One from 2025. Speaking to US-based automotive site The Drive, the chief executive stated that Michelin isn’t interested in supplying tyres to F1 unless the FIA alters its view on how they should perform. In short, the French firm doesn’t want to make tyres that liven proceedings by falling apart.
Continue Reading
Continental in Russia: S8 Capital named again as likely buyer
Without naming its sources, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine (FAZ) stated yesterday that Continental intends to sell its tyre factory in Kaluga, Russia to holding company S8 Capital. The publication shares that Continental is awaiting the transaction’s approval by Russian authorities. A Continental spokesperson told FAZ that the sale is at an “advanced stage.”
Continue Reading
Mission “successfully completed”? The Goodyear-Cooper integration and its contradictions
When Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. announced at the end of January that 500 jobs are being cut worldwide and linked this to business performance in the EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa) region (see “Goodyear reports losses of $104 million in Q4 2022, points the finger at Europe”, T&A 3/2022, page 18), executives were effectively acknowledging the significant pressures facing the business. When Goodyear published its full-year 2022 and fourth quarter 2022 figures a few days later, the red numbers highlighted the pressing reality of those problems. Within that broad picture, it now seems clear that the US$2.8 billion Cooper takeover initiated two years ago has not yet brought the promised return, something Goodyears market capitalisation and the relative profitability of its competitors neatly illustrate. Meanwhile, some within Goodyer refer to the integration as “successfully completed”, but without offering details. In other words, the supposed success of the Goodyear-Cooper integration doesn’t match the company’s sub-par financial performance. With that in mind, here we take a pan-European look at those particularly contradictory perspectives.
Continue Reading
Richard Lyons becomes Kumho Tyre UK MD
At the start of April, Richard Lyons became executive managing director of Kumho Tyre UK. Lyons joins the company after roughly seven years with Trelleborg Wheel Systems in a variety of roles, latterly as managing director UK and Ireland. Before that, Lyons spent around 11 years with Giti where he oversaw significant growth at the company and rose to the role of managing director Europe and director - International sales and marketing, passenger car.
Continue Reading
Michelin: No new news about Russia
The Annual Meeting of Michelin Shareholders will take place on Friday 12 May, and amongst the plethora of information contained within the accompanying Notice of Meeting document, the company shares a few words on activities in Russia. Its message is largely unchanged since the previous update two months ago.
Continue Reading
China: Synthetic rubber partnership for tyre applications
The research institute behind Sailun Group’s EcoPoint3 compounding technology has established strategic partnerships with two companies to explore synthetic rubber applications for use in tyre production. EVE Rubber Institute has signed agreements with Ecombine Advanced Materials and Arlanxeo High Performance Elastomer (Changzhou), with the three parties planning to draw upon their respective technological and marketing strengths to deliver innovations in liquid-phase mixing.
Continue Reading
Key appointments aiding growth at Ascenso Tyres CE
During what it refers to as a “successful” first quarter 2023, Ascenso Tyres CE has added to its team with the appointment of Pawel Kopinski, who takes over responsibility for the business in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia, and Olaf Sandeck, who joins the company from Mitas to expand original equipment activities. The aim of generating sales of 50 million euros within five years is “thus gaining momentum.”
Continue Reading
Falken OE on North American Mazda CX-90
Don’t look for it on UK roads, but motorists in selected regions will soon add the Mazda CX-90 to their large crossover SUV portfolios. The CX-90 will arrive in North America first, and when it does it will be available with Falken Ziex CT60A AS all-season tyres as original equipment.
Continue Reading
New CEO & CFO at Dunlop Aircraft Tyres
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has a new chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Liberty Hall Capital Partners, the aerospace and defence industry-focused private equity firm that purchased Dunlop Aircraft Tyres in 2017, announced on 12 April that Susan McKenna has taken on the role of CEO whilst Shashank Dhawan becomes CFO.
Continue Reading
Germany’s Chancellor visits Continental tyre plant
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz carved a tyre prototype and inspected a truck & bus tyre retreading facility during his visit to Continental’s Hannover-Stöcken site yesterday. Accompanied by Dr Ariane Reinhart and Christian Kötz, Scholz also used the event as an opportunity to talk about carbon neutrality just two days after his government enforced the deactivation of Germany’s last three CO2-free nuclear power plants.
Continue Reading
UK users now benefitting from overhauled TyreClub+ B2B platform
The recently announced updates to TyreClub+ are now live in seven markets. In addition to tyre dealers in the UK, Pirelli reports that users in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain are now benefitting from an “entirely revised” TyreClub+ that is “easier and more efficient” The updated TyreClub+ will reach further markets during 2023 with “increasingly advanced” features.
Continue Reading
Goodyear tyres for Lancia concept car
Customisation, aerodynamics, and design – Goodyear says these qualities “lie at the heart” of its latest collaboration with the reborn Lancia brand. Goodyear was the manufacturer of choice to produce a bespoke tyre for the new Lancia Pu+Ra HPE concept car, the first vehicle of the new Lancia era and a full-electric car that “represents the vision of the brand in terms of design, interior home feeling, sustainability, electrification and technology.”
Continue Reading
Start Rescue: Check tyre age
Breakdown cover provider Start Rescue has added its voice to the automotive industry chorus singing a tyre safety message to the motoring public. With 20 per cent of all requests for roadside help it receives being tyre- or wheel-related, Start Rescue is particularly focusing on the hazards of driving on ageing tyres, something that campervan and classic car owners need to look out for.
Continue Reading
Former Nokian Tyres exec Kurter heading Playmobil
Bahri Kurter, who was Nokian Tyres’ executive vice-president Central Europe until leaving to “pursue his career” outside the company last year, is the new chief executive officer at toy manufacturer Playmobil. He commenced in this role in March 2023.
Continue Reading
