Goodyear named Fortune’s most admired tyre maker
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has narrowly beat Michelin to be named Fortune magazine’s most admired tyre maker for 2016. The publication ranked Goodyear as its third most admired company in the motor vehicle parts category, ahead of Michelin at number five and Continental at number eight.
Continue ReadingBrembo EBIT up 40.8 per cent to 251.3 million euros
Brake maker Brembo reports that its 2015 revenues grew 15 per cent to 2,073.2 million euros. Pre-tax profits were even stronger, with EBITDA at 359.9 million euros (+28.6 per cent) and the EBIT measurement up 40.8 per cent to 251.3 million euros. During the same period net profit grew 42.5 per cent to 184.0 million euros. Net investments totalled 154.1 million euros. And net debt amounted to 160.7 million euros.
Continue ReadingKirkby Tyres expands Ireland operations with OE development manager
Speke-based tyre wholesaler Kirkby Tyres has expanded its operations in Ireland with the appointment of new original equipment business development manager (Ireland). Sean Dougan joins the company following 20 years at Philip White Tyres, giving him “a wealth of experience in the industry,” Kirkby stated.
Continue ReadingTyre wholesaling – a decade of change
Ten years is a long time in the tyre world. Over the past decade, European industry observers have witnessed the eco tyre niche blossom into a mainstream segment, seen the implementation of regulations such as REACH and the EU tyre label, and looked on in amazement as end users stopped sniggering at Chinese-made tyres and began looking upon them as a serious, and cheaper alternative to established brands.
Continue ReadingTop tyre manufacturers deny involvement in tyre test manipulation
Along with Nokian’s admission and apology for “mistakes” in its practices concerning tyre tests, the Finnish tyre manufacturer stated that “several operators in the field… have been suspected or evidence has been presented against them of differences between tyres in magazine tests and tyres that are for sale in stores.” After the Nokian statement’s implication of other tyre manufacturers in malpractice regarding independent tyre testing, Michelin immediately responded by stating categorically that it has “never designed or manufactured tyres specifically for tests conducted by the media, automobile associations or any other organisations.” Tyres & Accessories approached 11 more of the world’s leading manufacturers, many of whose products regularly appear in magazine tests, for their response to the question: Have you ever designed or manufactured tyres specifically for tests conducted by the media, automobile associations or any other organisations? Listed below are their responses.
Continue ReadingMichelin giveth, Michelin taketh away – French investments, retreading plant closure
In what it calls a “series of decisions that adapt its industrial and service activities in Clermont-Ferrand,” French tyre maker Michelin has announced the closure of a retreading facility at its headquarters site and a further 164 job cuts in its Engineering operation. At the same time, the company has outlined plans to invest €90 million into projects at three Clermont-Ferrand locations.
Continue ReadingCamso a Toyota Material Handling supplier of the year
Camso has been honoured as Toyota Material Handling Europe’s Supplier of the Year 2015 in the ‘Counterbalanced Trucks’ category after collaborating on a new range of Toyota forklifts. The company worked closely with Toyota Material Handling Europe to introduce its Solideal Magnum Resilient forklift tyre on the latest range of Toyota counterbalanced forklift trucks.
Continue ReadingHonesty is the best policy
As in life, when it comes to tyre testing, honesty is the best policy. Nokian Tyres’ “worst day ever” happened at the end of February – with the Finnish manufacturer and well-known winter tyre specialist accused of manipulating tyre test results for a decade and then apologising for “mistakes” relating to tyre tests. The two quickest responses to the story were from Nokian Tyres itself and – more surprisingly – Michelin, which deftly pre-empted the widening of questions relating to tyre testing by putting out a statement of its own. As a result, both Nokian and Michelin have adopted exactly the right approach, from a communications perspective at least. Looking at the story through this lens we can see practical examples of the golden rules of PR in action – control the narrative, take initiative and tell the truth.
Continue ReadingNokian: Several firms involved in tyre test manipulation
As well as admitting that its “practices concerning tyre tests have not always…been in line with the sustainable approach of Nokian Tyres” and that it has made “mistakes”, Nokian has now explicitly implicated other tyre manufacturers in tyre test rigging.
Continue ReadingNokian CEO ‘proud’ to come clean about tyre testing
Yesterday was “my worst day ever” Nokian CEO Ari Lehtoranta tweeted on 27 February 2016. The reason? The last Friday in February (the 26th) saw Finnish news reports suggesting Nokian had cheated in tyre tests for a decade translated and distributed around the world. This was followed by an official statement in which Nokian apologised for tyre test “mistakes” and began to outline what it was doing about it, while also reassuring customers and consumers that its products have always been safe.
Continue ReadingMichelin releases statement on tyre testing and transparency
Last week, the world learned that Nokian Tyres may have supplied bespoke products to tyre testers in past years in order to win or perform better in their tests. In the wake of the publication of such allegations, Michelin has issued a statement regarding its own approach to tyre testing. The tyre maker affirms that it has “never designed or manufactured tyres specifically for tests conducted by the media, automobile associations or any other organisations.”
Continue ReadingNokian clarifies executive remuneration policies
As news coverage of Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian’s apparent involvement in fixing magazine tyre test results got underway on 24 February, the company was taking step to clarify its pay and bonus policies. One of the key parts of the firms statement regretting tyre test mistakes the firm also addresses concerns related to suggestions that the alleged tyre test rigging was financially motivated: “The board of Nokian Tyres has never decided on such stock option schemes that would have encouraged cheating in tests, unlike what has been implied in the media.”
Continue ReadingNokian “regrets” tyre test “mistakes”
Nokian Tyres has apologised for past “mistakes” with magazine tyre tests. In an official statement company representatives said: “we apologise and regret the mistakes we have made in the past,” adding that the company’s tyres have “always been safe.
Continue ReadingNokian accused of rigging tyre test results for a decade
Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti has accused Nokian Tyres of making bespoke tyres for tyre testers in order to improve its test results. And what’s worse the paper says it has been going on for 10 years. Kauppalehti cites internal Nokian emails it has seen as being evidence supporting its story. Following the publication of this story, Nokian Tyres has issued a statement saying it regrets any mistakes it made in the way it handled magazine tyre tests.
Continue ReadingGoodyear agri tyre sales under way in Europe, production to follow
During a conference call yesterday, Titan International chief financial officer John Hrudicka confirmed that sales of Goodyear agricultural tyres in Europe had commenced, with initial orders being supplied from the US. “The early reception to the re-entry of Goodyear is very encouraging and demonstrates the brand still holds tremendous value in Europe,” he commented.
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