Exhibitor and visitor numbers at the second Tyrexpo India, held between 9 and 11 July 2013, are said to have increased 11 per cent compared with the inaugural show in 2011; organiser ECI International reported the presence of visitors from visitors from 67 countries. In 2015, Tyrexpo India returns to the Chennai Trade Centre for a […]
The organiser of Tyrexpo Asia 2013 recorded a “substantial increase in visitors” at the last show in Singapore. Exactly 4,355 individual visitors from 97 countries attended the trade exhibition held at the Singapore Expo Centre between 19 and 21 March 2013, an increase of 22.5 per cent in comparison to the 2011 show’s prior record. […]
JK Tyre has been chosen as a Superbrand for the year 2013-14 and ranked amongst the top ten per cent of all brands, across categories in India. This is the third year in a row that Superbrands India has chosen JK Tyre as a Superbrand, and so far it is the only Indian tyre brand to be chosen as a Superbrand. This year, the company improved its overall net score from 6.8 to 7.6 out of 10.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, Bridgestone achieved net sales of 863.6 billion yen (£5.0 billion), an 8.7 per cent year-on-year increase on the 1 January to 31 March 2013 quarter. Operating income was 116.3 billion yen (£677.1 million), up 56.3 per cent year-on-year, while operating margin rose from 9.4 per cent a year ago to 13.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2014. Net income increased 66.9 per cent year-on-year to 71.9 billion yen (£418.6 million).
Pirelli says its first quarter 2014 performance reflects the recovery in demand within Europe that was first witnessed in the final quarter of last year along with the good health of the premium segment, where the Italian tyre maker is focused. The company also points out the positive performance of its business in Russia, where revenues bucked market treads to increase 5.4 per cent (excluding exchange rate effects) and profitability stood at “high single digit levels.”
Michelin says it has implemented a partial share buyback scheme and under this will acquire up to one million Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin shares. The company says it has “called on the assistance of an Investment Services Provider to meet certain objectives” of the share buyback programme authorised at Michelin’s Annual Shareholders Meeting on 17 May 2013.
Donald Sterling, owner of the US basketball team Los Angeles Clippers, is in a lot of hot water over a recorded conversation in which he allegedly told his girlfriend not to bring black people to games played by his team. Even President Barack Obama has described the comments as being “incredibly offensive racist statements”. Team sponsor Yokohama Tire Corporation has also responded to the incident, placing a question mark alongside its future association with the Clippers.
The bus and coach market remains stable; down just 0.2 per cent in March to 1,032 units. The purpose-built sector dropped -28.7 per cent in the month and -23.5 per cent for the year-to-date, while the converted bus market continued to rise, up 22.3 per cent in March to 707 units.
Demand for the new 14 registration plate fuelled commercial vehicle growth in March. Total commercial vehicle registrations grew 11.4 per cent in March to 54,232 with the rolling year figure up 15.6 per cent to 335,840.
The combined March and September plate-changes typically account for around a third of the annual van market. The strong 14.6 per cent rise to 50,064 van registrations is in line with expectations
According to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the manufacture of cars in the UK picked up pace in March due to improving domestic and export sales. UK car production rose 12 per cent during the month to 142,158 units, bringing 2014 to-date growth to 2.9 per cent. Production of cars intended for sale in the UK increased 18.2 per cent year-on-year to 33,221 units, although the year to date production count of 86,505 units is still 4.1 per cent down on last year. Production of cars for export markets rose 10.3 per cent year-on-year to 108,947 units, while year to date figures are 5.0 per cent higher than during the corresponding period of 2013, at 318,298 units.
Demand for the new 14-plate saw March reach 464,824 new car registrations, a rise of 17.7 per cent. Since the move to twice-yearly registration plate changes in 1999, only March 2004 has seen a higher registration figure (at 466,954). Year-to-date registrations were up 13.7 per cent to 688,122 units.
Automotive industry charity BEN is celebrating the success of its 16th BEN Scotland Ball, held at the Crowne Plaza, Glasgow, which raised a total of £8,900 on the night.
Pirelli’s share in Italian real estate company Prelios has risen from 13 per cent to approximately 29 per cent following the conversion of bonds worth €148.4 million plus accrued interest. While this 29 per cent shareholding includes a portion (around 22 per cent) that is constrained by lock-up obligations until 2016, Pirelli has released a statement confirming its strategic focus upon its core tyre business. The company is “therefore not a long-term investor in the ‘real estate’ industry” and will “seize any possible opportunity” to divest its Prelios shares.
Last month’s UK new car registrations reached levels not seen in a decade, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reports. The month of March is typically the biggest month for registrations in the year, attracting around a fifth of all registrations, but this year demand for the new 14-plate drove new car registrations up 17.7 per cent year-on-year to 464,824, an amount not seen since March 2004, the only other occasion registrations have hit such heights since the twice-yearly plate change was implemented in 1999. Year to date registrations are up 13.7 per cent to 688,122 units. March was also the biggest-ever month for alternatively-fuelled vehicles, with volumes reaching 8,713 units, a growth of 63.8 per cent on 2013.
While much attention has been placed on road rage and its causes, one factor has been overlooked – until now. A newly-released report has found a remarkable correlation between road rage incidents and choice of tyre. Aggressive tread patterns do, it seems, make for aggressive drivers.
