ZC Rubber increasing Yonggu rubber track capacity
ZC Rubber subsidiary Yonggu is expanding its capacity to produce rubber tracks and other rubber products. On the site of the former Hangzhou Taihong Rubber Track plant in Jiande, in China’s Zhejiang Province, Zhongce Yonggu Rubber (Jiande) Co. will establish a facility that will ultimately have a capacity to make 1 million tracks a year.
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Further carbon black capacities in Asia – 2 new Birla Carbon plants
Birla Carbon has announced new greenfield projects in India and Thailand. The facilities will be respectively located in Niadupet, Andhra Pradesh and Rayong and each will have an initial capacity of 120 kMT when they become operational in 2025. Birla Carbon will develop the sites with an eye to expanding both to 240 kMT in the future.
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Kwik Fit opens fleet support centre, grows leadership team
On 23 January, Kwik Fit opened its new national Fleet Customer Support Centre just outside Glasgow. The company also announced two additions to its leadership team.
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Vredestein become FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2025 main sponsor
Vredestein has become the Official Main Sponsor of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2025, which will be held in Saalbach, Austria from 4 to 16 February next year. Building on a successful partnership with the flagship event in 2023 in Courchevel and Méribel, France, the new sponsorship deal will enhance brand recognition and drive further awareness of award-winning Vredestein winter and all-season tyres.
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Yokohama Rubber, RAOT hold 6th joint seminar event for natural rubber farmers in Thailand
Yokohama held a seminar alongside the Surat Thani branch of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT) in December 2023 to help Thai natural rubber farmers improve the quality and productivity of their natural rubber. 70 farm households in the Surat Thani area participated in the event. Each participating household received a complimentary 250kg of fertiliser developed with RAOT’s specialist knowledge. The seminar is the sixth held by Yokohama Rubber and RAOT since 2020.
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Goodyear “in advanced discussions” on Avon motorsport tyre asset sale
Following the news that Avon’s ex-motorsport head has formed the Nova Motorsport tyre brand, Goodyear has confirmed to Tyres & Accessories that its Cooper Europe operation is “in advanced discussions” relating to the sale of certain Avon motorsport tyre assets.
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Yokohama to expand car tyre production capacity in Philippines
Yokohama will expand the production capacity of Yokohama Tire Philippines, Inc. (YTPI), by 1,800 tyres per day with an investment of 8.4 billion yen (around £45 million). As a result, the annual production capacity for the plant will reach nearly 12 million – YTPI states the daily capacity will be 32,500. The capacity increases will also be joined by an expanded size lineup at the top end of its size range. 21 and 22-inch tyres, sizes associated with performance cars and SUVs, will be added to the 13-20 inch range already produced at YTPI. Established in April 1996, YTPI manufactures Yokohama tyres primarily for export to the global market.
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Point S signs international service agreement with TotalEnergies Lubrifiants
Tyre dealer and car maintenance network Point S has signed an international service agreement with TotalEnergies Lubrifiants. a leading global manufacturer of lubricants. The company will supply its portfolio of high-performance automotive products, including its range of Quartz engine oils, to the Point S global network of independent dealers and repair centres. The agreement is designed to enhance the international growth of both companies. The Point S network consists of 6,185 points of sale across 51 countries on five continents, while TotalEnergies Lubrifiants is present in 160 countries, including 42 production sites.
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Colmec acquires Finnish Bandag retreader Pentep Oy
Colmec Group has acquired Bandag retreader Pentep Oy, one of Finland’s biggest independent retreaders. The company has built a strong customer base of tyre service operations and end-users since it was established in 1992. ”To be a part of Colmec will strengthen Pentep and secure that we can grow and take the next step in the Finnish market, this will positively gain both new and existing customers, but also our employees,” says Teppo Vekka CEO at Pentep.
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Indefinite strike threatens supply of TMD Friction brake products
Pay strikes intensified at TMD Frictions Hartlepool factory, according to Unite, the UK’s leading union, on 23 February. Around 150 workers began strike action over pay earlier this month. That number has since increased to over 180 as more workers join the union. The workers have now moved to continuous indefinite strike action, risking brake product shortages for TMD’s partners, which include Rolls Royce, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Bentley and McLaren.
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SPC Rubber forms new tyre brand Nova Motorsport, appoints ex-Avon motorsport head
UK compounder SPC Rubber Group has formed a new tyre brand targeting the global motorsport market. Nova Motorsport founder and SPC Rubber managing director Paul Hallas said the company will focus “solely on low-volume racing and specialist tyres,” looking forward to announcing its first products and international partnerships in 2024. With a website and social media channels already in place, Nova will take its public bow at Retromobile – The Classic Car Show in Paris (31 January to 4 February 2024, Hall 1, Stand M-002). Nova has also recruited strong segment experience in its leadership team, including former Avon Motorsport head Paul Coates. Nova launches shortly after Goodyear’s closure of the Cooper Tire manufacturing facility in Melksham, the historical home of Avon and its motorsport operations. Nova is headquartered in Wiltshire, the same UK county as Melksham. “Nova”, as will already be apparent to those in the tyre industry, is Avon in reverse, perhaps a nod to a UK brand with a long motorsport heritage, whose future is being reconfigured under its new owner.
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Continental presents efficient, sustainable Smart Agriculture vision at Agritechnica 2023
Continental presented its product and service portfolio for the agricultural sector at Hannover’s Agritechnica 2023 show in November. The manufacturer demonstrated its technology solutions to support farmers and manufacturers tackling today’s agricultural challenges under the tagline “Our Smart Farming. For your harvest of tomorrow.” Conti used insights gathered in its “Agriculture in Transition” study, which looked at farm operators’ attitudes in five large regional markets (Germany, France, USA, Japan and Brazil). The study confirms that most farmers take the responsibility to pursue more sustainable farming very seriously while trying to tackle the challenge of adapting to new conditions caused by environmental change. Conti’s display demonstrates how the company’s divisions are engaging with the agricultural market, including the new environmentally friendly weed control system, designed and developed by Continental Engineering Services (CES), and ContiConnect Lite, a version of its tyre pressure monitoring system that integrates with farmers’ smartphones.
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Tyres & Accessories January 2024 issue available to read online now
The January issue of Tyres & Accessories Magazine is now available as an e-paper for subscribers to Tyrepress, following the distribution of the print edition. The latest issue includes special features on agricultural tyres and TPMS and sensor technology. It also includes the usual mix of in-depth articles and analysis tackling current events and trends in the global tyre industry. Non-subscribers can gain access to Tyrepress with a print or online subscription, or tyre professionals can take advantage of the current Tyrepress Membership offer, helping to drive business online and stay informed with the industry’s leading magazine and websites.
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Goodyear gives CFO Zamarro a 7-figure award
In addition to the news that Goodyears new CEO has been offered a $20 million-dollar year one package, effective 1 January 2024, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s board of directors compensation committee granted a “cash retention award” to Christina L. Zamarro, the firm’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.
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GB Tyres distributing Uniroyal truck tyre range
Uniroyal has appointed GB Tyres (UK) LTD as its official UK wholesale distributor for the Uniroyal truck tyre range. Announcing the new arrangement, GB Tyres states that this partnership “marks a significant milestone,” the wholesale expressing pride in aligning itself with “a brand known for its quality, innovation, and commitment to customer satisfaction.”
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