North America
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Camso acquires Metro businesses in the USA
Camso, the off-road tyre specialist acquired by Michelin in 2018, has grown its off-highway transportation tyre service and distribution presence in North America with the acquisition of two material-handling solutions businesses from Metro Industrial Tires. These businesses are based in Chicago and provide service to the market via their own press truck fleets.
Daimler Trucks honours 3 Accuride Corp. plants
Accuride Corporation reported this week that three of its facilities, including two of its wheel plants, have received 2019 Masters of Quality awards from Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA). The awarded plants are the Accuride de México facility in Monterrey, which supplies DTNA with aluminium and steel wheels and is a seven-time awardee; the Henderson plants in Kentucky, USA, which supplies DTNA with steel wheels and is a three-time award recipient; the Rockford factory in Illinois, USA, which supplies Gunite wheel hub, drums, and brake rotors and is a fifth-time awardee.
Nokian shifts tyre retail model focus
Nokian Tyres; Dr. Falk Köhler PRNokian Tyres has shifted away from its Vianor retail franchise concept in Germany. The Finnish tyre manufacturer said that it is “continuing the close cooperation with our former Vianor dealers in a new, but similarly intensive way under our Nokian Authorised Dealers (NAD) marketing concept.” The move comes shortly after Nokian sold its US Vianor Tire Centers business to Point S, and signifies a move away from the Vianor branding outside the brand’s domestic-plus Nordic region, where Vianor is established with 186 Vianor Equity locations. Anna Hyvönen, SVP, Nordics & Vianor, told Tyres & Accessories that the company is enacting its plans to “optimise” its Central European and North American distribution network via NAD, “focusing on the quality of the partners and providing excellent support and benefits.”
New kid on the block: Vredestein launches full North American range
Dutch tyre brand Vredestein, part of the Apollo Tyres family since 2009, is a name well-known amongst European motorists. This isn’t the case in the USA and Canada, where Vredestein’s only enjoyed a niche following in past years. Apollo Tyres now intends to change this – in September it launched a “comprehensive brand offensive” there backed by a full range of new tyre lines explicitly designed for and developed in North America.
Point S partner acquires Nokian’s Vianor US operation
Nokian Tyres has sold its Vianor US business to Oregon-based Point S member Gills Point S Tire. The transaction covers ten Vianor service centres, with all current Vianor US service centre employees will be taken on by Gills Point S Tire & Auto Service.
Magna Tyres appoints US sales manager
Magna Tyres GroupEstablishing offices in Canada and the USA last year have helped Magna Tyres Group gain a foothold in the North American off-highway tyre market, and the company reports demand for its products “rising rapidly” since the US office opened its doors in September 2019. A new sales manager now joins this office. Ryan Cusick has come on board to help Magna Tyres “focus even more on the brand presence, the distribution network and relationship with current and new customers.”
Cooper Tire breaks ground on USA distribution centre
A ceremony was held on 18 August to mark the start of work on Cooper Tire’s newest regional distribution centre in the USA. The 1 million square foot (92,900m²) facility in Whiteland, Indiana is located near the tyre maker’s Franklin distribution centre and will replace the existing site once it commences operations early next year.
Maestro to ‘conduct’ Michelin tyre & service operations
Michelin North AmericaMichelin is rolling out a new digital services platform for customers in the USA. The tyre maker is offering the cloud-based Maestro platform through its 2018-established Services and Solutions division with the aim of creating “a stronger, more effective working relationship between service providers, fleets and Michelin.”
Alliance Tire wins AGCO North American supplier award
AGCOAGCO has named Alliance Tire Group, Ltd North American Direct Materials Supplier of the Year during its 2020 online North America Supplier Event. Alliance was recognized by AGCO for “performance in cost, collaboration, innovation, account management, coordination and flexibility”. AGCO officials noted that Alliance – the only tyre supplier recognized during the event – exhibited strong coordination and alignment with AGCO and improved factory efficiency.
General Motors makes Hankook a 2019 Supplier of the Year Winner
General MotorsHankook Tire has been named a GM Supplier of the Year at a virtual ceremony honoring for General Motors’ 28th annual Supplier of the Year awards. GM recognised 116 of its best suppliers from 15 countries. It said these suppliers have “consistently exceeded GM’s expectations, created outstanding value or introduced innovations to the company.” The ceremony, recognising supplier contributions in the calendar year, was delayed in March by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tyrata completes drive-over tyre sensor fleet trial
TyrataDurham City Transit Company (DCTC) and Tyrata, Inc., have completed a test and evaluation protocol trialling Tyrata’s Drive-Over System (DOS) and data analytics. The solid-state DOS automatically collects and analyzes tyre tread depth as buses drive over the low-profile, speedbump-like sensor.
Goodyear to become Ryder’s preferred supplier in North America
Business WireGoodyear has landed a major fleet deal in North America, having been named Ryder System Inc.’s preferred supplier of new and retreaded tyres as well as tyre management solutions across the United States and Canada. This partnership will officially commence on 1 January 2021.
Cooper Tires extends North America production pause
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company announced on Friday that its tyre manufacturing plants in North America will remain shuttered for at least another two weeks. The company began closing down its Findlay, Clarksdale, Tupelo and Texarkana facilities in the USA and El Salto plant in Mexico on 21 March and intended to shut them down for two two three weeks. It says the production pause is being extended both to protect the health and safety of employees and as a response to decreased market demand. Cooper will continue to closely monitor the situation and adjust timing as necessary.
USTMA applauds support package
Members of US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) have applauded the U.S. Senate’s “unprecedented work to pass the largest economic relief package in U.S. history”. Now, the group respectfully urges the U.S. House of Representatives and President Trump to “expeditiously ensure this becomes law to provide a much-needed financial boost to American workers, American businesses” and the nation’s struggling economy.
