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.
BFGoodrich has joined Goodyear and Bridgestone in reaching a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers. The tyre maker and union negotiating teams have nutted out a three-year contract covering 2,400 workers at the company’s Tuscaloosa and Fort Wayne plants in the US.
Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Secretary of State for Transport, Gavin Williamson visited the Goodyear factory in the West Midlands last week. The famous Wolverhampton factory has been developing tyres for 85 years in the region and is now a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for retreaded truck tyres.
Gavin Williamson MP started: "Goodyear are an important employer for the local area. My constituency starts at the edge of Wolverhampton so many of my constituents will be working at the plant. It is an important local employer and important local investor in the West Midlands.”
Both Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and Bridgestone Americas have reached tentative agreements with the United Steelworkers (USW), avoiding strikes in several plants across the US.
Goodyear reached a tentative agreement with USW on 27 July, the deadline for its former contract. The deal, covering 8,500 employees, still needs to be approved by the majority of the six local USW unions.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today that Tom Kaczynski has joined the company as vice president of investor relations. He will report to Darren R. Wells, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Kaczynski joins Goodyear from Affinia Group Inc., where he had been vice president and corporate treasurer. At Affinia Group, Kaczynski established the company’s treasury office and led financing and investor relations activities.
Strike action at Goodyear plants in the US has been averted following the announcement of a tentative agreement between the tyre maker and the United Steelworkers union. On the evening of Saturday 27 July, as the clock ticked away on the previous four-year contract, the two parties reached an understanding over a four-year labour agreement that covers some 8,500 employees at Goodyear’s Buffalo, Topeka, Fayetteville, Danville, Gadsden and Akron plant.
The deadline for reaching a new contract agreement at a number of Goodyear, Michelin and Bridgestone plants in the US is Saturday, and the likelihood this will be settled to the satisfaction of both tyre makers and union decreases with every hour.
It is with great sadness that Tyrepress.com reports the passing of Infleet founder Bill Hall, following a long battle with cancer. A prominent figure in the tyre business for nearly 30 years, Hall joined Goodyear in 1980, serving in several senior positions in the UK and Europe, before leaving to set up the independent tyre service network in the mid-2000s. His long and distinguished career also included two years as chairman of the British Rubber Manufacturers Association tyres committee, forging a close working relationship with most of the major tyre brands and the industry associations. Hall died on Friday, 19 July, and was commemorated at a funeral on Thursday, 25 July. A keen sportsman who was a lifelong supporter of Bolton Wanderers, he lived with his wife in Sandbach, Cheshire and has a grown up son and a daughter with three grandchildren.
Titan International reported second quarter 2013 sales of US$593.3 million 25 July 2013, up 29.2 per cent, compared to $459.2 million in the second quarter of 2012 partially driven by acquisition growth. Gross profit increased 5.6 per cent to $86.7 million, or 14.6 per cent of net sales in the period, compared to $82.1 million in second quarter 2012, or 17.9 per cent of net sales. However, second quarter income from operations was $36.9 million compared to $81.0 million last year.
Fortune has released this year’s ‘Global 500’ list, which names the world’s largest companies in respect to turnover for the fiscal year ending before or on 31 March 2013. While no tyre firm could hold a candle to Royal Dutch Shell, whose revenues of US$481.7 billion propelled it into the number one position, three leading tyre majors made it onto the list.
A run-flat version of Goodyear’s Eagle LS2 will be fitted as original equipment on the all-new 2014 BMW X5 that has now gone on sale in North America. The tyre is supplied to BMW in 255/55R18 for the front and 255/50R19 on the rear.
Goodyear has announced its plans to introduce a new generation of truck tyres, with two completely new ranges to launch onto the European market in September. Kmax and Fuelmax steer, drive and trailer tyres will focus on providing the manufacturer’s optimised longevity and fuel efficiency options respectively. Therefore the new tyres represent an interesting departure from other premium brand manufacturers’ portfolio strategies, taking the emphasis off the type of operation – long or regional haul for example – and put it on the fleet’s economic priority.
Goodyear Dunlop Sava Tires has appointed Jože Stružnik its new sales director. Stružnik began in his new role on 8 July and primarily focuses on consolidating the tyre maker’s position as a leading tyre supplier to its Slovenian home market and nine further countries in the Balkan region. He replaces Tomaž Lanišek, who has left the tyre maker to take on the role of chief executive at Knauf Insulation’s Slovenian operation.
Reflecting the growing significance of fleet management and leasing companies, as of 1 July 2013 Goodyear Dunlop has bundled its fleet business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland under its GDHS subsidiary, 4Fleet Group GmbH. According to the company, the aim is to further expand the 4Fleet Group, which currently boasts a network of 1,200 service outlets in the three countries, into the leading tyre management service provider within the region.
According to the results of one recent comparative test, Continental is on top down under. The German tyre maker landed first place in the summer tyre test conducted by Australia’s “Choice” magazine. A total of 15 size 205/60 R 16 tyres, fitted to a Holden Cruze (sold in the UK and Europe under the Chevrolet name), were tested on a Queensland racetrack for handling, braking distance and ride comfort.
During the past week, Goodyear marked what it calls an “important milestone in the company’s plans to replace its current fleet of blimps.” Workers installed a new envelope over the aluminium and carbon fibre framework of the first of its new-design airships. Although they will still most likely be referred to as blimps, the new craft are semi-rigid airships and are being supplied by Germany’s ZLT Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik. Personnel from Zeppelin, along with a Goodyear team, are building the airship at Goodyear’s hangar in Suffield, Ohio.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
