Better Reports From Michelin
For the first time, the Michelin Group is to release figures covering sales, profits and assets per division. The first report is expected on February 23rd.
Continue ReadingTeaming Up: Ford And BFGoodrich
The erstwhile Tyre manufacturer, now aerospace supplier, BF Goodrich has teamed up with Ford to develop a SmartBelt seatbelt. This is a combination of the traditional seatbelt and the airbag, which inflates to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a collision. BF Goodrich sold its tyre operations to Michelin in 1990 and the brand is still manufactured and marketed as BF Goodrich by Michelin.
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 ReadingCar Parts and Accessories – 3rd BBE Conference in Cologne
On 5th April the consultant company had invited more than 150 experts from the car parts and accessories sectors for its third conference concerning the car component aftermarket. As tyres are counted as part this segment as well, trends from this part of the business were presented and discussed as well. In times where sales of new cars begin to drop, the importance of the aftermarket business begins to grow again. But on the other hand the competition in this field is fiercer than ever -due also to the internet and e-commerce. This was the reason why the event was subtitled The good times are over – means for success in hard times. And the topics of the internet and e-commerce were at least mentioned by almost every speaker, sometimes being even the main topic. These new media enable the industry to provide products directly to the end consumer, leaving behind the old traditions of trade via wholesaler and retailers.
Continue ReadingE-Commerce – Confused? Who Wouldn’t Be?
The tyre industry is being swamped by companies trying to grab a piece of the e-commerce cake. Whether individuals like it or not, surviving in the tyre market in the future will depend upon access to technology, and the ability to buy and sell stock on-line. Who do you turn to? ContiContact? Tyreman? Cam Systems, Team Systems, who? Do you need Internet, or EDI? What are the legalities? The whole concept is confusing to the layman and the trader alike and the pace of change can be frightening to those who are not e-literate as they feel they may be left behind by increasingly-sophisticated customers. This series of articles looks at the potential, the hazards, the products, and throws in a healthy pinch of salt but still concludes that the future is electronic.
Continue ReadingExplorer Rollovers – Ford Blames Firestone
Ford has issued a comprehensive report in which it places the blame for the fatal crashes involving the Ford Explorer fairly and squarely on the Firestone tyres and not the vehicle. Ford contends that the Explorer is no more prone to rollovers or tyre failures than any other medium-sized SUV. Bridgestone/Firestone disagrees, saying that tyre and vehicle makes up an integrated system and any investigation has to take the vehicle into consideration. It also criticised comparative temperature tests on Firestone and competitors tyres, saying that they measured only external temperatures and took no account of internal running temperatures.
Continue ReadingBuyer For ContiTech To Be Chosen Soon?
Continental is reported to have drawn up a short list of bidders for its ContiTech division and the preferred bidder could be chosen soon. The tyre manufacturer has said that it wants to sell to one buyer and is hoping for a sale price of at least 800 million Euro. Three private equity firms are named as being among those on the short list; Swedish company Industri Kapital, CVC and Carlyle.
Continue Reading“Grand Prix de la Publicité” for Pirelli TM600-Campaign
The advertising campaign for Pirelli TM600 standard series tyres, launched in July 2000, has been rewarded by the French Grand Prix de la Publicité de la Presse Agricole, for the mechanization sector. The prize is given every year by a jury of experts to the advertising campaign that makes use of the press media in the most creative and effective way. Developed with the international ageny Ogilvy & Mather of Milan, the campaign has been translated into seven languages.
Continue ReadingCooperation Between Continental And Yokohama Intensifies
Continental and Japanese tyre manufacturer Yokohama, who already operate a plant together in the USA, producing truck tyres, want to intensify this cooperation. They want to create a 50-50 joint venture in Japan by the end of the year, merging their Japanese activities and focussing on their Japanese OE customers. Yokohama will also help Continental increase its replacement market business. In addition, the two companies want to work more closely together in production in the NAFTA area and are looking at potential synergies, in areas such as purchasing.
Continue ReadingTruck Grand-Prix With Continental
Truck Racing at Nürburgring is traditionally a highlight of the racing season in Race- and Super Race-series for big trucks. Once again, 200,000 visitors came to see the competitions combined with a big entertainment programme. The smell of diesel and rubber, lots of sausages and beer, country music and a little bit of Western romance – these are the basic ingredients of this three-day-long fun and sports event. The important tyre manufacturers like Goodyear, Fulda and Pirelli were there too and used this occasion to communicate with their customers in an atmosphere much more relaxed than normal. The only tyre supplier for Truck Racing, Continental, had invited almost 2,000 guests for the races. For twelve years the German tyre manufacturer has supported European truck sport. And the involvement means more than just supplying the tyres. Technical support on the race tracks, mounting and professional advice are also part of the programme of sponsoring different teams. Since 1991 all teams of the Super Race-class have driven exclusively on Continental. With up to three trucks weighing 30 tons, the Continental service team accompanies the competitions all over Europe. Two service vehicles have space for 200 truck tyres each – enough to satisfy the needs of all the teams for a complete race weekend. Besides the enthusiasm for motor-sports Continental’s involvement has other practical reasons. Firstly, all target groups from the original equipment sector to the end user can be reached. And secondly, the racing itself provides concrete proof of the high performance and resistance of Continental’s truck tyres.
Continue ReadingPrice Increases In German Market For Continental Tyres
Continental has announced that the prices of its passenger, van and 4x4 tyres sold in Germany will go up by four per cent from 1st August. Higher costs of raw materials are being blamed for the increase, particularly the price of synthetic rubber and carbon black. The price hike does not apply to markets outside Germany.
Continue ReadingRun-flat Tyres Will Replace Conventional Tyres
For so-called run-flat tyres (meaning tyres that can be driven even at zero air pressure) in Europe and North America huge sales increases are on the horizon. Run-flats will replace conventional tyres now in use. This can happen only step by step because there is a lack of production facilities for a number of years. Another effect: if the new tyres become standard original equipment, the market for tyres will reduce by twenty percent, because a car fitted with run-flat tyres does not need a spare wheel. Is the development of such products an example of the tyre business shooting itself in the foot? Of course not because it is never possible to stop technical developments like these. And it should be noted that run-flat tyres are more sophisticated than conventional tyres, which compensates for the lack of every fifth tyre in oe. Because tyre pressure warning systems will, in the future, become mandatory on new cars, they need suitable tyres. Run-flat tyres without tyre pressure systems are not practical; the driver might not realise that he is driving at zero pressure at high speed. The reverse situation is possible – indeed already a reality in some models – as the car is fitted with a tyre pressure monitoring system but on conventional tyres. Nowadays, run-flat tyres have moved from the arena of the laboratory and testing and are on the way to becoming a growing part of the market. As with other new technologies, if a new standard replaces an old one, the race is on among new systems (for example which tyre pressure monitoring system is the best), materials (for example which reinforcements should be used for the carcasses) and other developments for the transition period (tyre repair sets).
Continue ReadingInternationalisation of SupplyOn
SupplyOn, an internet market platform for the automotive supplier industry, located near Munich, wants to enhance its international presence. Recently the company opened a bureau in Paris. Due to the great interest in a business-specific E-commerce platform, the company intends to establish a presence in the USA by the end of the year. To date, 25 international automotive suppliers are registered with SupplyOn, whose offer contains integrated solutions for buying, distribution, logistics and development.
Continue Reading3Q Earnings Revision For Goodyear
Goodyear has revised its earnings outlook for the third quarter of 2001, downwards, Net income per share is be similar to the second quarters 5 cents per diluted share. This compares to 11 cents per share for the third quarter 2000. Goodyear says that an already slowing demand had weakened further in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the USA.
Continue Reading“Eufori@” – Two Premieres For Pirelli
Consumer demand for run-flat tyres is at an all-time high. In the U.S., for example, a recent study found that nearly seven out of eight consumers place run-flat tyres at the top of their list of features desired on new automobiles. Therefore it is expected that the demand for run-flats will increase within the next few years. This is one of the reasons why Pirelli has developed such a tyre on its own, regardless of the fact that the company is working together with Goodyear and Sumitomo on Michelins PAX system. But the launch of the new tyre – called Eufori@ – was not the only premiere for Pirelli: this run-flat is also the first tyre manufactured using the Italians MIRS technology. In size 205/45 R17, the Eufori@ is original equipment on the new Mini Cooper S, shown at the Tokyo Motorshow at the same time. The name of the tyre, which will of course also be available for the replacement market and in the additional size 225/45 R17, was chosen from more than 20,000 suggestions made during an internet campaign at the end of last year. We expect that in three years run-flats will account for about 10 % of the high performance tyre market, explains Francesco Gori, Senior Vice President Market Development Unit at Pirelli. Other car manufacturers who are interested to use Eufori@ as original equipment are BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and VW/Audi, adds Maurizio Boiocchi, responsible for research and development at Pirelli Reifenwerke. From remarks such as these, one gets the impression that run-flats will become standard equipment on cars much faster than did other features, such as ABS.
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