GKN Rim Aims to Make Tyre Changing Easier, Wheels Lighter
GKN Wheels Division, part of the GKN OffHighway division has pledged to make “tyre-fitting easier and bring efficiency benefits for manufacturers of off-highway vehicles” through simplifying tyre changing. The company is one of the world’s leading provider of wheels for off-highway vehicles in the construction, industrial and agricultural sectors, with seven global manufacturing plants in the UK, USA, Denmark, Italy and China. Steve Cragg, design and development director at GKN Wheels says, “We have an established track record of successfully delivering innovative solutions to wheel manufacture and design that improve cost and performance; the new rim design reinforces this capability in the marketplace. “In recent years, increased use of low pressure tyres, which are reinforced with stiff beading, has made it even more difficult and time-consuming to fit or remove tyres without risking some damage.”
Continue ReadingGoodyear Proposes Temporary Wolverhampton Layoffs
Local news source The Express and Star has reported that Goodyear has proposed a series of temporary lay-offs to around 300 staff in Wolverhampton. The paper quotes Cyril Barrett, the branch chairman of union Unite, saying that it is likely that staff will take a total of 68 “lay-off days” spread through 2009. According to the report, 29 of these days will be paid – 14 at 60 per cent, 15 at £21.50 per day – while the remaining lay-off days would be covered by holidays and 25 days without pay. Goodyear told the newspaper that the company is waiting for union feedback on the proposal.
Continue ReadingNew Pirelli Financial and Strategic Review Released
A new financial and strategic report on Pirelli has been made available by analysts Companies and Markets. The firm promises to present “an in-depth business, strategic and financial analysis of Pirelli, providing “a comprehensive insight into the company, including business structure and operations, executive biographies and key competitors. The hallmark of the report is the detailed strategic analysis and views on the company.” In addition to the provision of a “one-stop-shop” to understanding Pirelli, the review offers a financial, strategic and operational SWOT analysis; business structure, history and product information; and “financial ratios for the past five years as well as interim ratios for the last four quarters,” including profitability, margins and returns, liquidity and leverage, financial position and efficiency.
Continue ReadingMinor Fire at Cooper Tire Plant
Cooper Tire’s Tupelo experienced a minor fire on Saturday 14 March, after an apparent mishap with some welding work. According to WTVA.com, no injuries were reported, but “several holes had to be cut in the roof by firemen to get the fire out.” As a result the first is said to have caused “an early shutdown of the plant, just ahead of a scheduled shutdown for this week.”
Continue ReadingTata Nano Tyre Sizes Revealed
Tata Motors is expected to launch its pint-size “Nano” car into the Indian automotive market on 23 March, but what tyre/wheel sizes will run on? According to online sources, the Nano will come in a range of four variants (base, mid level CX and top end LX) and its 0.6 litre engine will drive four 12-inch wheels. Tyres sizes are set to be 135/70 R12 on the front and spare; and 155/65 R12 on the rear. Pressures will be set to 26 PSi (Front), 28 PSi (Rear). According to other automotive sources, the Nano is not expected to arrive in Europe until sometime around 2011, by which time the currently model is likely to be in the Nano 2.0 series.
Continue ReadingFast Car Hails ContiSportContact 3 Best Tyre For Safety
Fast Car magazine has awarded Continental’s ContiSportContact 3 a top prize in its Best for Safety category. The Fast Car Awards purport to celebrate “the best of the best in the tuning industry”. The magazine commented: “Safe is the name of the game with Continental Tyres and their wet weather performance is the absolute best. The ContiSportContact 3 tyre is focused on serving up awesome handling for powerful performance cars. We like Continental tyres a lot.” Scott Benbow, product manager at Continental, added: “The ContiSportContact 3 is no stranger to winning awards and we are really pleased to add to this collection with the sought after Fast Car honour. Safety is always our main focus when designing a tyre so to be recognised specifically for this is great.” The ContiSportContact 3 uses a supple third generation silica compound which the company says allows for supreme wet braking performance. A high proportion of rubber on the outer shoulder and a stiff asymmetrical tread pattern is designed to ensure optimum performance handling.
Continue ReadingConti Clairoix Tyre Workers ‘Egg’ Bosses
A small number of workers at Continental AG’s Clairoix passenger tyre factory reportedly egged their bosses in a meeting taking place in nearby Reims. According to the AFP news agency, hundreds of angry workers gathered outside the hotel in which the meeting was being held to protest at the recently announced closure of the Clairoix plant. On 12 March French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he wished to make sure Continental was keeping its promises and respecting French legal procedures. However, the Journal du Dimanche quoted Continental vice president responsible for passenger car/light truck tyres, Bernhard Trilken, as saying Continental AG “scrupulously” followed French law with relation to the announced plant closure.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Wins Place on Fortune’s “Most Admired” List
US-based Fortune Magazine has once again listed Goodyear as one of the most admired companies in the world in its annual list-based issue. Chairman and CEO Robert J. Keegan expressed his pleasure at the ranking in a release from the manufacturer: “This global recognition by our industry peers is something for which all Goodyear associates can be proud.” Among companies in the Motor Vehicle Parts category, Goodyear was the highest-ranked tyre company, the top US-based company and placed at number 2 overall. The tyre maker was awarded top-two finishes in five of the nine key attributes measured, coming first in Use of Corporate Assets and Social Responsibility and second in Innovation, Quality of Products and Services and Global Competitiveness.
Continue ReadingTronchetti Provera Confident in Pirelli 2009 “Return to Profit”
Pirelli chairman and CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera has stated that the company should reach the end of 2009 with a profit, Reuters is reporting. Quoted by a spokesperson at a company presentation in Milan, Tronchetti Provera said, “We are fairly optimistic that in 2009 things will change. The market is moving, the measures taken in 2008 and being carried out in 2009 are producing results.” Thanks to a major restructuring process mainly involving the company’s real estate division and the general global financial turmoil, Pirelli finished 2008 with a net loss of 412.5 million euros, though recent stock performance has seen a small upturn in the past week.
Continue ReadingNew Touring Tyre from Giti
Giti Tire USA has introduced the Champiro 228, a “performance touring” line of 15 H- and V-rated sizes. The new tyre features Giti’s “Nanotek” silica tread compound for wet/dry grip and lower rolling resistance, four circumferential grooves for water dispersion, shoulder grooves to resist hydroplaning, and a low noise tread design. The Champiro 228 is now available to dealers in 16- and 17-inch wheel diameters. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingCooper: New Zeon CS6 Offers 12% longer tread life
Cooper Tire has launched a new ultra-high performance tyre which, the company claims, offers all the performance of the Zeon range, but with the addition of much improved tread life. The new Cooper Zeon CS6 replaces the Cooper Zeon XTC V and W-rated sizes. The enhanced tyre tread life comes by virtue of a new silica tread compound which, thanks to the latest in computer-aided design technology, offers enhanced grip in wet weather braking and handling situations, but also features up to 12 per cent longer tread wear than the XTC. The CS6 will be available in sizes ranging from 15 to 18 inch rim diameters, and more high-speed ratings than its predecessor, including V, W and Y ratings. The CS6’s new up-rated tyre construction means the CS6 is lighter than its predecessor, and features lower rolling resistance, which offers energy and money saving benefits to consumers.
Continue ReadingJon Ward Appointed CGS UK MD
With effect from 9 March, 2009 Jon Ward became the new managing director of CGS Tyres UK. The 39-year old, who has extensive experience in the tyre business, succeeds Andrew Mabin, who was Managing Director of CGS Tyres UK for the past five years. In September 2008 he took over as the new Marketing and Sales Director of Mitas/CGS Tyres.
Continue ReadingPPI Releases New ‘Ultra-Light’ Forged Wheel
Audi tuner, PPI Automotive Design GmbH, has presented a new wheel which the company says is specially adjusted for “the design vocabulary and the technical requirements of the current Audi fleet.” The forged aluminium wheel features 11 long-drawn spokes and weighs next to nothing - the 9.0 x 19 size only weighs 9.85 kg. Approved for speeds up to 400 km/h, the wheel is compatible with the tyre pressure control/TPMS designed by Continental. The rim PPI MAG11 is available in 19 and 20-inch diameters and black, matt black and carbon silver finishes for all current Audi models. Prices start at 995 euros.
Continue ReadingSibur Halts Amtel-Vredestein Debt Deal
Sibur has suspended talks with the creditors of Amtel-Vredestein after Sberbank (which is Russias largest bank and responsible for 20 per cent of its debts) failed to decide whether or not to participate in the debt restructuring negotiations. However, company sources have reaffirmed their continued interests in buying Amtel’s assets.
Continue ReadingCarlsson Appoints Rolf Schepp New Head Designer
Carlsson, the company behind many wheel and accessories modifications for Mercedes Benz has formalised its already intensive co-operation with Rolf Schepp. On 1 March, the automobile manufacturer appointed the designer as their head designer. Rolf Schepp has been working for Carlsson on a regular basis for many years. Amongst others, he developed the style for the current CLK- (W209), S- (W220), the future E-class (W212) and the Smart Fortwo. His work can be seen especially in the front spoiler, side skirts and rear diffuser, which bear his signature. A Carlsson press release states that “he has significantly advanced the Carlsson design line. Moreover, Schepp shaped the latest Evo- and Revo-wheel generations.”
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