Changes at ContiTech
The Benecke-Kaliko Group is the second-largest part of ContiTech. Continental has decided to increase its shareholding in the company from 50.1% to 99%, buying from DG Bank. Bamberger Kaliko will be separated from the group by a management-buyout.
Continue ReadingGeneral Motors acquire remaining 50% of Saab
General Motors announced that it will acquire the remaining 50% of Saab. 130,000 Saab vehicles were produced in 1999.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Opens Fourth Japanese Plant For Diversified Products
On February 15th, Bridgestone opened its fourth plant in Japan devoted to the production of diversified products such as high performance functional films and precision components of rubber and plastic. The factory, sited in Iwata, covers an area of 17.3 hectares, of which 2.3 hectares are under cover, and employs 130. It is Bridgestones 15th factory in Japan.
Continue ReadingGoodyear decrease in net income
Goodyears net income for the fourth quarter of last year amounted to US$ 47.8 million compared with US$ 121.5 million in the fourth quarter of 1998. The companys net income for the whole of 1999 was US$ 241.1 million compared to US$ 682.3 million in 1998.
Continue ReadingMarc P. Frissora Is New Tenneco Chairman
Marc P. Frissora, President and CEO of Tenneco Automotive since April 1999, succeeds retiring Dana G. Mead as Chairman of the US manufacturer of shock absorbers and exhausts.
Continue ReadingTyres And More With Michelin
Consumers can boost their air miles accounts with Lufthansa by 2,000 miles if they buy four Michelin Pilot tyres and are willing to fill out a customer survey questionnaire. More information is available from Michelin in Karlsruhe or from Michelin trade partners, although they were not able to answer questions from this magazine.
Continue ReadingFifty Years Of Matador – Transformation Process Concluded
At the beginning of May the Slovak tyre manufacturer Matador celebrated the 50th anniversary of the company. The rubber factory in Puchov continued the long tradition of the trademark, which started in Slovakia’s present capital, Bratislava, in 1905. In the thirties Matador tyres were already original equipment on all vehicles then produced in Czechoslovakia. In those days Matador’s market share in the CSR was more than 20 p.c. Building work at the Puchov factory started in 1947, and the first tyres left the new production facility three years later, on 1st May 1950. In 1953 restructuring of the Czechoslovak tyre industry took place. A new trademark was created: Barum, combining the three manufacturers Bata, Rubena and Matador. From then on the Puchov factory also produced under this brand name. After the partition of Czechoslovakia in 1993 the Barum brand was taken over by Continental. The Puchov factory, however, was not part of the deal and reverted to the old brand name Matador. Today Puchov exports more than 80 p.c. of its output under this registered trademark. The 1999 turnover of the group of companies was about 600 million DM, with the tyre activities claiming a 65 p.c. share. Investments amounted to almost 15 million DM, and 12 million DM was spent on the research and development sector. This year investments are scheduled to double. More financial resources will be directed towards sales support measures and marketing for a further improvement in market acceptance. Since January 1999 Matador has produced radial truck tyres in a production joint venture with Continental, but with the distribution of the tyres still handled separately by the two partners. In the course of an ambitious restructuring programme the Puchov factory is to be thoroughly modernised to become the largest radial truck tyre factory in Europe. Read more in NEUE REIFENZEITUNG 5/2000.
Continue ReadingThat’s the Spirit!
The new blimp Spirit of Goodyear was christened by former NASA astronaut Sally Ride. Goodyear-CEO and President Samir Gibara was also on board for the first official flight.
Continue ReadingUK Commercial Vehicle Show A Success
This year’s Commercial Vehicle show at the NEC was a combination of three exhibitions – the SMMT’s CV show, the IRTE Show and Tipcon. No fewer than 579 exhibitors filled 42,500 square metres of floor space. Held over three days, the event attracted a remarkable 22,556 visitors and was generally held to be a great success. The tyre sector was well-represented, with manufacturers, retreaders and service providers, illustrating the importance of the commercial fleet market to tyre companies. Competition in this sector of the tyre business is fierce, with margins consequently depressed. TYRES & ACCESSORIES spoke to ten tyre manufacturers and retreaders at the show and the overwhelming message was that customers were demanding ever-increasing amounts of information and more sophisticated back-up services. The actual product of the tyre, given that it is of an acceptable level of quality in the first place, appears to be of less and less importance in today’s market. An increasing number of fleet customers are looking for a partner to handle every aspect of their tyre policy, from supplying product to carrying out maintenance and servicing breakdowns. How do the smaller companies, which lack the resources of large manufacturers, survive in such an environment? Read the views of the following ten companies in the May issue of TYRES & ACCESSORIES. Bandag, Bandvulc, Bridgestone/Firestone, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Marangoni Tread, Michelin, Truck Tyre Specialists and Vacu-Lug.
Continue ReadingMore Capacity At Michelin’s Thailand Plant
The Michelin Siam group is investing US$ 100 million to increase annual plant capacity from 2.9 million passenger and SUV tyres to 6 million, within two years.
Continue ReadingLeasePlus By Peugeot
The new Full-Service-Leasing package LeasePlus by Peugeot, Germany, can be extended to three sets of summer tyres and two sets of complete winter tyres and wheels.
Continue ReadingAnother Automotive Supplier Joins Cosivint
Delphi Automotive Systems is to participate in Cosivint, the internet purchase network of General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler. According to the Wall Street Journal, six or seven other companies will join during this week.
Continue ReadingJoint Venture Between Bridgestone And Japanese Partners
Bridgestone (tyres), Akebono (brakes) and Kayaba Ind. (shock absorbers) last week announced a joint venture to develop modules which include the above three products.
Continue ReadingNTDA Conference 2000
The National Tyre Distributors Association held its millennium conference in Portugal. Before the conference got under way, delegates were given the news that RapidFit had applied to join the association. The 300-strong chain of Ford dealers is the first of the vehicle dealerships to enter into membership. The keynote speaker at the conference was Sir Tom Farmer, one of whose points was that the association should consider becoming more commercial and explore the possibility of setting up a buying group for members. Other speakers explored the themes of the impact of e-commerce and the internet on tyre retailing and what tyre dealers can do to take advantage of the opportunities which are liable to arise in the future. The impact of legislation – existing and forthcoming – was another topic, including the implications of the proposed End of Life Vehicle Directive. There was a different format for the second day, when delegates broke into groups to discuss the three subjects of scrap tyre disposal, e-commerce and the changing face of tyre retailing, reflecting the previous day’s subjects. The group chairmen then reported back to the meeting and the conclusions were presented to the NTDA in order to guide the association as to its future strategic direction in these areas. Debate was lively and everyone agreed that the new format had been a resounding success.
Continue ReadingChanges In Pneumant Management
Dr. Rainer Schieben, who used to be managing director of Pneumant-Reifenwerke GmbH, is now managing all associated brands under the umbrella of Goodyear-Dunlop Tires Europe BV. His successor in Fürstenwalde is Mr. M. Bald. Dr. Schieben has also been elected as Chairman of the Pneumant Supervisory Board.
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