Bridgestone retains EcoVadis Platinum rating
For the second year running, EcoVadis has awarded Bridgestone EMIA a Platinum rating in its annual sustainability assessment. The award recognises Bridgestone’s sustainability achievements, with the Platinum status putting Bridgestone EMIA in the top one per cent of over 100,000 companies from over 200 industries worldwide.
Continue ReadingRepairify appoints new international product manager
Philip Slater has been appointed by Repairify as international product manager to expand its overseas markets and “enter new territories with its portfolio of advanced vehicle diagnostic and calibration technology”.
Continue ReadingLiu Yanhua named chairwoman of Sailun
On 30 December 2022, Sailun held a general meeting of shareholders to elect members of the sixth board of directors. Liu Yanhua was elected chairwoman of the tyre manufacturer, and Xie Xiaohong became president of Sailun. Liu Yanhua’s resume shows that she worked in two accounting firms before coming to Sailun. Prior to being elected as the chair, Liu Yanhua was the vice chairwoman, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Sailun.
Continue ReadingYokohama names new European marketing manager
Yokohama Europe has appointed Tobias Kins as its new head of marketing. The new marketing manager has been working for the Düsseldorf-based Yokohama Europe for over six years and his most recent role was Head of Sales Division.
Continue ReadingMichelin appoints Giuliani as VP Corporate Sales & Distribution Europe
On 4 January Marco Giuliani physically rejoined Michelin Headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand after a number of years to take on the role of vice president corporate Sales and Distribution Europe.
Continue ReadingWhat 2022’s most popular tyre industry stories tell us about the future
Those that don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The well-known saying might not be completely transferable to this column, but as we kick-start 2023 analysing the most popular stories on our Tyrepress.com website does help us understand what the major themes of last year were. And a closer look at those themes will reveal which issues are continuing into this year. January’s magazine focuses on the ever-resilient agricultural tyre sector (see Tyres & Accessories, January, page 36 onwards) as well as the latest developments in the TPMS and sensor technology segment (see page 20), but first let’s take a look at the biggest stories of 2022 as recorded online.
Continue ReadingTyres & TPMS: Whitelaws benefits from Continental connection
Continental says its seven-year relationship with bus operator Whitelaws has “gone from strength to strength.” The Lanarkshire-based firm was an early adopter of the ContiPressureCheck tyre pressure monitoring system. Now deployed across Whitelaws’ 23-strong fleet of service buses, ContiPressureCheck is a mainstay of the company’s tyre maintenance schedule.
Continue ReadingBridgestone presents new EMIA HQ
New year, new offices. Bridgestone has relocated its Europe, Middle East, India and Africa headquarters to a “better connected, collaborative and sustainable” premises on the outskirts of Brussels. The new location is a short distance from Bridgestone’s prior office at the Corporate Village, covering three floors at Da Vincilaan 1, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
Continue ReadingBKT completes carbon black, power plant projects
Balkrishna Industries Ltd. has completed a project to increase carbon black capacity in Bhuj, India and set up a new power plant at the site. It says both the 55,000 tonnes per annum carbon black capacity project and the power plant project were concluded on 31 December 2022.
Continue ReadingSlight delay for Yokohama Rubber’s Trelleborg Wheel Systems acquisition
Trelleborg Wheel Systems will soon have a new owner, but not as soon as first announced. The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. now anticipates completing its acquisition of all outstanding shares in Wheel Systems Holding AB in the first half of 2023, rather than during the originally planned second half of 2022. Narrowing this timeframe further, Trelleborg Group says its divestment of the business is “likely in the first months of the year.”
Continue ReadingLinglong making dandelion rubber progress
Linglong Tire intends to have 35 per cent sustainable and renewable resources in its tyres by 2025 and 40 per cent by 2030. One source of such materials will be dandelions. The tyre maker established the Dandelion Rubber Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance in 2015, partnering with more than 20 universities, research institutes and rubber companies.
Continue ReadingNew year, new HQ: Yokohama Rubber relocating
Yokohama Rubber reports that the relocation to a new headquarters at the site of its Hiratsuka factory in Japan will commence 10 January 2023. The various head office departments will make the shift from Tokyo to Hiratsuka City in seven steps over the following two months, with the move complete by 6 March.
Continue ReadingTyre makers & the Russia dilemma
Many tyre makers have faced difficult decisions in the weeks and months since Russian troops first marched across Ukraine’s border on 24 February. Companies such as Nokian Tyres, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin, Yokohama and Pirelli have needed to decide whether to continue operating their Russian plants. Four of these manufacturers are turning their backs on Russia or considering doing so, but two apparently are not.
Continue ReadingBridgestone & Michelin: Annual rCB market may reach million tonnes by 2030
During the Smithers Recovered Carbon Black conference, which took place in Berlin in November, Bridgestone and Michelin jointly shared the results of efforts to develop a global standard to increase the utilisation of recovered carbon black in tyres. Click here to read or download Bridgestone and Michelin’s rCB grades and specifications proposal presentation.
Continue ReadingPoint S open two tyre retailers in Brazil
Point S has officially opened its first two pilot points of sale in Brazil. Located in Recife and Vitoria, the brand-new sites mark the beginning of an ambitious five-year plan. The announcement follows the news in April 2022 that Point S had signed a master franchisee contract in Brazil with ATO, whose shareholder companies are ADSTA and Orletti.
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