Taray International names Tim Loden as sales manager
Taray International Corporation has recently appointed Tim Loden as sales manager to assist with marketing and sales of Taray International’s products to the US and Canadian commercial tyre industry. As co-founder of Open Road Technologies and later on as the director and GM of the ORT division after the acquisition by Bridgestone/Bandag, Loden has worked with many of the major tyre manufacturers and independent commercial tyre dealers in the US and Canada over his 25-year career.
Continue ReadingIntroducing Fangxing Rubber
Dongying Fangxing Rubber Co., Ltd. was founded in 2000 in Shandong Provinces Guangrao county. According to the company, Fangxing is one of the national top 100 companies in Shandong Province. The firms tyre factory covers an area of 600,000 square metres and has over 2000 employees, including 200 technical personnel. The firm describes itself as “a new enterprise specialising in tyre research and development, manufacture and sales -with 2 billion yuan of fixed assets”.
Continue ReadingETRMA outlines its Low Emission Mobility Strategy position
The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has published its position on the Low Emission Mobility Strategy made public by the European Commission last July. The ETRMA position document can be read here.
Continue ReadingLove thy neighbour: Proximity to US tyre makers decisive in Evonik’s choice of plant site
Plans to build a precipitated silica production facility in the US state of South Carolina have been officially confirmed by Evonik Industries. The new plant will be located in the Bushy Park industrial area near Charleston, close to the factories of a number of tyre makers, including Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental, Trelleborg and (as of 2017) Giti Tire. Evonik Industries will invest approximately US$120 million in the plant, which will be completed in 2018.
Continue ReadingSRI: USA Technical Center fully operational in January, European facility in September
Since gaining a much greater degree of freedom to conduct business in North America and Europe with the dissolution of its global alliance with Goodyear in October 2015, the Sumitomo Rubber Group has striven to enhance its R&D, production and sales infrastructure to better serve these markets. As part of these efforts, the tyre maker has built a new, 3,500 square metre USA Technical Center on the grounds of its Tonawanda factory in New York State. Sumitomo Rubber Industries reports that this facility will become fully operational in January 2017. The company is also moving forward with the preparations for a Europe Technical Center, which it expects to be fully operational as of September 2017.
Continue ReadingETD founder Marcus Reedijk retires, triggers succession transition
After 45 years in the tyre trade, European Tyre Distributors (ETD) founder and managing director, Marcus Reedijk has chosen to retire, triggering a transition phase in the leadership of the company,
Continue ReadingPrinx Chengshan Europe appoints marketing director
Prinx Chengshan Europe appointed Marina Mamojka, who comes from outside the tyre industry, as its marketing director in November. Prior to joining Prinx Chengshan, Mamojka spent more than a decade in a media environment. During this time she was responsible for marketing and sales in the major Slovakian TV, radio and printing media houses.
Continue ReadingAutomotive sector more confident than business in general when it comes to Brexit
A new post-Brexit referendum business survey reveals that 55 per cent of business leaders in the East Midlands, East of England and South East say they are not confident about the effects of Brexit being positive on their business in the future. The survey of over 260 UK business leaders and decision makers by leading regional law firm Howes Percival found that the referendum vote had so far had little or no impact on businesses.
Continue ReadingMinisters meet with SMMT to discuss Brexit
David Davis, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union as well as DFT and BEIS ministers joined a roundtable with SMMT and automotive leaders regarding Brexit and the automotive industry. The event took place on 12 December at SMMT’s headquarters in London and was also attended by John Hayes, Minster of State, Department for Transport and Nick Hurd, Minister of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Continue Reading$100M investment on the cards for BFGoodrich tyre plant
Michelin’s Fort Wayne plant in Indiana, USA may benefit from a US$100 million investment in efficiency and quality. Local television channel WANE-TV states that Michelin is looking to spend $20 million on upgrading processes and equipment, $23.5 million on improving production and efficiency, $18.5 million on improving quality verification and $38 on tooling and moulds. It adds that no new jobs will be created as a result of the investment.
Continue ReadingDSV now exclusive Westlake distributor in Scandinavia
Under an agreement entered into with ZC Rubber Group Co. Ltd. and the Pneuhage Company Group, Danish transport and logistics company DSV A/S has gained exclusive distributor rights for the Westlake tyre brand in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. DSV will cooperate closely with official ZC Rubber European distributor Pneuhage to offer Westlake tyres to contracted hauliers and the wider commercial vehicle market in the four countries.
Continue ReadingRuia Group chairman taken into police custody
Numerous media outlets in India have reported the arrest of Pawan Ruia, chairman of the Ruia Group of companies, whose assets include in-liquidation tyre maker Dunlop India Ltd. Ruia was arrested on Friday in response to a complaint of cheating and criminal breach of trust filed against him by Indian Railways. He is currently in the custody of West Bengal Police’s Criminal Investigation Department.
Continue ReadingAutopromotec 2017 sells out, tyre section doubles
Show space for Autopromotec 2017, which runs from 24 - 28 May 2017 has already sold out - six months before opening. According to the show’s organisers Promotec Spa, the growth comes as a result of a 19 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors compared with the same period in 2014.
Continue ReadingTread design rights: Bridgestone wins lawsuit against Triangle Tyre
China’s Supreme People’s Court has ruled in favour of Bridgestone Corporation in a lawsuit that investigated the alleged infringement of its tyre tread design rights by Chinese manufacturer Triangle Tyre Co., Ltd.
Continue ReadingMobivia Groupe to complete acquisition of tyre retailer A.T.U. this month
German tyre retail and fast fit chain A.T.U. has been sold to France’s Mobivia Groupe. Several hours ahead of a predetermined deadline, New York-based hedge Fund Centerbridge Partners LP, which has owned the network since 2013, successfully negotiated a significant rent reduction with the landlords of its outlet sites, including Lino Management, owner of 273 A.T.U. sites. According to reports, the annual leasing cost for the centres located on Lino-owned properties will fall from 57 million to 30 million euros. The rent reduction clears the way for Mobivia Groupe’s acquisition of the more than 600 A.T.U. centres in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Continue Reading