Kumho has supplied some 85 per cent of the tyres in use on official Winter Olympics shuttle cars. Athletes, officials, members of the Olympic committee, VIPs are all relying on Kumho I’Zen XW KW17 snow tyres when it comes to being transferred between competition sites.
(Akron/Tire Review) Continental AG has appointed William L Kozyra a deputy executive board member. Kozyra, president and CEO of Continental Teves Inc in Auburn Hills, Michigan, is responsible for the automotive systems division’s NAFTA business. “The appointment of Kozyra gives Continental an executive board member in North America to represent its interests locally in dealings with key OE customers located in the region,” said Continental in a release. The appointment takes effect immediately.
Motor parts supplier Motaquip has announced the appointment of Andy Hill as product planner, expanding its product team to eight. He will be responsible for Motaquip’s timing and drive belts range, compiling catalogues, setting prices and developing range additions. Andy Hill has over 25 years’ automotive industry experience, having worked for Lucas SRE, TRW Automotive and Lucas Automotive. Prior to joining Motaquip, he was product development manager for Timken, where his responsibilities included the company’s automotive aftermarket product activities.
German automotive supplier Continental AG and workers have officially reached a deal over how to phase out production the company’s Hanover Stoecken plant, the IG BCE union has reported. Continental will now push back the date for closing car tyre production in Hanover to the end of 2007 from the end of this year as once planned. There will be no forced layoffs, chief union negotiator Werner Bischoff told reporters.
Viking International has announced the appointment of Mike Singleton as account manager for the South East. Singleton’s area will include London, Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, East and West Sussex and will take him as far as Bournemouth and Poole.
Singleton (39), originally from Bracknell in Berkshire, began his career in 1983 on a YTS scheme for National Tyres and Autocare as a trainee tyre fitter. After a short spell with Cafco Automotive Ltd, Singleton continued to work for National Tyres in various sales and managerial roles until 1996. Subsequently, he joined ATS (Southern) Ltd and finally Hi-Q (Goodyear), again in various sales roles before joining Viking International.
(Akron/Tire Review) Hankook Tire America Corp. is now the official sponsor of the Kaaz USA Motorsports Competition Drift Team for 2006. Kaaz USA Team cars competing in Formula Drift and D1 events and exhibitions will use Hankook Ventus RS2 Z212 performance tyres. “Drifting is one of the fastest-growing automotive competitive events in the world,” said Bill Bainbridge, Hankook’s marketing director. “We’re excited to be partnered with Kaaz USA and their stable of some of the top drivers in the sport. We expect great things from our sponsorship in terms of brand awareness with sport compact enthusiasts and showcasing the performance of our Ventus line of ultra-high performance tyres.”
Figures for European vehicle production rose 8.6 per cent in January. Western Europe posted growth of 1.9 per cent, but production in Central Europe rose by a remarkable 42.4 per cent. There were contrasting performances during the month, with Fiat production up 31 per cent (from a low base) due mainly to the launch of the new Punto. VW production rose 8.6 per cent on the back of Audi, Passat and Golf Plus models. Mercedes output was flat, but Smart production fell 34 per cent. PSA production rose nearly five per cent, but Renault fell 6.4 per cent, despite strong sales of the new Clio.
Tool company Snap-on will join forces with Snap-on Diagnostics and Snap-on Equipment at the Automotive Trade Show to demonstrate their combined ability to deliver a complete solutions package for the workshop and technician.
Its not just new tyre manufacturers and retreaders that are benefiting from booming OTR tyre sales. Businesses such as Stahlgruber’s Tip Top division have benefited from the recent increase in demand. The demand for tyre repair systems has multiplied over the last year, export manager Maximilian Spenger says. Today it is an absolute priority for users of OTR tyres everywhere to “keep the tyres going somehow.” At Tip Top’s headquarters near Munich those in charge are reacting quite calmly to the current situation because the market changes did not go unforeseen.
Pro-Align is promising an action packed stand, at this years Automotive Trade Show. The ‘Alignment Show Live’ presentation, synonymous with Pro-Align, returns for a third year. “We have seen our sales of digital imaging aligners increase to over 50 per cent of wheel aligner sales – workshops purchasing the imaging system find its quick, accurate easy to use and easy to charge on” explained Pro-Align’s Paul Beaurain.
Leading UK wholesale and retail tyre supplier, Stapletons Tyre Services has appointed a new sales manager to join its wholesale operation. Following a two-year gap, Nigel O’Hara, 46, returns to Stapletons as wholesale sales manager. Reporting to wholesale and IT director, Steve Parker, Nigel’s remit is to manage Stapletons’ wholesale tyre sales operation as well as the telesales division across the country. Nigel will also manage a team of field sales staff.
Only day’s after automotive magazines criticised the quality of British garages and their lack of support for the Kitemark scheme, Unipart Automotive has unveiled the first Unipart Car Care Centre received the accreditation.
Village Motor Company of Wallasey, Merseyside, part of Unipart Automotive’s national network of 1,400 independent garages, has become Britain’s first Unipart Car Care Centre to achieve the BSI Kitemark. As a leading supplier of automotive parts and accessories, Unipart Automotive says it always wanted a clear badge of distinction between the so-called “rip-off” garages and those who provide service motorists can have confidence in.
Continental AG has sold Stankiewicz GmbH to the Dutch investor Gilde Buy-Out Fund, Utrecht, Netherlands. The two parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. Stankiewicz belonged to the ContiTech division of Continental AG and was taken over by Continental as a part of Phoenix AG in 2004. “ContiTech is reorienting its core business activities, which is why we decided to sell Stankiewicz GmbH,” says Gerhard Lerch, executive board chairman of ContiTech AG. “This move will have a positive impact for Stankiewicz as well.”
Varta has warned the UK aftermarket to expect further steep rises in automotive battery prices later this year. This is the result of the high price of lead on global markets, which has been steadily rising since mid-2003, driven by demand for base metals from China and other emerging markets. The price of lead is the major factor governing the cost of a car battery and, while increased material costs were initially absorbed by the manufacturers, this is no longer tenable, with lead costing 80 per cent more than it did two years ago.
Tony Todd, the architect of 34 years of growth at Micheldever Tyre Services’, has sold the company to its management team. On 6 February Alan Baldwin, Phil Brookes, Ashley Croft, Mike Flood, Brian Kerswell, and Eric Noble became the new owners. A number of other companies, including Kwik-Fit, are said to have unsuccessfully approached the company.
The deal was backed by private equity company Graphite Capital and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Financial sources report that Graphite is taking a 72 per cent stake while the management will own the remaining shares. While details of the price-tag have not been released, estimates would have to be based on the £150 – £160 million of sales the company achieved in 2005.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
