Subsidiary Company To Develop Nokian Intelligent Tyre Technology
Nokian has established a subsidiary company for commercialising and internationalising its recently-created intelligent tyre technology (ITT). The company is called RoadSnoop Ltd. and it will be responsible for the product development, production and marketing of ITT. Called the RoadSnoop Safety System, it consists of lightweight sensors installed in the tyres which monitor tyre pressures and temperatures. Should the pressure drop, the system sends an alert to the drivers mobile phone, in-car computer, or even to a separate display at a garage forecourt.
Continue ReadingISO 9002 For Firestone East Africa
In a ceremony in Kenya, Firestone East Africa was awarded ISO 9002 quality accreditation. A spokesman said that Firestone will invest heavily in Uganda and Tanzania to boost its market share. The company already claims a 50 per cent share of the Ugandan tyre market.
Continue ReadingVietnamese Rubber Producers Call For Export Limit
Vietnams rubber producers have called for a limit on exports of crude rubber. Exports to countries such as China have increased to the stage where the domestic rubber processing industry is facing a shortage of raw materials.
Continue Reading“Supplier of the Year” Award For Bosal From GM
Bosal has been named as a General Motors Supplier of the Year for its superior performance in quality, service, technology and price. 165 suppliers from 19 countries were named in total, and this is the fifth time that Bosal has won the award. The company supplies exhausts for a number of GM vehicles.
Continue ReadingConflict May Damage Stomil-Olsztyn
Ongoing rows between minority shareholders and main shareholder Michelin may have an adverse effect on company results for 2001. The company is already suffering from decreased demand, a weak Euro and rising raw materials costs. Benoit de la Breteche, president of Stomils board said This year is going to be a difficult one and we should focus on business.
Continue Reading35 Million Euro Revamp At Continental
Continental announced that the overhaul of its Belgian truck tyre plant at Herstal would cost 35 million Euro and result in a loss of 560 jobs. The workforce would be reduced to 200 and redundancy packages have been agreed this week. The saturated European truck tyre market had raised questions about the profitability of Herstal, which resulted in this restructuring. Truck tyre manufacture is being shifted to Eastern Europe where overheads are lower.
Continue ReadingNo Recommendation For Conti Shares At The Moment
Analysts regard the price of Conti shares as relatively cheap, at 16.5 Euro. On the other hand, prospects for the group do not look very good; Continentals Letter to Investors revealed that results in Europe for the first quarter of the year were better than expected. However, the situation for Conti General in the USA is very difficult, with results much worse than forecast and with little prospect of improvement. The plan to sell off the profitable Conti-Tech division will probably have a negative impact on the share price, analysts also believe.
Continue ReadingSUVs Come Under Fire In The USA
It is not only the Ford Explorer that might show a tendency to rollover in critical situations; the US Consumer Report has revealed through its own tests that the Mitsubishi Mondero (known in Europe as the Pajero) shows a tendency to lift two wheels in critical situations. That, according to the magazine, is not acceptable and is a safety problem. Mitsubishi denies that there is any safety problem at all.
Continue ReadingTyrexpo Asia 2001
Tyrexpo Asia 2001, to be held at the Singapore Expo Centre from 11 – 13 September, is the third Tyrexpo Asia to be held in Singapore. Although the name is the same, the exhibition has changed hands since the last show in 1998, but there is still a measure of continuity as the MD of the new organisers, ECI Ltd, is Paul Farrant, who was a director of previous organisers Labelex Exhibitions. And of course this show, like the first two, is being sponsored by TYRES & ACCESSORIES and German sister magazine NEUE REIFENZEITUNG. In reality, the Asian market is a collection of individual markets, each with varying degrees of potential. This has been recognised by others, and we have seen a number of exhibitions, loosely connected with the tyre industry in specific markets over previous years. In many cases, tyres and related equipment and services have been added on as something of an afterthought. Not so Tyrexpo Asia, which Paul Farrant describes as the only show in the area dedicated to the tyre industry, and the one which is the best-established and which has built up a solid reputation. The first show was held at a time of great optimism, with the phrase Asian tiger economies on everybodys lips. What a difference there was two years later, with the words Asian tigers being replaced by Asian crises. But Asia is fighting back – car sales are increasing steadily, and cars mean tyres. The influence of south east Asia in the worlds tyre industry should not be under-estimated, neither should it be forgotten that four of the worlds ten largest tyre manufacturers are based in Asia and no fewer than fourteen of the worlds top twenty hail from Asia or the Indian sub-continent.
Continue ReadingPrice Increases In German Market For Continental Tyres
Continental has announced that the prices of its passenger, van and 4x4 tyres sold in Germany will go up by four per cent from 1st August. Higher costs of raw materials are being blamed for the increase, particularly the price of synthetic rubber and carbon black. The price hike does not apply to markets outside Germany.
Continue ReadingThe Retreading Of Truck Tyres
Whereas the incidence of car tyre retreading is slowly diminishing (in summer tyres this segment is virtually insignificant, in winter tyres market shares are falling dramatically and are approaching the ten percent mark), truck tyre retreading seems to be stable across Europe. But there are significant national differences especially regarding the incidence of retreading and the relationship between new tyres and retreads. Looking back over the last decade, not from the technological viewpoint but at the main players and their market shares, it was (before Michelin’s Recamic came on the scene) the Marangoni group (including Ellerbrock), which showed most growth. Kraiburg also showed positive development but the world’s no 1 in cold retreading Bandag showed signs of stagnation. If these three players have improved, strengthened or defended their market shares then there must also be losers, these being the new tyre producers who supplied the retreaders with materials for their business but especially the hot retreading. The four big players in the European truck tyre market (Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Continental) have tied up packages which should be regarded by the retreading specialists (like Bandag, Marangoni/Ellerbrock, Kraiburg) with some discomfort because the result is a lessening of their influence. New tyre manufacturers, retreaders and dealers find themselves as part of a package. The importance of retreaded truck tyres grows, while the importance of retreaders shrinks. The retreaded truck tyre is an integrated part of a very complex marketing concept. The retread is another item in a customer relation program, a marketing instrument, which is designed to lead to the sale of the next new tyre.
Continue ReadingOfficial Opening Of Bridgestone Poznan Plant
Bridgestones tyre factory at Poznan, Poland, has been officially opened. It is the companys sixth tyre factory in Europe and one of 46 across the globe. It produces 10,000 Bridgestone and Firestone tyres daily, mainly high- and ultra-high performance tyres, with a workforce of 540. The factory is a joint venture with state-owned Stomil Poznan SA.
Continue ReadingJoint Marketing Agreement for Accuride and Amcast
Accuride Corporation has announced an international marketing agreement with Amcast Industrial Corporation and Speedline s.r.l.. The agreement lays out procedures for the global marketing of the companies’ aluminium wheels for heavy/medium vehicles. This follows last year’s agreement on the marketing of steel wheels through an Amcast/Gianetti venture.
Continue Reading“Innovation And High Performance” From Michelin
The Michelin stand at Frankfurt, the new technological development partner for Bosch presents developments which will particularly enhance the cars of today and tomorrow. As a wood, metal and glass structure, the booth aims to highlight the high technology of the exhibited products, whilst being user friendly for visitors. Innovation (PAX, Chassis Systems, concept tyres) and high performance (tyre product families) are the two messages transmitted through this architecture. In addition, visitors have the opportunity to test the PAX system on two Renault Scénics in the outer area of the fairground.
Continue ReadingUS Wheel Manufacturer To Shut Plant
Alloy wheel manufacturer American Racing Equipment is to close down its factory in Warsaw, Kentucky, by the end of the year. Production will be transferred to other plants in California and Mexico and just over 200 workers will lose their jobs. The downturn in the US auto industry was blamed for the closure, particularly cutbacks at DaimlerChrysler. The Warsaw plant supplied wheels for the Chrysler Grand Cherokee, but cutbacks mean that the factory has been running at less than one quarter capacity recently.
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