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Viking to Distribute John Bean Garage Equipment in Scotland

Snap-on Equipment has appointed Viking International as the new distributor of John Bean garage equipment for the tyre trade in Scotland. The garage equipment manufacturer stated that Viking International’s position as a leading tyre distributor and its customer-focussed approach make it “the ideal match” for John Bean’s stated aim to provide the tyre industry with reliable and user-friendly equipment.

Customers visiting Viking International’s Glasgow warehouse can try before they buy at a dedicated John Bean demonstration area equipped with a b9455 wheel balancer and a T5000 tyre changer. The b9455 wheel balancer features a number of panted innovations, including virtual imaging, an adhesive wheel weight clamp and a split weight mode enabling stick-on weights to be hidden behind adjacent spokes on alloy rims. The T5000 tyre changer incorporates a double-acting bead breaker cylinder, a self-centring four-jaw chuck for fast and accurate clamping and pedal-controlled tyre inflation via air ports in the clamping jaws.

8th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Marks June 5 With Fuel Savings Report

June 5 is the United Nations’ World Environment Day – I’m sure you’re already aware of this and have planned a suitable celebration for later in the evening – and Michelin has revved up the festivities by preparing a report on the savings generated by its most recent car and truck tyre line-ups since their launch in 2008.

Michelin calculates that, thanks to these latest car and truck tyres, overall fuel consumption has been reduced by more than 66.7 million litres and CO2 emissions by more than 134,000 tonnes. The company points out the active role it plays in reducing the cost and environmental impact of road transport, noting that tyres consume one tank of fuel out of five for cars and one out of three for trucks. The company’s goal, says Michelin, is to design tyres that help to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining the same high performance in the areas of safety and tread life.

5th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

EURODA Offers 500 million euros for Stake in GM

In an effort to plug the 300 million euro financing hole that is holding up GM Europe crisis talks with the German government and potential buyers Magna and Fiat, the company’s European dealer association “Euroda” has renewed its offer of a shareholding in a future Opel/Vauxhall corporation.

“As mid-sized dealers, we’re ready to play our part in saving Opel. That is why we’re once again calling upon the federal government to take our offer of 500 million euros seriously. This is a historic chance for the automotive industry to let dealers and manufacturers work together to take entrepreneurial responsibility in shaping the future of Opel,” says Jaap Timmer, president of Euroda.

28th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

“Headway” Made in Conti Clairoix Negotiations

Negotiations between Continental AG’s French and German management and representatives of the French government and the CGT trade union have, reports Conti, “made a bit of headway.” The respective parties met in Paris on Tuesday May 26 to discuss solutions for the company’s Clairoix facility, and further talks are scheduled for later in the week.

“We entered into a detailed discussion of the offer presented last week and argued for an adequate overall solution that takes into account seniority at the company and further training measures,” remarked Dr. Thomas Winkelmann, who represents Continental’s German management in his role as HR manager for replacement market passenger car tyres in Europe and Africa. “So far, union representatives have concentrated on uniform one-off severance pay for all employees affected. In the next round of negotiations we intend to talk over a detailed package solution.”

27th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Awarded for Fuel Saving R&D

Research conducted by Toyo Tire & Rubber into technologies improving fuel economy has earned the company an award from the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan. One Toyo employee, OE Tire Development project manager Tamotsu Mizutani, was granted the “Award for Technical Development” award for work carried out together with Honda R&D. Four Honda researchers were also honoured at the May 21 ceremony.

The technology developed by Toyo and Honda relates to reducing energy loss. Toyo explains that a tyre’s tread shrinks upon contact with the ground, and the constant repeated contraction and expansion experienced by the tread causes energy to be dissipated. Materials traditionally used to minimise this energy loss and improve fuel efficiency, adds Toyo, hinder braking power – and those that optimise braking increase energy loss.

26th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Beijing Auto signals interest in Opel stake

China’s Beijing Automotive Industry Corp (BAIC) has reportedly become the fourth company to express an interest in buying into Opel/General Motors’ European operations. According to the Financial Times, BAIC wrote to Commerzbank’s Dresdner Kleinwort a day after the bidding deadline. However, the report also characterised BAIC’s offer “more an expression of interest rather than a formal bid” quoting sources close to the deal. Italy’s Fiat, Canada’s Magna, and Brussels-listed RHJ International all entered bids for the strategic stake on Wednesday, for which GM is seeking about 650 million euros ($900 million).

26th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti to Buy Parts of Schaeffler?

It appears the tables have turned for Continental and Schaeffler. According to Reuters, sources with “knowledge of the matter” report Schaeffler is considering a plan to sell a large piece of its business to Conti in order to address its sizable debt. The ball bearing manufacturer is struggling with debts of close to 11 billion euros and has announced plans to reduce annual labour costs by 250 million euros – a sum equivalent to the laying off of 4,500 employees.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Automechanika Shanghai

Automechanika Shanghai, reputedly Asia’s largest automotive trade fair and the organiser’s second largest Automechanika fair, will take place from 9 – 11 December 2009 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. This fifth edition of the fair is organised by Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd and the China National Automotive Industry International Corporation (CNAICO). In line with the product profile of the global Automechanika brand, the event will encompass a broad spectrum of products and services for the automotive original equipment and aftermarket. Products on offer cover the sectors Parts & Systems, Accessories & Tuning, Repair & Maintenance, IT & Management to Service Station & Car Wash.

In 2008 Automechanika Shanghai had a record number of 1,982 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions showcasing their products in eight halls covering 92,000 square metres. The show attracted more than 30,800 visitors from 104 countries and regions and half of the buyers had full purchasing authority. The number of exhibitors and visitors were up to 59 per cent and 41 per cent respectively.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Appoints New PR Firm for World Cup Tyre Campaign

Continental has negotiated a deal reportedly worth six figures with Inside Media for consumer PR in the UK, selecting the firm after pitches from five companies. PR Week’s Chloe Markowicz reports that the German manufacturer has given Inside Media a UK brief that will include the promotion of the brand’s safety message and its involvement in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The commercial vehicles side of the business will still be related in the media by Conti’s existing agency Automotive PR and motoring PR will be processed in-house.

The major focus is said to be in publications outside the sphere of the traditional motoring press, with the more generalised lifestyle media specifically in the frame. Continental’s communications manager Laura Hardy told Tyrepress.com, “Inside Media are working to increase our press coverage outside of the motoring pages. A lot of drivers don’t read the traditional motoring media but we still want to take the Continental brand name and our safety message to them, that’s why we’ve chosen Inside Media who are specialize in national press and lifestyle media coverage.”

19th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TRW Opens China Test Facility

TRW Automotive Holdings has announced the opening of a new test track in Heihe, northern China. Work at the site began in 2006 and TRW states that during the last three years a “significant investment” has been made in the facility. The track specialises in winter testing and includes a variety of track surfaces designed to test active safety systems such as advanced braking and steering systems and integrated vehicle control and driver assist technologies. According to TRW, the opening of the test track, which is to receive support from the company’s Shanghai technical centre engineers, completes its footprint to locally engineer products and applications for China-based customers.

18th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Richbrook Offers ‘Pro Valve’ Bolt-in Wheel Valves

Why do some enthusiast enthusiasts think nothing of forking out a four-figure sum on a decent set of wheels and tyres and then finish them off with a cheap rubber valve? That’s the question Richbrook are asking with the launch of their latest range of high quality low weight wheel valves aimed at so-called “automotive aesthetes.” As the title suggests, these new units are simply bolted into the wheel to not only provide a more secure fitment and seal, but also a subtle visual kick to any style of wheel. They’re also a worthwhile addition to any track car or club motorsport racer looking to remove the worry of rubber valve failure during those more ‘press-on’ moments. Priced from just £12.95 for a set of four, they don’t cost much, but they do make a better aesthetic impact than the standard rubber valves.

18th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin and Goodyear Top JD Power Survey

Michelin and Goodyear have topped the most recent JD Power (OE) tyre satisfaction survey in three segments, while Goodyear won in one segment. Michelin ranked highest in the luxury, passenger car and truck/utility segments, while Goodyear topped the performance sport segment. Within each of the four segments (luxury, passenger car, performance sport, and truck/utility) four factors are examined to measure tire owner satisfaction: wearability, appearance, traction/handling, and ride. Rankings are based on owners’ experiences with their tyres after two years of ownership.

In the passenger car and luxury segments, Michelin performed particularly well in the wearability and appearance factors. In the truck/utility segment, Michelin performs particularly well in the tyre wearability factor. Goodyear ranked highest in the performance sport segment. While the tyre manufacturer performed well in traction and handling, according to the survery, Goodyear differentiates itself in the area of tyre wearability.

18th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

ATS Euromaster Pumps Up Tyre Pressure Message

ATS Euromaster is urging motorists to adjust their tyre pressures if they plan to travel with a heavy load this summer, in a season which is expected to see more Britons pack their cars for a holiday on home shores than in previous years. Chris Hufflett, group operations director for ATS Euromaster, which has 460 automotive fast-fit centres across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, said:

“If you are carrying a full load of passengers with luggage or will be towing a caravan or trailer, tyre pressures must be increased in line with the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. It’s a simple five minute job, but from our experience, the majority of drivers don’t bother. Few people realise that it is the air inside a tyre which carries the weight of the vehicle and its load, not the tyre itself, hence nearly every car has two recommended pressure settings – one for ‘normal’ use and a higher figure for full loads.”

18th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Schaeffler Group to Make 250 million euros of Savings

Schaeffler Group has announced that is to implement further cost adjustments, while trying to prevent layoffs. In the first quarter of 2009, the company’s Automotive division recorded a downturn of 33 per cent compared to the previous year, which has now stabilized at a level 25 per cent below last year’s. The Schaeffler Group’s Industrial division, which accounts for 40 percent of total sales, sustained losses of 12 per cent in the first quarter. At 7.5 billion euros, current sales expectations for 2009 are significantly below 2008 levels. In a statement the company said it does not expect the markets to return to 2008 levels until 2012 or 2013.

13th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Automechanika Thailand 2010 Postponed

The third Automechanika Thailand scheduled for March 2010 has been postponed, apparently due to Thailand’s political situation and the effect of the global financial crisis on the automotive market. Show organisers Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and Ipex (International Promotion & Exhibition Co Ltd), announced the postponement on 8 May 2009 when Stephan Buurma, managing director of Messe Frankfurt Asia Holding Ltd said: “In light of the prolonged political circumstances and the slumping automotive market affected by the current economic climate, we have opted to postpone this show. We trust that it is the best solution to all parties concerned despite the fact that previous shows were well-received by the industry. We will monitor the situation closely and reschedule the show at a more appropriate time.” cja

8th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors