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Japanese domestic tyre shipments rose 1.3 per cent year-on-year in March, to 11.865 million units. This was the same increase as recorded in February and, according to Deutsche Bank analysts, suggests that demand for studless tyres has levelled out. This comes after heavy snowfall and anticipation of tyre price increases buoyed growth in December (+13.9%) and January (+9.6%).
The Tyre Recovery Association was the winner of a Commendation Award that this year’s EAST Awards ceremony held at London’s Royal Horseguards Hotel on 7 April. The TRA award was for Environmental & Sustainable Management and acknowledged the steady progress made by the Association in developing its Responsible Recycler Scheme for end of life tyres.
In his address at Goodyear’s Annual Shareholder Meeting, chairman and CEO Robert J. Keegan said the tyremaker remains committed to the strategic direction implemented three years ago, describing the business as an “aggressive marketing company.”
“Innovation, quality and a sharp market focus continue to drive Goodyear in the right direction,” he said. “We believe we are taking the required steps to drive improving future performance.” Keegan cited the company’s important financial milestones in 2005, including record sales, net income double the 2004 level, and growth in its business segments.
The huge Republic of China is an automotive growth market par excellence. And that applies to the automobile manufacturers as well as their suppliers. The country is not only at the centre of low-price manufacturing for “the rest of the world,” but has also become an enormous sales market in its own right. The cluster of cities in the east of the country is home to millions upon millions of inhabitants and the streetscape is shaped by the sight of premium segment cars and their upper middle class owners. These cities also have well-developed road systems. Rush-hour traffic jams are another familiar sight for anyone used to driving in western metropolises – and that’s despite the numerous additional lanes alongside just as numerous skyscrapers.
Gacosia, owned by the Tsui brothers, has its headquarters in Hong Kong and a subsidiary in California. China Wheel produces Gacosia its alloy wheels, and in turn the manufacturer considers Gacosia as one of its two self-brands (the other being “Finn”). Stephen Tsui, Gacosia managing director, and his team, spend most of their time in China Wheel’s office space in Guangzhou: “We are very close partners,” he says. The relationship between the wheel brand and its manufacturer – and this is not uncommon in China – is not based on actual contractual agreements, as is the standard in the western countries. Instead it’s a case of “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours,” so to speak.
Bridgestone has underlined its commitment to educate tyre dealers and fitters about run-flat technology after registering a near 20 per cent increase in participants on its Run-Flat Certificate Programme. A total of 237 dealerships are now certified to replace run-flat tyres after completing the free training scheme – an 18.5 per cent increase in numbers in the first quarter of 2006.
“With a growing number of manufacturers fitting run-flat tyres as original equipment, its vital tyre technicians are up to speed about the technology,” said Paul Turner, Bridgestone UK’s technical training manager.
Shepton Mallet-based Framptons Transport Services Ltd has identified an average fuel saving of 0.24 mpg (nearly three per cent) on its ERF ECT tractor units, following a trial of Michelin Energy tyres, which are designed for trucks operating primarily on major roads and motorways. The trial saw two tractor units fitted with 315/70 R22.5 A2 Energy tyres as original equipment in 2004, with the fuel economy carefully monitored for a period of 18 months. Fuel consumption was measured against identical vehicles in the fleet operating on Michelin’s ‘E’ segment tyres.
The inaugural season of the Cooper-A1 Grand Prix began in Great Britain in September last year and ended on a positive note in China in early April. A1 Team France was the overall winner of the first World Cup of Motorsports with 172 points. A1 Team Switzerland took second with 121 points and A1 Team Great Britain finished third with 97 points. 22 teams competed on 370/660R13 Cooper-A1 tyres fitted to 16-inch wide racing rims.
Deutsche Bank analysts have reacted cautiously to the news that Goodyear is closing its Dunlop Tyre factory in the U.K. and ceasing production of bicycle tyres and inner tubes at its Poland plant. The company expects these actions to generate after-tax savings of between $30-$40 million per year. Goodyear has previously announced that it is targeting $250-$350 million in annual cost savings from reducing high cost capacity and shifting production to lower cost markets.
With 440 exhibitors from 42 nations, Reifen 2006 – the 24th International tyre exhibition - will register a new record number of participants and will thus confirm its position as the leading global fair in the sector. Being held at Essen from May 23 to 26, the range of products and services on offer will be wider than ever before: an exhibition area of around 43,000 m² in seven halls will act as a showcase for the world premiere of the latest innovations in the sector.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. on Wednesday said it plans to close an automobile tyre plant in the United Kingdom and a bicycle tyre plant in Poland (Debica) in order to achieve combined annual savings of up to $50 million. The largest U.S. tyre company, which is based in Akron, Ohio, said it has begun discussions with union employees as a step toward shutting its Goodyear Dunlop United Kingdom passenger tyre factory in Washington, northeast England. This action is expected to create annual savings of approximately $20 million and result in charges of between $75 million and $85 million ($55 million to $65 million after-tax). The cash portion of this charge is estimated to be $35 million to $40 million.
Tyre output in Japan rose 0.3 per cent year on year in February for the first time in three months, with domestic demand rising 0.5 per cent. Export volumes declined 5.2 per cent YoY in February (which fell for the first time in 20 months in January). Analysts attribute the decline to three main factors; firstly, unusual demand for studless tires, which they believe has led makers to divert output to domestic demand, and which they also believe has now run its course.
National car care operator, Hi-Q has said farewell to its founder, Jack Blacklock, who sadly passed away recently. Jack, who was 87, founded Tyre Services in 1949, starting the company from premises in Denton Holme, Carlisle. He leaves behind a daughter, son-in-law and grand-daughter.
Michelin will actively support the GreenFleet drive-day event at Silverstone 11 April. The company says the event will demonstrate the value of its new Primacy HP tyres which are said to deliver “at least 25 per cent more miles than equivalent competitors’ products and the huge fuel saving benefits of its Energy low rolling resistance tyre range.”
(Akron/Tire Review) Confirming earlier reports, South Korea’s Kumho Tire Co. has announced that it will build a new $155 million tyre plant in Vietnam. According to the Korea Times, the new plant will come on-stream in 2008 with an annual capacity of 3.2 million tyres. Kumho signed a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s state-run builder Becamex in Binh Duong province to establish the wholly owned plant there. Construction on a 314,000-square-meter site just north of Ho Chi Minh City will begin in the second half of this year.
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