Remember This? – February 2024

Stories from the past 20 years of T&A

Our monthly magazine column looks back at the biggest news events from the tyre industry five, 10, 15 and 20 years ago. This month’s edition looks back to February issues from 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019 for some of the biggest tyre industry news of those months. Click the month and year to access the digital edition of the relevant issue of the magazine from Tyres & Accessories’ expanding digital archive.

February 2004

Goodyear patented an environmentally-friendly devulcanising process, with a claimed recovery rate of up to 80 per cent.

Kumho said it would build a second manufacturing plant in China, at a cost of US$ 130 million. The project would double manufacturing capacity by 2008 to 10 million tyres annually.

February 2009

Does the POTUS ride on Goodyears? The White House declined to confirm or deny reports that the US President’s modified Cadillac was fitted with Goodyear Regional RHS truck tyres on 19.5” wheels. ‘Security’ was cited as the reason for the lack of comment.

Taiwan-based Nankang Rubber celebrated its 50^th anniversary.

February 2014

Following the settlement of an industrial dispute, production of Cooper brand tyres was set to resume at the company’s Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) joint venture plant in China.

A change at the top of Pirelli: Marco Tronchetti Provera (66) announced that he would step down as Chief Executive within two years and would sell the family’s 25.1 per cent stake in the company.

February 2019

Magna Tyres Group announced plans to expand its operations in North America, starting with opening an office in Canada.

Michelin agreed to purchase an 80 per cent stake in Indonesia-based tyre manufacturer Multistrada Arah Sarana TBK. The company’s annual production capacity equates to 180,000 tonnes and net sales in 2017 of US$ 281 million.