Headcount reduction at Apollo Vredestein’s Enschede plant closer to 900
According to the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV), Apollo Vredestein will stop employing temp workers hired through agencies at its Enschede plant from April 2020. This means that almost 150 temporary jobs will disappear in addition to the approximately 750 permanent jobs that the tyre maker plans to shed.
Continue ReadingFingers crossed: TTC organiser awaiting official recommendations
Although Angela Merkel predicted this week that up to 70 per cent of all Germans could catch coronavirus, people there are responding to the risk in very different ways. This can be clearly seen in plans for two automotive shows.
Continue ReadingRetreader Seryt Tyres reports growth in a time of consolidation and attrition
Goodyear’s decision to exit UK retreading in 2015, followed by Continental’s 2016 takeover of Bandvulc and Vaculug’s 2018 acquisition by Zenises Group changed the face of the UK retreading business in just three years. However, while the market has both contracted and consolidated in recent years, a core group of key retreading production bases remain. And while the largest retreading businesses often gain the spotlight, it is worth mentioning fast-growing operations as well. Sussex-based Seryt Tyres is one such company, so Tyres & Accessories got in touch with director Kevin Gillin and marketing manager Olly Townsend in order to find out more.
Continue ReadingMichelin pulls out of The Tire Cologne
According to the latest information on its website, preparations for The Tire Cologne “are continuing as planned according to the current status for the determined date.” But the tyre trade show has been dealt a further blow in addition to restrictions on large gatherings that were announced yesterday. One of the largest names in the tyre industry has decided against exhibiting due to the risk posed by coronavirus.
Continue ReadingMarangoni: production and logistics are operational
Marangoni has confirmed that its production and logistics activities are “running smoothly in all…plants” despite the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak in Italy. Writing in a statement published on 11 March 2020, Marangoni representatives said: “We are therefore able to receive and process the orders while adopting all the necessary procedures to protect the workers’ health. In particular, our company is taking all the actions to be consistent with the measures provided by the responsible Authorities.”
Continue ReadingSailun investing big in PCR tyre capacity to reach premium OEMs in China
The Sailun Group is investing around RMB 1 billion (£110.6 million) to boost passenger car tyre capacity at its factory in Dongying, Shandong Province to 27 million tyres a year. This growth will take place as part of Sailun’s ‘HP Tire Expansion Project’ and is considered a “necessary guarantee for the group to impact the domestic mid/high-end OE market.”
Continue ReadingPirelli Turin employee tests positive for Covid-19, production slowed
On the evening of 10 March, Pirelli announced that one of the employees at its Turin factory has tested positive for Covid-19. The third statement in two days from Pirelli said that company was informed by the family of an employee at its Settimo Torinese factory, with the subsequent confirmation of healthcare authorities. In response, the company has slowed down production, but says that it continues to guarantee supply to clients:
Continue ReadingThe Tire Cologne: Government decree casts shadow over show
No comment yet from organiser Koelnmesse, so perhaps it is too early to speculate on the fate of this year’s The Tire Cologne. Officially it is business with usual, with around 600 companies and brands expected to display their wares between 9 and 12 June. But with the show just three months’ away, Koelnmesse must decide its response to a new decree that restricts large events.
Continue ReadingCooper Tire’s Missy Depinet wins STEP ahead award
The Manufacturing Institute has recognized Missy Depinet, Procurement Director for Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, with a Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award for 2020. Depinet is among 130 women nationally who earned the honour this year from a field of hundreds of nominees.
Continue ReadingBridgestone: Covid-19 hasn’t impacted global personnel or supply
As major tyre businesses reveal their responses to the coronavirus (Covid-19), Bridgestone reports that the epidemic has not impacted its global personnel or its product supply. In a written statement given on 10 March 2020, a Bridgestone spokesperson told Tyres & Accessories:
Continue ReadingApollo Vredestein plant restructuring: Dutch politicians seek answers from European Commission
Some 750 jobs will be lost due to restructuring at the Apollo Vredestein tyre plant in Enschede, the Netherlands over the next couple of years, and Dutch politicians want to know if the European Union has contributed in any way to the chain of events that will lead to some of Enschede’s tyre production relocating to Hungary. MEPs from Dutch political party the CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal) have asked the European Commission to clarify certain points.
Continue ReadingPirelli: Business activities remain ‘guaranteed’, despite national lockdown
Pirelli’s business activities remain “guaranteed”, despite the further steps taken by the Italy government to combat Covid-19 yesterday evening.
Continue ReadingNokian suspends international travel due to Covid-19
Nokian Tyres’ supply chain is unaffected, but the company has activated its “global Business Continuity Program” and is carefully reviewing advice in light of the Covid-19 epidemic. According to Nokian Head of Global Security Jukka Rikkinen, one specific change is that Nokian has “temporarily suspended international business travel.”
Continue ReadingKumho Tire lands third set of design awards in as many months
Drumroll please…more awards for Kumho tyres. Hot on the heels of the Good Design awards in Japan for the Kumho Majesty 9 and Ecsta PA51 patterns and the iF Design awards in Germany for the Majesty 9 and WinterCraft Wi51, the three abovementioned tyres have all been honoured with the Good Design Award of North America.
Continue ReadingCommercial production starts at Nokian Tyres’ USA plant
After several months of test production, Nokian Tyres’ new factory in the USA has begun making tyres destined for retail sale. Now that the tyre maker has reached this milestone on schedule, it will steadily increase volume throughout the year and will continue growing it until reaching an annual capacity of four million tyres by 2023.
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