New Cars to Roll Out of GM Stable
(India/Rubber Asia) There has been a flurry of new car launches in the Indian market thanks to the apparent growth in the Indian consumers purchasing power. General Motors, the world’s largest car maker, for example, has even come out with a new strategy specific to the Indian market, the main component of which to launch two new cars every year in the country, from 2006 to 2008, local media sources report. Mr. Rajiv Chaba, president of GM India, has said it would be a “mix of local production/assembly for voulume cars and CBU imports in the case of some lifestyle products”.
Continue ReadingWorkers Ratify Six-Year Contract
Workers at Bridgestone-Firestone Canada have approved a six-year contract that gives them a better pension plan and gives the company more flexibility. The contract will bring a further CDN$13 million to the Joliette region in economic spinoffs claims the company. Over 80 per cent of workers voted in favour of the agreement, which comes three months before the current contract expires. We worked together to establish terms that will ensure greater flexibility for our operations. This flexibility is essential first to our growth, and consequently to maintain jobs, declared Isaac Motohashi, general manager of he Joliette plant.
Continue ReadingProject Exelero – The Legend Lives
Last month saw the official European launch of Fulda’s new Exelero. But it didn’t stop there. The manufacturer not only presented a new UHP tyre to European press and dealers, but also a new car, the Fulda Maybach Exelero. To read the full story go to Subjects in Focus
Continue ReadingProject Exelero – The Legend Lives
Last month saw the official European launch of Fulda’s new Exelero. But it didn’t stop there. The manufacturer not only presented a new UHP tyre to European press and dealers, but also a new car, the Fulda Maybach Exelero. Sales of the Fulda brand reached 9 million pieces in 2004, of which approximately 5 million were sold in Germany and the remainder in other parts of Europe. The factory, based in the German city Fulda, produced 7 million tyres in 2004, but they weren’t all for the Fulda brand. The plant focuses on high end products, including runflats, UHP tyres and products for the SUV sector, it also produces tyres for other Goodyear brands. But back to the much anticipated ‘Fulda Maybach Exelero’ project. Just imagine a vehicle that combines the elegance and quality of a high-end limousine with the powerful agility of a sports coupé. Picture a vehicle with a basic weight of over 2.66 tonnes and the dimensions of a light truck that can achieve a maximum speed of over 350 km/h. Now visualise an ultra-high performance tyre that not only copes with the aforementioned weight, the dimensions and the speed, but also makes the vehicle safe, stable and comfortable. Does such a vehicle and tyre exist? It does now. Other manufacturers develop a tyre for a car, Fulda reversed he norm and developed a car for the tyres. This is a symbol, according to Fulda’s MD Bernd Hoffmann, that his brand is unique from all others – in the market as well as in the Goodyear family. Fulda has been making car tyres for the past 100 years, and has tested and marketed its products on several special vehicles throughout this time. Luxury high-speed buses, a series of show trucks, racing cars, all have been used to test and advertise the manufacturers tyres. In the 1930s the streamlined Maybach SW38 was used. The car could conduct tyre tests at speeds of over 200 km/h. Unfortunately it did not last for long, the test car which was designed in 1938 and produced in 1939 disappeared during the war years and was never seen again. Sixty-six years later Fulda has introduced a high-tech tyre to the market. The most extreme dimension in the tyre’s portfolio is the 315/25 ZR 23, licensed for speeds of more than 350 km/h. As a series tyre, and not a racing tyre, a high-speed vehicle was needed for the launch and not a racing car. Lucky then that one of the most exclusive German vehicle makes was revived a few years ago and a joint project was organised, just like in the old days. The contacts were made thanks to René Staud, a world-class car photographer and an outstanding ‘networker’ at DaimlerChrysler and Fulda Reifen. An agreement was reached following several discussions with Leon Hustinx, Maybach’s director sales and marketing – Maybach would build a car for Fulda. The objective was to position the vehicle as an ambassador for the new ultra high performance tyre line Exelero. The project had quite a team behind it. Two independent design professors and four of their students, together with the design professionals from DaimlerChrysler and Fulda worked on the car. After nine months of design proposals one of the students’ designs was chosen. Transforming a limousine, the Maybach 57 (the basis for the Exelero) into a coupé is an extremely complicated process. When considering the engine alternatives, it soon became clear that the basic twelve-cylinder engine used in the Maybach limousines would not achieve the desired maximum speed of around 350 km/h despite the Biturbo charger. Here, the Mercedes Car Group leapt into the breach. The engine specialists in Untertürkheim, the place where all basic engines are developed, provided some much needed support to the project. After much tweaking of the Maybach type 12 engine, the cubic capacity was increased from 5.6 to 5.9 litres and the turbo charge optimised. The result was convincing: on the test bed almost 700 hp and at least 1,000 newton metres of torque were recorded, sufficient to achieve the maximum target speed of 350 km/h. The final test measurements at the end of April/beginning of May 2005 on the high speed Motodrom Nardo confirmed the team’s hard work and success, the car reached a top speed of 351.45 km/h – a world record for limousines on standard tyres. The development of the project, from the initial Fulda concept to the delivery of the Maybach Exelero sports coupé, in just 25 months also achieved another world record. Delivering to the discerning consumer State-of-the-art technology, comfort, convenience, and all at a good price – the end consumer knows what it wants and is becoming increasingly discerning. And because of this those industries that support the vehicle manufacturers are increasingly being called upon to respond to manufacturing trends towards more capacity, higher horse power and better performance characteristics by providing technically compatible, performance-orientated product components. This includes the tyre industry. Predictions for the ultra high performance tyre segment show a 60 per cent sales increase for V, W and Y speed categories between 2003 and 2008. Fulda’s new Exelero is a prime example of the tyre technology currently being placed in the path of today’s quality-sensitive consumer group. The product is a result of equally intensive and complex research and development claims the manufacturer. The motivation behind such R&D was always to enhance the performance of existing summer tyre products, a goal Fulda believes it has achieved. Refined and perfected for the requirements of sporty drivers, the characteristics of the new Exelero have impressed Germany’s Technical Board of Control (TÜV Süd). The product was awarded the TÜV test symbol following detailed tyre tests and a quality audit of Fulda’s production processes. In doing so the TÜV Süd has, for the first time, recognised the research and development undertaken by a tyre manufacturer on the basis of an independent testing and certification process. The Exelero is also the result of intensive market research. Customer surveys conducted by Fulda Reifen revealed that the majority of motorists want tyres with optimised braking characteristics on wet road surfaces, good handling, and low noise build-up. As a result of this research a special wet grip compound was developed, and its low elasticity improves grip level providing shorter braking distances, especially on wet road surfaces. In principle a tyre tread with low elasticity produces a more effective grip on the road surface than a compound with higher elasticity and the contact between the tyre and road surface is guaranteed for a longer period. In addition, the new high performance carcass offers improved handling, on both dry and wet road surfaces. Developed to meet the requirements of high performance and sports cars, the tyre manufacturer has placed special emphasis on the tyres’ high stability and response behaviour. The carcass is less susceptible to deformation during heavy braking manoeuvres and on sharp bends and thus not only improves the grip but also the vehicle’s steering behaviour. With the newly developed and so-called unique ‘DualShift Method’ the engineers have been able to clearly reduce the Exelero’s noise emissions. The ‘DualShift Method’ consists of two elements; the special configuration of various tread block sizes in the shoulder section and centre leads to an audible reduction in the sound frequency peaks. Six circumferential longitudinal grooves are also individually set, to further improve driving comfort and low noise build-up. Fulda’s new UHP product is currently being rolled out to the trade and will eventually be available in 33 sizes and 39 versions ranging from 15 to 23 inches (55 to 25 series), 25 sizes are already available in the UK. Fulda is putting 13 of the sizes into series production for the first time.
Continue ReadingLanxess Increase Production
Lanxess has concluded the first stage of a program to increase production of neodymium polybutadiene rubber, or Nd-PBR in response to growing demand for high performance rubber. The program will modify existing manufacturing lines so that multiple grades of material can be produced on the same line, including Nd-catalyzed PBR as well as lithium-PBR and solution styrene butadiene rubber SSBR.
Continue ReadingTIA Petition on TPMS Rule
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has submitted a petition for reconsideration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding the final rule on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMSs). “NHTSA has made what TIA believes to be a huge mistake and is moving backwards on the timeframe in which the telltale must illuminate upon sensing underinflation in a tyre,” states the petition. “NHTSA’s original proposal was that the telltale must go off within 10 minutes of sensing a problem with a tyre’s inflation. The final rule has moved backwards to 20 minutes. TIA is very concerned that this additional 10 minutes will allow an underinflated tyre to further deflate, overheat and potentially fail.”
Continue ReadingSecond Hand Tyre Waste
Second hand car dealers in Scotland may have to hold a license to handle waste tyres, under a new crackdown on fly-tipping reports The Herald. A report will be presented to Glasgow councils licensing committee next week, seeking approval to add a condition on tyres to the licences which second-hand dealers must hold to trade. The move coincides with 22,000 tyres being cleared from a mountain of waste rubber in the city. It cost the city council £39,500 to collect and dispose of the tyres, which weighed 156 tonnes. The condition is aimed at cutting off the supply chain to fly-tippers who dispose of tyres illegally and will target second-hand car dealers in particular, with worn tyres often replaced to make vehicles more attractive to prospective buyers.
Continue ReadingReifen-Seher sold to Bridgestone’s First Stop
Reifen-Seher, an independent tyre company with 17 outlets and a turnover of about 25 Million euros has been sold to Bridgestone, report sources close to the company. Reifen-Seher’s headquarters are based in Friedberg/Hessen. The company runs all of its outlets in the Frankfurt/am Main area. It is thought that Seher ran into financial trouble two years ago, but at the time was strong enough to overcome the problems which might have eventually led to the decision to sell. Peter Seher still stands as president of the German Tyre Dealer Association, his BRV term ends at the end of this month. Seher announced his departure as president some weeks ago.
Continue ReadingSupreme Court Rules for Checkoff Programs
(Akron/Tire Review) The Associated Press has reported that the US Supreme Court ruled that the government was within its rights to force beef producers to pay for a multimillion-dollar Beef: Its whats for dinner marketing program, despite disagreement by some individual cattle producers who disagreed with the direction of the campaign. The court’s 6-3 decision stated that such checkoff campaigns are a form of government speech immune to First Amendment challenge. There is no immediate word yet as to how the Supreme Court decision will impact efforts by TIA to formulate a similar program to support the tyre industry and tyre dealers, but it is expected that this will clear major legal concerns voiced by the Rubber Manufacturers Association and tyre makers and importers.
Continue ReadingFord Issues Tyre Aging Warning
(Akron/Tire Review – Courtesy of Detroit News, By Jeff Plungis) Ford Motor Co has become the first US vehicle manufacturer to warn customers that they should replace older tyres, even if the tread is not worn out. Ford officials said the move comes in response to a growing body of research that suggests tyres deteriorate as they age and can experience tread separations and other failures, even if they look robust.
Continue ReadingCooper Standard Automotive Reports First Quarter 2005 Result
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper-Standard Holdings, the parent of Cooper-Standard Automotive, has reported results for its first full quarter as a stand-alone company. The company posted revenues of $470.1 million for the first quarter, which ended on 31 March, compared to a record $497 million for the prior year same quarter.
Continue ReadingToyo Increasing UHP, LT/SUV Production
(Akron/Tire Review) Toyo Tire & Rubber said it will boost production at its Kuwana, Japan, plant by the end of 2005, adding capacity for 1.12 million additional ultra-high performance and light truck/SUV tyres. Toyo said it is investing some 2.8 billion yen in the project, targeting overseas markets. Toyo said the move is part of its efforts to increase global capacity, including building a manufacturing base in North America, raising production capacity of it joint venture plant in China, and launching another joint venture plant for truck and bus tyres in China.
Continue ReadingTwo MNA Facilities Receive Parent Honors
(Akron/Tire Review) Two Michelin North America (MNA) facilities recently received honors for their safety records. Michelin Americas Research and Development Corp., based in Greenville, S.C., and MNA’s Michelin Retread Technologies Inc. (MRTI) tread pressing plant in Covington, Ga., received the Michelin Achievement in Safety Award for 2004. According to Groupe Michelin, its Michelin Achievement in Safety Award recognises company facilities that “show continued and outstanding improvement in safety for the year.” In addition to the MNA facilities being honored, Groupe Michelin also presented awards to facilities in France, Thailand, Mexico, France, Romania, the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Brazil and Nigeria.
Continue ReadingSuperior Industries Increases Dividends
Superior Industries International, has announced a 3.2 per cent increase in the companys quarterly cash dividend, to $0.16 per share at today’s AGM. The new, higher dividend is payable to shareholders on 15 July 2005. “We always are pleased to increase the cash dividend, particularly as we are faced with the difficult challenges of an increasingly competitive environment and the rapid globalisation of the automotive industry,” said president and chief executive officer, Steven Borick. “This latest dividend increase demonstrates the Boards conviction that we have the right long-term strategy to protect and enhance our industry leadership, and the discipline, determination, and resources required to successfully implement our plans for the future.”
Continue ReadingTitan Elects New Directors
Titan International board of directors has elected several new directors at its annual meeting of stockholders held last week. Maurice M. Taylor Jr will be the new chairman and CEO, Erwin H. Billig vice chairman, Kent W. Hackamack vice president of finance and treasurer and Cheri T. Holley will be the new vice president and secretary. “The Board thanks Mr Billig for his dedication and service as Titan’s chairman during the last 10 years,” stated Mr Taylor. “I personally would like to thank him for all of the time, effort and guidance given to me and the company and I know this will continue in his role as vice chairman.” Richard M. Cashin Jr., Albert J. Febbo and Mitchell I. Quain were also elected by the stockholders to serve as directors for three-year terms. Stockholders also approved the Titan International, Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan and the PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was ratified as the independent registered public accounting firm for 2005.
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