Africa
The A1 Grand Prix’s first calendar has been confirmed and unveiled. In its inaugural year the A1GP will feature 24 races over 12 weekends. Teams from across the globe will compete on a level playing field across world-famous circuits and newly upgraded facilities. All cars will run on a standardised control tyre produced by Cooper Tire & Rubber.
A minority shareholder of Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest, South Africa, wants to block the company’s proposed minority shareholders’ buyout scheme according to news reports.
The company offered minority shareholders Rand 115 cent a share. It said 35.5 per cent of shareholders had voted in favour of the scheme. However, Peter Burmeister urged shareholders to reject the offer. He said the company should pay shareholders 140c per share.
ECI International has announced that it will run an exhibition in Southern Africa. Tyrexpo Africa 2006 will take place from 12 to 14 September at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.
South Africa represents the biggest domestic market for vehicles in Africa, accounting for some 80 per cent of the continent’s production and constituting approximately 50 per cent of Africa’s purchasing power. It has the largest economy in Africa and has by far the largest and most dynamic automotive manufacturing, retail and aftermarket business environment on the African continent. South Africa’s population of 45 million and a growing tourism industry still represent the continent’s best growth prospects for increasing vehicle sales and aftermarket revenues.
Currently all the major OEM’s in the world are represented in South Africa with seven plants producing 13 brands. There are over 20,000 enterprises active in selling and providing aftermarket support for South Africa’s seven million passenger and commercial vehicles. The distribution of the national vehicle population is mirrored in the location of
Approximately 5,500 garages and filling stations with their associated workshops, 3,300 specialist repairers, 1,100 new car dealerships, 850 used car dealerships, 450 specialist tyre dealers and retreaders, 650 parts dealers and about 280 farm vehicle and equipment suppliers.
Tyrexpo Africa 2006 will be the only independent tyre trade event focusing on every aspect of the tyre industry. If you are a manufacturer or supplier of tyres, tyre equipment or fast-fit equipment, the show will deliver buyers and decision makers across the entire spectrum of the industry. Whether you are targeting retailers, wholesalers, end-users, tyre disposal firms, fast-fit outlets or the accessory trade, your future customers will be at Tyrexpo Africa 2006.
Delphi Corp plans to present 10 new technologies and to announce several new customer programmes at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt next month. The news will focus on two of Delphi’s principal concerns in Europe: environmental protection and safety technologies.
The company will show a new halogen-free recyclable cable and the first-ever integrated Driver Protection Module, which offers drivers up to 27 per cent more protection from serious injury during a frontal collision based on crash simulations.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has reported second quarter results which show net income more than doubled to $69 million. The company explained that price increases and an improved product mix helped to offset raw material prices. In addition the favourable impact of currency translation is said to have added about $108 million to the sales total.
OTR tyre supplier the Roesler Group is considering legal action after allegations of industrial espionage were made against competitor, the US-based Carpenter Co, in South Africa.
Tyres & Accessories has seen security tapes, which the Roelser group alleges show Carpenter Co executives, bribing their way into a Benoni, South Africa, tyre plant. Copies of the original footage are believed to depict executives touring the Quality Tyres facility and examining prototype technology the company was testing on behalf of the German-based Roesler Group. According to the recordings, two men spent 20 minutes on the premises taking photographs and touring the Benoni, plant before leaving.
TVS Tyres is set to increase its tyre exports. The Indian company, which has just launched seven new tyres into the market, expects exports to account for 40 per cent of its total turnover. It is also planning to increase its two wheeler tyre production by 15 per cent.
“At present our exports, of solid tyres only, contribute 15 percent to the total turnover. We have already established our presence in Europe, West Asia and Africa and are proceeding to the US and neighbouring countries,” said S Balasubramanian, VP, marketing of the company.
(Akron/Tire Review) The new A1 Grand Prix has released a 12-race schedule that features races in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and South and North America. All cars running in the A1 Grand Prix series will race on Cooper tyres produced by Avon racing. The series kicks off at Brands Hatch on the 25 September and then will continue with races at Lausitzring in Germany on 9 October and at Estoril in Portugal on 23 October.
Pietro Saletta (38) has been named as marketing director of Truck Tyres for Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe BV, responsible for the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He follows Benjamin Willot, who has taken over the position of director of original equipment sales & marketing consumer tyres for the same areas.
Goodyear has selected its second aviation tyre evaluation centre, the 43 Air School in Port Alfred, South Africa. It will be Goodyear’s first centre in the Southern Hemisphere.
The academy has 40 registered aircraft and an impeccable safety record assures the manufacturer. The new school will do as its forerunner, the Florida centre does, and will evaluate Goodyear and competitor tyres based on their durability and safe landings. The school’s test results will be recorded and used to measure Goodyear’s overall tyre performance.
The company formerly know as Firestone East Africa was given a new logo and rename Sameer Africa at a ceremony in Nairobi. The new company will operate as an independent tyre maker, according to reports by Nairobi’s The Nation newspaper.
Goodyear has spent in excess of £2 million on launching its new RunOnFlat campaign to the UK media. The manufacturer has also hired a Hollywood director to deliver its first television advertising campaign for ten years.
Motorists will be able to view the new TV commercial from the 1st June. The advert was created by Leagas Delaney, London, and shot in Australia by Alex Proyas, director of last year’s Hollywood blockbuster I Robot. The advert will run in 16 European countries and kicks off an advertising campaign which includes TV and print advertising, public relations, and web and in-store activities in Goodyear’s 500 Hi-Q fitting centres.
(Southern Africa/SA Treads) Bandag has launched ProWheel, a tyre tracking software aimed at small and medium sized fleets that require constant, up-to-date monitoring, as opposed to complex reporting.
Introduced as part of Bandag’s aim to offer fleet solutions it believes the new product will assist in the overall reduction of operating costs. Bandag describes the system as having a “practical and easy-to-use interface which will enable its users to comfortably navigate through the system.”
The system was developed with the intention of automating the tyre recording and controlling function by migrating users from a manual system to an electronic format. It records tyre location, mileage, purchase and retread costs and CPK for scrapped tyres. Once this information has been recorded, the system makes a provision for an official report in the form of a Tyre Card containing the entire tyre history.
Goodyear Dunlop has appointed Dominque Golsong as its European legal chief, reports Lawyer News.
Mr Golsong, the former associate general counsel of Dow Corning Corporation, the silicones and silicones-based products, technologies and services company, joined the manufacturer last month in his new position.
Replacing Philip Regnault, who retired after three years with Goodyear Dunlop he will be responsible for the company’s EU strategic business unit as well as the Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa strategic business unit.
Prior to Dow Corning, Mr Golsong was a corporate lawyer in Linklaters’ Brussels office, after which he joined New York-based firm Sullivan & Cromwell.
Trelleborg Wheel Systems, a business area within the Trelleborg Group, has signed a joint-venture agreement with Al Dobowi Ltd regarding the distribution of industrial and agricultural tires in the Middle East and certain parts of Africa. The new company, Trelleborg Wheel Systems Middle East Ltd will be located in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
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