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Dunlop Promotes New Grandtrek Touring A/S Tyre

Dunlop has announced the introduction of the all-season SUV tyre Grandtrek Touring A/S. The new tyre for modern Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) has been developed to include Dunlop’s Touch Technology for balanced, all-season, all-condition performance and strong road feedback. According to the manufacturer, the launch of Grandtrek Touring supports the continued growth in popularity of SUVs.

With its all-season technology, Grandtrek Touring encompasses a range of properties that are designed to ensure top performance. The tyre features a unique polymer blend tread compound for driving in all weather conditions. The Grandtrek Touring’s tapered shoulder grooves, are said to provide “innovative stiffness distribution,” while the asymmetric tread design reportedly combines with the shoulder grooves to optimize the tyre’s all-weather capabilities. The reinforced, stiffer sidewall controls the important displacement of energy that is usual from large vehicles when cornering.

3rd March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Poland Expansion to Create 400 New Jobs

As reported on February 26, Goodyear has requested that Poland’s TC Debica, in which it holds the major shareholding, triple its production of commercial vehicle tyres from 1,700 to 5,000 units a day. This increase output is needed, says Goodyear, to meet European demand for high quality truck tyres.

Goodyear has had a majority ownership interest in TC Debica, Poland’s largest tyremaker, since 1995, and the Polish company’s management board will decide whether to go ahead with making the necessary investment to expand production there. Goodyear estimates the expansion will require an investment of more than US$200 million. Such an investment, which would likely involve assistance from Polish national and regional authorities, would create 350 to 400 new jobs at TC Debica.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Wins Right to Block Counterfeit Tyre Sales in Japan

Yokohama Rubber has won the right to prevent a particular tyre bearing more than a passing resemblance to its DNA S.drive high performance tyre from being sold in Japan. On January 18 the Tokyo Customs Office accepted Yokohama’s application for an import injunction against the counterfeit tyres on the basis that these products infringed Yokohama Rubber’s design rights. As a result, all customs offices in Japan will henceforth prohibit the import of any such product.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Vipal Aims to be Key Material Supplier to Arab Retreaders

Vipal, the Brazilian retread materials supplier, is betting on greater sales abroad and is specifically seeking to increase its presences in new markets in the Middle East and North Africa. At the end of last year, company representatives were in Saudi Arabia, in the United Arab Emirates and in Sudan. “In the three countries the results were positive and new partnerships were established,” vice president João Carlos Paludo, told the Brazil Arab News Agency.

25th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Vipal to Inaugurate New Factory this Year

This year Vipal is going to inaugurate a new factory, in Feira de Santana, Bahia (NE Brazil), having spent 160 million Brazilian reals (US$ 92 million, 48 million pounds) of investment on the project. Apart from construction of the factory in Bahia, Vipal also announced the construction of the first productive unit abroad. The company hasn’t revealed exactly where this plant will be, and the kind of investment that will be associated with the new plants has not yet been defined. However, Argentina and Mexico are said to be the countries that present “the great chance of receiving a new unit.”

25th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Discusses South Africa Power Saving Programme

At its South African operations Continental Tyre SA has, over the course of three years, introduced a range of schemes that have seen power consumption reduced by 10 per cent. The company recently shared details of its activities in this area.

“To save electricity, we have a production monitoring system in the plant to monitor the energy systems and electricity use so that we can see peak demand, steam consumption and air pressures, for example,” commented plant engineering manager Andrew Singer. “We also have a project to improve the monitoring of incoming voltage, frequency and power usage so that we are consistently aware of the power we are using and its quality.”

22nd February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Uniwheels to Purchase European ATS Alloy Wheel Operations

Swiss based alloy wheel manufacturer Uniwheels has announced it intends to purchase the European interests of Germany’s ATS Group. The acquisition will include the three ATS facilities in Germany, along with the company’s Polish subsidiary, which operates two factories. A separate solution for the company’s US subsidiary, ATS Light Alloy Wheels (Alabama), Inc. will be announced next week.

22nd February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrexpo Africa Exhibitor Numbers Up 8% for 2008 Show

It is now less than a month before Tyrexpo Africa 2008 gets underway in Johannesburg, and recent figures tell of an even healthier show than the debut exhibition in 2006. Exhibition floor space at the Sandton Convention Centre has increased by 10 per cent for this year’s event, and exhibitor numbers are up 8 per cent. These exhibitors are reported to be coming from 20 different countries, with 37 Chinese companies and 13 from India signed up. Home market companies will dominate the show, however, with firms from South Africa representing 38 per cent of all exhibitors.

The influence of Chinese and Indian tyre manufacturers on the South African market for OTR tyres is tipped to balloon this year, and these companies will have a highly visible presence at Tyrexpo Africa 2008. Show organiser, ECI International, believes that China and India’s strong participation in the exhibition signals an aggressive drive to achieve greater market share in the lucrative African mining sector.

18th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Full-Year Sales & Income up in 2007

In its 2007 financial results, published February 15, French tyre major Michelin has reported increased sales and a markedly higher net income than that of the previous year. The company recorded sales of 16.867 billion euros in the year to December 31, 2007, a 3 per cent rise over that of a year earlier. Sales volume increased by 3.2 per cent over the same period.

Prior to taking non-recurring income and expenses into account, operating income for the year was 1.645 billion euros, up 22.9 per cent on the year before. After deducting these factors operating income stood at 1.319 billion euros, an increase of 17.9 per cent. Net income shot up 34.7 per cent during the 2007 year, to 772 million euros. The company’s net debt also decreased by 464 million euros, 11.1 per cent of the total, and now stands at 3.714 billion euros.

15th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Advanced ID Announces Several New Innovations

The UK based subsidiary of Advanced ID Corporation, Pneu-Logic Ltd., has ventured further into the tyre industry through its signing of an initial contract to supply data capture tools to French firm Electronic Data Process (EDP). The initial 2008 contract, valued at US$150,000, will see the data capture tools integrated with EDP’s tyre management software in order to provide what Advanced ID is calling a “complete tyre management solution.”

EDP managing director, Mr. Jean-Luc Giusti, commented: “We continue to experience strong growth in European sales of our Fleet Check software solutions and Pneu-Logic tools. Based on this progress, we plan for EDP to expand its presence into the United States in 2008 in an effort to market our combined tyre products offering to the many large global tyre manufacturers and service providers located in the country.” Quoting statistics released by Tire Review magazine, Advanced ID reports that the US market for all medium and light trucks in 2006 was in excess of 77 million units. The total US and European market approaches $10 billion annually.

14th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

MMH Supplying Eldan Equipment at Home and Abroad

West Sussex based marketer and distributor of recycling equipment, MMH Recycling Systems, reports it is continuing to supply top quality equipment for the tyre recycling industry through its partnership with Danish manufacturer Eldan Recycling A/S. During 2007 MMH supplied new equipment to four recycling facilities, and in the coming few months several more plants, currently under production, will be delivered to UK customers.

The company provides a complete service to its customers, which can include designing, building and commissioning everything from a single machine to a complete, highly automated, tyre recycling plant. Equipment supplied by MMH Recycling Systems and used by many successful tyre recyclers employs a simple, reliable and cost effective method of shredding & granulating tyres and separating the resultant rubber, steel and fibres.

7th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Leader Tread – More than Just Retreads

The success of South Africa’s Leader Tread is a testament to the determination of its joint-managing directors, Mark and Brett Sproson. Despite an uncertain political climate in Africa and changing market demands in the UK seriously threatening the business’s wellbeing on at least two occasions, the pair persisted developing Leader Tread, and today the company has grown from being simply a regional supplier to one with footholds in retreading facilities around the major South African cities of Durban, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.

6th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sameer’s Yana Tyres Struggling to Take Off

International News

Sameer Africa recently raised its tyre prices by between four and six per cent, the Nairobi Nation reports. However, price increases are unlikely to help sales of the manufacturer’s Yana brand. Local news reports that stiff competition from cheap imports, especially from the Korea, Egypt and South Africa have left the company at a disadvantage, following the price increase. “Kenya has no competitive advantage, and you can get any tyre you want from China at any price,” managing director Eric Kimani told journalists.

The influx of imported tyres from these destinations reportedly increased significantly in 2005, following the introduction of the East African Community’s (EAC) Common External Tariff (CET). Under the CET, the EAC member states (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) agreed to a common tax rate of 10 per cent on imports of new rubber tyres for buses and lorries. Initially, the import duty on tyres stood at between 25 and 35 per cent as a way of protecting local manufacturers.

31st January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Keeps Charity Rolling with Tyre Donation

Bridgestone has donated a consignment of tyres to Mercy Ships, the international charity operating hospital ships that provide health care in some of the world’s poorest countries. A selection of Bridgestone’s rugged 4×4 Dueller tyres have been supplied, and these will see use on vehicles that travel into remote areas of the bush, across difficult terrain and dirt tracks to reach sick people that otherwise could not be treated.

For Des Collins, vice president Public Relations, Bridgestone Europe, this donation makes sense in several ways: “Bridgestone has a sister company in Liberia, Firestone Natural Rubber Company, which employs more than 6,000 people in the production of natural rubber. As a part of its commitment to employees and their families in Liberia, Firestone operates its own schools and hospitals there, and consequently knows well the local need for health care. Therefore, Bridgestone was attracted to helping Mercy Ships in their efforts in West Africa and we are confident that the Dueller 4×4 tyres will help them in their great work.”

24th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Cut Production in France

Goodyear Tire & Rubber is planning to reduce tyre production at its two factories in Amiens, France. The production cuts will lead to a reduction of up to 500 employees at the plants and follows employees rejection (in October 2007) of company plans to modernize and renovate the plants. According to the company, the cuts are being made because costs are not competitive. Goodyear employs about 3,800 people in France, of which 2,700 are in the Amiens plants.

“We have communicated extensively with the trade unions, explaining the need for major changes. These changes would increase our competitiveness. Unfortunately, they have rejected the plan to improve competitiveness. Therefore, we have no choice but to reduce our costs as the plants are currently uncompetitive,” said Serge Lussier, Goodyear’s Europe, Middle East and Africa vice president of manufacturing. Goodyear said production of some tyres impacted by the move would be transferred to other, lower-cost factories in Europe and elsewhere. Some products will be eliminated. There have so far been no details of which lines will be eliminated or exactly where production will be transferred.

24th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors