Will Europe impose tyre import tariffs?
In this month’s magazine (July 2014), as well as our the conclusion of our comprehensive review of the Essen Show (see page 40 onwards) plus features on manufacturing (from page 24) and batteries (page 8+), we report on the potential “Return of US tyre import tariffs” (on page 30). Reading this article, you could be forgiven for thinking you had stepped into a time warp to 2009 where proceedings followed a very similar course. This time round, the potential implementation of a second round of import US import tariffs aimed squarely at China have fermented rumours about whether anything similar is likely to happen in Europe. So will it?
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Federal sponsors Man U ‘soccer school’ programme
Since 1999, Manchester United has been helping young football talent develop through its Manchester United Soccer Schools, and today the Manchester United Soccer School, or MUSS, operates in a number of countries around the world. It has now been extended into Taiwan, and club sponsor Federal Tyres is sponsoring 32 children to take part in the first ever MUSS three-day programme, which will be held at the Taipei Municipal Stadium.
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Spain’s Koem Grupo to distribute Aeolus
Aeolus Tyre has appointed Koem Grupo Comercial S.L. its consumer segment distributor in Spain, Andorra and the Spanish islands. The arrangement gives Koem exclusive distribution of Aeolus’ passenger car, van and SUV tyre ranges.
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New chairman for Continental’s German work council
When employees in Continental’s home country have work-related issues, they can go to Hell. They’ll be pleased to do so, as members of the Continental Corporation Works Council have elected Frank Michael Hell the council’s new chair, effective immediately. Council vice-chair is Hans Fischl, who previously held the position of chair on the works council. The corporations works council currently consists of 44 members and represents the interests of the approximately 50,000 Continental employees in Germany.
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The return of US tyre import tariffs?
The global tyre industry is keeping a watchful eye on the US International Trade Commission, which is set to make a preliminary decision on whether or not to enforce import duties on tyres produced in China. Preliminary arguments for and against this were made before the body on 24 June and since then the US Tire Industry Association (TIA) has also weighed in. However, ITC won’t make its initial ruling till 8 July.
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Akron eager to host new Goodyear factory
The shortlist of locations for Goodyear’s new factory in the Americas is said to include Brazil, Columbia, Mexico and the US. It goes without saying that numerous factors will be weighed up before a final decision is reached, and we can expect regional councils and development agencies to try and make their local area as attractive to Goodyear as possible. Authorities in the tyre maker’s hometown have been the first to officially show their interest.
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Apollo launches Alnac 4G all season and winter tyres
With its sights set on gaining a bigger part of the European tyre market, on 27 May Apollo Tyres introduced two new tyres in Essen. The two new tyres, Apollo Alnac 4G All Season and Apollo Alnac 4G Winter tyres, joined to the existing range of Apollo Alnac 4G tyres being sold in Europe. Both tyres were developed in Apollo Tyres’ Global R&D Centre in the Netherlands and have been optimised to suit the requirements of European drivers and the European road network. While this was going on in the foreground, in the background the company has been involved in complex discussions relating to its much publicised plans to build an Eastern European factory. To this end Tyres & Accessories spoke with chief marketing officer Marco Paracciani. But first the new products…
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21 German First Stop outlets threatened with closure
The First Stop network began with the opening of two service centres in the UK in 1994, and over the following two decades grew into a pan-European retail chain boasting almost 2,000 outlets in 25 countries. On its website, First Stop says this “success story continues”, however in one market the network’s presence may soon suffer a hefty setback. Our German sister magazine Neue Reifenzeitung reports that First Stop has commenced a restructuring and consolidation programme in Germany, and in a worst case scenario this could lead to the closure of up to 21 Bridgestone-owned First Stop centres in the country – out of a total of 64 – before the end of this year. This potential slashing of numbers follows the closure of five outlets in 2013. Neue Reifenzeitung notes that at present no concrete plans regarding branch closures have been announced, and it is not yet clear which 21 of the 64 outlets are threatened.
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Creditor funding for Kumho US plant approved; production to start early 2016
Kumho Tire has announced that work will resume on its tyre plant in the US state of Georgia. In a Korean-language statement issued 30 June, the company said it had approved an investment by creditors, and anticipates that the US$413 facility will be complete in early 2016. This information was confirmed the following day by the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority.
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Aeolus a DongFeng Racing Team platinum sponsor
According to Greek mythology, Aeolus was the ruler of the winds, and for this reason Aeolus Tyres’ Western Europe general manager considers sponsoring a participant in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014/2015 highly appropriate. At a press conference in the French seaport of Lorient, Thomas Wohlgemuth said the sponsorship deal with the DongFeng Racing Team had “set the sails towards the right direction” and will aid Aeolus in its goal of positioning itself at the apex of its business segment.
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