TVS Srichakra launching radial motorcycle tyres
TVS Srichakra Limited is set to launch a radial motorcycle tyre range in April. Speaking to the local The Hindu newspaper, company director P. Vijayaraghavan said the new range would “initially cater to the needs of the expanding high-end motorcycles market”. TVS Srichakra, part of the Chennai-based US$8 billion TVS Group, recently launched tractor rear radial tyres in Europe.
Continue ReadingAgri OE business drags down Trelleborg’s organic tyre sales in 2015
Sweden’s Trelleborg AB reports that organic sales within its Trelleborg Wheel Systems business decreased by six per cent year-on-year in 2015, despite a four per cent rise in overall sales. Organic sales were pushed downwards by agriculture-related sales, which were impacted by markedly lower agricultural machinery production levels. The organic sales trend for tyres for materials handling vehicles was slightly negative for the full-year. Total net sales increased 3.6 per cent to SEK 4.3 billion (£349 million).
Continue ReadingChemChina to acquire Swiss agribusiness firm for US$43 billion
Pirelli’s parent company, state-owned group China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina), has deep pockets. After acquiring the tyre maker last year it announced its purchase of KraussMaffei Group and shares in Mercuria Energy Trading in January. And yesterday ChemChina gave word of a deal that will be China’s largest overseas takeover ever – the company intends to acquire Swiss agrochemical and seeds company Syngenta AG for US$43 billion by way of a public tender offer.
Continue ReadingKings Road Tyres restructuring wholesale business
Kings Road Tyres (KRT), one of the longest-established UK tyre wholesalers, is restructuring its distribution network and has committed to a multi-million pound investment and modernisation programme to achieve this. However, this also means the eight existing KRT warehouses in the UK and Ireland will be progressively closed to coincide with the opening of new premises. This is expected to take place between the end of March and the end of August 2016.
Continue ReadingAutodata confirms acquisition of Autodata Oy Nordic
Autodata has purchased Autodata Oy Nordic, an official distributor in Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia for over 34 years. The acquisition comes a year after Autodata launched a completely new online product to provide workshops with technical information, instructions and diagnostics. Autodata Oy Nordic will take on the Autodata brand, but will retain their current offices based in Pälkäne.
Continue ReadingFord cutting 100s of jobs in the UK and Germany
Ford is aiming to saving US$200 million a year by reducing the number of sales marketing and administration jobs its supports in Europe. To achieve this Ford will offer a voluntary redundancy scheme to the 10,300 salaried workers it employs in Europe, according to Reuters. The deal is likely to include severance pay and early […]
Continue ReadingPoint S launching ‘City’ concept to extend its reach
The Point S network has enjoyed growth in its country of origin over the past few years. The French Point S operation, which this year celebrates 45 years in the business, is now present in 470 locations. Last year, 53 new sites joined the network, and Point S managing director Christophe Rollet anticipates that by the end of 2016 the French Point S network will boast more than 500 points of sale.
Continue ReadingTructyre wins £1.2 million driverless truck funding bid
A consortium initiated by Tructyre has won £1.2 million of funding for its “Pathway to Autonomous Commercial Vehicles” project. This project aims to develop “an innovative solution to monitor key information from the vehicle and predict safety risks based on analytics”. It builds on a prototype which monitors tyre pressures and temperatures in commercial vehicles, combined with always-on network connection.
Continue ReadingBritain to become a global driverless vehicle centre
Eight projects have been awarded a total of £20 million in funding to research and develop enhanced communication between vehicles and roadside infrastructure or urban information systems, including new ‘talking car technologies’, Business Secretary Sajid Javid announced on a visit to the autonomous vehicles test bed at MIRA in Nuneaton on 1 February 2016. The projects are the first to be funded from the government’s £100 million Intelligent Mobility Fund. They range from developing autonomous shuttles to carry visually-impaired passengers using advanced sensors and control systems, to new simulation trials for autonomous pods to increase uptake and improve real-world trials.
Continue ReadingOfficial opening for Trelleborg’s US tyre plant
On 27 January, Trelleborg held a ceremony to inaugurate its first agricultural radial tyre factory in the USA. The official opening followed the start of production at the facility late last year. Production at the US$50 million, 430,000 square foot (40,000 square metre) factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina will be gradually ramped up, with all manufacturing equipment expected to be installed by 2018. Trelleborg anticipates that the project will have created around 150 jobs by this time.
Continue ReadingEuropean Independent Automotive Data Publishers Association ADPA established
Representatives of major independent automotive data publishing companies have joined forces and founded a new European Industry Association in Brussels. Created on 21 January 2016, the European Independent Automotive Data Publishers Association, referred to as ADPA, has been formed to “ensure fair access to automotive data and information and to provide competitive framework conditions for independent data publishers”, according to its founders.
Continue ReadingKumho Tire VP appointed CEO of Kumho Asiana
The Kumho Asiana Group has appointed Kumho Tire vice-present Park Se-chang the group’s chief executive officer. According to a Kumho press release, 40-year old Park, the only son of group chairman Park Sam-koo, will lead Kumho Asiana’s strategic management unit with current CEO Seo Jae-hwan.
Continue ReadingBridgestone alters upper management roles
On 14 October 2015, Bridgestone Corporation announced that its Board of Directors had taken the first step towards updating the companys corporate governance structure by approving the adoption of a new corporate governance structure – the replacement of the ‘Company with Board of Company Auditors’ model, which had been in place since 1993, with a ‘Company with Nominating Committee’ governance model. Today, the company shares that the board has approved the transfer of representatives and directorship candidates in preparation for this switch.
Continue ReadingZenises launches new website
Zenises has launched a new website “designed to accommodate the company’s expanding business activity and showcase its multi-brand tyre brand portfolio”. Zenises.com carries details of the firm’s Z and T brands and introduces the firm’s long-standing association with Westlake passenger and commercial tyres as well as more recent tyre brand additions such as Triangle truck tyres.
Continue ReadingMichelin in talks over Ballymena settlement
Staff representatives and Michelin managers at the French tyre maker’s Ballymena, Northern Ireland truck tyre factory are discussing redundancy packages following the news that the factory is to close in mid-2018. Michelin representatives declined to comment on individual cases, but local press reports suggest particular offers have already been made.
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