ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 certification for Sumitomo’s tyre factory in Brazil
The Sumitomo Rubber Group’s first tyre factory in Latin America has been awarded both the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard and the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Standard. Certification of the Sumitomo Rubber do Brasil Ltda passenger car radial plant in Fazenda Rio Grande, Paraná state took effect on 30 September 2014. The accrediting body for both certifications was Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA).
Continue Reading
Michelin buffs away loss-making Laurent pre-cure business in Germany
Weak demand and aggressive competition has led to seven-figure losses at the Laurent Reifen retreading plant in Germany, and in response the Michelin-owned company has decided to close its pre-cure retreading operations and lay off almost a quarter of its workforce. But it is questionable whether this measure will suffice to halt the flow of red ink required to write the firm’s balance sheet in recent years; apparently the complete closure of the Laurent Reifen site near Berlin has already been internally discussed.
Continue Reading
Same time, different place – concurrent dates for ‘Reifen’ and ‘Tire Cologne’
Anyone thinking about taking in a tyre show in Germany four years from now will need to schedule their itinerary very carefully. It’s already been reported that current ‘Reifen’ show sponsor the BRV (the German Federal Association of the Tyre Trade and the Vulcanisers’ Skilled Trade) will, come 2018, trade its long-term partner for a new exhibition some 40 miles from the Essen exhibition centre. But what’s only now become clear is that Germany will not only host two tyre shows in the same general vicinity – both will also be held at exactly the same time.
Continue Reading
Point S to lose 12 outlets in Germany through Reifen Ihle sale
A week ago, Tyres & Accessories reported that German tyre firm the Reifen Ihle Group faced being broken up for sale some eight months after filing for insolvency. It has now been officially confirmed that the 12 Reifen Ihle outlets, which operate as part of the German Point S network, have been sold to Reifen Müller KG, a tyre business that operates 30 outlets in central Germany. Klaus Müller told our sister publication Neue Reifenzeitung that the 12 Reifen Ihle outlets “pass perfectly” to Reifen Müller. But while the outlets’ future is now secure, their days as part of the Point S network are numbered.
Continue Reading
Official opening for Bridgestone’s Vietnam plant
A ceremony has been held to mark the official opening of Bridgestone’s latest tyre factory. The grand opening of the Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing Vietnam Limited Liability Company (BTMV) plant in Hai Phong City, Vietnam comes half a year after production of passenger car radials began there. The opening ceremony was attended by guests from the Vietnam government, Hai Phong City, the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, and representatives of companies from the automotive sector.
Continue Reading
Fleet Symposium brings stakeholders together
Just over six months since the last time Tyres & Accessories met Michel Rzonzef at the Geneva Motor Show, the Goodyear executive has switched segments. When we met before he was vice president of the Consumer Tire Business at Goodyear EMEA. Now he is vice president of Commercial Tires EMEA. So, with the move from consumer to commercial still relatively fresh, T&A took the opportunity to discuss the development and direction of the truck and fleet tyre business with Rzonzef during the course of the recent Goodyear Fleet Symposium in Brussels on 14 October. Henk van Tuyl, Goodyear’s director of regional technology - Heavy Tires EMEA, also joined in with the conversation.
Continue Reading
Giti’s European R&D centre ready for growing OE business
It’s been a year since Tyres & Accessories first met the recently-appointed head of Giti Tire’s new R&D Centre Europe. At the time, R&D director Stefan Fischer shared the tyre maker’s plans and showed off the still largely-empty premises where specialists would soon be hard at work. A lot has changed in 12 months: Upon returning to the Hannover, Germany-based facility, we saw it was well and truly up and running and, in the important area of original equipment development, even further established than originally planned.
Continue Reading
Chicago Pneumatic to debut cordless range at SEMA
Chicago Pneumatic has announced plans to premier new range of cordless tools for the vehicle service industry at SEMA 2014. Visitors to the booth will be able to try the tools and see first-hand just how powerful and easy to use they are. The company is also previewing its workshop equipment range, which will be available in 2015, as well as showcasing new tools in its pneumatic range of impact wrenches.
Continue Reading
Trelleborg, Tractor Girl and Massey Fergusson prepare for South Pole expedition
Most farmers are unlikely to ever operate their tractors in Antarctic conditions, but should the need arise it’s reassuring to know they can. Massey Ferguson is heading to the South Pole next month with Manon Ossevoort – the Dutch woman popularly known as ‘The Tractor Girl’ – who will drive a MF 5600 tractor to the bottom of the world. Trelleborg has been selected as official partner for the 1,460 mile/2,350 kilometre ‘Antarctica2’ expedition that sets off on 21 November, and has developed a special multi-purpose tyre and wheel set for the journey.
Continue Reading
Gaither Europe relocates
It is now over two decades since US-based Gaither Tool Company launched a European division. Back in the 1990s Gaither offered just two products whilst currently there are up to 30 pieces of equipment available in the companys brand portfolio, underlining the growth of the company’s product portfolio.
Continue Reading
