November 2009 - Page 3 of 18

ETRMA, Manufacturers Respond Positively to Tyre Labelling Decision

The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association and its twelve leading tyre corporate members have “welcomed” the objectives of the mandatory tyre performance information requirement voted upon by the European Parliament yesterday. Noting the braking performance and fuel efficiency aspects covered by the upcoming tyre labelling, ETRMA says it is “happy that these aspects are fully reflected in the regulation”. The organisation adds that expected fuel savings from the increased use of fuel-efficient tyres will lead to saving an estimated 20 million tonnes of CO2 per year and 10 billion euros of fuel per year.

26th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

AV Birla Aiming for Carbon Black Top Three

News

A 225,000 to 240,000 tonne per annum global capacity expansion being implemented by India’s AV Birla Group may see it take over from Colombian Chemicals as the world’s third largest producer of carbon black. “Over the next six months, we will become world’s third largest producer of carbon black from fourth,” confirmed Rakesh Jain, managing director of AV Birla company Aditya Birla Nuvo. “Thanks to our position serving Asian markets, we have been less impacted by the demand slowdown in end-user industries in the West. In fact, our capacities are completely sold out.”

26th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Chooses CEVA as Logistics Partner in Turkey

Company News

Goodyear’s Turkish operation, Goodyear Lastikleri, has selected Ceva Logistics to handle its logistics requirements. Ceva Logistics will provide Full Truck Load (FTL) and Partial (LTL) distribution services from the tyre maker’s factories in Adapazari and Izmit, near Istanbul, to dealers and OEM customers throughout the country. All distribution process will be visible by Goodyear via a web based track and trace system.

26th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Morgan Stanley: Michelin Revenues to Grow 7% in 2010

Company News

Although Michelin managing partner Michel Rollier has expressed doubt that the tyre major’s revenues will increase in 2010, other expert opinions differ. Morgan Stanley Research Europe stated on November 24 that “we expect revenue growth of seven per cent – far more optimistic than Michelin management's recent outlook of no growth.” This prediction is even more optimistic than the Bloomberg survey of analysts that netted an average estimate of revenues rising by 4.3 per cent to 15.4 billion euros. To expand on the Morgan Stanley projection, an expected ten per cent volume growth should be partially offset by a three per cent decline in price/mix.

26th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Falling Spare Tyre Risk Prompts Toyota US Recall

News

In the US, Toyota is recalling 110,000 Tundra trucks from the 2000-2003 model years following a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation into complaints of excessive rust in the frame of this particular model. The specific problem relates to the frame rusting to the extent that the spare tyre could fall onto the road, creating a danger for other vehicles.

26th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear UrbanMax a ‘Significant New Product Range’ in Europe

News

The UrbanMax is the latest member of Goodyear Europe’s Max Technologies family, a range promoted by Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe as featuring the latest technology materials, dedicated tread patterns and durable carcass construction. The UrbanMax MCA and MCD Traction comprise a new line-up of all-season tyres for municipal vehicles, including city buses, fire engines and garbage trucks, and the benefits the manufacturer states these products deliver include high mileage and superb braking on wet and snowy roads.

26th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Protyre Delivers Winter Caravan Advice

News

Winter is almost upon us and – presumably to the unending relief of Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson – the majority of the nation’s caravans are off the road and ‘hibernating’ for the winter. Yet, as Protyre points out, care should be taken when laying-up a caravan for the winter months. To minimise the risk of problems when heading back on the road when the weather warms, the independent tyre dealer network offers the following advice.

26th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Drops Plans for Run-Flat Line at Hungary Plant

News

Hankook has cancelled plans to include run-flat production in the current phase of expansion at the company's Racalmas, Hungary tyre manufacturing plant. Despite announcing that the company would include run-flat tyre production in this round of expansion as recently as 9 September, executive vice-president and COO of Hankook Tire Jin-Wook Choi told Tyres & Accessories/tyrepress.com that the company is now prioritising standard tyre production due to demand continuing to outstrip supply in Europe, particularly in terms of UHP sizes. Hankook Tire Europe managers conceded that the decision will result in cost savings and that this was a consideration in the discussions leading up to the decision, however they also pointed out that the company is on course to invest as much as 10 per cent more than the 500 million euros initially earmarked for the total project. The current second phase of construction at the Racalmas site, which started production in 2007, will see the company double current capacity from 5 to 10 million passenger car tyres annually over the next 18 months at a cost of around 230 million euros.

25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

EU Parliament Approves Tyre Labelling Regulation

Legislation

On November 25 the European Parliament approved the draft regulation on tyre labelling without a vote. This means that, come November 1, 2012, light and heavy duty vehicle tyres (C1, C2 and C3 tyres) will have to be supplied with information that informs consumers about fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise classes in any technical promotional material, including websites. Retreaded tyres, off-road professional tyres and racing tyres will be exempt from this requirement.

25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Europe Appoints New Truck Tyre Technology Director

News

Henk van Tuyl has been appointed director of Goodyear Dunlop Tires’ Tire Technology Commercial Tires – Europe Middle East and Africa division. Van Tuyl, who is originally from the Netherlands, has worked for the company for more than 21 years and took up his new post on October 1.

25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Trio of Guides Added to Michelin Library

Company News, Premium

You’d be bonkers not to have noticed the raft of new Michelin guides hitting the bookshelves in November. Earlier in the month we reported the launch of the latest editions for Germany and Switzerland, but in coming days the gastronomic scribes in the Michelin guide team will release three new European tomes.

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25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Sicam Announces New Wheel Balancer, Automatic Lever System, Wheel Aligner

News

Sicam has announced the release of two new products: the SBM V80 compact wheel balancer for car and light industrial vehicle wheels, and the SA 830 D3 wheel aligner. In over 30 years in business, Sicam has earned great esteem among producer of tools and equipment for tyre changer and balancing machines, befitting its location in the Industrial area of Correggio – a place the company calls the “home of tyre changers”. In 1975, Sicam launched the first car Tyre Changer, FALCO F9/20A model, a forerunner of its main range of garage equipments. Thanks to innovative ideas and ambitious projects, Sicam says it has earned relevant market shares both in the domestic market and the international one. At present Sicam exports its equipments to more than 90 countries all over the world, while current production is over 22,000 machines per year, equal to 13 per cent of the market.

25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Consultation on Conti Clairoix Closure Ends

Career Tracks

The consultation phase regarding the planned closure of Continental’s Clairoix tyre factory that began on March 11 has come to an end. After more than eight months of talks between Continental France SNC and workers’ unions over the passenger car and light truck tyre factory’s future, or lack thereof, the bodies representing employees have, in Continental’s words, “rendered their recommendations” on both the economic rationale in support of the planned closure as well as the qualification scheme included in the social plan for the plant’s 1,120 employees.

25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Queen Handy with a Spanner, Automotive Technician Accreditation Survey Concludes

News

“If your car breaks down and an official motorcade drives by, who would you hope had come to your rescue?” That was the somewhat implausible question posed by The Institute of the Motor Industry in a recent survey of 2000 consumers concerning the Automotive Technician Accreditation scheme; but not to be outdone, the Great British Public got behind its monarch, delivering an equally implausible scenario in which the Queen took a look under their hoods. Perhaps drawing on her experience as a fully-qualified World War Two mechanic, HRH Elizabeth II (16 per cent) was considered most likely to undertake basic car repairs, followed by Conservative Party leader David “Dave” Cameron (13 per cent). Predictably, Gordon Brown gained 9 per cent of the vote (a sorry prediction for 2010’s General Election, if fought on the rather unlikely issue of car reparation) while eminently disposable pop culture guru Simon Cowell got 11 per cent.

25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone’s Yasukawa: MotoGP “a Very Important Platform”

Motorsport

The 2009 MotoGP season was the first for Bridgestone as the series’ Official Tyre Supplier. Looking back on the season in a question and answer session, Bridgestone Motorsport director Hiroshi Yasukawa explained the importance of MotoGP to other areas of the company’s business, why Bridgestone misses tyre-based competition in the sport, and the new challenges that come with being exclusive supplier. Rather than supporting seven teams and a total of thirteen riders as was the case at the end of last year, Bridgestone supplied tyres and provided support to every team and rider on the grid. In total there were five race-winners, including the first MotoGP win for Andrea Dovizioso and the first on Bridgestone tyres for Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa, and eleven different riders finished on the podium. The World Championship was won by Valentino Rossi and the Fiat Yamaha Team at the Malaysian Grand Prix, the penultimate round of the season.

25th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

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