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NTDA chief executive Stefan Hay’s NTDA Tyre Industry Conference 2021 speech covered a range of pressing topics, that – due to the impact of the pandemic and its associated lockdowns – couldn’t be addressed in-person before now: key worker lobbying, climate change and the importance of training and technicians were amongst the main topics.
Financial analysts are reacting positively to the far-reaching restructuring measures announced by Continental AG yesterday that could cost up to 22 per cent of the 59,000 jobs in Germany alone.
First, analysts warned in mid-May that Conti’s R&D budgets and European tyre factories could face cuts. Then the Hannover-based tyremaker responded by saying it is “intensively” monitoring European tyre demand and production. By June the CEO was warning staff of job cuts. Nevertheless, despite such clear challenges facing the wider automotive industry and beyond, the company is still advancing innovative solutions to the very complex problem. Colleagues at our German sister-publication, Neue Reifenzeitung, which can be found online at reifenpresse.de, found that the so-called “Corona bridge” concept is at the forefront of Conti’s work to address the adverse conditions and save jobs.
Findings from Drive My Career’s latest Insight revealed that 95 per cent of apprentices would remain with the same company if they received a job offer after their apprenticeship.
Solvay will cut 600 jobs as part of a broad restructuring program aimed at simplifying the organization. On 29 March the firm announced that job cuts related to the restructuring include 160 redundancies in France, 90 in Portugal and 80 in Brazil.
Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) is offering to help the Inquiry into the Government’s 2020 apprentices target, announced by the Sub-Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy. Steve Nash, CEO of the IMI, which champions the cause of apprentices, has written to the Chair of the Sub-Committee offering its extensive research into the issue. The IMI reports that the industry it represents needs 12,000 apprentices a year to stand still.
There could be as many as 5,000 job vacancies in the UK automotive industry due to a skills shortage affecting the sector, according to a new report published by the Automotive Council.
The report, which was developed by automotive industry consultants SMMT Industry Forum on behalf of the Automotive Industrial Partnership, surveys a range of British-based automotive firms, from vehicle manufacturers to component suppliers, to identify the areas of employment most difficult to recruit, and provide an important means for industry and government to tackle the skills issue. Around 19 per cent of the unfilled vacancies cited in the report are identified as ‘critical’ and having a significant impact on company operations.
Workers in the “transport & distribution” sector are worried about a loss of income when they have to take time off work for being sick, according to a new study. The study, commissioned by insurance company There researched the sick day habits of 25 different industries. Transportation and distribution workers take more time off work due to serious injuries sustained on the job than almost any other industry.
On 6 October the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) ran a workshop on the role of “innovative educations tools” in bridging the skills gap in the rubber industry.
New figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) confirm the growing strength and vitality of the UK automotive industry and its ascendancy as a major global player. SMMT’s 16th annual Sustainability Report confirms the sector is breaking new records, with turnover hitting an all-time high of £69.5 billion in 2014. Manufacturing output, vehicle sales, jobs and export values also grew, while the environmental impact from vehicle production has been reduced dramatically.
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association’s (ACEA) new Pocket Guide highlights the impact the automotive industry has on the European economy. “This year’s Pocket Guide highlights the continuing importance of the automotive industry to the European economy,” said Erik Jonnaert, secretary general of ACEA. “Its statistics show an industry that continues to provide employment and mobility, generate tax and trade revenue, and lead the world in terms of innovation.”
ChemChina’s chairman, Ren Jianxin, has publically reiterated his and his company’s commitment to completing its proposed takeover of Pirelli. Speaking to the Financial Times, Ren quoted a Chinese proverb and explained: “…It means that one must do everything in one’s power to facilitate a marriage. We are hoping that all the pieces can come together for our wonderful marriage with Pirelli.”
Following confirmation that ChemChina is set to buy Pirelli, the Italian manufacturer’s CEO, Marco Tronchetti Provera, has sought to re-assure employees that “the agreement with the Chinese will have no impact on employment”. Specifically this means R&D will remain in Italy, for example. For his part, Tronchetti was characteristically upbeat about the deal: “The opportunity with a partner like ChemChina is for the company to become bigger and to have a more effective penetration of the Asian market.”
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) will employ a dedicated person to promote a career in the motor industry to school leavers.
The national campaign will see the IGA’s Trade & Local Authority Liaison Officer aiming to change the consumer perception of the garage trade and show pupils the diverse career opportunities the industry offers.
Jaguar Land Rover has announced its chosen location for the OEM’s Special Vehicle Operations Technical Centre. The Technical Centre will be situated in Prologis Park, Ryton, near Coventry, and will become the global centre of excellence for the creation of high-end luxury bespoke commissions and extreme performance vehicles. Operations are set to begin towards the end of the year, with a team of 150 Jaguar Land Rover specialists based at Ryton, around 100 of which highly-skilled engineering and technician jobs will be new. £20 million will be invested in installing specialist equipment and a customer commissioning suite.
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Continental AG