Changes at ContiTech
The new Managing Director of ContiTech Vibration Control is Heinz-Gerhard Wente (49). Wente succeeds Dr. Volker Härtel, who has assumed new functions in Strategic Technology within the Continental group. The new Managing Director of ContiTech Power Transmission Systems is Konrad Müller (48). Also a member of the board of this division is Hans-Jürgen Duensing, formerly of ContiTech Conveyor Belt Systems.
Continue ReadingDr. von Grünberg To Become Member Of Telekom Supervisory Board
Dr. Hubertus von Grünberg will be elected as a member of the German Telekom Supervisory Board on 25 May. the former CEO and Chairman of Continental is already Chairman of Continental Supervisory Board and member of the Board at Allianz, MAN and holds similar positions at BHF-Bank, Dresdner Bank and Schindler Holding (Suisse).
Continue ReadingGood US Scrap Tyre Recovery Performance
Significant progress has been made in the management and disposal of scrap tyres in the USA, says Terry Noteboom, senior environmental engineer for Goodyear. Last year over 71% of the 272 million scrap tyres generated in the US was recovered, exceeding the recovery rates for aluminium, glass and paper.
Continue ReadingThe DaimlerChrysler PT Cruiser Choose Goodyear
DaimlerChrysler has announced it will be fitting Goodyear Eagle tyres on its new PT Cruiser. The PT Cruiser, which combines the retro styling of the late 1930s sedan with the versatility of a 2001 minivan, will be shod exclusively with Eagle LS tyres in North America and Eagle NCT5s in Europe.195/65 15s will be fitted on the front and 205/55 16s on the rear. Tyres with European specification will be produced at Fulda and Phillipsburg.
Continue ReadingPhoenix And BMW Sign Contract
The Phoenix consortium and BMW have signed a deal to sell Rover to Phoenix. BMW has contributed £500 million to the deal and additional finance has been obtained by American company Burdale Financial. It is expected that 2,000 jobs will be lost, which is fewer than would have been lost under the plan of Alchemy Partners who had pulled out of talks with BMW recently.
Continue ReadingFewer Visitors For “Tyres 2000”
According to Peter Hülzer, CEO of the German national tyre dealers association BRV, the Exhibition Tyres 2000 in Essen attracted a total of 15.000 visitors. This is 1,100 visitors fewer than for the 98 exhibition. The main reasons for this development are reckoned to be the later-than-usual date of the exhibition, the start of the holiday season in some parts of Germany and in a period of very hot weather during the exhibition.
Continue ReadingServicing The Car Fleet Market
The car fleet market varies from country to country across Europe, but in countries such as Germany and the UK, it is an important percentage of the car market. Increasingly, the owner of the car fleet is paying a fleet management company to maintain the cars and carry out maintenance, tyre replacements and so on. Many leasing companies expect to expand on a pan-European basis, which means that, increasingly, the service provider has to have continent-wide coverage. In the UK, the market leader in this field is Kwik-Fit Fleet, followed by ATS Euromaster, FTM Tyrefit (an affiliation of independent retailers, giving nationwide coverage and which has linked up with point S for coverage on mainland Europe) and National Tyres & Autocare. All these have operations outside the UK. It is easy to see the attraction of the fleet market – it is estimated that sales of tyres, batteries and exhausts to this sector are worth £180 million in the UK alone – and for the tyre manufacturers, it is strategically important as a means of increasing market share. The fleet customer is extremely demanding; not only in terms of service, but also in management reports and information, so the fleet service provider has to be much more than a mere tyre supplier. The market is very competitive and the motto of the provider is ‘service, service, service’. The attitude is summed up by Simon Roper, Managing Director of Kwik-Fit Fleet, who says, Nobody takes tomorrow’s business for granted.
Continue ReadingSwiss Tyre Dealers Association Joins BRV
The Swiss Tyre Dealers Association RVS (Reifenverband der Schweiz) has joined the equivalent German organisation BRV (Bundesverband Reifenhandel und Vulkaniseur-Handwerk). RVS represents 43 tyre dealers in Switzerland.
Continue ReadingTyre Recall Extended To Venezuela
Bridgestone/Firestone has announced that it is to recall 62,000 tyres sold in the Venezuelan market at an estimated cost of US$ 6.4 m. The tyres have been linked with 60 deaths in the country. The consumer protection agency is recommending investigation into charges of possible criminal negligence against Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone, plus a number of civil law suits are planned.
Continue ReadingM-Class Is Safe
At the beginning of August, an article in the German automotive magazine Auto Bild said that the M-Class Off-Roaders could be in danger of overturning. The company reacted immediately and carried out a second test together with the magazine, in which the safety of the M-Class was vindicated. The cause of the wrong first interpretation is that instructions for the special test were not followed accurately by the magazine.
Continue ReadingSales Of Cars In Asia To Fall Next Year
Despite the recovery in vehicle sales in Asia over the past two years, analysts are predicting a slowdown in sales in parts of the region, notably South Korea. The Asian car market is expected to fall by 3% next year, with little sign of recovery in 2002.
Continue ReadingNo News Would Be Good News
The Wall Street Journal questioned whether Goodyear acted too slowly, or put cost before safety regarding the tyre problems in the USA. Samir Gibara, for Goodyear stated, Our engineers determined that the tyres were not defective, so there was no recall. The outcome of the case could have a serious effect on the way in which manufacturers introduce quality improvements to their ranges in future.
Continue ReadingFirestone/Ford Issue Hits Courts
Lawyers from both plaintiffs and defendants argued in front of a panel of federal judges in Washington as they tried to decide how to deal with the 200 pending lawsuits. The judges will decide within two weeks whether to combine all the evidence and gather all the suits in one process. Ford, Firestone and lawyers for some plaintiffs argued for consolidation, saying it would simplify the process. Others say it might drag out the process unnecessarily. The multi-district panel hearing has caused the postponement of a hearing scheduled for 16th October. This latter case being sought by the Center for Auto Safety (Ralph Nadars organisation), seeks to widen the recall of Bridgestone/Firestone tyres. The alleged death toll has risen to 119, with injuries increasing to 500, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Continue ReadingCarbon Black Price Increase From Degussa-Hüls
Degussa-Hüls AG, the worlds second largest pigment black manufacturer with production sites in Europe, North America and Asia, has announced a price increase of 1,500 (one thousand five hundred) Euro per tonne for its extra conductive carbon black grade, effective from January 1st , 2001.
Continue ReadingOne Of The “Big Three” Will Lose Volvo Truck Business
As soon as the merger between Volvo and Renault has received final approval from the US competition authority, Volvo will cut down the number of suppliers. It is said that one of the big three (Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear), which are suppliers of truck tyres, could lose the business.
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