Michelin, TVS Srichakra setting up motorcycle, scooter tyre production unit in India
Indian tyre maker TVS Srichakra Limited informed the National Stock Exchange of India on 2 June that it has entered into an agreement with wholly-owned Michelin subsidiary, Michelin India Private Limited, to produce a range of two wheeler tyres under the Michelin brand name.
Continue Reading![First Line Group shuffles management team following retirement of commercial director](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Kevinleft-Ian.jpg)
First Line Group shuffles management team following retirement of commercial director
First Line Group has responded to the retirement of commercial director Alan Wood by reshuffling its management team. The aftermarket supplier said the move reflects its need to strengthen its foundations and adapt to growing pressures in the market, which it characterises as more competitive and over-distributed. Wood’s departure triggered an internal reshuffle that sees First Line’s export director Kevin Neaverson become global sales director with Ian Boyle elevated from national accounts manager to the position of UK sales manager.
Continue Reading![Goodyear to pay Sumitomo US$271 million to end global joint venture](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/800px-Goodyearheadquartersandfactory.jpg)
Goodyear to pay Sumitomo US$271 million to end global joint venture
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is to pay Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) US$271 million to end its global joint venture with the Japanese firm. Goodyear expects to increase annual income as a result of the deal, while SRI will take on expanded use of the Dunlop name around the world. This largely means Russia, Africa and Asia, but not Europe. The reasoning behind the dissolution? According to SRI, the North American and European joint ventures did not perform as initially expected. Furthermore there was decreasing technology exchange between the two companies – all of which led both parties to “dissolve the alliance in a constructive manner”. This led to the arbitration filing and subsequent dissolution talks in January and February 2014 respectively.
Continue Reading![Autopromotec reports strong international growth of visitors, exhibitors](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/OP_150520_Autopromotec_0027.jpg)
Autopromotec reports strong international growth of visitors, exhibitors
Promotec Spa, the organisers of last month’s Autopromotec exhibition in Bologna Italy, have reported final figures that show a strong increase in the international presence both in terms of exhibitors and visitors. According to the company, the 2015 show attracted a total of 103,989 visitors (up 1.4 per cent over the 2013 figure). 83,343 of these were Italian visitors (down 0.3 per cent over 2013). The biggest growth was seen in the total number of international visitors. At 20,646, this figure was up 9 per cent compared with the 2013 figure.
Continue Reading![Lassa Tyres sponsors all indoor FC Barcelona teams](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Picture3_FC-BarcelonaVice-President_Javier-FausiSantasusana_FCBarcelona_President_JosepMaria-Bartomeu_and_BrisaCEO-HakanBayman.jpg)
Lassa Tyres sponsors all indoor FC Barcelona teams
FC Barcelona ad Lassa Tyres have signed a sponsorship deal which makes the Turkish tyre brand a global partner for the next four years. Under the global partnership rights, the club’s basketball, handball, futsal and roller hockey teams, will officially be named as “FC Barcelona Lassa”. The deal took effect on 1 June 2015 and makes Lassa Tyres the “Official Tyre Partner” of FC Barcelona.
Continue ReadingKorea’s Nice Holdings acquires majority stake in wheel maker BBS
An investor consortium led by Austrian industrial holding Tyrol Equity AG has signed an agreement to sell a majority stake in German high performance alloy wheel manufacturer BBS GmbH to Korea Exchange listed industrial group Nice Holdings. The parties have declined to disclose the transaction value, and the deal is subject to relevant regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to be completed within the coming months.
Continue Reading![Continental boosting Hefei, China PCR capacity to 14 million tyres a year](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/hefei.jpg)
Continental boosting Hefei, China PCR capacity to 14 million tyres a year
In late April Continental concluded an investment agreement with the Hefei provincial and local governments in China, and has now unveiled plans to significantly expand its passenger car tyre factory there. Annual production capacity will rise from the current level of 5 million tyres per year to 14 million by 2019. In addition, bicycle tyre production in Hefei will be boosted from around 2 million units per annum to 13 million pieces by 2025.
Continue Reading![2015 tyre manufacturer rankings: Stability at the top?](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/tyre-production.jpg)
2015 tyre manufacturer rankings: Stability at the top?
Today we at Tyres & Accessories published our annual ranking of global tyre manufacturers on our tyrepress.com website. As always, this yearly survey takes the turnover of the industrys leading players into account and also provides information on operating profit/EBIT(DA) and annual net income.
Continue Reading![Dayco restructures UK distribution operation](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Steve-Carolan-3.jpg)
Dayco restructures UK distribution operation
Dayco has opened its own centrally-based distribution centre in Redditch, West Midlands. Having previously worked through a national distributor, the power transmission parts supplier says the new opening is the final part of a restructuring process that it says will bring significant benefits to motor factors and their workshop customers.
Continue Reading![Fruehauf announces MWSD partnership](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/web-Fruehauf-one.jpg)
Fruehauf announces MWSD partnership
The UK’s leading manufacturer of tipping trailers, Fruehauf has selected Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) as a leading supplier for both forged aluminium and steel wheels. The agreement includes technical support and supply of commercial vehicle wheels for the company’s complete range of tipper units.
Continue Reading![Another Luxembourg Green Product Award for Goodyear](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/henk.jpg)
Another Luxembourg Green Product Award for Goodyear
Goodyear has been awarded the Luxembourg Green Product Award for the third time in the Luxembourg Green Business Awards’ five-year history. The award was handed over to Henk van Tuyl, technology directory for commercial tyres at Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa, during an event held in May as part of the Luxembourg Green Business Summit.
Continue ReadingConsolidation now
A couple of months ago we discussed the “restructuring” of relatively large and modern Chinese manufacturer Deruibao Tire. Back then, Qingdao Doublestar was top of the list of firms connected with an acquisition/cooperation/merger rescue orchestrated by the local government. A month later government-owned ChemChina announced that it was buying Pirelli. This latter point has been covered in some depth in the pages of Tyres & Accessories, especially in our April edition. The Pirelli/ChemChina story will no-doubt garner more attention as the very complex outworkings of the deal are walked out, but what remains of interest is the way in which both the local Chinese market and the global industry are engaged in a period of both parallel and inter-connected consolidation.
Continue ReadingSumitomo Rubber confirms Goodyear partnership dissolution talks – but cautions against speculation
Responding to reports from a number of media outlets regarding the dissolution of the 16-year old global alliance between Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) and Goodyear Tire & Rubber, SRI stated today that these are “purely speculative in nature.” The company doesn’t refute the reports’ veracity – SRI admits that “it is true that SRI and Goodyear are currently engaged in discussions concerning the possible dissolution of our alliance agreement and our joint ventures” – however it wants to make it clear that neither it nor Goodyear have issued an official announcement on the matter. Nikkei Asian Review, which published the news yesterday, says an announcement may be made “as early as this week.”
Continue ReadingPoint S extends its North American network
Two developments have extended the Point S retail network’s presence in the North American market. Independent US tyre dealer network Tire Factory has joined Point S, while Canadian group Unimax – a member of Point S for the past two years – has elected to rebrand its network using the Point S corporate identity. Point S International operations manager Fabian Bouquet views both measures as a means of reaching the target of rolling out the Point S corporate identity in 600 retail points of sale throughout North America within four years.
Continue Reading![Goodyear Dunlop names Jürgen Titz DACH region group managing director](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Titz-Juergen.jpg)
Goodyear Dunlop names Jürgen Titz DACH region group managing director
Jürgen Titz, who served as UK and Ireland director of consumer replacement tyres at Goodyear Dunlop between 2009 and 2013, has been appointed the new head of Goodyear Dunlop Tires Germany. He begins as group managing director of Goodyear Dunlop’s DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) organisation on 1 June, succeeding George Rietbergen, who held the post since 1 August 2013 and will now, according to a statement released by Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe president Darren Wells, “follow a new career outside the company.”
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