Smithers upgrades tread wear testing facilities
Smithers Rapra has enchanced its tread wear testing capabilities for passenger, light truck and commercial vehicle tyres at its test centre in Ravenna, Ohio, USA. According to the company, the upgraded equipment and software can run a wide variety of drive profiles while supporting benchmarking and development requirements.
Continue ReadingBridgestone buys yet another French tyre retailer
Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone has agreed to buy Ayme Group, the owner of France’s largest independent tyre retail chain - Côté Route.
Continue ReadingChelsea FC playing a role in Yokohama’s Youth Soccer engagement
Yokohama Rubber’s North American manufacturing and sales operation has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with US Youth Soccer. The agreement names Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) as the “Official Tire Sponsor of US Youth Soccer” and also gives YTC title sponsorship of the Yokohama Skills Challenge, a US-wide tour designed to help children of all ages develop a variety of core football skills in a fun, engaging way.
Continue ReadingMarangoni, Onyx sign industrial tyre MoU
The Marangoni Group and UAE-based conglomerate the Onyx Group, through its subsidiary Ceylon Steel Corporation (CSCL), have signed a binding Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to the industrial tyre market. Upon announcing the MoU’s signing, Marangoni states that this represents “a further step in the strategy of Onyx Group to invest in the tyre sector, with the objective of becoming the largest tyre manufacturer in Sri Lanka and serving both local and international markets.”
Continue ReadingReliance-Sibur JV to set up halogenated butyl unit
Reliance Sibur Elastomers Private Limited (RSEPL), a joint venture between Russian gas and petrochemicals company Sibur and India’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), has announced plans to establish southern Asia’s first halogenated butyl rubber unit at RIL’s integrated petrochemical facility in Jamnagar, India. Halogenated butyl is a key ingredient in the manufacture of tubless tyre inner liners.
Continue ReadingUK to leave European single market
Prime Minister Theresa May has indicated that Britain is headed for what might be called a hard Brexit in her most direct speech on the subject since the EU referendum on 23 June 2016. She also announced that Parliament would vote on the final Brexit agreement between the UK and the EU.
Continue ReadingFootball: Kumho Tire’s Schalke 04 sponsorship extended
Kumho Tire’s sponsorship of German football club FC Schalke 04 has been extended until 30 June 2018. The tyre maker and Bundesliga protagonist first announced their collaboration at the beginning of 2015, and since then Kumho has been represented on LED signage at the club’s home stadium, Veltins Arena, and utilised other advertising options both in the stadium and in team-related publications. These advertising opportunities continue under the extended deal.
Continue ReadingNexen Tire begins Japan joint venture
Travis (Ho-chan) Kang, chief executive officer of Nexen Tire, has taken part in the official inauguration of a new joint venture company set up to sell the Nexen and Roadstone tyre brands in Japan. The joint venture is called Nexen Tire Japan Inc. and is 51 per cent owned by Nexen Tire, with Toyota Tsusho Corporation, the Toyota Group’s trading arm, holding the remaining 49 per cent share.
Continue ReadingSales up 45% in 2016 – Rosava
Rosava reports selling 3.9 million tyres last year, a 45 per cent year-on-year increase on 2015. The Ukrainian tyre maker says the greatest rate of growth was witnessed in the agricultural tyre segment, where sales were up 57.6 per cent compared with 2015. Car tyre sales rose 47.3 per cent year-on-year, while sales of light commercial vehicle and truck tyres increased by 25 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.
Continue ReadingTitan International board becomes NACD Full Board Member
Titan International reports that its board recently became a Full Board Member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), a non-profit membership organisation for corporate board members,
Continue ReadingATG’s Constellation truck tyre brand not coming to Europe, for now
Shortly after its acquisition by Yogesh Mahansaria and private equity company Warburg Pincus in 2007, the Alliance Tire Group (ATG) exited the car and truck tyre market and began building up a strong reputation as an off-road tyre specialist. A decade later and the company is revisiting one of these former businesses; this year, the Yokohama Rubber subsidiary is releasing a new brand of truck tyre. ATG is currently restricting availability of its new Constellation range to the US market, however it hasn’t ruled out introducing it into other regions at a later date.
Continue ReadingMRF Motorsport Europe profile continues to rise
A year after leading Indian tyre manufacturer MRF Tyres launched its MRF Motorsport business at the Autosport Show in Birmingham this time last year, progress is said to be going well. The latest addition to the European motorsport division’s portfolio is the Honda Civic Cup.
Continue ReadingBlack Donuts to consult on Philippines rubber project
A 50 hectare rubber plantation and processing plant will be established on the Philippines island of Mindanao at a reported investment cost of US$200 million, and Finnish firm Black Donuts Engineering Inc. will serve as a consultant for coordinating the project.
Continue ReadingNew Marangoni partner in Spain
Marangoni Retreading Systems has expanded its business in Spain through a new partnership with regional retreader Recauchutados Fidel. The company, which has been in the business since 1982 and operates a retreading plant and three dealers in Salamanca province, has selected Marangoni products and technology for its customers.
Continue ReadingNew factory: MRF signs agreement with regional government
News of MRF Ltd.’s plan to set up a new factory in India’s Gujarat state first circulated towards the end of 2015, and now the tyre maker reports signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the state government that sets out its in-principle intention to erect a manufacturing facility there.
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