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Kumho to Title Sponsor Man U. Visit to Korea

In an attempt to boost its sports marketing profile, Kumho Tires has invited phenomenally popular football team Manchester United to participate in a friendly game that the tyremaker is title sponsoring. The Kumho Tires Cup 2007 Manchester United Korean Tour, as the event is to be known, will take place on July 20 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, and the lads from England will compete against leading South Korean professional football team FC Seoul.

A press conference held on April 27, attended by Kumho Tires CEO Sae-chul Oh, Manchester United president David Gill, FC Seoul president Wan-kyung Lee plus a number of dignitaries outlined the plans and hopes for July’s high-profile event. Kumho Tires’ president, Mr. Oh, said, “We hope that this game can lead young soccer lovers to have more aspiration for the future while revitalising general public’s interest in soccer reaching out to more people.”

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Files Suits Against Double Coin Dealers

Michelin has informed the media that it is filing suits against tyre dealers selling the Double Coin brand as it follows up previous notifications regarding the sale of tyres with tread patterns resembling those on Michelin truck tyres. The French tyremaker alerted more than 5,000 dealers of the risks involved in marketing these look-alike tyres sourced from Asia back in December 2005, stating that while the treads may look the same on both tyres, the look-alikes may not deliver the same grip or longevity as an authentic Michelin tyre.

With tyres bearing unauthorised copies of patented Michelin tread patterns still available on a number of markets 18 months later, the company has chosen to pursue legal action against dealers of these products in all countries where Michelin sales teams have identified the products.

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

ISSRP Appoints New Executive Committee in Delhi

(India/Rubber Asia) The 48th International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers Inc (IISRP) AGM held in New Delhi, India, recently discussed subjects including the new EU quality regime and the marketing scenarios in the galloping economies of China and India. The organisation also appointed new executive committee members that reflect the growing importance of the Russian market.

The newly elected president Vasily Nomokonov will also serve as the European section president of IISRP. Speaking to Rubber Asia on the sidelines of the AGM, Mr Nomokonov said he would like to see that the institute has a broader platform during his tenure. He would also like to see that Russia continues to play a vital role in the growth of global SR industry. The AGM ended with a mesmerising farewell luncheon hosted in a characteristic Russian red ambience and a hearty invitation from the new president to meet in Moscow for the 49th edition of the AGM.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Thai Hua Rubber – Set to Tap the Boom

(India/Rubber Asia) Thai Hua Rubber (THR), a leading natural rubber supplier to tyre manufacturers, is making vigorous efforts to emerge as a top global player by tapping the enduring NR boom to its maximum. “Our idea is to emerge as a dominant global player covering the entire rubber business cycle as fast as we can and in the most credible manner,” says Mr Luckchai Kittipol, the company’s ever dynamic founder and CEO.

The latest plans include major marketing forays into China and India, the emerging power centres of global rubber industry and ambitious plantation initiatives in potential Asian countries. For instance, in Laos, the company will be investing US$50 million to develop NR plantations in 40,000 hectares during the current decade.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Turkish Industry Set for Take-Off

(India/Rubber Asia) Turkey’s rubber goods manufacturing industry is at a take-off stage thanks to the country’s economic liberalisation policy. The country has as many as 200 rubber goods manufacturing companies of which some are reputed exporters to Europe and the US. Mr. K Berat Oztimur, General Manager, Arsan Kaucuk, a market leader of rubberised pipe seals and bearings, spoke to Rubber Asia on the sidelines of the India Rubber Expo 2007. Selcuk Butun, Sales and Marketing Manager of the company, was also present.

Rubber goods manufacturing industry is flourishing in Turkey, especially after the economic liberalisation initiatives by the government. There are about 200 companies manufacturing rubber goods and at least 40 of them are of good repute. Construction industry is one of the largest consumers of rubber goods, mainly, pipe seals and bridge bearings. There are also a number of tyre companies in Turkey. The industry is, in fact, at a take-off stage and even small companies have started realising the importance of quality and are going in for the best technology.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dowey Appointed as Rapra Head

James L. Dowey has been appointed as vice president and managing director of Smithers Rapra Technology, the British subsidiary of Akron-based The Smithers Group. Mr. Dowey is currently director of tyre uniformity machinery at Kobelco Stewart Bolling Inc. based in Hudson, Ohio. He replaces Hugh Pace, formerly of Goodyear, who will become chairman and CEO of Pirelli Tire North America. “Jim will be an excellent addition to the company and will provide a seamless transition in managing our business and international growth opportunities,” said Michael Hochschwender, president and CEO of The Smithers Group, parent company.

Hugh D. Pace, the new chairman and CEO of Pirelli North America, has 30 years of experience at the highest levels of the tire industry, comes to Pirelli from Smithers Rapra Ltd, a British subsidiary of The Smithers Group, where he served as Vice President and Managing Director. Pace will assume his duties as Chairman and CEO of Pirelli North America effective 4 June 2007, replacing Kevin Riddett who is leaving Pirelli after 10 years with the Group to embark on new professional challenges. “Mr. Pace’s international experience is a major plus for our company’s growth strategies in North America”, said Francesco Gori, CEO of Pirelli Tyre Spa.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rhodia to Enter Silica JV in China

French chemical company Rhodia has announced it is entering into a joint venture agreement with the Qingdao Haiwan Group and Qingdao Dongyue Sodium Silicate Company to build a sodium silicate plant in Qingdao, China. The facility will boast a capacity of 220,000 tonnes and is scheduled to come on-stream during the first quarter of 2008.

Sodium silicate is a key intermediate for precipitated silica manufacturing. The new facility will supply Rhodia’s Asian silica manufacturing plants in Qingdao, China and Incheon, South Korea, which specialise in producing high performance silica predominantly used in the manufacture of tyres – most notably, according to Rhodia, low rolling resistance tyres.

“This new facility will give Rhodia a source of competitive raw material to support the growing needs of its silica business in Asia,” commented Eric Noyrez, President of Rhodia Silcea. “As the global leader in high performance silica, we benefit from a rapid increase in demand of the tyre, nutraceutics and silicone markets”.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Tops India OE Tyre Study

(Akron/Tire Review) India’s MRF received the highest customer satisfaction scores in the recent JD Power & Associates Asia Pacific 2007 OE tyre survey.

The study considers new-vehicle buyer perceptions of OE tyre appearance, durability, ride quality, traction and handling.

MRF ranked highest overall, scoring 840 points out of a possible 1,000 points. It marked the fifth time MRF topped the OE study list.

JK Tyre followed in the rankings with 822 points, while Apollo garnered 812 points.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

EU Tyre Recycling Tests Outline “Best Available Technology”

Estimates put forward during the European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA) Conference 2007 in Brussels suggest that at least 300 million tyres reach their end-of-life each year throughout the EU’s 27 member states, with similar amounts found in North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. Taking all of these regions collectively it is likely that the equivalent of more than one billion passenger car tyres require scrapping each year, and in the past many of these were destined for landfill or otherwise illegally dumped.

With EU directives banning the stockpiling of tyres or their disposal in landfill alternative methods of processing end-of-life tyres have been sought, however ETRA have reported that only a third of these tyres are being recycled into recovered materials, the bulk of them instead burnt as a fuel source. The results of conducting pyrolysis on scrap tyres have not in the past achieved promising results, with the resultant carbon being high in ash content and therefore only suitable for low-grade uses.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Publishes “Very Strong” First Quarter Figures

Continental AG’s consolidated sales for the first quarter of 2007 rose by 9.8 per cent compared with the same period of the previous year to 3.964 billion. At the same time EBIT rose by 24 per cent to 436.8 million euros, up from 352.4 million the previous year. For the first three months of 2007, there was a free cash flow of -119.8 million euros, down from -230.2 million. Net debt was 141.3 million euros higher than at year-end 2006. “This was mainly incurred through the financing of the acquisition of the automotive electronics business of Motorola and the contributions to the Contractual Trust Arrangement (CTA) of 630 million euros,” explained CFO Dr. Alan Hippe.

4th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Dunlop Reshuffles Management For Strategic Customer Focus

Goodyear Dunlop Tyres Ltd has announced a number of new appointments designed to strengthen the company’s customer focused management team. Significantly, all but one of these appointments is as a result of internal promotions. The company has also formed a new Customer Strategy team. This team will be led by Mark Davison, who joins the company from Nestle on 8 May. Davison’s role as Customer Strategy Director will be to lead the development and delivery of long-term customer strategies across all business units. (Consumer, Truck, Motorcycle and Off-the-Road).

4th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Turns-Out $21 million Net Income in First Quarter

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has reported net income of $21 million or 33 cents per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2007. The dramatically improved earnings were achieved as total sales increased by 16 per cent to a new first quarter record of $689 million. This compares to a net loss of $5 million generated on sales of $597 million in the first quarter of 2006.

During the quarter the company continued to benefit from the cost reduction and profit improvement initiatives it announced in September 2006 as well as improved price and mix in North America, and increased tyre unit sales in Europe and Asia. As a result, operating profit improved to $30 million in the first quarter of 2007 compared to an operating loss of $4 million in the first quarter of 2006.

4th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Mansurov Appointed AV-TO Executive Director

AV-TO, the retail and distribution subsidiary of Amtel-Vredestein, N.V. has announced that Dilshod Mansurov has been appointed as Executive Director of the company. Mr. Mansurov’s responsibilities will include supervision of all AV-TO retail and distribution operations. He will report to AV-TO General Director, Aleksandr Tryndin.

Mansurov has held senior positions at the Megapolis (a leading Russian FMCG group) since 2003. From 1994 to 2002 he held several executive sales and marketing positions at British American Tobacco (Central Asia). He graduated with an honours degree from the Uzbek State University of World Languages in 1995.

27th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Retrofitted Accessories “Can Cause Premature Battery Death”

Varta Automotive Batteries says that recent evidence from both sides of the Atlantic of a growing trend in premature battery failure caused by the retrofitting of power-sapping accessories has again raised the issue of like-for-like battery fitment.

RAC patrols attending more than half the call-outs in 2006 believe the use of in-car accessories has resulted in an increase in flat batteries. In the USA, a leading car customiser has experienced an increase in reported battery failures from customers who have add-on electronics such as i-pods and Sat Nav systems.
This incidence of batteries “dying young” is likely to have an increased impact on the aftermarket; recent SMMT figures show that sales of retrofitted in-car entertainment and Sat Nav systems grew between 2001 and 2005 from 100,000 to almost 1.9 million units.

Varta’s technicians warn that unless owners fitting these accessories upgraded their batteries to the same specification that would have been used by the vehicle manufacturer had the accessories been factory fitted, it could lead to premature battery failure.

26th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrepress Asia – News With an Asian Emphasis

Tyrepress Asia, sister publication to Tyres & Accessories and NEUE REIFENZEITUNG, is very pleased to announce the launch of its new website Tyrepress Asia and associated e-Newsletter. Based upon the successful format established by Tyres & Accessories and Neue Reifenzeitung’s UK and European e-Newsletters, the Tyrepress Asia e-Newsletter is specifically tailored to provide news and articles from our online publication that are of particular relevance to the Asia and Pacific regions. Our regular newsletter is the only English language tyre industry news source to exclusively cover news and developments from Russia and China down to Australia and New Zealand and from India across the Pacific Rim, and its online format ensures our reports will reach their intended audience while still fresh and newsworthy.

Each year a greater proportion of the world tyre parc is produced in Asia, and companies within the region are increasingly looking to become established global brands. This is a time of rapid growth within the region’s tyre industry and an exciting time to be involved in the business. Therefore it is essential to remain informed of decisions made by both today and tomorrow’s leading players in Asia.

For a limited time Tyrepress Asia is offering free subscriptions to their e-Newsletter and newly launched website Tyrepress Asia– a website where tyre professionals from around the globe can obtain unrestricted access to the latest information coming from Asia’s tyre industry and markets. Produced by experienced industry journalists, the website contains news, feature articles and downloads designed to keep the reader informed. If you conduct business in the Asia and Pacific regions, or simply have an interest in keeping informed about developments in these and coming markets, then Tyrepress Asia invites you to visit our website or click here to obtain your free subscription.

26th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors