![Gareth Passmore appointed Sailun Jinyu International president for Europe](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/passmore-web.png)
Gareth Passmore appointed Sailun Jinyu International president for Europe
Sailun Jinyu International (SJI) has appointed Gareth Passmore as its president for Europe. He replaces Martin West, who has been appointed global president of the SJI Speciality Tire Group. Passmore will be responsible for all operations throughout Europe of the four brands within the Sailun Jinyu Group portfolio – Sailun, Jinyu, Black Lion and Rovelo. He will join Sailun on 1 December 2016, and be based at the SJI European Operations Centre in Birmingham, after relocating to the UK.
Continue Reading![New website for The Parts Alliance](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/parts-alliance-website.jpg)
New website for The Parts Alliance
The Parts Alliance has launched a new company website (www.thepartsalliance.com), as the group seeks to further elevate the visibility of its brands within the UK aftermarket.
Continue ReadingETRMA figures – no growth in Q3 2016
Unit sales of replacement market car and two-wheeler tyres from members of the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association remained flat in the third quarter of 2016, while unit sales of aftermarket commercial vehicle and agricultural tyres declined.
Continue ReadingSafe-Run: The legal ‘war’ with VMI has just begun
Following VMI’s statement saying it had won the latest round of legal wrangling related to a patent dispute with Safe-Run, the Chinese firm, which describes itself as “one of VMI’s biggest competitors in China” put out a counter statement questioning VMI’s perspective.
Continue Reading![Michelin COO Florent Menegaux explains the thinking behind this year’s investments](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Florent-Menegaux_biography.jpg)
Michelin COO Florent Menegaux explains the thinking behind this year’s investments
During the course of the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Tyres & Accessories took time out with Florent Menegaux (Michelin chief operating officer in charge of product and core business). Our conversation covered four key areas: Mobility – that is, Michelin’s increasingly evident philosophical evolution away from simply being a tyre maker towards being a mobility provider; Products and services – in other words the traditional well-established product centres the company is best known for (as well as the innovations connection to and rising from these areas); Experiences – what has traditionally been known as the maps and guides part of Michelin’s operations, but which is increasingly seeking to connect the firm’s excellent brand and content with technology and monetisation options; and finally distribution – the actual means of getting products (and services) from the manufacturer to the end-user via the professional supply chain.
Continue ReadingExpansion of Goodyear tyre plant in China begins
When Goodyear Tire & Rubber announced plans last month to close its Philippsburg tyre plant in Germany, the company gave increasing demand for larger rim diameter tyre sizes – and a lack of infrastructure for producing these in Philippsburg – as a justification for the decision. Rather than invest in new equipment for the factory, Goodyear has decided to increase capacity for larger tyre sizes elsewhere in the world. Today, the tyre maker announced it has broken ground on a US$485 million expansion of its facility in China’s Pulandian district. Goodyear chairman, chief executive officer and president Richard J. Kramer took part in a ceremony with Lu Lin, deputy mayor of the city of Dalian.
Continue Reading![DRT buys Pinova for US$150 million](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/c_DRT_foret_01.jpg)
DRT buys Pinova for US$150 million
DRT has agreed to buy Pinova Inc., the specialty resins and chemical intermediates manufacturer. DRT will acquire Pinova Inc. and its diversified portfolio of industry applications as well as its Brunswick manufacturing site from Symrise for US$150 million. Pinova Inc.’s 2016 sales are expected to total about $111 million. As part of the transaction, Symrise and DRT have also agreed on a co-operation for individual product development projects as well as for the supply of strategic raw materials.
Continue ReadingCooper Tire & Rubber Q3 2016 sales, income slightly down
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has reported a third quarter 2016 net income of US$49 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.90, compared with $53 million, or $0.93 per share, during the same period of last year. The quarter included a non-cash pension settlement charge of $11.5 million related to lump-sum distribution of benefits offered to certain former employees. Excluding the non-cash pension settlement charge, diluted earnings per share for the third quarter would have been $1.04.
Continue Reading![Giti celebrates half-millionth GT Radial FE1 sale with ‘Golden Tyre’ for UK dealer](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ph074.GT-Radial-FE1-golden-tyre.jpg)
Giti celebrates half-millionth GT Radial FE1 sale with ‘Golden Tyre’ for UK dealer
Giti Tire has celebrated the 500,000th sale of its GT Radial FE1 with a ‘Golden Tyre’ presented to GT Radial Performance Centre (GTPC), Perry’s Tyres & Exhausts Service of Cinderford, Gloucestershire. The FE1, launched in 2014, is the fastest selling European pattern in Giti Tire’s history. As of September 2016, more than 580,000 units have been sold in the 21 months it has been available.
Continue Reading![Tyre Industry Awards – New venue, but still a sell-out](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Donation-to-Wheelwrights-Charity-L-R-David-Viner-Master-of-the-Worshipful-Company-of-Wheelwrights-Mark-Insley-CEO-Rema-TT1.jpg)
Tyre Industry Awards – New venue, but still a sell-out
The 2016 Tyre Industry Awards held in October was sell-out event once again. And this was despite having moved to a new venue (Birmingham’s Vox Centre) and it being just the second year of the resurrected conference. To top it all more than £4000 was raised for the NTDA’s chosen charity, the Worshipful Company of Wheelwrights, which is backing the training, development and travel support of Paralympic athletes preparing for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Continue ReadingAutosupplies (Chesterfield) set to expand
Autosupplies (Chesterfield) is adding a 7,600 square foot extension to its Bolsover site, making it one of the largest single branch motor factors in the UK.
Continue Reading![Customer events celebrate Direct Autoparts’ 25th anniversary](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Goodwood-Revival-2.jpg)
Customer events celebrate Direct Autoparts’ 25th anniversary
Direct Autoparts has carried out more customer-led activities to celebrate its 25th anniversary in business, with an appearance at the Goodwood Revival and also another karting day at Lakeside Karting, Essex.
Continue ReadingMarubeni buys stake in Mexican tyre retailer
On 24 October Japanese conglomerate Marubeni announced it had purchased a large minority shareholding in Mexican tyre dealer Radial Llantas. According to the company, Marubeni has bought 49 per cent of the shares in Radial Llantas. The pricetag for the stockholding is said to be “several billion yen”, according to Wards Auto.
Continue Reading![Autosupplies to distribute full WAI product portfolio](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/David-Clarke-Autosupplies-Gary-Maskrey-WAI.jpg)
Autosupplies to distribute full WAI product portfolio
Autosupplies Chesterfield is taking on the full WAI product range of rotating electrics, ignition leads, ignition coils, window regulators and wiper motors as part of the motor factor’s continued expansion plans.
Continue Reading![Vote begins for IAAF Annual Awards](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/iaaf_dinner1.jpg)
Vote begins for IAAF Annual Awards
Voting has begun for the IAAF’s Annual Awards, with winners set to be unveiled at the association’s annual gathering held at the ICC in Birmingham on Thursday 15 December. The award ceremony will welcome around 600 aftermarket personnel, with industry-leading motor factors and suppliers eager to win the coveted awards.
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