McLaren Considering Changing Tyres
Although happy with the performance of Bridgestone tyres, McLaren are said to be considering switching to Michelin next season. The Michelins have performed well for competing team Williams, but are said to need further development. McLaren feel that any improvement in performance from the Michelins could put them at an advantage against arch-rivals Ferrari.
Continue ReadingMore Difficulties For Ford In The US
First came the second tyre recall with costs up to 3 bn $-US, secondly the extended guarantee due to problems with ignition systems, and thirdly many quality-related recalls of new car models, all of which have cost Ford a lot of its expected profit. Therefore the management has announced early retirement for up to 5000 white collar workers in the US. This is seen as the first step in a major restructuring in North America, where Ford has announced about 13 p.c. fewer new registrations compared with the same time last year, whereas the market in general shows only about 5p.c. fewer registrations of new cars. Analysts from Wall Street have already greeted Fords latest decision positively.
Continue ReadingOne Million EMT Sales In 2002
Goodyears EMT (Extended Mobility Technology) tyres are the most popular run-flat tyres sold as original equipment. For next year, Goodyear is expecting new record sales of one million EMT tyres to car manufacturers.
Continue ReadingCo-operation Between Michelin and Bosch
Robert Bosch GmbH (Stuttgart) and Michelin (Clermont-Ferrand) have announced a long-term strategical partnership in the development and distribution of integrated driving dynamic management systems. The co-operation covers the fields of research and development as well as the introduction of product to the market. Both companies have identified working areas for the basis of common developments and synergies.
Continue ReadingThird Quarter Sales And Earnings Down For Bandag
Bandag Inc. has announced falls in sales and net earnings for the third quarter, compared to the same period last year. Turnover fell 3 per cent to $261.7 million and earnings were down 18 per cent at $14.6 million. Chairman and CEO Martin Carver blamed the economic downturn in truck tyre markets worldwide for declining volumes. Despite this, Bandag maintained its margins, with the exception of the ultra-competitive European market. Carver does not foresee recovery in the truck tyre business any earlier than the second half of next year.
Continue ReadingNHTSA’s Preliminary Evaluation Against Goodyear
The NHTSA is still conducting a preliminary evaluation of Goodyears Load Range E-tyres, but the manufacturer is confident that its tyres are totally OK and that the evaluation will come to an end soon.
Continue ReadingTyreserve Throws Down The Gauntlet
Tyreserve is a new company aiming to create a big impression in the UK car fleet servicing market, which is reckoned to be worth around 200 million Pounds a year. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of national wholesaler Stapletons Tyre Services and is being launched at the beginning of April, backed up by an investment by Stapletons of two million Pounds. The fleet car market is extremely competitive, with the market leader being Kwik-Fit, followed by ATS Euromaster, FTM Tyrefit and National Tyres & Autocare. These first three have a market share of around 85% and, last year, Kwik-Fit acquired the shares of FTM. FTM is an association of independent retailers, banding together to provide a national fleet service and facilities. Tyreserve is aiming at FTM as its main target – when FTM was acquired by Kwik-Fit, there was some unease expressed by some independents, who wondered how this would affect the status quo. It promises to be an interesting time, with a new player entering the market and, presumably, the existing players determined to defend what they already hold. What makes it more interesting is that the main directors of Tyreserve were all working up until recently for Kwik-Fit Fleet. At least two names will need no introduction to the UK tyre trade – Managing Director David Goodyear and Network Director Charles Hespin.
Continue ReadingRetreading Movement in USA
Following Michelins acquisition of several retreaders in the USA last year forced Bandag, the largest competitor in that market, to take over some erstwhile franchises, we are now hearing of successes for Goodyears retreading system, Treadco. The retreading business of Oliver (Oliver is part of the Cooper-Group) seems to be suffering significantly under the growing pressure.
Continue ReadingGood News From India For Bridgestone
According to JD Power Asia Pacific 2001 India Tyre Survey, Bridgestone lead the market in customer satisfaction. The survey compares satisfaction with OE tyres at 12-18 months of ownership. The Bridgestone brand comes top in three out of four elements of the survey, appearance, traction and performance. Six tyre manufacturers and eleven vehicle manufacturers were involved in the survey.
Continue ReadingBoard Nominations At Bridgestone
The following nominations will be made at the meeting of Bridgestone Corporation shareholders, to be held on March 29. New board members: Osamu Inoue, currently plant manager, Hikone Plant and John T Lampe: CEO and president, Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. Retiring from the board: Yoichiro Kaizaki, president, chairman and CEO, Tadakazu Harada, executive vice president, Katsuyooshi Shibata, executive vice president, president of Bridgestone Cycle Co. and Hiroji Ohbuchi, president of Bridgestone Tire Osaka Sales Co. Shibata will continue as president, Bridgestone Cycle Co. and Ohbuchi as president of Bridgestone Tire Osaka Sales Co. after 29 March.
Continue ReadingSynthesis between Tradition and Modernity – Pirelli’s P6 and P7
Pirelli launches with the P6 and P7 world wide two new tyres in the high performance segment, utilising the most advanced materials and technology. Designed to equip a wide range of cars, from high class saloons to the latest generation sports cars as well as MPVs, Pirelli P6 and P7 are available in a total of 40 sizes from 185/65 R 14 to 225/45 R 17 covering 70 percent of the European car market. Produced in Pirelli’s factories in Italy, Spain, UK and Germany, using the most sophisticated process and control technology currently available to the tyre industry, P6 and P7 are to be widely distributed an will go on sale immediately in southern European markets. They will be sold throughout Europe and in Japan by the end of may. Sales are expected to reach 1.5 million units by the end of 2001 and stabilise at a regular of 10 million tyres a year. P6 and P7 will be sold five percents more expensive than their predecessor, the P6000 family. A large proportion of P6/P7 will be assigned to Original Equipment sales, underlining how closely the tyres’ development has been integrated with that of the car manufacturers. The new products have already been approved or are in the process of approval for key models of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Fiat, Jaguar, Peugeot and Ford. The internet addresses, www.pirellip6.com and www.pirellip7.com, are for the first time part of the respective sidewall inscriptions. The web sites provide on-line information about the new tyres as well as a dealer locator.
Continue Reading2000 Was The Most Successful Business Year Ever For ContiTech
The ContiTech Group of the Hanover-based Continental AG closed 2000 as the most successful business year in its history and, for the first time, each of its business units posted a positive operating result. Compared to 1999, the company increased sales by 4.2 per cent to 1.79 billion Euro. In 2000 ContiTech generated 68 percent of sales with automotive manufacturers and 32 percent with industrial customers in the non-automotive sector. The operating result (EBIT) experienced a disproportionate increase of 6.8 per -cent to 139 million Euro.
Continue ReadingJCB Award For Bridgestone/Firestone UK
Bridgestone/Firestone UK (BFUK) has been presented with a 2000 Supplier Award by JCB, one of only five companies to receive awards and the only tyre company to be nominated. The award was given for supply service, product quality, innovation and cost reduction. John Patterson, JCBs CO, presented the trophy to Jim Wilson, MD of BFUK, at the JCB Suppliers Conference.
Continue ReadingWith Good Marketing You Can Be Successful
HMI (short for Trade Marketing Initiative) is a special relationship between the tyre trade and the industry, offered in Germany only by Goodyear. The marketing programme has been widened over the past year; for example the long-awaited Tyre Soft 2 software is now available at long last. At the annual meeting in Sonthofen, Mr. Zubanovic, managing director of Goodyear Handels Systeme GmbH, expressed little concern despite the problems the organisation is facing. He said that the tyre trade has to go for growth and seize every opportunity to expand – dealers who do not will prove to be uncompetitive in the long run. Goodyear MD Jarro Kaplan, who is president of Goodyear Eastern Europe, pointed out that teamwork with Goodyear is beneficial because it always guarantees the trade a good year.
Continue Reading31st Award For Kwik-Fit Fleet
Kwik-Fit Fleet has picked up its 31st award since the company began in 1987. This latest accolade comes from the Institute of Transport Management, which named the company Best European Fast-Fit. ITM has selected KFF as the UKs best fast-fit for the past six years.
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