New Managing Director For Kwik-Fit GB
Bryan Liddle has been appointed MD of Kwik-Fit GB. A former professional footballer, Bryan has worked with several large plcs and he joins Kwik-Fit from Associated Heating Distributors, where he was MD.
Continue ReadingManagement Changes At Nokian
Lasse Kurkilahti, President and CEO of Nokian Tyres, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Raisio group from September 1st. He will continue as a director of Nokian. The Raisio group is active in the margarine, grain and chemical industries and employs 2,900 people. No decision has yet been made as to who will succeed Mr. Kurkilahti as Nokians President, but Chairman Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said that the search for a replacement would begin soon.
Continue ReadingGlobal Players – An In-Depth Analysis
More and more nowadays, we hear that the tyre industry is becoming increasingly global and ever-more companies describe themselves as a global player. But what exactly makes a company a true global player? An in-depth article in TYRES & ACCESSORIES 6/2000 looks at the criteria by which a so-called ‘global player’ should be judged and concludes that the only three companies that merit this term are Bridgestone, Goodyear and Michelin. The article examines in detail each company’s performance in the world’s most important markets, their market shares and turnover figures, their strengths and weaknesses and their prospects for the future. The article goes on to examine the home markets of the global players (USA, Europe and Asia) and discusses the performances of the lesser players and what is likely to happen to them. Todays global tyre market is one of acquisitions and alliances, mergers and new technological advances. Competition is intense and, in terms of market share, none of the big three seems able to leave its rivals standing, neither is the gap between the big three and the second three growing. Having said that, none of the second three stands a realistic chance of becoming a true global player in the future. The article gives a detailed, objective assessment of today’s tyre industry, together with some speculation concerning what might happen in the future.
Continue ReadingMore Organosilanes From Degussa-Hüls
Degussa-Hüls AG is doubling capacity at one of its production plants in Antwerp, Belgium for sulphur-functionalised organosilanes. These rubber silanes are used as coupling components when precipitated silicas are used as fillers to reinforce rubber. Together with rubber silanes and rubber carbon blacks, precipitated silicas are the major component in Green Tyres which feature reduced rolling resistance and thus help to cut fuel consumption.
Continue ReadingOpening Of New Michelin Agricultural Service Centre
The Michelin Group has officially opened a new agricultural service centre in Germany, handling the Michelin, Kléber, Taurus and Stomil brands. In Germany, the group controls more than one third of the agricultural tyre market.
Continue ReadingExpansion of ArvinMeritor Wheel Plant
New contracts for chrome-cladded steel wheels from General Motors and DaimlerChrysler have prompted ArvinMeritor to expand its San Luis Potosi (Mexico) facility. Staff numbers will increase from 300 to 450.
Continue ReadingFurther Step For RubberNetwork.com?
The six tyre manufacturers making up RubberNetwork.com have signed a memorandum of association; a further step in creating the global electronic purchasing marketplace for tyres and rubber, which is on track to be up and running by the year end. The six members are: Continental, Cooper, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli and Sumitomo Rubber industries. On the other hand, Bridgestone has left the project. Asked for the reason by NEUE REIFENZEITUNG magazine, Bridgestone Firestone Europe said that a closer examination indicated that the relationship between costs and savings was not as beneficial as was first expected.
Continue ReadingNew Dimension for Metzeler
At the beginning of this year the Cruiser tyre ME 880 was introduced by the German motorcycle-tyre producer Metzeler. Now the company also offers ist widest tyre in a second dimension: 240/50 R16 M/C 84V TL.
Continue ReadingTurkish Group Sabanci Sells Stake To Toyota
The Turkish conglomerate Sabanci Holding – the group which includes the Brisa joint venture with Bridgestone – has sold a 25% stake in another of its joint venture companies. Sabanci has sold 25% of Toyotasa to its partner Toyota Motor Corporation for US$ 109 m, leaving Sabanci with a stake in the company of almost 25%.
Continue ReadingWarranty Changes At Bridgestone/Firestone USA
In a step at rebuilding consumer confidence in the Firestone brand Bridgestone/Firestone announced an extension of its limited warranty and 30-day money back guarantee in the United States. The range covered by the warranty will be extended from 53 product lines to 97 covering almost all the companys products. The programme will replace tyres that become unusable for any reason attributed to workmanship or factory defect for the first three years of ownership, the first four years after manufacture, or until the tyre tread depth is worn down to 1/16th of an inch, whichever comes first. The 30 day money back guarantee remains as it says, if the customer is unhappy, he will get his money back if he returns the goods within 30 days of purchase.
Continue ReadingProduction Cut By Bridgestone/Firestone
In a move unconnected, according to Bridgestone/Firestone, to the recall, production is being cut at three tyre production plants in response to oversupply. Cutbacks will affect LaVergne, Tennessee, Oklahoma City, and at Decatur, Illinois. Some 450 employees are also being laid off indefinitely at the Decatur plant, centre of attention in the recall.
Continue ReadingCall For Resignations At DaimlerChrysler
Some shareholders are calling for the resignations of DaimlerChrysler chairman Jürgen Schrempp and head of the supervisory board Hilmar Kopper, following the recent controversy and lawsuits resulting from alleged misrepresentation at the time of the merger of the two companies.
Continue ReadingConsumer Campaign Launched By RMA
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) is launching a tyre safety awareness campaign called Be Tire Smart – Play Your PART urging consumers to think about Pressure, Alignment, Rotation and Tread. The campaign supported by the American Automobile Association (AAA) comes in the light of a RMA survey which showed that most drivers failed a tyre safety quiz. In the survey only four percent admitted to checking tyre pressures regularly. Only 28 percent knew the regular service interval for rotating tyres. Only 22 percent knew the legal minimum tread depth. In the overall quiz only 23 percent managed to get a grade C pass or better.
Continue ReadingTruck Tyre Service by Vergölst
Vergölst’s truck tyre service had a very successful run in 1999. More than 14,000 trucks and coaches/buses were fixed on motorways and highways by Vergölst’s puncture service in 1998 – equivalent to 38 calls-out per day –, a figure far exceeded in 1999. This Vergölst round-the-clock truck tyre puncture service has been available seven days a week (including holidays) since 1987. So far the breakdown service has operated from the various service centres, but for the last two years or so the company has increasingly used servicemobiles which work independently and are responsible only for trucks, thereby providing even faster help in each individual breakdown. The servicemobiles not only help with truck tyre punctures on the road. They service customers’ vehicles wherever they are – tractor units or trailers – either at the customer’s own premises, in a motorway service area, or while loading, unloading or being repaired at a truck workshop. The mobile truck tyre service is continually being enlarged above the current 50 servicemobiles. The target is mobile service coverage at traffic junctions and at centres of commerce. In sea ports such as Bremen/Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Hamburg, Kiel, Lübeck-Travemünde, Rostock (being developed) and Sassnitz/Stralsund the mobile port service has been in operation for several years, making the tyres of trailers safe before they start out on their journey along German roads.
Continue ReadingContinental To Strengthen Its Presence In Mexico
Since its acquisition of what was Euzkadi in 1998, Continental General Tire is the leading tyre manufacturer in Mexico. Recently, ContiTech began construction on a factory in San Luis Potosi to make technical products for the Nafta region and Continental Teves intends to build a factory at Silao in Mexico to manufacture wheel revolution sensors.
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