Top Executives Of Bridgestone/Ford Meet
According to Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbum, the top executives of Bridgestone Corp. and Ford Motor Co. met in Honolulu last weekend in a move towards repairing the rift between the two companies over the recall of Firestone tyres on Ford Explorers. Bridgestone CEO Shigeo Watanabe met with Nick Scheele, Ford chief operating officer, a Bridgestone spokesman said, this being the first talk at senior management level between the two companies since their 100-year relationship was severed in May. The two companies agreed to further meetings, with John Lampe, CEO of Bridgestone/Firestone Inc., participating next time, although no timetable has yet been announced. Both Ford and Bridgestone want to resume their long-standing business relationship. The Japanese tyre manufacturer will, according to industry pundits, supply Bridgestone tyres at a special price in order to contribute to the costs incurred by Ford during its voluntary and hasty Firestone tyre recall.
Continue ReadingPirelli/Trelleborg – Three New Tyres
Only two years after the joint venture, the company has launched the TM 900 High Power, the latest generation of radial tyres ideal for equipping high power tractors over 250 HP, and those requiring high load capacity. Furthermore the company is going to launch the first Trelleborg radial implement tyre in Hanover, which is the result of the technological synergy between the two brands. At the same time the Trelleborg TM2000 is being shown; the new generation of radial tyres for combine harvesters, created using Pirellis considerable agricultural experience.
Continue ReadingChanges To Trelleborg Board
Chairman of Trelleborg AB Rune Andersson and Deputy Chairman Lennart Nilsson will retire at the companys Annual General Meeting next April. Andersson was appointed President and elected to the Trelleborg board in 1983, becoming Chairman in 1990. His replacement will be current Group Senior Vice President Anders Narvinger (53).
Continue ReadingFord Jr.: Not Just For Sentimental Reasons
Two weeks ago William Bill Ford (44) played his part in the fall of Jacques Nasser and took on the responsibility for the company himself. Since then he has taken every opportunity to emphasise that he is very interested in repairing the ruined relationship between Ford and Firestone. Many newspapers stressed that his two great grandfathers were the founders of Ford and Firestone and his mother was born a Firestone. But sentimentality alone is not sufficient motivation. Almost single-handedly the now-resigned Ford boss Nasser ordered the additional recall of 12 million Firestone tyres that will burden the companys balance sheet with a figure in excess of two billion US-Dollars. This has been regarded as completely unnecessary by Firestone and the tyre manufacturer has rejected any responsibility for this act. After the US safety administration (NHTSA) and Firestone had agreed on a voluntary recall of some hundred thousand tyres, costing the tyre manufacturer a two-figure million Dollar amount of money, Firestone regards its attitude as justified. Ford wanted to present the bill to Bridgestone/Firestone at the right time. This may not be possible, in legal terms, the car producer might have no grounds against Firestone. It is possible that a voluntary agreement could provide a way not to lose the face in front of the shareholders. If Bridgestone/Firestone were to resume its old position as a key supplier, settlements to accounts could be presented in a plausible way, as has already happened for example in the case of General Motors and Volkswagen in the Lopez Affair.
Continue ReadingHeated arguments between Hanover and Traiskirchen
Trials, tribulations and shady deals have, in recent years, been the order of the day in the contacts between the Corporation’s management in Hanover and the Semperit GmbH subsidiary in Vienna. On the one hand, due mostly to the fighting spirit of a large part of the personnel, we had the image of a totally unruly company in Traiskirchen, and on the other hand the image of those at the top of the Corporation; not to be trusted any further than they could be thrown. Like the devil fears holy water, the Austrian associates fear the physicist Hubertus von Grünberg who, first as the Continental Corporation’s CEO and now as a sort of Supervisory Superintendent, is spending a lot of time making life impossible for the plant in Traiskirchen. As far as the Austrians are concerned, there can be no possible justification for these measures, and closure of the plant would be seen as a token of utter ingratitude, because Semperit Traiskirchen has amply rewarded the Corporation with returns on their previous investments. The question today is: can Traiskirchen be saved? The company offers employment to 1,500 associates, manufacturing products for a world market under pressure due to overcapacity. The bitter truth is this: the plant is no longer needed, however, the brand is, and so is the market. What they have not quite figured out yet, is how to lose the one and keep the others. Employees point to the closure, at the beginning of the eighties, of the Firestone Plant in Pratteln, Switzerland, which consequently reduced the then market leader to a mere also ran. The same fate will befall the Continental Corporation, is the suggestion in Vienna. But the reality may be quite different. At that time, Firestone had withdrawn from the market in the heat of its struggle for survival, tyres had to be ordered by the container load from the Spanish or French plant, the infrastructure had gone, and so had the distribution service. If lights go out in Traiskirchen today, the impact on the market may be close to zero. Austria will be in turmoil but once the telephones of the works council members have been cut, the interest of the public and the press will die down, and so will the interest of the politicians, who are trying to capitalise on the situation, pretending they are fighting to keep the jobs. It will be like in any obituary: fought, hoped and lost. Matters should be approached from a different angle: ranting and raving does not create new jobs.
Continue ReadingRumours Regarding The Ford PAG Group
There is speculation in some business newspapers that Wolfgang Reitzle, boss of PAG (the luxury car segment), might leave his post. Reitzle is a close friend of Jacques Nasser, who recently had to quit his job as CEO of the Ford Group. It is said that the European luxury segment could become part of Ford Europe and lose its independence.
Continue ReadingNew Products From Michelin and Kleber
Michelin wants to underline its reputation for innovation concerning agricultural tyres with the presentation of three new tyres: MACHXBIB, XM 28 for tractors exceeding 180 horse power and the trailer tyre CARGOXBIB. The first one comes in two versions: an on-land version (650 mm wide) for transport and for work along the furrow and the in-land version (900 mm wide) with significantly reduced soil compaction and excellent traction performance. Highlight on the Kleber stand is the new FITKER a 70-series tyre that will be available in the two dimensions 480/70 R28 and 580/70 R38, and which replaces its predecessors, the Super 8L and 9L.
Continue ReadingRestructuring For Bridgestone/Firestone Inc.
US company Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. has announced a new corporate structure from Dec. 1st. The reorganised company will be known as Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding Inc (BFAH), which will be the holding company for a number of subsidiaries. John Lampe will be CEO and president of BFAH. The change has been made to take advantage of better financing rates and to re-focus on core businesses.
Continue ReadingWorld’s Largest Tyre From Bridgestone
Bridgestone has developed the worlds largest tyre, the 59/80R63 V-Steel E-Lug S, a radial tyre for dump trucks carrying loads of 380-400 tons. Customers in the mining industry are using increasingly larger equipment and tyres are evolving to match. The new tyre, which will go on sale next spring, stands 4.02 metres (13 ft 2.5 ins) tall and is 1.47 metres (4 ft 10 ins) across. Each tyre weighs 5.1 tonnes and has a load rating of 101 tonnes.
Continue ReadingExpansion For Bridgestone In South Africa
South African company Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest is expanding and forming a new organisation. The company is to acquire West Cape Bandag and merging four outlets of tyre distributor Prima bande to form Primax Tyres. The outlets will distribute the Maxiprest range of retreads and related tyre services. Maxiprest has 100 retail outlets and 20 retread factories across South Africa.
Continue ReadingMore News On Kumho Sale
In South Korea, Kumho has revealed that it is on the verge of selling 80 per cent of its tyre unit for a price between $1.2 and $1.5 billion. The buyer is named only as a foreign investment fund but unconfirmed reports link the sale with J P Morgan and the private equity fund Carlyle Group. Carlyle was favourite to buy the ContiTech division when it was up for sale. Another report says that three foreign potential purchasers are in the running and an agreement should be reached in the next few months. The Kumho Group is having to sell assets in order to pay off debts; it currently has debts of $2.52 billion against assets of $3.3 billion.
Continue Reading“Ypsilon” by Continental
With the new Ypsilon tyre, which was shown for the first time at Agritechnica in Hanover, Continental is breaking into the 22.5 inch tyre sector. The Ypsilion combines all the benefits of implement and MPT radial tyres and is approved for speeds of up to 90 km/h (56 mph). Its all-round suitability means it can be fitted not only to trailed axles but also drive axles. In addition the new, revised Technical Manual comprising of over 100 pages has been published to coincide with Agritechnica. It contains a wealth of information about agricultural tyres, their tread patterns, tyre pressures and application conditions.
Continue ReadingTie-Up Between Titan And Case New Holland
In the USA, Titan tyres and wheels will be available from any of the thousands of Case New Holland dealers. CNH is the second largest North American company in farm equipment sales. Titans aim is to generate an additional $100 million of business over the next few years and the offer may be extended to other equipment dealers.
Continue ReadingExtended Break For Pirelli Factory
Workers at the Pirelli factory in Carlisle, UK, will enjoy a longer-than-usual break this Christmas. The plant will be closed from Christmas Eve to New Years Eve, instead of re-opening as planned on December 28th. Pirelli UK says that the move is in accordance with a decision by the parent company to reduce stock levels worldwide and it has been taken with the full agreement of the Unions. The Carlisle factory produces 10,000 tyres a day.
Continue ReadingBritish Supercar Fits Bridgestone 100 Per Cent
British supercar manufacturer Noble is to fit Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position tyres as 100 per cent OE to its new sports car, the M12 GTO. The car won Top Gear magazines 2001 Drivers Car Award and it delivers 310 brake horse power through a twin-turbo-charged 24 valve engine.
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