New leader for Dutch tyre association Vaco, but Spuijbroek remains Bipaver secretary general
On 31 March, Ruud Spuijbroek stepped down as secretary general of Vaco, the organisation representing the tyre and wheel industry in the Netherlands. Spuijbroek had served as general secretary for close to 20 years, and although he no longer holds the top position at Vaco the 63 year old remains secretary general of European retreading association Bipaver. A successor to Spuijbroek was named at Vaco’s general assembly in December 2014, and on 1 April Tim van der Rijken took over as the association’s secretary general.
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Tyrepress visits Michelin Training Centre
One junction along the A500 from its UK headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent, the Michelin Training Centre is a point of reference for just about every point of the tyre industry. Offering a portfolio consisting of more than 100 training courses, the centre covers technical product training in the car, motorcycle, industrial, truck and agricultural tyre segments, as well as technical information for police and “tyre forensics”, and management and sales training appropriate for the industry. Many of the courses offered also include City & Guilds and REACT accreditation, giving attendees the backing of external qualifications on top of training coming from one of the few brands to achieve total recognition. Tyrepress toured the Stoke-on-Trent centre with its manager Charly Bailey, who explained the litany of tyre business knowledge available to those attending the MTC’s courses: “Sometimes when you’re really busy in a workshop you don’t get the chance to ask a question.”
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Sailun appoints Central, Eastern Europe sales director
Ivan Majsky has joined Sailun as sales director for Central and Eastern Europe. He brings with him 20 years of experience in tyre sales, most recently as head of Cooper Tire & Rubber’s CEE sales office, from June 2007 to December 2014. His tyre industry career began at Continental Matador, where he worked as a sales manager between 1992, and 1998, and Majsky subsequently held positions with Al Dobowi and Hercules Tire.
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Goodyear dissolving agreement with German workforce – a prelude to redundancies or plant closures?
According to Germany’s Osthessen News, Goodyear Dunlop Tires Germany GmbH intends to rescind the contract it holds with 7,500 German employees. The contract, which has been in force for 17 years and renegotiated four times during this period, guaranteed the retention of the company’s seven sites in Germany and protection from business-related redundancies. Ines Sauer, Works Council chair at Goodyear Dunlop’s Fulda facility, told Osthessen News that she and the German operation’s Central Works Council were informed of Goodyear Dunlop’s plans to end the contract late last month.
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François Michelin – the 20th century’s greatest tyre manager
On 29 April François Michelin died in Auvergne, shortly before reaching his 89th birthday. He’d spent the final years of his life in a Christian home for the aged. François Michelin led the Michelin Group for 47 years and his life was marked by outstanding success, yet it was also a life punctuated by tragic turns of fate.
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Apollo Tyres’ recently-appointed CFO resigns
Apollo Tyres informed the BSE on 2 May that it has “reluctantly accepted” the resignation of Raj Banerji, the company’s chief financial officer. Banerji informed the tyre maker of his decision on April 30, less than three months after Apollo Tyres first announced his appointment to the role.
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IAM appoints new commercial director
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has appointed Lesley Upham as its commercial director. The appointment is a new position, and is the first to be made by the IAM’s chief executive officer Sarah Sillars, who joined the charity in March. The new position is effective from July 2015. Upham comes from Thatcham Research where she currently holds the position of commercial director, a post she has held since 2008.
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François Michelin dies
Earlier today the former Michelin head and grandson of Michelin co-founder Edouard Michelin, François Michelin, passed away at the age of 89.
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TRW to open three new plants in China
By the end of next year, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. intends to have opened three further plants in China. Two of these facilities will be located on the same site in Zhanghjiagang, Jiangsu province; the first, a factory dedicated to braking, will start operations at the end of the second quarter of 2015, while a November 2015 start is planned for the other, an occupant safety systems facility. The third plant is located in Xian and is also an occupant safety systems factory. It should be operational by the third quarter of 2016.
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Bridgestone appoints new European director of replacement sales
Bridgestone Europe has appointed Timothy Manuel, currently general manager of channel strategy as director replacement sales in the company’s European Consumer Business Unit. Despite having taking on this new role, Manuel remains responsible for Consumer Business Unit channel strategy and the Motorcycle Business Unit at European level. Moving forward, his key focus is said to be the development of the company’s passenger car sales in Europe, working closely with the six different European regions.
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Nokian Tyres’ Central Europe MD to retire – successor named
Dieter Köppner, managing director of Nokian Tyres Central Europe since 2007, has announced his intention to retire this year. Sharing the news with Tyres & Accessories, the 62 year old said that to ensure a smooth transition he is already working alongside his successor, Hannu Liitsola, at the tyre maker’s Central European headquarters in Prague.
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