While Lanxess says it is “pursuing strategic options for specific non-core businesses” and aims to reduce its global workforce by around 1,000 people by the end of 2015, the specialty chemicals firm’s reduced 2013 capex is being invested in areas serving the tyre and automotive industries. The company says work on its three key projects, including the new neodymium polybutadiene rubber (Nd-PBR) plant in Singapore is progressing according to plan.
At the Autumn Conference organised by Luxembourg-based broker Kepler Cheuvreux and held in Paris on 18 September, Michelin chief executive officer Jean-Dominique Senard confirmed the tyre maker’s 2015 operating profit target of €2.9 billion, some 20 per cent higher then 2013 estimates. He also said that capital expenditure is expected to peak between €1.8 billion and €2.2 billion in 2014 and 2015 before declining to between €1.6 billion and €1.9 billion in 2016 and €1.5 billion and €1.8 billion in 2017.
Reflecting their long-term and invaluable support of BEN, the automotive industry charity, Enterprise Rent-a-Car's latest initiative, The Enterprise Golf Day raised over £8,000 – a huge sum of money for a golf competition.
The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) has agreed a deal with show organiser ECI International to become the major sponsor of Brityrex International 2014, continuing a long-established relationship between the two organisations. The show will return to EventCity in Manchester between 7 and 9 October. NTDA chairman Stephen Callow welcomed the deal: “The NTDA has enjoyed a close and valuable relationship with Brityrex for many years and I’m extremely pleased that we will be working constructively together with the show again next year.
TyreSafe is calling for automotive and road safety professionals (including tyre manufacturers, retailers, emergency services, councils and others) to submit nominations for the inaugural TyreSafe Awards.
The awards, which will be presented at a lunch on Wednesday 20 November at St Johns hotel in Solihull, will recognise the best contributions from a range of organisations around the UK in helping raise awareness about tyre safety issues during 2012 and 2013.
Bentley could use a diesel engine for the first time in its history in the SUV which was recently confirmed for production.
Speaking at the Frankfurt Motor Show, CEO Dr Wolfgang Schreiber said: "We will investigate a diesel engine. In that platform (the Bentley will share its underpinnings with the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7 and VW Touareg) a diesel engine will be implemented, anyway, so it could make sense. The numbers in Europe could be very high."
Dunlop has developed tyres for the new Opel Monza Concept car, revealed at the 65th International Motor Show in Frankfurt this week. Dunlop says that work on the concept tyre, in size 245/35R21, began in early 2013 and underwent a number of stages in collaboration with Opel to meet the car manufacturer’s expectations. The design features the same sleek lines found on the Monza Concept, enhancing the car’s overall look through the tyres and onto the ground.
“Dunlop and Opel design teams worked on the design and development of the tyre to ensure the tread matched the sleek shape of the car perfectly”, explains Helmut Fehl from Dunlop’s advanced design and development centre in Hanau, Germany. “Every detail of the tyre was discussed, evaluated and designed to meet the highest standards and expectations of the Opel team.”
At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Jaguar Land Rover announced an investment approaching £1.5 billion to introduce an all-new technically-advanced aluminium vehicle architecture in forthcoming models. To support this strengthening of the Jaguar product portfolio 1,700 new jobs will be created in the UK at the company's advanced manufacturing facility in Solihull.
Italmatic Group has entered into a Joint Venture with Tesco of America Inc., the US based supplier to the automotive and tyre sector. The joint venture will be renamed as Tesco Italmatic LLC, with headquarters in Oakland Park, Florida, USA. According to the company, the partnership will focus on “making a strong statement for the distribution of Italmatic products in the North, Central and South American regions, offering a wide and complete range of products and services.”
GT Radial has added the Champiro WinterPro HP tyre to its portfolio, with sizes ranging from 16 to 20-inch wheel diameters, including dedicated SUV fitments.
Designed specifically for the UK and European markets, the tyre’s development has focused on mid-to-large high-performance cars. According to the company, it has been produced using a sunflower oil-enriched compound that maintains the elasticity of the rubber at low temperatures and utilising an asymmetrical tread design. The outer blocks are designed to provide good dry and cornering properties while the inner block area has been developed to provide extra grip in wet and snow conditions.
The Miss Yokohama beauty pageant has a long tradition in the Swiss automotive industry and 2013 marks the 12th year of the contest. The winner not only spends a year as brand ambassador for the tyre brand, attending various functions and trade shows, but also wins a car and other prizes, such as a photoshoot.
The weekly e-bulletin from the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation quotes a worldwide cost survey commissioned by This is Money from Looking4Parking.com which says that British motorists are being hit with the world's fourth most expensive diesel prices.
Hofmann Power Weight has released a new black coloured knock-on weight 161. The company says the weight is a tried and tested top-seller, but the new addition of black powder coating means the zinc weight appears almost invisible when fitted. It adds that the weight’s “premium coating” gives the weight “optimum corrosion resistance”.
The British Tyre Manufacturers Association (BTMA) has elected Erich Fric, Goodyear Dunlop’s UK and Ireland managing director, as its new chairman. Fric was elected as the at a recent board meeting and takes over with immediate effect. He brings with him 20 years of experience in the business. Erich Fric will also represent the BTMA on the board of the Tyre Industry Federation (TIF). He replaces Michelin Tyre plc managing director, Eric Le-Corre whose chairmanship ended recently when he took up the Paris-based role of head of public affairs for the French tyre manufacturer.
Continental has appointed Matthias Matic as its new Hydraulic Brake Systems Business Unit head, part of the Continental Chassis & Safety Division, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Matic moves from his current position as Chassis Components Business Unit head on 1 September, succeeding Peter Laier who has assumed a position on the executive board of a German light manufacturer. “I’m looking forward to the new challenge. Hydraulic brake systems have proven their worth a million times over; they’re a key component of automotive safety. Friction brakes will continue to be an important topic for the foreseeable future”, said Matic.
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