Messe Essen, CURC report increase in visitors to Reifen China 2014
Messe Essen and the China United Rubber Corporation (CURC) have completed their review of December’s Reifen China show, saying that the show, in conjunction with RubberTech China, continued its upward trajectory in visitor numbers. Messe Essen says that “around 17,500 visitors” gathered at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre between 3 and 5 December 2014, an increase of over 15 per cent year-on-year.
Continue ReadingYokohama’s Chinese plant market third-phase of tree-planting
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced on 25 December 2014 that Suzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd. (the manufacturers Chinese tyre plant) held a ceremony and festival on 1 November marking the third phase of tree planting at the factory in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. The tree planting is part of the Yokohama Rubber Group’s worldwide Yokohama Forever Forest Project.
Continue ReadingEnvironmental certification for Yokohama tyre plant in China
Late last year, the Yokohama Rubber tyre factory in Hangzhou, China was certified by city authorities as a ‘Hangzhou City Environmental Education Base’. The company views this certification as significant as, out of the some 300,000 companies operating in Hangzhou City, only 30 have been granted this certification – and the Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd facility is only one of four certified manufacturing operations. The certification was granted on 26 November 2014, and is the second environmental recognition the Yokohama facility in Hangzhou has received. In 2013, Hangzhou Yokohama Tire was certified as an Environmental Education Base by the Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, where the company’s facilities are located.
Continue ReadingNorwegian retreader Gummiservice Produksjon joins Marangoni Ringtread network
Marangoni Retreading Systems Deutschland GmbH has named Gummiservice Produksjon A/S from Rade, Norway as the latest member of the Marangoni Ringtread network. According to the company, retreads 40,000 tyres a year and is therefore a significant player in the Norwegian and Swedish markets.
Continue ReadingLayoffs at US Yokohama Tire plant
The indefinite layoff of 31 workers at Yokohama Tire’s Salem passenger car and light truck tyre factory in the US has been announced. In a statement, Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia, LLC, president Tetsuro ‘Tex’ Murakami, explains that the cuts are being made to “more effectively streamline” the facility’s current production schedule and inventory capacity.
Continue ReadingPCL appoints PC Products as Thailand distributor
PCL has named PC Products International Co Ltd as its new distributor in Thailand. PC Products, is primarily a manufacturer of wheel balancing weights, but is now also PCLs official local partner in Thailand servicing the automotive and tyreshop markets.
Continue ReadingParents see themselves as good driving role models – even when they’re not
The following doesn’t apply to you, as your positive appraisal of your own driving skills absolutely matches the reality – but you may be interested to know that while other parents think they are good role models on the road, they may in fact have a negative influence on their children’s future driving habits. This titbit of information was gleaned by Goodyear in its study of over 6,800 parents of novice drivers (aged 16 to 25) from 19 countries. The survey’s results form part of the tyre maker’s ‘Driving Safety First: Improving road safety for novice drivers’ white paper.
Continue ReadingZantrak International named sole Bridgestone distributor for Iraq
Bridgestone Corporation subsidiary Bridgestone Middle East & Africa East FZE (BSMEA) announced today its appointment of Zantrak International s.a.l. as its first sole distributor in the Republic of Iraq. Under this agreement, Zantrak International will exclusively distribute Bridgestone brand consumer, commercial and off-road tyres and tubes in Iraq.
Continue ReadingShow review: Reifen China 2014
The eighth annual “Asian Essen”, Reifen China took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in the first week of December, with some of the Chinese tyre industry’s major players rubbing shoulders for the last time in 2014. The European side of the Sino-German partnership behind the annual show, Messe Essen stated that it expected the presence of around 120 exhibitors in hall W1 and 15,000 trade visitors. This latter figure, unconfirmed at the time of writing, takes into account the other three-quarters of the twin exhibition; RubberTech China 2014 and the International Exhibition on Rubber & Elastomer, led by the China United Rubber Corporation, comprised around 500 exhibitors across another three halls (W2-4). Messe Essen CEO, Oliver P Kuhrt stressed the importance of the ‘Reifen’ brand’s presence in China, stating in his introduction to the show that it “stands for the success of a fair made in Essen extending across borders”. With about two thirds of the exhibitors at May’s Reifen 2014 visiting Essen from outside Germany, Messe Essen also noted the importance of Reifen China in recruiting Asian participants, whose attention the exhibition organiser has drawn in Shanghai.
Continue ReadingIRSG: Rubber demand to grow 1.8 per cent in 2015
The Secretariat of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) has published its annual report, which suggests total world rubber demand will increase at 1.8 per cent and 4.1 per cent in 2015 and 2016 respectively. This is below the long-term growth rate of 3.7 per cent under the IMF Scenario (the report refers to three scenarios – IMF, downside and oil price) to 29.1 million tonnes in 2015 and to 30.3 million tonnes in 2016.
Continue ReadingSaudi Arabia tyre market to follow vehicle market expansion
In 2013, about 0.74 million units of commercial vehicles and passenger cars were sold in Saudi Arabia, giving the Kingdom one of the highest per capita vehicle totals globally. However, virtually all of this is imported as Saudi Arabia is also home to a huge vehicle production deficit. Nevertheless, a new report distributed by Bharat books suggests expanding growth potential in the automobile sector is attracting several vehicle manufacturers to Saudi Arabia.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Americas breaks ground on new HQ
An official groundbreaking has been held for the new 30-storey Bridgestone Americas headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. The new 47,750 square metre building is being erected with an investment exceeding US$200 million and will house more than 1,700 company employees when completed in the middle or latter part of 2017. This figure includes 600 jobs from business units currently located in other parts of the US.
Continue ReadingGiti raises US prices
Giti Tire (USA) has raised its US prices by 9.5 per cent in response to the countervailing duties introduced by the country’s government. The increases affect all passenger and light truck tyres (excluding ST tyres) produced by Giti in China, and are effective from 1 January 2015. US industry journal Tire Review revealed the anticipated price hike had been implemented as a result of the 11.74 per cent adjusted countervailing duties imposed by the US Department of Commerce on Giti Tire Fujian Co Ltd. Giti said it was still “committed” to the US market.
Continue ReadingMichelin becomes Capitale Perche primary partner
Michelin has become a partner to Capitale Perche, Europe’s foremost indoor pole vault competition. In recognition of this support, the sixth edition of Capitale Perche, which will be held in Michelin’s home town of Clermont-Ferrand on 10 January, has been renamed Michelin Capital Perche. The event will be attended by some 450 athletes and children from around France.
Continue ReadingOil leak at Titan Tire Corporation plant contained
Titan International Subsidiary Titan Tire Corporation says an above-ground storage tank at one of its facilities in the US has leaked lubricating oil, and this oil has entered the local water system. The leak at the Bryan, Ohio plant flowed into the storm water system and then into the Prairie Creek.
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