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Hauling Coal with Semperit

Ayrshire based haulier French & Son shift a million and a half tonnes of coal each year to local railheads and into southern England, and the company has praised the durability of the Semperit tyres fitted to its vehicles. For almost three years Semperit has been the tyre of choice for the long-established firm of Tom French & Son of Cumnock. Their 42 trucks – mainly Volvo mid-lift axle artics – move between 6,000 and 7,500 tonnes of coal every day from a local open cast mine. It’s very demanding work, both for the vehicles shuttling constantly between the site and the nearby railhead and for those on the long haul work.

8th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Wheel Washer Takes To The Track

The Drester Wheel Washer – distributed by Beissbarth UK – has always been a firm favourite with customers who want that show-room sparkle. But now the Drester has moved from the showroom to the race circuit.

It turns out that the Drester Wheel Washer is the preferred choice for the highly successful RML team, who are targeting more glory in 2008 as they aim to add to their tally of 15 titles over the last 10 years. The team is gearing up for its challenge for WTCC glory following its best-ever season last year. RML will also compete at Le Mans itself and in the Le Mans Series – the scene of their most recent success in 2007.

6th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

OTR Company Declines Acquisition Offer

American Tire Corporation (ATC), the company that recently appeared on the tyre industry’s radar screens after disclosing its astonishing intention to build a half billion dollar OTR tyre factory in the US, reported on February 6 that it has declined an acquisition offer made by a “multi-billion US company.” According to an ATC press statement, the company received a letter of intent that ATC says “clearly expresses, the investor’s strong interest in ATC and its OTR tyre business, in addition to its new project in Washington.” Furthermore, reports ATC, the un-named company included a “big” offer for the 100 per cent acquisition of ATC.

6th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

CTNA Sells, Leases Back Headquarters Site

The sprawling Continental Tire North America headquarters site in Charlotte, North Carolina will soon be re-born as a business complex following its sale to a developer. Philadelphia based Patriot Equities, a company specialising in the purchasing and leasing back of corporate buildings, has agreed to acquire the tyre manufacturer’s offices and former factory for US$29.4 million.

CTNA has taken out a ten-year lease on a portion of the site, and will continue its tenancy there in a reduced capacity. Of the 1.7 million square feet of commercial space contained in the site, the company will now lease and occupy 600,000 square feet.

During the month of January 2008 CTNA made the significant disclosure that its North American operations, in the red for several years, seem likely to have broken even in 2007. It is not clear if, or to what extent, the proceeds from the headquarters sale have contributed towards this return to the black.

5th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Dispute Torn MRF Factory Given Week to Re-Open

The government in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu may assume control of the MRF Ltd tyre manufacturing plant in Tiruvottiyur, near Chennai, if the company does not promptly re-open it. The facility has been closed since last December, following industrial disputes in which MRF accused its employees of “indiscipline and being unable to meet productivity norms.”

“The MRF management should find a solution to the labour problem in its units within a week’s time,” electricity minister Arcot N. Veerasamy told the Tamil Nadu state legislative assembly on January 30. He said that the Tamil Nadu chief minister, M. Karunanidhi, would intervene to find an amicable solution, adding that “if no solution was found even then, the government would take over the unit.”

31st January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho US Plant a Step Towards Global Leadership

The president and chief executive of Kumho, Oh Sae-cheul, has described plans for his company’s $165 million factory in the US state of Georgia as being part of Kumho’s efforts to become a global tyre manufacturing leader. The signing ceremony for the new 123.6 acre facility took place on January 29, and was attended by Mr. Oh and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.

“With this plant in the United States, the world’s biggest tyre market, we want to save shipping costs to that market and to emerge as a global leader,” said Mr. Oh to South Korea’s JoongAng Daily newspaper. The establishment of a facility in the US marks Kumho’s first step out of Asia in terms of production; currently the company operates three facilities in China and one in Vietnam in addition to its three South Korean factories.

29th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Polish Firm Buys Colway Brand

The Colway brand and equipment owned by County Durham-based C-Tyres have been bought by Polish retread company, Mark Gum. No details of how much Mark Gum paid for the company have been made available. According to local news reports, equipment from the factory on the Littleburn Industrial Estate will be now be transported to Poland. C-Tyres managing director Gary Oliver had previously spoken of his hope that a British company would take ownership of the assets, allowing tyre production to start up again from within C-Tyres leased premises in Langley Moor.

“There were several UK people that I know were interested and I was hoping there was a chance we could get things back up and running here, but that hasn’t happened. Colway tyres will no longer be made in the UK, which is very disappointing,” Gary Oliver commented.

29th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho to Spend $165 Million on USA Plant

Kumho has announced it will invest US$165 in the first stage plans for a new facility in the US state of Georgia. Proposed total investment in the factory, which will have an annual capacity of 2.1 million units, has not as yet been disclosed.

28th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

66 Million Additional Euros Earmarked for Nokian’s Russian Facility

Russia’s AK&M Information Agency reports that investment in the second stage of the Nokian Tyres facility in Vsevolozhsk, St Petersburg will this year be increased by 66 million euros. Total investment in the project, which will double the factory’s output to 10 million units per year by 2011, is expected to reach 195 million euros.

Stage one of the project required an investment of 155 million euros and production at the facility began in June 2005. Plant production reportedly covers 27.4 per cent of Russia’s output. In 2006 the factory’s net profit rose 30.5 per cent to 107.3 million euros, with net sales increasing 21.8 per cent to 835.9 million euros.

24th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Lotus Choose Hofmann Megaplan

Tyre and wheel equipment supplier Hofmann Megaplan has recently installed a new tyre & wheel assembly line for Lotus at the car manufacturer’s factory in Hethel, Norfolk. The new facility includes a megaspin 900 TFT wheel balancer, megamount ‘Boss’ tyre changer and various items from the ‘speedline’ system including inflation system and wheel lifters.

23rd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Long Term Dedication

Tired of tyres? Feel as if you can no longer spring out of bed in the morning and embrace the joys of automotive parts and accessories? A 76-year-old US woman puts you to shame….

An Indiana based media website, indystar.com, reports that Carolyn Jennings, a clerical employee at the Firestone Industrial Products plant in Noblesville, Indiana, has clocked up 55 years with the company. This makes her the longest serving Bridgestone-Firestone employee anywhere in the world. Joining the company as a secretary, Jennings has displayed a level of dedication to her job that her supervisor, Bob Kelleher, says he wishes he could “bottle”. Jennings did not miss work due to sickness once during her first 14 years with the company, and has been known to remain at her post even when other employees have gone home due to severe weather conditions.

17th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear US Factory Cited for Safety Violations

The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may penalise Goodyear US$52,000 for five safety violations it discovered during an inspection of the company’s facility in Social Circle, Georgia. Inspectors from the Administration noted two repeat violations, for which they proposed penalties of $42,500 after it became apparent that management had not performed certified periodic inspections of its energy control procedures, and that a production machine lacking proper safety guards was in use. Goodyear had been cited for similar failures after an inspection at the same facility in 2006.

16th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Double Capacity at Romanian Plant

Production capacity at Michelin’s Victoria Floresti factory in Romania will reportedly double over a two-year period to eight million units. Investments in the facility commenced in 2004 are responsible for this substantial increase in capacity; an annual development programme worth 30 to 40 million euros has seen money injected into the factory each year.

“Production will double over the next two years,” stated the Victoria Floresti factory’s general manager Carmen Petcu to Romania’s Ziarul Financiar newspaper. “And this is the paradox of a process of technological change done as we go. The plant has been, over the past three years, and will be, over the next two years, an under construction site.”

16th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Fire at TCI Tyre Factory

The Kakinara, West Bengal facility belonging to the Tyre Corporation of India has been affected by fire. According to the Times of India newspaper, a fire broke out in the factory’s mixing plant on January 14 and ten fire engines have been at the scene attempting to control the blaze.

The extent of the damage has not as yet been disclosed.

14th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Trelleborg Investing $20 Million in Sri Lanka Expansion

Trelleborg is reported to be expanding its operations in Sri Lanka at the expense of those in the US. The Ceylon Daily News reports that the Swedish firm intends to invest US$20 million expanding its operations in this South Asian nation, with part of this expansion taking the form of relocating its entire Hartville, Ohio tyre operations there.

14th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors