New Goodyear plant to meet growing Americas demand
Due to a strong free cash flow in 2013, Goodyear Tire & Rubber is reallocating approximately US$1.1 billion of its 2014-2016 cash flow – $300 million of this will go towards establishing a new consumer tyre facility in the Americas. Goodyear aims for the plant to begin production in the first half of 2017 with an annual capacity of around six million tyres, an amount that will be expandable as demand increases. Site selection to identify a suitable location for serving North and Latin American customers is now underway. Total plant investment will be in the vicinity of $500 million.
Cooper: Chengshan tyre plant fire caused ‘minimal damage’
Cooper Tire executives have confirmed that reports of a fire at the company’s Cooper Chengshan (Shandong)Tire Company Ltd. (CCT) manufacturing plant in Rongcheng, China were correct. As far as the details are concerned, writing in an official statement Cooper Tire officials confirmed that the fire took place on 28 May outside of the factory site proper. According to the company, there were no injuries and “minimal damage to property”.
At the time photographs of the fire were published alongside local Chinese reports, however these provided no details of what damage the fire caused or where it actually took place. Cooper has now explained that “the fire involved a scrap tyre area outside the main manufacturing plant structure”. As a result production was temporarily suspended. It has now returned to normal.
A fire broke out at the Cooper and Chengshans Rongcheng factory in Shandong Province, Eastern China on Tuesday 27 May. Several local news sources including the Xinhua news agency have reported the news and photographs showing a large plume of smoke rising about the factory have also been published.
Reifen, Automechanika agree upon strategic partnership
Messe Essen and Messe Frankfurt have announced a “far-reaching strategic partnership”, aimed at strengthening the Reifen and Automechanika trade fairs. The partners expressed a joint desire to exploit “synergetic effects in sales and marketing across borders,” the most obvious of which will be package solutions for exhibitors.
May 23rd and 24th are important dates for those involved in the German tuning industry, as the tuning crowd meets at the Hockenheimring Tuner Grand Prix and the tyres generate clouds of smoke at the Drift Challenge.
Brembo celebrated the grand opening of its expanded North American manufacturing operations in Homer, Michigan on 22 May 2014. According to the company, the occasion marks Brembo’s commitment to North America. The investment, which will total more than $115 million dollars (83 million euros) through to the end of 2015, expands the facility that houses production of brake, disc, caliper and corner module manufacturing.
Point S presenting consolidation strategy at Reifen
While Point S used the 2012 Reifen show to announce the signing of partnership agreements in South Africa, Slovenia and Canada, at this year’s event the retail cooperatives will be reporting details of its consolidation strategy.
Minnesota governor Mark Dayton has signed the state’s lead and mercury wheel weights bill into law on 16 May, Tire Review reports. The legislation was presented in March of this year to both the state’s Senate and House. The new law includes a ban on the installation, sale and distribution of lead and mercury based […]
Despite the ongoing political upheaval which has been plaguing the Thais since the start of 2014, replacement car tyre sales grew by 22 per cent in terms of unit volume in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the same quarter last year. This equates to some US$175 million in first three months of 2014.
Pirelli and Rosneft in synthetic rubber cooperation talks
Rosneft president and chairman of the management board Igor Sechin has held negotiations with Pirelli’s top management including Marco Tronchetti Provera on the subject of expanding the two companies well reported cooperation.
Brazilian retreading material supplier Vipal, in partnership with Turkish retreading factory Tatkap recent won a tender to supply one of the largest fleets in Turkey, located in Istanbul. According to the companies, the IETT fleet runs 30,000 tyres on its vehicles, which serve a municipality, but working as a private company.
Pirelli figures suggest improved European tyre demand
The latest Pirelli tyre market watch figures suggest demand is continuing to improve in the European market in both the original equipment and replacement sectors.
First off the European car tyre market (excluding Russia) showed a positive trend in April despite the unfavourable comparison.
Buffing blade maker, B&J Rocket has announced that it is launching “Rocket Evo-Blades” at Reifen in Essen. The company refers to the launch as “an evolution”.
Marangoni Tread North America has added Easy Stacker tyre handling equipment to the line-up of products offered by Marangoni. According to the company, the Easy Stacker is a technological advancement in the logistical handling of commercial truck tyres and is available for purchase now by any commercial or wholesale tyre operation in North America exclusively from Marangoni Tread NA.
Nexus Compact proving popular in South Africa, says PCL
Sheffield-based Pneumatic Components Ltd – better known as PCL – says its nitrogen inflation equipment is making hefty inroads into the South African market. The company shares that it is enjoying particular success with its Nexus Compact model. PCL says this inflator is unique in that it can be fitted to the inside or outside of mobile tyre service vehicles while covering every tyre inflation application, from passenger cars to large commercial vehicles, including trucks and OTR tyres.
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