The United Steelworkers (USW) union has voiced its approval for a labour agreement signed between Firestone and rubber workers in Liberia. Under the terms of this agreement, says the USW, workers at one of the world’s largest rubber plantations will receive wage increases, an improvement in work conditions and upgraded housing and educational facilities.
The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) is to stage its next World Rubber Summit alongside TyrexpoAsia09. The news means delegates, speakers and exhibitors from both events can take advantage of the enormous networking and information sharing opportunities provided. Making the announcement, Dr Hidde Smit, the IRSG’s secretary-general, said: “Joining forces with TyrexpoAsia is a perfect opportunity for us to add real value to our World Rubber Summit in Singapore. I know this will be welcomed by the hundreds of delegates, speakers and high profile figures from the global rubber industries who will be in Singapore next March.
Following recent negotiations, FGSport, the planners behind the FIM Superbike World Championship, has signed an agreement with Pirelli to provide the tyres for the competition, as well as the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup and the UEM Supersport 600 European Championship, until 2012. Pirelli is the current supplier for all of these events, and the new contract will extend the run beyond the end of the season, where the current deal would have ended.
According to FGSport, the deal is reflective of the excellence shown by the Italian manufacturer over the past three years, in which no tyre has caused any incidents or recorded any breakages showing optimal reliability. Additionally, Pirelli’s ability to offer strong service and support made competitive bids difficult.
Bandvulc has won a tyre contract with Midlands-based trailer servicing company, Trailercare, after extensive trials of tyre products. Trailercare managing director, Mark Hemus said he had no hesitation in choosing Bandvulc and is confident that this is the right choice for his work to his blue chip customers. Hemus commented: “Trailercare has a reputation of providing quality service levels at the right prices. The selection criteria for our tyre agreement had to meet these same exacting standards, which Bandvulc achieved and exceeded.”
This arrangement also sees the tyre division of Trailercare (Total Tyre Care) being added to BTC’s list of providers in the West Midlands; a ‘win-win’ for both organisations. Total Tyre Care’s Director/Manager, Carl Falconer comments: “With the experience Bandvulc has in the tyre support network – it was an obvious choice to go down the Bandvulc route, their TSU is one of the best in the industry and is growing all the time. It assists us to be part of that growth”.
The 60 remaining employees at Goodyear’s Tyler plant in East Texas are to vote on Friday whether to close the factory early, prior to the expiry date of the master union contract. Currently this document – in effect until July next year – forces the company to close its plant in Valleyfield, Quebec, but union members can choose to waive this agreement.
Both plants provide additional mixing capability to other Goodyear plants, but – with demand for rubber down and all plants able to mix themselves – its has become unnecessary for the manufacturer to run both operations. At present there are no plans to close the Quebec site.
The terms offered to the union by Goodyear, should the vote result in early closure, remain undisclosed.
China’s largest surface coal mine, China Coal Pingshuo, has signed a three-year renewable contract with Michelin. According to an official statement released by the tyre manufacturer, the deal sees the company enter into an agreement to provide “a new kind of service.”
China Coal Pingshuo has contracted Michelin to provide and maintain 53/80R63 tyres for the Komatsu 930E trucks that it operates in the mine. The leader in the Chinese market for giant 63-inch tyres, Michelin had previously signed a tyre supply contract with Pingshuo in May 2007. In May 2008, the same customer chose Michelin as its 2007 Supplier of the Year from a list of 186 companies.
Bridgestone Tyres has gained a contract with Thamesdown Transport, the Swindon-based bus company. Bridgestone will be supplying its range of specialised bus tyres to Thamesdown’s entire fleet. Paul Jenkins, Managing Director of Thamesdown Transport, explained: “We were impressed by Bridgestone’s offering. We chose them over the other bidders due to their cost effective package and their full range of services.” Based in Swindon, Thamesdown Transport runs 110 vehicles and has a modern, purpose built depot with excellent working conditions.
Continental has increased its share in Continental Matador Rubber following a July 1 agreement to transfer an additional 15 per cent of Continental Matador shares. Following the transaction the Continental Group holds 66 per cent of shares in Continental Matador Rubber.
Partial day strike action at Kumho’s two main South Korean facilities is likely to cost the company about KRW 2.98 billion (£1.4 million) a day in lost output. Strike action initiated by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) began on July 2, and Kumho stated in a filing with the Korea Exchange that the strike calls for each shift and the factory to remain idle for four hours a day.
BTC, the management arm of the Bandvulc Group, has secured a three-year commercial tyre management agreement with Hill Hire plc, the hire and leasing specialists owned by the Bank of Scotland. With a value in excess of £20 million over its term, the agreement places management of Hill Hire’s tyre provision in the hands of BTC. Bandvulc reports that several value added factors played a role in its securing of the deal, including the provision of 24/7/365 coverage through BTC and the management of all activity in-house rather than via a third party call centre. The new tyres delivered under the terms of the agreement, Bandvulc adds, will be Continental products.
Vellco Limited has signed a new three year agreement with Michelin in the UK to collect, sort and grade a significant proportion of the truck tyre casings arising within Michelin’s UK truck tyre division. This agreement is expected to produce a substantial number of truck tyre casings annually for Vellco’s operations, including truck tyre casings from all designated ATS Euromaster Centres.
“Michelin has worked in partnership with Vellco for a number of years now, and this new agreement demonstrates our commitment to a stable and sustained partnership arrangement for the future,” said Chris Bloor, commercial director for Michelin UK. Vellco managing director Chris Fell added “we are absolutely delighted to sign this agreement with Michelin. We are committed to giving a professional service throughout the entire Vellco operation, and this is borne out by the confidence that Michelin has shown by utilising Vellco, and our ability to deliver what they need.”
The Pirelli Group communicates has sealed a sponsorship deal with South African athlete Oscar Pistorius. Pirelli Chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera described Pistorius as: “An extraordinary person. We are happy to be able to give him our support. For Pirelli, he could represent our new Carl Lewis; his story witnesses to the fact that will, passion and technology can vanquish any obstacles, improving the lives of many.”
“Pirelli” – added Oscar Pistorius – “is a great company and an important brand. This agreement is another sign, after winning my case to have the chance to participate in the Olympics, that barriers are in the eyes of the beholder, of those who believe them to be barriers. It would be a dream come true for me to be a testimonial like Carl Lewis.”
On 5 June 2006, Eurowaste Recycling Plc was convicted and sentenced in absence at Rugby Magistrates’ Court for keeping waste tyres without the correct documentation, failing to supply waste transfer notes and failing to remove waste. The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Protection Act. Eurowaste Recycling Plc was fined £63,000, ordered to pay costs of £7890.85 and compensation of £3516.00 for unpaid licence fees.
Michael Robinson, representing the Environment Agency, told the court that in the summer of 2006, Eurowaste Recycling Plc entered into an agreement with Fraser Evans and Sons Ltd for shredded tyres to be supplied to Eurowaste Recycling Plc’s site at Long Marston Airfield in Stratford-upon-Avon. Environment Agency officers visited the site in September 2006 and October 2006 and saw that significant amounts of waste in the form of shredded tyres had been deposited. Further investigation revealed that over 1300 tonnes of shredded tyres had been deposited at the site from June 2006 to September 2006.
National Tyres and Autocare is continuing support of cancer charity, Breast Cancer Care. During the month of May, National staff members were encouraging customers to donate £1 to Breast Cancer Care and promoting the charity in all press advertising, with plans to continue to support the charity throughout the year. The charity provides essential services such as a free and confidential helpline, website, discussion forums, courses and one-to-one support sessions.
Tony Neill, Chief Executive, NTA, commented “We are delighted to support the exceptional work carried out by Breast Cancer Care. Cancer touches the lives of so many people and we are proud to be able to raise funds towards providing vital care for cancer sufferers and their families.”
Lanxess Inc. announced on May 9 it has entered into a multi-year tenancy agreement with the University of Western Ontario (U.W.O.) Research Park in London, Ontario (Canada), which will become the new home for the Lanxess Butyl Rubber Business Unit polymer research group. Presently operating out of the company’s Sarnia site, the new facility will have global responsibility for the research and development of butyl and butyl-like elastomers. Three global rubber manufacturing sites – Belgium, Canada and Singapore – will be supported from this new facility. It is expected that relocation to the Ontario site will be completed by the end of 2009.
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