Under One Umbrella – Motorway And Hi-Q
Paul Harrell, the MD of Dunlop-owned retail chain Motorway, has been appointed General Manager, Retail operations UK by the Goodyear group. In his new role he will be responsible for the operations of both Motorway and Goodyears Hi-Q retail chain.
Continue ReadingMerger Of Arvin And Meritor
Automotive suppliers Meritor, among other things one of the worlds largest steel wheel producers, and Arvin Industries will merge to form ArvinMeritor. The companies have combined revenues of $ 7.5 bn. The new company will create a premier global supplier of integrated systems, modules and components. Meritor shareholders will receive approximately 65.8 percent.
Continue ReadingSecond Tyre Factory For Marangoni
Marangoni Tyre plans to invest US$ 200 million to build a second tyre factory in Europe with a capacity of 4.5 million car and SUV tyres a year.
Continue ReadingNewly Created Summer Tyre Named Velocity
Velocity is the name of a newly created summer tyre. The program includes eleven sizes from 185/60 R14H to 205/45 ZR16. Continental and Dunlop South Africa are producing the tyre for the Tiger Wheels Group.
Continue ReadingCarbon Black From Recycling Tyres
Titan Technologies, Albuquerque/USA (not to be mistaken for Titan Tire) has announced progress in tyre recycling technology (process low-temperature pyrolysis). Besides good quality oil and scrap steel, significant quantities of carbon black for re-use in manufacturing tyres is generated.
Continue ReadingGood Half-Year Results At Trelleborg
The structure of the Trelleborg group (Sweden) has changed because of several acquisitions and sales of business units within last twelve months. The tyre and wheel business – included in the business unit Trelleborg Wheel Systems (TWS) and in which Pirelli is a joint venture partner – has improved sales by 7% (compared with the first half year 1999) and profits by 28%. OE business in agricultural tyres was positive, but the aftermarket continued to be slightly weak. Industrial tyres were in strong demand in North America and Korea, while the European market recovered slightly.
Continue ReadingNew US-Headquarter For Continental Teves In Auburn Hills
The new administration building an R&D-Centre has been officially opened in September. The two storey building has 250.000 square meters and the costs were 40 million US-$. 540 employees, within weeks this number will climb up to 600, who used to work before in three different places in Detroit, are now working in the headquarter, which is located very close to the US-HQ from DaimlerChrysler. Continental Teves employs 2,100 people in North America. 32 % of its turnover of about 2.5 bn Euro are made in the US.
Continue ReadingThyssenKrupp Group Stopped At Stock Exchange
ThyssenKrupp is not able to bring its subsidiary steel company to the stock exchange for a reasonable price, due to current weak circumstances. Institutional investors were not sufficiently interested in the shares. The group calculated up to 4 bn Euros for the steel company. It is now unlikely that ThyssenKrupp could start a raid on Continental. The management made clear that it is streamlining the whole business and focusing, among other things, on the automotive field.
Continue ReadingNew Goodyear Polymer Plant Begins Production
Production has started at a new Goodyear Chemical polymer plant in Beaumont, Texas. The plant cost US$ 144 million and has an annual capacity of 240 million pounds of synthetic rubber and speciality polymers. It is Goodyear Chemicals fourth facility in Texas.
Continue ReadingNo Improvements In Sight For Goodyear Group
Goodyear, together with Michelin, has benefited from the Firestone crisis, increasing turnover but not able to improve profits. Last year the company paid a dividend per share of US$ 1.41; in 1998 the figure was $4.43 per share. It is expected that this years dividend will be similar to last years. Perhaps the turnaround might happen next year.
Continue ReadingConsolidation of Bridgestone/Firestone US Operations
John Lampe, new CEO at Bridgestone/Firestone USA, has already taken steps to change the way the business operates. Since early 1990 the firm had operated on a decentralised basis with some 21 different operations, these will now be consolidated into four divisions, each reporting directly to John Lampe: U.S. commercial tires, U.S. consumer tires, international tire operations, and manufacturing and technology. These changes are critical moves in our efforts to begin to restore consumer confidence and revitalise the Firestone brand, according to John Lampe. Lampe alluded to more changes in the coming weeks, but provided no details.
Continue ReadingEngineered Products Consolidation At Goodyear Plant
Goodyear is to consolidate and streamline fabric production for its engineered products (conveyor belts, hoses, air springs) at its plant at Cartersville, Georgia. Automotive and truck tyre fabric production was discontinued at the plant last year.
Continue ReadingDevelopment For Eurofleet
Eurofleet Tyres & Services, daughter of Bandag and the German retail cooperative Team-Group, which was first introduced in June at REIFEN 2000 in Essen, reports a positive development. It has more than 1,300 service partners which cover not only the Western European territory, but also Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia.
Continue ReadingSix Millennium Blimps
On the eve of the Millennium, six Goodyear blimps glided over the rooftops of Sydney, Rome, Barcelona, Rio, Miami and Los Angeles and a Goodyear helicopter flew over London. Goodyears aerial cameras beamed live pictures of this unique and historical event all over the world.
Continue ReadingMotorway Retreads Consultation Ends
Employees at Motorway Retreads have accepted that the proposal to move all car tyre retreading to the EWS (Environmental Waste Solutions) groups Durham site (Colway) is the only commercially sensible decision. Staff numbers will be reduced, primarily through voluntary redundancy. Production of truck retreads will continue at Motorways Knighton site and sister company Waste Tyre Solutions will operate a casing inspection hub. EWS is the parent company of the retreaders Colway and Motorway Retreads.
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