The Bloomington Pantagraph reports that the Bridgestone Americas OTR tyre plant in that Illinois city is getting a $20 million capital investment. The Bridgestone Firestone Off Road Tire Co. plant’s capacity will be increased and some 40 jobs added, the report said.
Bridgestone Americas has clarified that its capacity expansion plans in the USA will not include increased aircraft tyre manufacturing facilities, contrary to reports published on Bloomberg last week. The misunderstanding was a result of the inclusion of aircraft radials in the company’s portfolio of strategic products, published in the corporation’s mid-term management plan on 21 October.
Several reports of inner tube failure during cold weather operations have prompted the Federal Aviation Administration in the US to issue a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin warning of possible failures involving butyl rubber inner tubes manufactured by Goodyear Aviation Tires. The bulletin has been issued as a recommendation and the FAA states that at present the inner tube failure in question does not constitute a safety issue that would warrant airworthiness directive action.
Michelin North America has been acknowledged by the US military for its tyre supply and logistics services. At the 2011 DLA Industry Conference and Exhibition the tyre maker received two Best Value Awards from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Michelin Truck Tires and Michelin Aircraft Tires each received their fourth consecutive award at a ceremony held during the conference. Out of the more than 7,000 firms supplying equipment to the military, Michelin was one of 182 companies recognised for meeting performance requirements in the Automated Best Value System.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres today hosted Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of West Midlands, Paul Sabapathy CBE at its Birmingham facility, where he presented the company with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of the company’s sales achievements in the international trade category. “It is an honour to receive this award,” said Dunlop Aircraft Tyres chairman Ian Edmondson.
For 30 years, since the Space Shuttle first entered service, Michelin North America has been a part of the programme. The tyre maker has been the exclusive supplier of the enormous tyres that rode on all five Shuttles, which have flown a total of 135 missions over 30 years. On July 8 the Space Shuttle Atlantis blasted off on its final mission from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. When it returns on July 20, Michelin will revert, for the time being at least, to solely supplying earthbound vehicles.
Bridgestone Corporation is one of 16 companies, and the only tyre maker, to be honoured at this year’s Boeing Supplier of the Year awards. The Electrical/Hydraulic/Mechanical Standards category award is the second consecutive Boeing supplier honour for Bridgestone; the Japanese manufacturer was chosen from a pool of some 17,500 active Boeing suppliers in more than 50 countries around the world.
The US military’s Defense Logistics Agency has awarded two tyre supply contracts worth over US$60 million in total to Goodyear and Michelin. The Akron, Ohio-based Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., was awarded a fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract with a maximum $37,104,838 for aircraft tyres intended for the US Army and Air Force. The contract’s “performance completion” is scheduled for 13 September 2013.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the international trade category, following six consecutive years of growth in its international sales. Based in Birmingham, and with a rich history spanning over 100 years DATL’s chairman Ian Edmondson expressed the company’s satisfaction with the reception of the prestigious award: “We are delighted that our achievements have been recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise. It is a great honour for both the company and the people that work here.”
James Bailey, who was appointed director, brand PR in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region for Goodyear Dunlop at the beginning of the year, has appeared on BBC Television’s The One Show, explaining to segment presenter Carol Vorderman the importance of correct tyre pressure, tread patterns and tread depth for driving in the wet. Bailey took the opportunity to talk about the tyre label – with a close-up of the label itself – showing it to around 4 million teatime viewers of the magazine show. The 14 April edition of the show can be accessed by UK internet users via the Corporation's iPlayer website for the next week.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has announced that it has signed up to supply tyres to the 28 aircraft that are maintained by Icelandair Technical Services. The five-year agreement covers both the supply of new tyres and retreading for a fleet of 16 aircraft operated by Icelandair on passenger and cargo routes, as well as 12 flown by airlines in the Nordics and Russia. The company says the deal underlines its high-flying position with Boeing 757-200 operators like Icelandair; Dunlop also supports other major European 757-200 operators such as DHL, First Choice Airways and Thomas Cook.
Birmingham’s Dunlop Aircraft Tyres facility has announced that it has taken delivery of manufacturing and testing equipment acquired from The Yokohama Rubber Company. The Japanese firm, which Dunlop says had a strong reputation in Japan for manufacturing and retreading aircraft tyres, withdrew its brand from this sector of the market last year. “By acquiring this equipment we will enhance our global manufacturing capability and put Dunlop Aircraft Tyres in a strong position to expand its product range,” said the company’s chairman, Ian Edmondson.
Titan International’s acquisition of Goodyear’s European and Latin American agricultural tyre business has given the US tyre maker access to agricultural products designed at the Goodyear Innovation Center in Colmar Berg, Luxembourg – including the Goodyear Optitrac R+. In March 2011 Titan Goodyear Farm Tires announced its introduction of a tyre that has proven popular with European farmers during the past five years.
Desser Tire & Rubber Co. affiliate, Aero WBS has achieved the qualification for retreading Canadair 200, 700, 900 series and Embraer 135 and 145 series aircraft tyres, as well as forming an investigative committee for opening a FAA/EASA approved factory outside of the United States.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has announced the signing of a major deal with Korea Aerospace Industries. The Birmingham-based manufacturer will be the exclusive supplier of tyres for its new Korean utility helicopter, the Surion. The aircraft is being developed to replace South Korea’s aging fleet of 500MD and UH-1H aircraft. The Surion made its first flight early in 2010 and more than 245 are on order.
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