Andreas Scheiba Leaves Continental Group
Andreas Scheiba, co-managing director of the Groups equities Vergölst (Germany) and Profi (Austria) has left the group by mutual consent.
Continue ReadingAnd Now for Further Growth at Bridgestone/Firestone Germany!
High growth rates in the winter tyre business brought Bridgestone/Firestone a strong 1999 result. Turnover figures were further improved over the previous year, according to the management, with prestige products WT 12 and FW 930. To ensure this is not just a one-off success, a new high-performance low-profile tyre, the Bridgestone RE 040, already fitted as original equipment on the new BMW Z8, is to be introduced this spring. In the standard tyre segment the Firestone FH 590 is also expected to convert the company’s 2000 performance into figures. A new departmental structure has been introduced at Bad Homburg to increase work efficiency and customer friendliness. Some divisions, like distribution, logistics and data processing, have been more closely interlinked. In the last few years the OE share has grown considerably so that it now amounts to one third of sales. The independent tyre trade continues to be the basis of the company’s business activities but is supplemented by other distribution channels like cooperatives, regional chains and car franchise firms, whose special requirements are, above all, seen as an opportunity to gain more know-how and to sense the needs of the market even earlier. This year again the whole public relations effort of Bridgestone/Firestone Germany will very consciously be centred round motorsport and Formula One in particular. Previous experience has shown that the manufacturer and its trade partners have benefited from the resulting image transfer to the standard tyre range.
Continue ReadingWill Rubber Prices Climb?
After rubber prices fell to a 30-year low last year, analysts are expecting a significant turnaround. The reasons are increased demand, especially from the Japanese rubber industry, and reduced output from the main natural rubber producing countries.
Continue ReadingPreserving Precious Resources: Goodyear Presents Eagle NCT 5
The new Eagle NCT 5, introduced to the trade press at Goodyear’s own South of France test track in Mireval in mid-February, is a high-performance tyre in speed categories from H (up to 210 km/h) to Y (up to 300 km/h) with the emphasis on comfort. The manufacturer claims that the new type of tyre, immediately available in more than 20 sizes, is an improvement on its predecessor, the NCT 3 – sometimes to a very considerable extent – in braking on dry and wet roads or aquaplaning both in straight-line driving or cornering. The new product is aimed at an interesting growth market. 52 million tyres of speed index H and faster are currently sold in Europe per year, and this segment already covers 28 p.c. of the market (186 million tyres). The market share of high-performance tyres in Germany is about 35 p.c. at the moment, but still rising strongly. In the new NCT 5 Goodyear’s tyre developers had ecological qualities especially in mind. Compared with its predecessor the newly developed tyre can boast rolling resistance reduced by 20 p.c. and optimised tyre noise. In addition to the reduced rolling resistance which, according to the manufacturer, saves up to 5 p.c. in fuel, the NCT 5’s mileage is said to be improved by up to 25 p.c. In naming this new tyre Goodyear quite deliberately skipped the number 4, since the Far East, one of the target markets for the NCT 5, regards the number 4 as a symbol of impending disaster.
Continue ReadingDTM Go With Dunlop And ATS
DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen-Masters), the popular German racing series, will be revitalised this year. Dunlop is supplying all participating teams (Audi, Opel and Mercedes have confirmed their participation) with tyres. AMG-Mercedes teams, eight expected, will have wheels fitted by ATS.
Continue ReadingPopular as Ever – the Motorbike
The motorcycle industry started the millennium season on an optimistic note, when the MOTORRÄDER Fair at Dortmund opened on 1st March. Not only motorcycle manufacturers showed their new products for the year 2000, but on the total 409 stands in eight exhibition halls clothes, service and accessories were also represented. Figures produced by the German Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IVM) confirm the abiding popularity of the motorised two-wheeler: The 187,192 new motorcycle registrations are equivalent to 6.4 p.c. growth over 1998. Not least among the accessories one must mention tyres – thus tyre manufacturers also had cause to rejoice. The industry was represented by Bridgestone, Cooper-Avon, Dunlop, Metzeler/Pirelli, Michelin and the Heidenau tyre factory showing their current products, but Continental was absent this time. Some old friends from the service sector had also turned up, among them several local companies but also Stinnes. Maybe old is not the right word for Stinnes. After its acquisition (together with Gummi Mayer) by the Danish Viborg group/the British Legal & General Ventures Ltd. the Stinnes/Mayer trade and service enterprises made their Fair début under the same corporate identity. News from the Dortmund show and more about motorbike related topics you can find in the April issue of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG.
Continue ReadingTitan Tire Guilty In Trucker Death
Titan Tire (Iowa/USA) has been found responsible and fined for safety violations connected with an explosion at the Titan plant, in which a trucker was killed on Nov. 24,1999.
Continue ReadingSuperior Industries Wins Mitsubishi Business
Superior Industries (Van Nuys, Ca.) has taken on the Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America (Normal, Il.) as a new customer for cast aluminium wheels.
Continue ReadingGerman Car Producers Profit From Positive US-Market
Once more German Car Producers were successful in the USA becuase DaimlerChrysler, VW, Audi, BMW and Porsche have increased their shares of the worlds biggest car market in April. Leader in the growth rates is the VW-brand Audi with an increase of 43.7 p.c. The complete US car market grew 10.9 p.c. in April.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Optimism Boosts Share Price
Goodyear recently turned in a bullish report on its first quarter performance. The market was impressed, as the companys shares rose 47% from its 52-week low in March. Industry analysts predict a good performance from Goodyear in the short term, with shares rising further.
Continue ReadingMore Orders For Tyre Pressure Control Systems
Beru AG (Ludwigsburg/Germany) has announced growing demand for its tyre pressure control system. As well as the BMW 3, 5 and 7 series, Mercedes S- and AMG E-class and SLK and Audi A8, the tyre safety device is now also available as an option for Mercedes CL Coupe and Audi allroad Quattro, and from autumn for the BMW X5.
Continue ReadingWith three new tyres,
With three new tyres, named 4x4Contact, 4x4SportContact and 4x4WinterContact, the German tyre manufacturer wants to establish its leading brand in the segment of sports utility vehicles (SUV). And this segment seems to be quite interesting: According to a Continental market analysis the number of 4x4 vehicles in Europe is expected to double by the year 2005 compared to 1995 and leading to a growing market for 4x4 tyres. Some reasons are that new fashionable/stylish compact SUVs which are faster, fuel efficient and easier to drive or larger SUVs offering a high load carrying space and/or seating capacity are stimulating the demand. As a result SUVs are increasingly becoming an alternative to standard cars. Therefore the focus of the three 4x4 tyres is for on-road use, but for the future Continental plans to launch all-terrain and off road tyres, too. Meanwhile the 4x4Contact is the tyre for compact and medium range SUV, whereas the 4x4SportContact has a more sporty image. Fast and high powered cars are the target for this tyre. The 4x4WinterContact – as the name suggests – is the specialist for the colder time of the year. European production of the tyres was launched recently and later this year they will also be manufactured in USA.
Continue ReadingKim Gran New Nokian President And CEO
Kim Gran (45) has been elected President and CEO of Nokian tyres, effective 1st September 2000. Gran has been Vice President since 1994 and has been responsible for car and van tyres.
Continue ReadingScrap Tyre Disposal
The subject of scrap tyres is one which continues to exercise the minds of all sectors of the tyre industry and, with a ban on landfilling of tyres imminent, alternative methods of disposal are being urgently sought. The UK Government has produced a number of reports on the subject and these are looked into as part of our feature on scrap tyre disposal. Also included are details of possible disposal methods and machinery as well as latest news on the subject, for example the temporary closure and planned refurbishment of the SITA tyres-to-energy power station in the Midlands. Those disposing of tyres are under increasing pressure; not only to find new outlets to take scrap, but also from steep rises in overheads such as fuel. The problem of scrap tyres affects the industry from top to bottom and most observers expect the Government to introduce some method of producer responsibility if the industry does not come up with its own solution in the near future.
Continue ReadingUnder New Management – Continental’s Customer Service
Josef Folger succeeds Dr. Ralf Krüger, who has retired, in being responsible for customer service at Continental Tyres (Hanover), effective 1 July.
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