Cragar Industries No Longer Manufacturing Wheels
1999 Cragar Industries (Phoenix/USA) sold most of the assets of its wheel business to Weld Racing and to Carlisle Tire & Wheel. The remaining assets have now been sold to midwest distributor PDK, Inc. and so the company has abandoned its (until now) core business of producing and distributing wheels. Cragar is still in the wheel business as the licensor of its brand, but is focussed now on Internet business.
Continue ReadingClosure Of Two Uniroyal Factories In Mexico
Uniroyal S.A. Mexico, daughter company of Michelin North America, has confirmed the closure of their two factories in Tacuba and Queretaro. 760 employees are affected and will receive a severance package. Uniroyal Mexico says that it was not possible for the two factories to produce tyres cost-effectively and the company was losing money, while imported tyres were making a profit. Other possible reasons for the closure, for example political or environmental reasons, were strongly denied.
Continue ReadingMore Technology Partners For Rubbernetwork.com
Rubbernetwork.com, the global market place for the tyre industry, has entered into an alliance with IBM, i2 and Ariba, who will connect the software of individual member companies to the network.
Continue ReadingNow Accused As Well – Goodyear
A group of lawyers has accused Goodyear in the USA, saying that either the exploded Concorde tyre was of faulty manufacture, or that the testing programme was not strict enough. Consumer solicitors want to sue for amounts around US$ one billion, but their chances of success might not be as high as they are expecting.
Continue ReadingSales Target Of 10 bn Euro In 2000 For Continental Achievable
The German group aims to achieve 10 bn Euro in sales this year. After having presented the half year figures for 2000 this is still likely, but they cannot improve the Earnings previously predicted. While Teves and ContiTech are in EBIT better than last year, the truck tyre division could improve the EBIT by five million to 33 million Euro. The p.c-tyre division is 24 million Euro in EBIT below the first half of 1999 despite an increase in sales of 4%. The situation with General Tire is poor. The companys sales climbed by 23% (in dollars only by 8%) but the EBIT is 20 million Euro below the comparable time last year. General Tire will have difficulties avoiding red figures this year.
Continue ReadingQuality Seal For Online Shopping
German tyre dealer Reifen Mayerosch (Wolfersheim-Berstadt) has been awarded a quality seal by Trusted Shops for his online shop offer komplettradkauf.de. Trusted Shops examines the quality and security measures of internet shop companies.
Continue ReadingNo News Would Be Good News
The Wall Street Journal questioned whether Goodyear acted too slowly, or put cost before safety regarding the tyre problems in the USA. Samir Gibara, for Goodyear stated, Our engineers determined that the tyres were not defective, so there was no recall. The outcome of the case could have a serious effect on the way in which manufacturers introduce quality improvements to their ranges in future.
Continue ReadingFirestone/Ford Issue Hits Courts
Lawyers from both plaintiffs and defendants argued in front of a panel of federal judges in Washington as they tried to decide how to deal with the 200 pending lawsuits. The judges will decide within two weeks whether to combine all the evidence and gather all the suits in one process. Ford, Firestone and lawyers for some plaintiffs argued for consolidation, saying it would simplify the process. Others say it might drag out the process unnecessarily. The multi-district panel hearing has caused the postponement of a hearing scheduled for 16th October. This latter case being sought by the Center for Auto Safety (Ralph Nadars organisation), seeks to widen the recall of Bridgestone/Firestone tyres. The alleged death toll has risen to 119, with injuries increasing to 500, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Continue ReadingNew Developments At Nokian
Nokian Tyres introduced its new intelligent tyre technology system to the press in Essen. It will communicate directly with the drivers mobile phone, sending real time data on tyre pressures without the need to install any extra equipment in the vehicle. Furthermore two new tyres that will be available next spring were presented: The NRZi with speed index W and an asymmetric and directional tread pattern is designed to meet the demands of high-performance cars. The van tyre family will get a new member with the NRC2, the tread profile of which will be 10 per cent wider than that of its predecessor.
Continue ReadingBusiness As Usual At Cooper Tire
US-tyre manufacturer Cooper increased turnover during the first nine month by 17 % compared with the same period in 1999 to 1.3 bn $. This figure includes 123 million $ coming from Oliver, the retreading company which was purchased some months ago. It is said that Oliver has lost its biggest customer, forcing the company to search aggressively for new opportunities. Surprisingly or not: Cooper again managed an Operating Profit in the Tire Division of 10.4 % (last year 11.5 %) but there is the need for some restructuring in the non-tyre field.
Continue ReadingSix Millennium Blimps
On the eve of the Millennium, six Goodyear blimps glided over the rooftops of Sydney, Rome, Barcelona, Rio, Miami and Los Angeles and a Goodyear helicopter flew over London. Goodyears aerial cameras beamed live pictures of this unique and historical event all over the world.
Continue ReadingTwo Times Degussa-Huels
Degussa-Huels is a leading supplier for the tyre industry. In Poland the company has just acquired Nafta Polska, a producer of carbon black. In Thailand Degussa-Huels has purchased a 70 per cent share of Oriental Silica, a producer of ingredients for the so called green tyre.
Continue ReadingNissan’s Xterra is US “Truck of The Year 2000”
Spokesmen of The Big Three expect auto sales this year to be about 16.5 to 17 million vehicles.
Continue ReadingCooper-Avon Adjust UK Production
Cooper-Avon Tyres has announced that it is to phase out the production of medium sized truck and bus tyres at its Melksham, UK plant. The company intends to concentrate on passenger, light truck, motorcycle and racing tyres.
Continue ReadingNew Record in Winter Tyres Sales
Never before so many winter tyres were sold in Germany. The dealers association BRV estimated 17 million units (= +15.3%) for 1999. Also the aftermarket in summer tyres was in plus (+0.9%) with 23 million in total.
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