Tyre making resumes at Apollo Tyres plant
Production at the Apollo Tyres Ltd. OTR tyre factory in Limda, India has “fully resumed” after being stopped by industrial action, the tyre maker reported on 24 September. Apollo Tyres had announced on 20 September that tyre making at the Limda plant in had stopped due to “certain concerns amongst shop floor employees” relating to the renewal of a long-term settlement agreement.
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Goodyear cuts 700 Asia Pacific jobs
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company approved “a rationalization plan in Asia Pacific to improve profitability in its Australia and New Zealand operations” on 19 September 2023. The plan exits 100 retail and fleet locations and nine warehouses at the cost of 700 jobs. In other words, it changes the company’s operating model to a third-party distribution and retail sales model instead of a company-owned approach. That specifically means moves such as the recent appointment of National Tyre & Wheel Limited (National) as the exclusive distributor of the Dunlop tyre brand in Australia and New Zealand.
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GS Yuasa opens Swindon battery facility
This week, battery manufacturer GS Yuasa officially opened its new state-of-the-art facility at Ignition Park, Swindon. Osamu Murao, president of GS Yuasa Corporation, cut the ribbon at the site during a ceremony held on Monday 18 September in the presence of 100 guests, including a selection of customers, suppliers, local dignitaries, and GS Yuasa colleagues.
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First Line celebrates 40 years of growth and innovation
First Line Ltd is marking its 40th anniversary in 2023, as the company celebrates its continued commitment to providing customers with a comprehensive range of high-quality, automotive aftermarket components. Founded in 1983 as Filter International by Peter Joyner and John Madden, the forward-thinking duo are still very much involved in the business today, as they remain owners and key chairholders of the company. Since the company was launched, it has continued to experience a trajectory of growth, with the First Line brand introduced in 1987 to advance its multiple product range portfolio.
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Does the tyre industry need to secure against pricing-related dawn raids?
The cost-of-living crisis is pushing the European Commission into action. Having faced accusations of being on the backfoot since the pandemic, it is now increasing the number of dawn raids and antitrust investigations. The ultimate intention is to prevent consumers facing higher costs than necessary from businesses.
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Magna Tyres opens Serbia and Montenegro office
Netherlands-based Magna Tyres has opened a new office in Serbia in response to “ongoing sales growth throughout Serbia and Montenegro.”
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Yokohama begins ‘renewable’ Advan production
Tyres for electric vehicles made using renewable electricity. This is reality at Yokohama Rubber, whose Shinshiro-Minami plant in Japan has begun producing Yokohama Advan EV tyres with power from a new proprietary solar panel power generation system that officially entered operation in August 2023 and with renewable energy-generated electricity that the plant has been procuring since April.
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TyreSafe presents new partnerships, launches Tyre Safety Month campaign materials
TyreSafe has held its annual briefing with a slick online presentation designed to demonstrate its direction under a new chair. Presenting contributions from a veritable rollcall of regional and national road safety and risk management stakeholders, chair Stuart Lovatt and TyreSafe manager Jason Simms detailed the last 12 months of TyreSafe’s activities, which have included a tyre safety demonstration day at Mira, the development of new and existing partnerships with road safety organisations such as National Highways, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), Roadsafe, and several fire and police service representatives, and a range of events in local communities around the country. Lovatt explained how TyreSafe’s work is of crucial importance to the Safe System Approach, the widely accepted strategy on reducing the number of fatalities, casualties and incidents on Britain’s roads. Emma Burley, Tyresafe communications lead, also introduced the 2023 Tyre Safety Month Campaign, ‘Be Safe and Save’, indicating another way in which TyreSafe is tweaking its approach in 2023. The campaign emphasises how maintaining the good condition of tyres fitted to cars also reduce costs to motorists, a tyre safety message designed to resonate deeply in the cost-of-living crisis. TyreSafe also unveiled its latest national tread depth survey, conducted with the assistance of members at the point of replacement. Before launching into the briefing, Lovatt and Simms also paid tribute to previous chair Stuart Jackson, who stepped down after 14 years at the helm last year, prior to Lovatt’s election.
Continue ReadingLinglong appoints Wolf Fuder as head of marketing Europe
Linglong became the first Chinese tyremaker to start producing tyres in Europe when it opened the doors to its Serbia facility in February. Since then, the company has continued to expand its European operations and most recently appointed Wolf Fuder as Head of Marketing Europe based within the Linglong Germany GmbH operation.
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Kirkby Tyres gains ISO 14001 certification following focus on sustainability practices
Speke-based tyre wholesaler Kirkby Tyres has gained ISO 14001:2015 certification following its installation of new solar panels, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable practices. The company says it became the first UK truck and agricultural tyre specialist wholesaler to gain the certification when it was confirmed on 18 August 2023. The company adds that the latest certification is not the first time it has led the way in best practices; in 1993, Kirkby Tyres became the first truck & agricultural tyre wholesaler in the UK to achieve ISO 9001 accreditation. The company said: “we continue to pay consideration to the maintenance and renewal of our operating procedures, standards, and documentation.” Kirkby Tyres celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022.
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Alliance Automotive Group to merge FPS Distribution and Platinum International
Alliance Automotive Group UK and Ireland (AAG) has announced the latest development in the growth and development of the company in its ongoing mission to provide the best possible service to its customers. From 1 January 2024, Platinum International will merge with FPS Distribution, marking a pivotal moment for the group. By combining the strengths of these two well-established companies, both of which have a rich heritage in the automotive industry, AAG will be able to offer an even more extensive product and service range to its customers. This will be achieved through a broader stock profile, increased product range, and centralisation of IT systems.
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Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic Brakes (BSCCB) joint venture expands capacity
SGL Carbon and Brembo have agreed to expand production capacities for their Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic Brakes (BSCCB) joint venture. After months working on the details, the two companies have confirmed that BSCCB will invest around €150 million between now and 2027 to expand production capacity at sites in Meitingen (Germany) and Stezzano (Italy) by more than 70 per cent.
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Nordman now a standalone Nokian Tyres brand
Nokian Tyres is relaunching its Nordman product family as a standalone tyre brand aimed at value-driven consumers. Nordman will support the main Nokian Tyres brand.
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Falken Tyre continues with European football sponsorship
Falken Tyre Europe will continue its fruitful partnerships with two top clubs; Borussia Mönchengladbach from Germany and Atlético Madrid from Spain for the upcoming season. Sports marketing agency Sportfive initiated the original collaborations with the clubs and has acted as an intermediary for these latest extensions.
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Renewed ISCC certification for Enviro oil & carbon black
Oil and carbon black that Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) recovers from end-of-life vehicle tyres in its plant in Åsensbruk, Sweden have received new certification in accordance with the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) scheme. This is the second time that the recovered carbon black and oil from the facility have gained ISCC certification – initial certification for recovered carbon black in September 2021 delivered Enviro a world first.
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