Two Piece Tyre Tested By Goodyear
Goodyear is testing a two piece design for off-the-road tyres. The tyre consists of a steel cord casing which is matched to a separate, removable over belt carrying the steel belt, bead and tread package.
Founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Akron, Ohio. It is one of the oldest, biggest and best-known tyremakers in the world. Goodyear makes tyres for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, racing cars, aeroplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery. Find all the news and analysis you need relating to Goodyear here.
Goodyear is testing a two piece design for off-the-road tyres. The tyre consists of a steel cord casing which is matched to a separate, removable over belt carrying the steel belt, bead and tread package.
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. Goodyear’s aerial cameras beamed live pictures of this unique and historical event all over the world.
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 Goodyear’s Hi-Q retail chain.
At the beginning of the 90s Goodyear had great success – especially in USA – with its aquachannel tyre “Aquatred”. Now the tyre manufacturer launches in North America the dual-aquachannel tyre Aquatred 3 with greater dry traction performance and an 80,000-mile treadlife Warranty. The all-season tyre will be introduced initially in 18 popular T-rated sizes.
Goodyear has introduced a new, supermodern agricultural tyre specifically for harvesters and tractor units. The new products have been developed with soil protection and high load resistance in mind. Thanks to its 900 mm width, tractor units equipped with the new DT830 remain within the three metre maximum legal width for highway use without the need for a special license. With a maximum pressure of 2.2 bar the new tyre is capable of carrying loads up to 11.8 tons. For use on delicate soil conditions the DT830 is well qualified with a low pressure of 0.8 bar and a wheel load of 7.5tons it creates a footprint of 96 cm by almost 90 cm, offering a contact area of more than 0.8 square metres. In addition the radial belt cords guarantee an even distribution of pressure over the whole contact area. Goodyear offers the DT830 in three sizes; The 900/55 R 32 to be available in Spring 2001, the 900/60 R 32 available in pre-series at present, and the 900/50 R 42 which is already available through Goodyear outlets. Find out more in the November issue of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG.
While Pirelli and Toyo shares – although only from time to time – displayed an upward trend in February, most of the other important tyre manufacturers (for example Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Goodyear and Michelin) were among the losers. Their shares have fallen to a new 52-week low, but shares in Yokohama rose 20 per cent at the end of February.
The May issue of TYRES & ACCESSORIES contains an interview with Andrea Vassura, managing director of Marangoni Tyre. Speaking at the launch of Marangoni’s extended range of high performance tyres, Mr. Vassura revealed that the company was planning to build a new factory with an annual capacity of 4.5 million tyres. The existing plant at Anagni, which can produce three million tyres a year, is currently running at 90% capacity. The site of the plant has yet to be decided but the choice seems to be between Southern Italy or somewhere in Eastern Europe. There are substantial grants on offer from the Italian government for those who invest in the area, but Mr. Vassura says that no decision will be made until later on in the Summer. Marangoni Tyre had been offered the Cisterna di Latina factory, recently shut down by Goodyear, but it did not meet the company’s requirements. As a profitable tyre manufacturer, would Marangoni Tyres make a tempting takeover target in these days of consolidation? Mr. Vassura has no fears about this, as the sheer size and diversity of the parent group offers sufficient protection, he believes. On the other hand, Marangoni Tyre is small enough to be flexible and allow Mr. Vassura to make decisions quickly.
Dr. Rainer Schieben, who used to be managing director of Pneumant-Reifenwerke GmbH, is now managing all associated brands under the umbrella of Goodyear-Dunlop Tires Europe BV. His successor in Fürstenwalde is Mr. M. Bald. Dr. Schieben has also been elected as Chairman of the Pneumant Supervisory Board.
There was much celebration when Goodyear announced its “joint venture” with Dunlop, designed to make the group the biggest in the world. Since then, things not been going according to plan, with Goodyear’s share price plummeting. A new president has been appointed and an in-depth article in our January issue which can be downloaded in full length as PDF file (size: 1.20 Mbytes, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) argues that the group desperately needs to reorganise and change the way that decisions are made, to get closer to the market and to re-define areas of responsibility. An increase in size has brought inflexibility and a slowness to react, which is stifling the company’s chances of future growth. Our article suggests one possible solution to this problem, but it is one which will involve a radical change of philosophy and methods of operation.
For the 17th year running Gummiwerke Fulda held its dealer conference in March, this time in combination with celebrations in honour of the company’s one hundredth birthday. Last year Fulda boss Bernd Hoffmann had “to make do” with the presence of Goodyear’s top man for Europe, Valensi, but this time the management representation could not have been better. Sam Gibara, CEO of the group, made his welcoming speech to about 1,500 guests from all parts of the world, with Valensi and Gerd Grünenwald, responsible for marketing and sales Europe, also very pleased to help the company celebrate. Last year in particular and recent years in general proved to be very good years for Fulda. Until a few years ago the Fulda brand was heavily dependent on ATU and Stinnes, but that is now completely changed. Fulda’s German turnover is now spread over many small customers. Turnover with the two large ones is still important, of course, but gone are the days of total dependence. In Germany Fulda sells more tyres than Goodyear, but one has to add that Goodyear prices (trade to user) are significantly above Fulda’s. In the more recent past Fulda has had to compete with, or be measured against, Dunlop as well. It will be very interesting to see where the emphasis of Gerd Grünenwald’s and his team’s multi-brand strategy will lie. Details can be found in the April edition of NEUE REIFENZEITUNG.
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.
In the US, Goodyear has introduced the second in its Wingfoot line of tyres, designed for the cost-conscious customer. The Wingfoot DTR is a drive traction radial initially available in size 295/75 R22.5. Three more sizes – 11R22.5, 11R24.5 and 285/75 R24.5 – will be introduced this autumn. The DTR replaces the G124.
There is a theory that all news stories are born equal. The level of their importance increases as the story reaches the top of the pile on the news editor’s desk. The Firestone recall moved latent news about possible problems with Goodyear tyres to the top of the pile. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have 58 complaints against Goodyear, 46 of which were filed after the announcement of the Firestone recall. Goodyear is facing a pincer movement, on the one hand being accused of being too slow in their introduction of changes made to the Load Range E tyre to improve safety, and on the other of carrying out a “silent recall”. Learn more about this in TYRES & ACCESSORIES’s December edition.
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 company’s oldest subsidiaries outside the USA.
The new blimp “Spirit of Goodyear” was christened by former NASA astronaut Sally Ride. Goodyear-CEO and President Samir Gibara was also on board for the first official flight.
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