![Rebranding for Bridgestone’s GCR network in US](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/GCR_newLogo.jpg)
Rebranding for Bridgestone’s GCR network in US
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations has rebranded its GCR Tires & Service division. The company says the effort signifies its pledge to be the “leading provider of commercial tyres and service in North America.” The rebranding includes the introduction of a new logo, which Bridgestone describes as “crisp, clean and colourful” and a “visual representation of GCR’s continued pledge and commitment to its customers.”
Continue ReadingNankang employee arrested for alleged kickbacks
According to various Taiwanese media sources, an assistant manager employed by Nankang Rubber Tire Corp. Ltd. has been arrested along with his wife on suspicion of receiving illegal rebates from the tyre maker’s suppliers. The arrested man has been identified by the surname ‘Chen’, and police are said to have taken custody of NT$230 million (£4.5 million) in cash plus remittances found in his home and office in Hsinchu City. The arrest was made on 16 July.
Continue Reading![Thrifty but tardy: Goodyear-shod Prius sets Nürburgring record](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/np-150714toy3.jpg)
Thrifty but tardy: Goodyear-shod Prius sets Nürburgring record
Toyota may well have broken two records at the Nürburgring circuit in Germany, and is keen to share details of one of them. A modified, Goodyear-shod Prius has recorded the most fuel-efficient lap of the Nordschliefe. It was perhaps also the slowest lap officially recorded by a vehicle manufacturer.
Continue Reading![H1 2014 car sales in Europe up 5.8%](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/X-2014071710074107977.gif)
H1 2014 car sales in Europe up 5.8%
It isn’t just European tyre markets that were up in the first half of 2014 – UK-based automotive intelligence supplier JATO Dynamics states that the European new car market grew 5.8 per cent year-on-year in the period from January to June. Sales growth of 4.3 per cent in June means that year-on-year sales increased for the tenth consecutive month. Great Britain recorded the biggest year-to-date increase in units sold - over 120,000 more than the first half of 2013, a 10.6 per cent increase. Overall, 24 of the 30 countries analysed recorded year-to-date increases in volumes compared to the same period last year, including Europe’s five largest markets – France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
Continue ReadingMAM heading to Automechanika
MAM Software has announced it will exhibit at Automechanika Frankfurt between 16 and 20 September. The company’s show presence will be located in the SMMT Pavilion in hall 5.1 at stand E95, and the company says it will use the event to identify new market opportunities for its cloud-based enterprise management software, data and e-commerce solutions.
Continue Reading![Top golfers set for World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/2014071702_01.gif)
Top golfers set for World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational
The worlds top golfers will once again descend on Akron in the US as the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational returns to the Firestone Country Clubs South Course between 31 July and 3 August. The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of four in the WGC series, the international golf tournament organised by North American tour organiser PGA TOUR. The top players of the six major global tours – the PGA Tour, European Tour, Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, and Sunshine Tour – and players in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings are eligible to compete in the tournament.
Continue ReadingUS Department of Commerce proceeding with tyre import tariff case
The US Department of Commerce Department is proceeding with the US United Steelworker’s case against Chinese tyre imports into America. The union is pushing for new import duties similar to those that were introduced in 2009 and has hailed the news that the case is continuing and as a significant step forward in the process.
Continue ReadingEuropean tyre markets up across all segments in 1H 2014
The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA) has published figures showing that is members experience sales increases across all segments in the first half of 2014.
Continue ReadingTRIB MD speaking at Latin Tyre Expo
The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) has announced that its managing director, David Stevens, will be a featured speaker for the third year in a row at the Latin American & Caribbean Tyre Expo taking place in Panama City, Panama from 23 - 25 July, 2014
Continue Reading![This is how to sell a car](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/barina.jpg)
This is how to sell a car
Used cars are generally not a topic covered by tyrepress.com, however one vendor’s effort to sell a pre-loved hatchback is well worth a mention. Marketing agencies should take note of the approach used by the unnamed owner; they may do worse than trying it themselves next time a manufacturer appoints them to promote a vehicle that won’t sell on the basis of its own merits.
Continue Reading![Nexen wins customer satisfaction award](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/nexen_02_03.jpg)
Nexen wins customer satisfaction award
On 28 June, the Global Management Association ranked Nexen Tire the top company in the tyre category in its ‘2013 GCSI’ survey, a global customer satisfaction survey supervised by the Japan Management Association Consultants (JMAC). The survey was carried out over a three week period in April and covers 188 products across nine industries in total, with the sample size of 100,000 people. The evaluation criteria included factors related to customer satisfaction, such as quality, customer value, global competency and loyalty.
Continue ReadingExide makes appointments, working to bring recycling plant back into operation
Exide Technologies’ Vernon automotive lead battery recycling plant in the US state of California has stood idle since March 2014, when the company was denied an extension to comply with a new air quality regulation (District Rule 1420.1 from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, or AQMD) that requires the plant’s furnaces to operate under continuous negative pressure from 10 April. Mothballing the facility saw 20 salaries employees and 104 hourly workers receiving temporary layoff notices. The company has now released a statement regarding the board’s approval of new orders and Exide’s plans in relation to the Vernon facility.
Continue Reading![Continental to discontinue football World Cup sponsorship](https://www.tyrepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Continental-WM_tb.jpg)
Continental to discontinue football World Cup sponsorship
According to a German newspaper, Continental plans to step down as a World Cup sponsor. The Hannoversche Allgemeine (HAZ) writes that in future the tyre maker intends instead to solely sponsor regional confederations, such as Europe’s UEFA. This change to the company’s multi-million commitment is also said to apply to the next World Cup. “We have nothing more to do with the coming events in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022,” the newspaper quoted a Continental spokesperson as saying.
Continue ReadingMultistrada investing to increase capacity
According to Pieter Tanuri, Indonesia’s PT Multistrada Arah Sarana aims to increase its domestic market share from 13 to 15 per cent in the next two or three years. The president director was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying this two per cent rise would be achieved through increasing total production capacity to around 17 to 18 million tyres per annum over the next year. Currently, Multistrada produces ten million car tyres and six million motorcycle tyres.
Continue ReadingTGI appoints African development manager, new strategic accounts VP
Tire Group International has added Kevin O’Brien and Rishi Raj Bhatnagar to its team. They take up the roles respectively of vice president of strategic accounts for its domestic division and territory manager for the African market. Both have more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
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