IMI welcomes Labour leader Ed Miliband’s apprentice pledge
The IMI, which represents the UK retail motor industry, has welcomed a pledge from opposition leader Ed Miliband that a future Labour government would increase the numbers of apprentices.
The IMI, which represents the UK retail motor industry, has welcomed a pledge from opposition leader Ed Miliband that a future Labour government would increase the numbers of apprentices.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), which is a US state-funded economic development corporation that encourages the continued growth of the state’s auto industry, has booked a pavilion at Automechanika Shanghai. According to the show’s organisers, the Michigan government is keen to use Messe Frankfurt’s enormous industry resources to help foster its auto industry development as the show is an irreplaceable platform for the Michigan’s auto parts companies, which have the world’s leading advanced automotive parts research and development and manufacturing standards to showcase different areas of products and services at the show. It is also interesting to note in light of the ongoing tyre import trade dispute between the US and China.
Dr Hidde P Smit, former secretary general of International Rubber Study Group (IRSD) and rubber market analyst, has suggested tree-felling and reduced tapping in order slow falling rubber prices.
Delivering the key-note address at the sixth edition of India Rubber Summit & Dinner 2014 organised by Rubber Asia in Kochi, India on 21 September 2014, he predicted that the low price regime could continue for the rest of the decade and even beyond. He said any intensive rubber planting done now could lead to a glut in natural rubber (NR) market after six years, bringing the prices down further. He added that world NR consumption is expected to touch 18.6 million tonnes by 2025, while NR supply may exceed demand at 19.3 million tonnes by 2025 and 20.2 million tonnes by 2030. However Indian market representatives disagreed, pointing to the Indian example and suggesting the rising supply deficit could be bridged only by boosting production.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton used a three-stop strategy to win in Singapore. After three stints on the P Zero Red supersoft, Hamilton completed the race on the P Zero Yellow soft. Hamilton was challenged by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, running a two-stop strategy from fourth on the grid. Vettel did two opening stints on the supersoft and then a final stint on the soft at the end of the grand prix, when the car was at its lightest on low fuel. His team-mate Daniel Ricciardo followed the same strategy to finish third in front of the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso.
The managing director of UK tyre retailer Just Tyres has completed the latest leg of a long distance journey to Uganda. Ian Grant, has raised £20,000 for the Kampala Children’s Centre over the last 12 months, which has paved the way for a comprehensive education programme that trains adults how to teach youngsters basic numeracy and literacy skills.
Dunlop will seek to extend its 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans success into next year as the manufacturer launches its 2015 GT testing programme. Dunlop also signalled its intention to expand its endurance racing activities to include new specification tyres for ‘open tyre’ GT classes.
Despite tough new legislation coming into force to tackle the number of scrap metal thefts in the UK, most organisations now insist on buying workplace products made out of alternative materials according to Slingsby, which supplies more than 35,000 workplace products across all industries.
In 2012 estimates suggested that insurers were paying out more than £1m a week to victims of metal theft according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) which said there were about 1,000 reported incidents a week, costing the UK economy approximately £770m a year in disruption.
New research commissioned by one of the UK’s leading motor industry bodies has revealed 50 per cent of Britain’s motorists neglect vital vehicle maintenance checks including oil, tyres and lights – all essential to ensuring the safety of their cars. This equates to a staggering 18 million drivers when equated to the 36 million motorists on UK roads.
The survey of 1,000 motorists by Trusted Dealers, the consumer-facing website of the National Franchised Dealer Association, found one in three drivers (32 per cent) are unaware how often their vehicle should be serviced, with almost seven per cent (6.8 per cent) of motorists admitting they never undertake routine vehicle checks.
Huw Lewis, Angus Tyres Ltd, Lindleys Autocentre, Express Tyre Service, Discount Tyres and Tyrecare St Helens Ltd have all joined the Point S retail buying group in the UK. According to the company, the Point S UK membership, continues to grow despite fluctuations on the continent. The growth is said to demonstrates “the confidence that tyre professionals have in our industry expertise and will ensure that we strengthen our position as the leading tyre dealer network” the company said in an internal publication announcing the additions to its network.
The sales manager of Pirelli’s ‘Car’ wholesale channel in the German market, Reimund Wolfmüller, is leaving the company as of 31 December 2014, reports Pirelli Deutschland GmbH. The company’s intention is to appoint a successor before the end of the year to ensure a smooth changeover. During the transition period, Pirelli Deutschland sales and marketing manager Andreas Penkert will be responsible for the Car sales channel.
Some 388 Cooper Wild Country Radial XTX Sport tyres are being recalled in the US. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notice states that the recall affects certain size 265/65R18 tyres that were manufactured between 1 June 2014 and 28 June 2014 (weeks 2214-2514). The affected tyres may experience cracking or broken ply cords in the lower sidewall on the white sidewall side, which may lead to a sudden loss of pressure.
Representatives from Pirelli Tyres Ltd will appear in Carlisle Crown Court on 6 October in connection with the death of an employee inside an autoclave at the company’s Carlisle facility in September 2012. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has brought criminal proceedings against the tyre maker; a Pirelli representative entered no plea during a hearing at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on 17 September.
Goodyear Dunlop has appointed Edouard Carpentier director of its Consumer Tires business unit in France. The former French market supply chain director replaces Jean-Denis Perche, who began as general manager of Goodyear Dunlop’s Middle East and Africa (MEA) region on 1 August. In their new roles, Carpentier and Perche respectively report to EMEA region sales director Pietro Saletto and vice-president Emerging Markets EMEA Henry Johnson.
A facility said to be Latin America’s largest retreading plant opened late last month in Brazil. The 6,000 square metre plant in Campina Grande do Sul, Paraná state, is operated by Ivo Group company Ivo Recap and has a 20,000 tyre a month capacity. The facility retreads truck, OTR, industrial and agricultural tyres.
Earlier this year it announced plans to invest around £690 million to build a new 12 million tyre per annum factory, and now Nexen Tire has further strengthened its relationship with the Czech Republic by signing up as a sponsor for ice hockey team BK Mladá Boleslav. The agreement covers the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons and will give the tyre maker brand exposure in the stadium at home games and on player equipment, including helmets.
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