Exide 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.
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.
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.
TGI 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.
During the BRICS summit taking place in Brazil today and tomorrow, Apollo Tyres’ chairman Onkar Kanwar will lead a five-member business delegation and present a report from the BRICS business council to the Brazilian, Russian, Indian, Chinese and South African heads of state. The council has identified five areas where the BRICS countries can explore business opportunities – infrastructure, manufacturing, financial services, energy and green economy and skills development. “Each country can support the other and take part in each other’s respective growth and development programmes,” Kanwar, who is chairman of the BRICS Business Council (India), told Indian news daily the Hindustan Times.
Linglong investing US$182 million in new tyre test track
Following the announcement that Linglong is building a new tyre proving ground in China, the company has released a number of further details relating to the investment in the site and its location. First off, in answer to Tyres & Accessories’ questions, Linglong representatives confirmed that the company is investing 1.13 billion yuan in the new tyre test track (£106.3 million; 133.6 million euros; 182.099 million euros).
Kumho US plant to specialise in original equipment tyres
As Kumho Tire announced on 1 July, construction of its facility in the US state of Georgia is recommencing after a seven year delay. The tyre maker says the first tyres will be produced in the US$413 million Macon plant in early 2016, and 100 per cent of the tyres manufactured there will be supplied to OEM customers. Kumho adds that when the 4 million tyres a year capacity plant is complete, the company’s overseas manufacturing capacity will be larger than its capacity within Korea.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres supplying Chinese regional airline
China’s first privately-owned regional airline has awarded Birmingham-based Dunlop Aircraft Tyres a three-year deal to supply tyres for its expanding fleet of regional airliners. Under the agreement, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres will support China Express Airlines’ Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen aircraft.
Nokian Tyres returns as swamp football championships sponsor
The World Cup is drawing to a close, but those who can’t get enough football action can take solace is the knowledge that even after Germany/Argentina (delete where applicable if reading this on Monday) has taken home the sport’s most-coveted title, a whole host of football world championship action still awaits us this month. And like the FIFA version in Brazil, it is sponsored by a tyre maker.
Germany’s contribution to this year’s World Cup hasn’t just been some spectacular football and a memorable 7-1 victory over the host nation in the semi-final; sponsor Continental has produced three World Cup-themed tyres to mark the event. Each of these limited edition products feature stylised footballs and the FIFA World Cup logo on the sidewall – but unfortunately, none are available for sale here.
Linglong partnering with IDIADA in China tyre test centre project
On 1 July Linglong Group signed a strategic agreement with IDIADA to partner in the construction of a central Asian tyre proving ground. The agreement was signed between Josep-Maria Farran, COO (chief operating officer) of IDIADA, and Wang Feng, vice president of Linglong Group, marking the start of this strategic cooperation.
Investment firm Audax Group has acquired Wheel Pros, LLC from Platinum Equity. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Wheel Pros is a leading designer, marketer, and distributor of branded aftermarket wheels. The company also distributes performance tyres and accessories. Founded in 1995 with two distribution centres, the company today carries proprietary, leading brands that are recognized across all major vehicle segments and are sold through a national footprint of 25 distribution centres and internationally.
An initiative to deal with the estimated 50 million end of life tyres removed from vehicles in Australia each year was implemented at the start of this month. Called the Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme, the industry-led programme aims to eliminate illegal dumping, reduce the number of waste tyres and increase the rate of tyre recycling in Australia from its current level of approximately 16 per cent.
Cabot top ‘Energy Efficiency Frontrunner’ in China
Top listing in the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation’s 2013 ‘Energy Efficiency Frontrunner’ rating for the carbon black manufacturing sector has gone to Cabot Corporation. Local operation Cabot Chemical (Tianjin) Co., Ltd participated in the benchmark ranking for the first time in 2013 and was named the leading carbon black company in China in terms of energy efficiency. Cabot is the first multinational company to take part in the ranking.
Although still one of Asia’s poorest nations, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, or Burma, has began to forge links with its neighbours and the rest of the world since 2011. Last October, the country’s government relaxed restrictions on new vehicle imports, opening the door to overseas manufacturers. Tyre makers are establishing a presence in Myanmar, too: On 8 July, Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. announced the official opening of its Myanmar branch office in former capital Yangon. The office’s main function will be to gather information on the truck, bus, car manufacturing industries and tyre markets, as well as conduct related activities on behalf of the regional head office.
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