Firestone/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.
Continue Readingteam Reifen-Union Cooperates with VRG
The two cooperatives team Reifen-Union/Top Service Team KG (currently about 400 outlets) and Vereinigte ReifenFachhändler GmbH (VRG; currently about 200 outlets) have agreed a far-reaching cooperation on all levels, including the servicing of large customers and fleet management. An important ingredient is the immediate creation of a company called Team Reifen Partner GmbH + Co. KG (TRP), which will gradually incorporate both VRG and new companies as members. VRG members will still have to approve this measure officially in a meeting at the end of January. The team group, to date with a membership of 25 regionally successful tyre traders and as such the number one marketing group in the tyre market, will thus embrace also smaller and medium-sized tyre trading companies, whose members have already given their official consent to the plan. The new group based on the team/VRG cooperatives with more than 600 outlets is set to expand its base. An essential precondition for tyre dealers with local and regional operations and aspirations also to serve trans-regional customers, especially fleets and leasing companies, is full geographical coverage throughout Germany. At the same time the new partners want to coordinate their procurement and stocking policy and improve their purchasing terms and conditions.
Continue ReadingGoodyear To Close Factory In Argentina
The American tyre manufacturer plans to close one of its oldest factories, Pneumaticos Goodyear SA, which is located near Buenos Aires. Goodyear has operated a sales office in Argentina since 1915, making it one of the companys oldest subsidiaries outside the USA.
Continue ReadingStart Of Tyre Production At Bridgestone Poland
Bridgestone has launched the production of passenger car and light truck tyres in Poland. Right now the factory has a capacity of about two million tyres for passenger cars but in 2001 Bridgestone plans to manufacture three million high performance tyres.
Continue ReadingBBS Re-purchase Italian Factory
BBS has bought back the 50 per cent share in a light alloy wheel factory in Ruina (Ferrara), from it former partner in the joint venture, Riva Calzoni.
Continue ReadingFirst Take-off For “Spirit of Goodyear”
Goodyears newest Blimp has finished its first flight successfully. The blimp Spirit of Goodyear follows the Spirit of Akron which crashed last year.
Continue Reading“Goodyear, All Systems Go!”
A lengthy report of a speech by Goodyear boss Sam Gibara, in which he tells of the group’s return to the position of number one tyre manufacturer. The speech encompasses a range of subjects affecting Goodyear – the importance of the Goodyear family and the Goodyear culture, above all the importance of people. The example of Nokian Tyres is held up as, size for size, it is probably the most profitable tyre manufacturer in the world. What Nokian can do, Goodyear subsidiaries can surely do? It is important to get the right mix of products and to shorten the time to market, it is important too to be able to supply customers with what they want, when they want it, and Mr. Gibara acknowledges that, in the past, fill rates have not been all they might be. A decisive factor in Goodyear’s success will be the effectiveness of its multi-brand strategy. Other tyre manufacturers have successfully developed such strategies and Goodyear, with its own name and that of Dunlop, has two very powerful brands in its armoury. Customers differ in their driving habits and incomes and thus they need different tyres to fulfil these various needs. Goodyear has the brands to satisfy all these customers. Finally, Mr. Gibara reiterated Goodyear’s goal to be not only be the number one tyre manufacturer in the world, but the most profitable one. And then he closed the meeting. Except that he didn’t; there was no meeting and there was no speech from Mr. Gibara. The article which can be downloaded in full length as PDF file (size: 2.84 Mbyte, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) is, in fact, an imaginative piece written by Klaus Haddenbrock, outlining what Mr. Gibara could have said on such an occasion. And Mr. Gibara’s reaction? See his letter in reply in TYRES & ACCESSORIES’s April issue.
Continue ReadingYokohama Introduces New High-Performance Tyre A 539
In the last week of March Yokohama Rubber Co. presented the new A 539 tyre to the European trade press at the Japanese D-Parc (Daigo Proving Ground and Research Center). Thirty-three sizes of this tyre will be available in Europe, about 20 of them are already in the market, the remaining sizes to be introduced within the next four weeks. The A 539 has an asymmetrical tread pattern and, according to the manufacturer, the excellent qualities of sportiness, quiet running and good cornering stability on dry and especially on wet roads.
Continue ReadingMichelin Aims At Increasing Share In HP Sector
Michelin intends to increase its share of the growing and highly profitable high performance market. Any gain of market share would be at the expense of Pirelli and Continental.
Continue ReadingAnalysts Bullish On Tyre Shares
Following a few months of indifferent performance, stock market analysts are meanwhile promoting tyre manufacturers shares as a good buy. The reasons for this optimism are that the rise in prices of raw materials (rubber, oil, carbon black) appears to have stopped, or at least slowed down, and that price increases announced in the USA are holding.
Continue ReadingUS Unions Target Bridgestone
As a matter of practice, US unions choose one tyre maker as the basis for labour negotiations, targeting standard contracts for the coming year to apply to the other tyre companies also. This year they have decided to negotiate with Bridgestone/Firestone.
Continue ReadingJose Ignacio Lopez Charged With Industrial Espionage
Jose Ignacio Lopez, who joined Volkswagen from General Motors in 1993 and was forced to leave three years later, is facing charges in the USA of industrial espionage. Lopez was involved in a car accident in 1998 in which he sustained serious head and brain damage. It is unlikely that Spain will agree to his extradition to the USA to stand trial.
Continue ReadingMexico Selected For Goodyear’s Third Moulded Products Plant
To meet increased product demand, Goodyear Engineered Products has announced plans to establish a moulded transportation products manufacturing plant in Mexico and will continue to operate moulded products plants in St. Marys, Ohio, and Quebec City, Quebec. Moulded products include engine and shock mounts that reduce vibration and improve vehicle handling. Goodyear is exploring sites for the new $16 million facility that will employ more than 100 workers.
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