2009 - Page 12 of 205

Tyre Cord Maker to Close Virginia Plant

South Korea’s Hyosung Corp. has announced it will close its tyre cord plant in Scottsville, Virginia, in January 2010. The former Uniroyal tyre cord plant, which Hyosung took over in 2002, employs 106 people, according to Tire Review’s report.

The US tyre magazine explains that the facility was built in 1944 by the Defense Plant Corp. to help with the war effort, and Uniroyal bought the plant in 1945. Hyosung bought the plant from Michelin North America, and struck an exclusive supply deal with Uniroyal’s successor.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

PCL Increases the Pressure with its MK4

News

PCL has sold its MK3 tyre inflator to tyre outlets, garages and petrol forecourts around the world. The company has now further developed this popular product and released the MK4, a high-pressure model for truck tyre inflation. Visually, the MK4 bears more than a passing resemblance to its smaller-numbered brother, yet in situations that call for pressure to be applied, the new inflator comes into its own – according to PCL, the MK4 can deliver up to 174 psi (12 bar) as opposed to the 138 psi (9.6 bar) the MK3 has at its disposal.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo US Sponsors Up Hardwood Classic Basketball Series

News, Premium

Toyo Tires USA Corp. has signed on as presenting sponsor of the 2009 Big-12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series on Fox Sports Net. The Hardwood Series features match-ups between Big-12 and Pac-10 men’s basketball teams during November and December, with the six Pac-10 home games broadcast nationally on FSN.

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30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Surprises Await in Latest Michelin Hong Kong Guide

Company News

The second edition of the Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau, launched November 26, contains information on 205 restaurants in the former British colony and 38 in Macau. In total, the 2010 guide three three-star restaurants, nine two-star establishments and 39 one-star venues – including a premises described by Michelin guide director Jean-Luc Naret as the “most affordable starred restaurant in the world'."

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear India to Sign Reimbursement Agreement

News

On November 30 Goodyear India announced it would enter into an agreement to reimburse expenses incurred by parent company Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for services received. This agreement will come into effect on January 1, 2010. The company has also reappointed Daniel Richard Ackerman as an alternate director to Pierre E. Cohade.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Formula One Autocentres Opens 50th Fast-Fit

News

Formula One Autocentres, reputedly UK’s largest family owned fast-fit chain, opened its 50th branch Wolverhampton at the end of November. Located, on Willenhall Road, the new Formula One branch is the company’s 50th in an impressive, on-going programme of expansion. Brothers Paul & Leon Glencross are delighted with local response to the launch. Leon commented: “As a family business opening our 50th branch is a fantastic, landmark occasion for us and Wolverhampton is the perfect location”, he said.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF to Produce Fighter Aircraft Tyres?

News

This year Indian manufacturer MRF established a niche in the military aviation tyre segment through an arrangement to supply original equipment tyres to Hindustan Aeronautical’s Chetak range of helicopters. The first batch of three to four hundred tyres has already been produce and another order is expected to be ready by January 2010. Furthermore, it appears likely that the tyre maker will extend its military supply presence even further in the near future.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Mercedes Joins TyreSafe

News

Mercedes-Benz has become the latest vehicle manufacturer group to join TyreSafe. The company will run a series of tyre safety initiatives across its retailer network and fleet customers, highlighting the important role that tyres play in road safety, which will include a cold weather tyre programme for this winter. As well as supporting and participating in TyreSafe’s national campaigns, Mercedes-Benz will give input into the organisation, helping it develop further and reduce the number of accidents and fatalities caused by defective tyres.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

F1 Should Go Back to Competing Suppliers – Last Chance to Vote

News

Its seems virtually no-one likes the idea of having continuing with a control tyre in Formula One. As voting for this month’s tyrepress.com Question of the month draws to a close, an overwhelming majority of respondents said “competing tyre manufacturers make for more interesting race.” At the time of writing 93.1 per cent of voters chose this option. Therefore a mere 6.9 per cent support the concept of the world’s most prestigious motor racing series continuing with just one tyre supplier when Bridgestone bows out of this role at the end of the 2010 season.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Invests to Expand Production Processes in Romania

Company News

Continental has announced plans to expand the production process at its Timişoara passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyre facility in Romania. The expansion will centre upon the construction of a new unit for processing the master batch and, adds Conti, will enable the company to have a completely integrated production unit that permits the local processing of raw materials, a feature that will consolidate the company’s tyre business in Romania and increase the plant’s cost competitiveness. The project will involve a “two digit million” amount, Continental adds, and will in the mid-term lead to the creation of around 200 new jobs.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Gajah Tunggal Looking to Fill US Market Void Left by Tariffs

International News, News

Indonesian tyre maker PT Gajah Tunngal is hoping to take advantage of US tariffs against Chinese made consumer tyres. The Jakarta Globe reports company director Catherine Widjaja as saying “we are looking to see if we can fill the void left after the US hiked import tariffs on Chinese tyres.”

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Collmann Joins TRIB

Retreading

TRIB, the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau, reports the addition of German retreading machinery manufacturer Collmann GmbH & Co to its ranks. The Lübeck based company, which began manufacturing buffers and other retread related machinery more than 70 years ago, is today recognised as a world leader in retread and other tyre related machinery.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Qualifier II Wins Visordown Tyre Test

News

Dunlop reports that the latest addition to its motorcycle range, the Qualifier II, has won Visordown’s annual winter tyre test. The popular magazine, formerly known as TWO, tested a range of premium tyres in wet and dry conditions to find the best tyre for use during cold, wet winters.

30th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Reports: Continental Refinancing ‘Will Be Done By Christmas’

Career Tracks

Continental AG is aiming to complete the refinancing negotiations of its syndicated loan before Christmas, Reuters quoted sources “familiar with the matter” as saying. Further reports suggest Continental is opting to pay a higher interest rate in exchange for postponing a 3.5 billion euro payment due in August next year. Instead the automotive supplier is expected to use a 1 billion euro capital increase and extend the remaining 2.5 billion in loan payments, “temporarily eliminating any need to raise cash via the disposal of its Rubber Group activities” according to Reuters.

27th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Man Hits The Road With Boughey Distribution

News

The world-famous Michelin Man is hitching a ride on the back of 12 trailers in the Boughey Distribution fleet, to highlight the innovative X One MaxiTrailer tyres which have been fitted as original equipment on every one of the 160 new trailers which have joined the fleet since late 2007. The distinctive size of the 455/45 R 22.5 X One MaxiTrailer tyres gives the trailers a low profile look providing a low centre of gravity which has shown to improve stability.

Paul Brimelow, Group Fleet Engineer at Wardle-based Boughey Distribution, explains. “Since the trailers entered service we have clocked up nearly 20 million kilometres on X One Maxi Trailer tyres and other than occasional punctures and sidewall damage due to impact, we have suffered no tyre failures at all, which has resulted in an exceptional level of tyre reliability for our fleet.

27th November 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

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