End of the line for Michelin retreading plant
Last week, Michelins Pneu Laurent plant in Oranienburg, Germany – the company’s smallest retreading facility in Europe – produced its last retreaded truck tyre. Now the remaining 55-strong plant workforce (Michelin employed 180 people at the Pneu Laurent site a year ago) are engaged with clearing up and disassembling the most important production equipment in preparation for its installation in other Michelin plants.
Continue ReadingThe Tire Cologne: More than 100 exhibitors now on board for 2018 show
At the end of November – around one and a half years before the trade fair gets under way – the list of companies confirmed as exhibitors at The Tire Cologne passed the 100 mark.
Continue ReadingFirst TBR tyre produced in Sailun’s Vietnam plant
Sailun Jinyu Group reports that the first all-steel TBR tyre was manufactured in its new factory in Vietnam on 24 November. In announcing the news, the China-based tyre maker notes that it decided to erect a second plant at its Sailun (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. site in order to combat the tariffs in place in the USA. It began work on the factory on 14 March 2016 and produced the first tyre just over eight months later.
Continue ReadingSAIC bid top in initial Kumho Tire auction
The Shanghai Aerospace Industry Co., or SAIC, is said to have submitted the highest bid for Kumho Tire in the preliminary auction. According to Maeil Business News Korea’s Pulse website, the value of the SAIC bid hasn’t been disclosed, however “market experts” recently estimated that bidding for Kumho Tire could reach as high as KRW 1 trillion (£685.8 million).
Continue ReadingSino/Thai partners to build car & truck tyre plant
One Chinese and two Thai partners have agreed to invest in a new joint venture passenger car and truck tyre factory in Thailand to supply both the domestic and export markets. The joint venture company hasn’t yet been named and will be established by June 2017. A total of 1 billion baht (£22.5 million) is to be invested in the new facility.
Continue ReadingMichelin ends US mobile tyre fitting programme
Visitors to the US-based onsite.michelin.com website are now being met with the message that “this service is no longer being offered.” The mobile programme, whose pilot rollout began last year, promised to take care of tyre purchasing and fitting in “three easy steps”, with tyres and a fitting appointment selected online and the tyres mounted at a location of the customer’s choosing. The tyre maker hasn’t officially commented on its decision to end its OnSite programme, however US publication Tire Business writes that Michelin was “disappointed that unit volumes did not meet expectations.”
Continue ReadingWheelRight supplying drive-over technology to environmental US highway project
WheelRight is involved in The Ray – a unique project in the USA designed to showcase new technologies that will create a blueprint for the sustainable motorways of tomorrow.
Continue ReadingYanchang Rubber, Van den Ban push ITMA to record high membership
Two significant international tyre businesses have become the latest companies to become members of the International Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA). Yanchang Rubber of China, and the Dutch Van den Ban Group have both joined the association, taking ITMA’s membership to new record levels. ITMA chairman, Alfred Graham said the complexity of the European marketplace – especially in the wake of Brexit – could make ITMA’s activities even more relevant in the coming years.
Continue ReadingDave Martin is new director at Standards Testing Labs
Standards Testing Laboratories, Inc. (STL), the worlds largest independent testing facility for tyres, wheels and related automotive components, has appointed Dave Martin to the position of director of Technology.
Continue ReadingGripen Wheels continues warehouse expansion
Gripen Wheels recently invested heavily in new warehousing, modern logistics, and a major new IT system for all the Gripen companies. These new investments link together all Gripen companies throughout Europe, making the firm capable of stocking over 10,000 Earthmover tyres at any one time.
Continue ReadingRosava ready for larger tyre sizes
Investments in modernisation and new equipment will enable PJSC Rosava to extend its passenger car tyre portfolio up to 22-inch fitments. Following its purchase of machinery for the production of 17-inch rim diameter tyres earlier this year, he Ukrainian tyre maker shares that it has acquired equipment from Germany’s Harburg Freudenberger that facilitates this jump to even larger sizes.
Continue ReadingKolon Industries building tyre cord plant in Vietnam
South Korea’s Kolon Industries has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Vietnam’s Binh Duong province regarding the set-up of a tyre cord factory in the region. At the ceremony on 23 November, Kolon Industries also announced its entry into a land lease contract with Vietnamese investment and development corporation Becamex IDC, under which the Korean firm will lease a 42-hectare site in Becamex IDC’s Bau Bang Industrial Park.
Continue ReadingKobe Steel Librota-GS tyre uniformity machine
Kobe Steel, Ltd. has launched a new tyre testing machine, a tyre uniformity machine called the Librota-GS. According to the company, the new model has the world’s fastest cycle time of 18 seconds per tyre and the world’s highest repeated measurement accuracy. Kobe Steel is regarded as a top manufacturer in the field of uniformity machines, with an estimated 30 per cent global market share. Kobe Steel plans to supply the new model to tyre makers in North America, Europe and regions throughout the world, aiming to capture further share of the market.
Continue ReadingWestlake start business in Malaysia
ZC Rubber made its debut in Malaysia through its Westlake Marketing Malaysia subsidiary on 14 November. Hangzhou ZhongCe Rubber, to give the company is more formal name, said it is offering consumers premium quality tyres at an affordable price.
Continue ReadingOmni wins Singapore business award
Omni United has been ranked among the top 10 companies in Singapore for its contributions to economic development in the country and abroad. The company said it achieved a 10th-place ranking at the 2016 Enterprise 50 awards, which are organized by The Business Times and KPMG with the help of the government of Singapore.
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