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Trelleborg Fined US$11M for Cartel Involvement

Sweden’s Trelleborg Group reports it has reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice regarding investigations involving marine fenders and marine oil hoses. These investigations, Trelleborg adds, commenced in 2005 and 2007 respectively, and it has been awaiting a decision from the authorities “for a lengthy period.”

The agreements entail that the two Trelleborg Group subsidiaries in question shall pay a combined fine of US$11 million to the US authorities. The agreements are to be approved in court. The Group’s French subsidiary has previously paid close to $2 million in damages to aggrieved customers as settlement of a class action, which concerned Trelleborg and other companies, for alleged illegal price fixing concerning marine oil hoses.

21st April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Jaguar Keeps it British with Latest OE Deal

Dunlop UK has confirmed that Jaguar has indeed decided to keep things British in the choice of tyres for its new XFR and XKR models. Continuing a decades-old tradition of fitment to both on-road and race vehicles, including the winners of seven Le Mans titles, the two new Jaguars will be fitted with Dunlop’s SP Sport Maxx tyres, a product the Birmingham based manufacturer says will provide outstanding performance and give the driver the ultimate driving experience.

The XFR and XKR are the latest addition to the Jaguar line-up and feature a 375kW/510 hp supercharged engine and acceleration of 4.8 seconds from 0-60 mph. This latest OE agreement will see every new XFR and XKR fitted with Dunlop tyres.

17th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Buyer for Vredestein Banden Found

A buyer for Vredestein Banden has been found. In a written statement released by the Dutch company on April 2, the holding company Amtel-Vredestein N.V. has received a “binding offer: from a “strategic” industrial market player for the total share capital of Vredestein Banden BV. According to company CEO Rob Oudshoorn, the agreement is “very binding”, and it is “highly unlikely” that any complications will prevent the deal from going ahead. The CEO declined to disclose the deal’s value.

Tyres & Accessories will report further on this transaction when information is available.

2nd April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Ends American Motocross Involvement

Bridgestone Americas has announced that 2009 will be its last season of involvement in the AMA Supercross and Motocross season, due to finish in September. The decision was made due to the worldwide financial crisis, the company said in a statement, while the door was left open for a return in the future. The decision ends an 18-season supply agreement for the series.

Bob Graham, BATO’s senior manager, motorcycle products was keen to let competitors know that the company remained committed to its 2009 season. “While we have made this decision somewhat early in the season, rest assured that riders on Bridgestone brand tyres can expect the same level of performance and service throughout 2009 to which they have been accustomed,” he said. “Even though we are ceasing our involvement for the time being, the Bridgestone brand has left an indelible mark in the world of off-road motorcycle racing,” concluded Graham.

17th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

ETRMA: Rules Sets Tyre Safety at ‘Unprecedented Levels’

European tyre manufacturing body, ETRMA, has welcomed the approval of new requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles in yesterday’s first-reading agreement by the European Parliament. According to the association, the new type approval requirements recognise the importance of an integrated approach to tyre performance for consumers by considering both safety and environmental performance in the same act. “The implementation of this legislation will be challenging, but the tyre industry is ready to meet the challenge in light of the consumers and citizens interests,” said ETRMA president Francesco Gori. The challenge will be for the 27 enforcement Authorities to ensure consistent and effective market surveillance.

From ETRMA’s point of view the new regulation is about “environmental and safety objectives with challenging targets, while providing visibility and regulatory certainty for the next 10 years. It is about a single regulation, directly applicable in all the Member States, creating a level playing field in the EU.”

12th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyota Cuts Pay and Production by 10%

Toyota has announced that its two British factories in Burnaston, Derbyshire and Deeside, Flintshire will attempt to stave off the effects of recession in 2009 by reducing pay and production by 10 per cent. Affecting 4,500 workers across the two sites, the cutbacks will come in to bat on 1 April. The Japanese car giant stated that “the measures we have announced give us a greater opportunity to maintain employment through this difficult period,” while it was revealed in mid-February that managers will not receive any bonuses this year.

Reaction from unions has been noticeably free of ululating dissent, with Unite representative Peter Tsouvallaris telling The Guardian newspaper, “the agreement we have reached with Toyota will ensure none of our members’ benefits are eroded and that these skilled workers will remain in place and at work ready for when the upturn comes.” The news comes at a time when car makers are meeting with business minister Ian Pearson to discuss planned bailouts for the struggling industry.

11th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Two Charged With Stealing Tyre Secrets From Goodyear

Two employees of a US company with links to a Chinese tyre manufacturer has been arrested and charged with conspiring to steal trade secrets from Goodyear Tire & Rubber. Clark Alan Roberts, 46, and Sean Edward Howley, 38, both engineers for Tennessee based Wyko Tire Technology, were arraigned before a federal magistrate in Knoxville, Tennessee on March 6, after being named in a 12-count indictment.

9th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Start Danville Layoffs in March

The USW approved an agreement with Goodyear that would put the tyremaker’s Danville plant on eight-hour work shifts, five days a week, and offer 200 buyouts to qualified employees. Over 400 Goodyear employees will be losing their jobs between buyouts and layoffs, a Goodyear spokesperson said. More than 2,400 people work at the plant, which is Danville’s largest employer. According to a letter to employees, the truck side of the plant will be realigned to three eight-hour shifts, five days a week. Currently, the plant operates seven days a week, 24 hours per day, on 12-hour shifts.

In addition, the furlough that had been postponed from 21-28 February has been rescheduled to 21-28 March. There will be another furlough 3-9 August. The new operating schedule will start when employees return to work after the March furlough. The earliest layoffs will not be effective until March 23. Employees who want the buyout package – which offers $2,000 per year, up to $40,000, to employees between the ages of 53 and 55 with at least 28 years of service at the plant – must apply by 5 March. Salaried employees are not eligible for buyouts, but salaried positions will be cut, company officials said. Those employees will be eligible for the Supplemental Compensation Benefit Plan. Salaried position cuts will be announced by 20 March. (Tire Review/Akron)

23rd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Committed To New Akron Headquarters

More than a year ago, Goodyear reached an agreement with the city of Akron, the state of Ohio and California developer IRG to build its headquarters near the current one, rather than re-locate elsewhere. The plan was on track until the end of 2008, when a credit squeeze halted IRG’s financing. Though the project is still in limbo, Goodyear has said it still plans to move forward.

“All the parties involved are still extremely confident and extremely committed to the program, but because of the credit crisis it has certainly slowed the progress of finalizing the agreement,” Goodyear spokesman Scott Bachman said. The agreement included 30 million dollars in state tax breaks for Goodyear that are contingent upon it maintaining an employment level of at least 2,900 in Akron – just 200 less than the tyre maker currently employs there.

Due to a downturn in demand for tyres, Goodyear recently announced it would cut nearly 7 per cent of its global workforce of about 75,000, but would not name specific facilities that would see job losses. (Tire Review/Akron)

20th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Silverstone Releases New Track Layout Plans

Silverstone Circuits Ltd has unveiled provisional plans for a number of modifications to the track and spectator viewing areas at its Northamptonshire base. The most significant addition to the circuit will be a new section of track running from the approach at Abbey corner to an ‘Arrowhead’ at the inside of Becketts. The Arrowhead will then join up with the existing National Straight. Additional sections of track will also be laid at Chapel and Club in anticipation of the MotoGP World Championship rounds between 2010 and 2014 (following the signing of an agreement with Dorna to take the series to Silverstone).

18th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Tyres to Receive OTR Investment Loan from BEML

In 2007 Apollo Tyres entered into an agreement to supply OTR tyres to Indian mining equipment manufacturer BEML, and on February 13 the tyre maker announced it will receive a Rs 1 billion (£14.45 million) loan from the state-owned enterprise to cover the costs of a new facility that will meet anticipated BEML demand. The first phase of Apollo’s new OTR tyre facility in Gujarat, being built at a total cost of Rs 1.2 billion (£17.34 million), will be dedicated to output for the equipment manufacturer. Further investments to boost the production of radial OTR tyres will also be made over the next three years, Apollo announced.

While the first batch of tyres from the new facility has already been shipped to BEML, the factory is expected to commence continuous production in March.

16th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Tyres’ Kazakhstan JV on Hold

International News, Product News

Amongst the announcements made upon the public release of the Nokian Tyres 2008 financial statement is news that the company’s joint venture in Kazakhstan has been put on hold. The project with Ordabasy Corporation, agreed upon in 2007, has been paused by mutual agreement, Nokian reports. The company adds that the project may be re-launched, at the earliest, in late 2010. An agreement has been made to return an advance payment of 12 million euros, made for technical support, to Ordabasy.

11th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Technology Developers Rhodia & Dow Corning to Exhibit at Expo

Rhodia and Dow Corning Corporation are to exhibit together at Tire Technology Expo, which is being held in Hamburg, Germany, between February 17 and 19. The two companies can be found in Hall 1, at Stand 4140.

The companies’ joint appearance at the exhibition follows last November’s announced agreement to develop and market new tyre industry silica/silane products. The aim of the agreement, according to Rhodia, is to develop and commercialise innovative silica/silane combinations, principally for the tyre industry where the association of precipitated silica and silane is used in low-energy tyres to help reduce rolling resistance. Silane is the component that enhances the interaction between polymer and silica.

10th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US Goodyear Plant Gets Help, Another Faces Sharp Cuts

One Goodyear tyre plant is getting financial assistance, while another may see sharp reductions, according to various news reports. The Fayetteville Observer reported that Goodyear will receive $1 million over the next decade from the city of Fayetteville, the money intended to help retain jobs at the plant. Meanwhile, Goodyear plans to announce a restructuring and cost-cutting plan on 18 February, when company executives and union leaders meet later this week to discuss the future of the company’s Danville, Virginia plant.

Goodyear executives and union officials have this week held a series of meetings concerning the future of the tyre maker’s Danville, Virginia truck tyre plant. The Danville Register & Bee reported that company executives arrived Monday and are expected to be in Danville through Wednesday.

10th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kenda Supplying Iran’s Largest Carmaker

Kenda has reported the commencement of an OE agreement with Iran’s largest car producer, the Saipa group. Since November 2008, the Taiwanese manufacturer’s tyres have been fitted as original equipment on Kia Pride models built by Saipa under licence. The vehicle, fitted with Kenda’s KR23-Komet Plus tyre in size 165/65R13, is sold in a number of export markets, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Venezuela, Yemen, Uzbekistan.

3rd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors