VMI gains Silver EcoVadis Medal
Business sustainability ratings company EcoVadis has awarded VMI a Silver EcoVadis Medal for its progress toward sustainability. By achieving Silver status, the machinery specialist is in the top 15 per cent of all companies worldwide that EcoVadis assessed by EcoVadis for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices in 2023.
Continue Reading
ZC Rubber building factory in Mexico
Not only is Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd (ZC Rubber) setting up a new factory in Indonesia, the Hangzhou, China-headquartered tyre maker has also unveiled plans for a plant in Mexico. The company is looking to establish a manufacturing facility in Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila, with a potential size of up to 600,000 square metres. It will also build a North American warehouse centre adjacent to the factory to improve the local distribution network and optimise cost efficiency.
Continue Reading
New Pyrum Innovations reactor already at 75%
Pyrum Innovations is working to bring two new reactors into operation at its main Dillingen plant in Germany’s Saarland, trebling the facility’s capacity. It began a second test run of the first of these, reactor 2 (TAD 2), on 30 January and reports “initial successes” towards the reactor’s commissioning.
Continue Reading
Michelin Guide 2024 Great Britain & Ireland now out
The Midland Hotel in Manchester was the setting Michelin chose to mark the 50th anniversary of The Michelin Guide in Great Britain & Ireland. It also presented the 2024 restaurant selection, which includes 1,162 restaurants.
Continue Reading
SRI using AI to reduce tyre air resistance
A new simulation technique will aid tyre development at Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) by helping to minimise the impact of air resistance. This ‘Tire Aerodynamic Simulation’ technique uses artificial intelligence to visualise the airflow that develops around the tyres when a vehicle is in motion, and the Falken brand manufacturer will use the knowledge it gains to “pursue the development of a tyre shape that optimises aerodynamic performance.” SRI aims to launch an EV tyre developed using Tire Aerodynamic Simulation in 2027.
Continue Reading
Bridgestone closing Shenyang, China TBR tyre plant
It appears that Bridgestone is preparing to close its tyre factory in Shenyang, China. A plant employee told our Tyrepress China site that production in Shenyang ceased at the end of January 2024 and that Bridgestone will officially shutter the site at the end of February. As of 5 February, Bridgestone had issued no official announcement regarding the plant.
Continue Reading
Sailun Group anticipating 133% profit growth for 2023
Driven by recovery within the domestic tyre market and the declining impact of destocking measures internationally in the second half of the year, Sailun Group expects to achieve a net profit of RMB 3.1 billion (£341.1 million) for 2023. This figure represents a year-on-year increase of some 132.77 per cent. Improving capacity utilisation rate pushed production and sales volumes within the company’s consumer, commercial and specialty tyre segments to “record highs,” with the gross profit margin of these products “substantially” increasing year-on-year.
Continue Reading
Continental investing in Sri Lanka solid tyre plant
With an investment of around 13 million euros over the coming three years, Continental will enhance pre-production capacities at its Speciality Tires plant in Kalatura, Sri Lanka, thereby optimising the manufacturing process and limiting cross-country dependencies within the logistic supply chain. Continental anticipates that customers will benefit from better product availability. The investment will also create some 200 additional jobs.
Continue Reading
Hankook Tire: 2023 “best ever” financial result
With sales of KRW 8,939.6 billion (£5.3 billion) and an operating profit of KRW 1,327.9 billion (£783.5 million), in 2023 Hankook Tire & Technology achieved the “best performance since its establishment.” Sales were up 6.5 per cent year-on-year, while operating profit increased 88.1 per cent. According to Hankook Tire, these results “solidify” the company’s position as a “prominent, top-tier global brand.”
Continue Reading
ZC Rubber sheds further light on Indonesia factory plan
Zhongce Rubber Group Co., Ltd (ZC Rubber) has officially confirmed its intention to establish a new tyre factory in Indonesia. Located within the Kendal Industrial Park near Semarang, in Central Java, the production base will cover an area of 500,000 square metres. ZC Rubber expects construction to be completed within a period of 10 months.
Continue Reading
Goodyear appoints Greg Shank as senior IR director
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Greg Shank as senior director of Investor Relations (IR). He reports to Christina Zamarro, executive vice president and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Continue Reading
Bridgestone wins design rights lawsuit in China
The Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China has ruled in favour of Bridgestone Corporation in a lawsuit against Shandong Hawk International Rubber Industry Co., Ltd. (Hawk Tyre). Bridgestone had alleged that the Chinese manufacturer infringed its tyre tread design rights.
Continue Reading
Leading tyremaker stocks down 2.35% as EC antitrust case opens
The share prices of Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin, Nokian and Pirelli were down by an average of 2.35 per cent following the news that the European Commission has started an antitrust investigation within the European Union.
Continue Reading
Goodyear TruckForce Award for McConechy’s
McConechy’s Tyres Coatbridge has gained a Goodyear TruckForce Award, an accolade that “recognises the exceptional service provided by TruckForce partners on a quarterly basis.” Goodyear honoured McConechy’s, which is part of Halfords Commercial Fleet Services, for its dedication and professionalism.
Continue Reading
Continental puts the future on the road, transferring sustainable concepts into production tyres
Continental is styling itself as a “pioneer in innovation” by accelerating the evolution of its sustainability concepts into production tyres. The manufacturer is using silica from rice husk ash, carbon black from end-of-life tyres, and polyester from recycled PET in series tyres already, backing up head of sustainability Jorge Almeida’s maxim that “Sustainable innovations belong on the road and not in a showroom.” The UltraContact NXT car tyre, launched in 2023, is the current apex of this strategy, its most sustainable production tyre to date. Conti innovated the use of silica from agricultural waste, polyester from recycled PET and other renewable and recyclable materials from 2021 with the Conti GreenConcept concept tyre. Many of these technologies have subsequently been used in its series tyres. Overall, Conti says this underscores its claim to be “the most progressive manufacturer in the tyre industry when it comes to sustainability.”
Continue Reading
