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Hayes Lemmerz to Sell Brake Component Facilities

Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. announced on November 9 that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its automotive brake component facilities located in Michigan, USA and Monterrey, Mexico for approximately US$58 million in cash. The sale is expected to be completed on November 9, 2007, however the company has not initially disclosed the identity of the purchasing company.

The Hayes Lemmerz brake component operation specialises in supplying the North American automotive market with rotors and drums used in foundation braking systems.

9th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental AG in Talks with Potential Buyers of Parts of VDO

(Akron/Tire Review) Continental AG is in talks to spin off Electric Motor Drives, which is part of Siemens AG’s former VDO unit, management board member and human resources head Heinz-Gerhard Wente said. He said there is strong interest in the unit, which has 3,300 employees. Wente added that Continental has started exchanging information with potential buyers but has not entered negotiations.

The European Commission is set to decide on Continental’s 13.5 billion euro VDO acquisition on November 15. Until then, Continental is not allowed to negotiate the spin-off of parts of VDO. Wente said that German automotive parts supplier Brose and an unnamed Japanese company are interested in acquiring Electric Motor Drives, citing sources close to the talks. It said industry sources put the sale price at around 500 million euros.

7th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama to Hold “Forever Forest” Tree Planting Ceremony

Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has announced it is to hold a tree-planting ceremony as part of its “Yokohama Forever Forest” project on 11 November 2007 at its Hiratsuka Factory. About 3,500 people, including local residents and employees of the Yokohama Rubber Group and their families will plant 30,000 trees that day. Professor Emeritus Akira Miyawaki of Yokohama National University will supervise the planting, which will be followed by various events including a discussion on stage between Mr. Tadashi Tateuchi, a noted automotive journalist, and former F1 driver Mr. Ukyo Katayama.

5th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Maywood Releases New 2 Post Lift

The Maywood Equipment Group has announced the arrival of a brand new electro hydraulic 2 post lift, the KH32. This lift is produced exclusively for Maywood and its introduction comes subsequent to extensive market testing in France and more recently in The UK. The KH32 is available in either single or three phase and has a 3.2 tonne capacity. It features a baseframe, extending its suitability to almost any floor, subject to good concrete conditions. Maywood reports the KH32 is competitively priced and available from the company’s distributors, including Unipart Automotive.

Features of the KH32 lift include arms that swing inwards to fit in between wheels and has a double cable lifting mechanism. It is suitable for general workshop use but also for tyre bays or body repair shops. The lifting pad height is 110 mm, suitable for most cars, and the lifting height of 2074 mm is higher than many lifts. The KH32 comes equipped with many safety features including integrated emergency lowering feature.

2nd November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Alcoa and Greg Weld Design Offer Tru-Forged Wheels

Greg Weld Design and Alcoa Wheels will have decided to combine their efforts to design, manufacture, market and sell what they say will be “some of the most advanced forged alloy wheels available for the automotive aftermarket.” The two companies’ aim is to exceed the needs of the most demanding 4×4 or “Tuff Truck” enthusiast by offering Greg Weld Design’s new Tru-Forged wheels by Alcoa. The wheels will be Available in 20, 22 and 24 inch diameters and up to 14 inches wide. All Tru-Forged wheels will feature a unique polished finish that carries a limited 5 year warranty supported by Greg Weld Design.

All Tru-Forged wheels will be hot-forged from a billet of 6061-T6 aerospace alloy for maximum strength and durability. The one-piece design is 100 per cent CNC machined. The lightweight design, 3500lb. load rating and lifetime limited structural warranty are reportedly unmatched in the industry.

1st November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Challenge Bibendum Returns to Shanghai in November

The 9th annual Challenge Bibendum is only two weeks away, and this year sees the event returning to Shanghai, host city to Challenge Bibendum 2004. The Challenge Bibendum, created by Michelin in 1998, is a concerted effort on the part of vehicle manufacturers, technical partners, energy suppliers and research institutes to provide political and economic decisions makers with insights and understanding into the latest advances in vehicle technology for creating cleaner and more fuel efficient transport options.

31st October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Q3 Growth Below Predictions

Continental AG has announced a third quarter profit increase of 7 per cent, largely attained through the strong performance of the company’s tyre division. However this result has fallen short of market expectations of a 17 per cent rise in profit. Third quarter EBIT was 426.1 million euros, up 8.1 per cent over Q3 2006, while the quarter’s net profit was 251.5 million euros, a figure that failed to meet analyst predictions of 274 million euros.

The company’s consolidated sales for the first nine months of 2007 rose by 8.9 per cent to 11.92 billion euros; before changes in the scope of consolidation and exchange rate effects, consolidated sales were up 6.4 per cent. During the nine-month period EBIT rose by 19.8 per cent to 1.34 billion euros and the return on sales increased by 11.2 per cent; before changes in the scope of consolidation and special effects, EBIT rose 15.8 per cent to 1.38 billion euros. The adjusted return on sales amounted to 12.0 per cent, up from 10.9 per cent last year. The net income attributable to shareholders of the parent increased 25.3 per cent to 825.2 million euros, with earnings per share higher at 5.63 euros, as opposed to last year’s 4.51 euros.

30th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Autodiagnos Releases new Diagnostic Oscilloscope

Autodiagnos, manufacturers of professional diagnostic equipment, namely the Multi Tester Pro, have added a four channel automotive oscilloscope to their product portfolio. The four channel AutoScope from Autodiagnos has an autometers function that provides dedicated presets for injector, O2 Sensor, MAP/MAF Analogue, MAP/MAF Digital and TPS signals and allows the user to browse the integral waveform library to compare healthy and faulty waveform signals.

The AutoScope comes equipped with four colour coded ‘bed of nails’ type probe connectors that offer superior wire connectability. It has a 50 frame live record with playback and also glitch capture, which enables the technician to easily review anomalies. To ensure the AutoScope is always ready for use, it features a one-hour fast charge function as well as the standard trickle charge option.

24th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Receives Local Help to Remain Competitive in US

Local government is giving the Continental Teves brake facility in the US state of North Carolina a helping hand in order to help it remain competitive. On October 19 Henderson County agreed to give Conti $32,150 next year – an amount equalling 80 per cent of the company’s annual property tax – and up to that amount for each of the following four years, and the Town of Fletcher will give the manufacturer exactly half this amount.

Continental sought economic incentives to help secure new contracts, in particular with Daimler and Chrysler to manufacture brake callipers for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Durango and Dakota and the Mercedes M Class vehicles. The funding will enable the Teves plant to create 35 new jobs. “We in the automotive industry are competing on a worldwide basis,” said plant manager Bobby Nelon. “It’s absolutely necessary we come together as a community and industry so the Town of Fletcher and county of Henderson can continue to prosper.”

22nd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Report: Chinese PC Market Accelerates With Government Backing

According to a new analysis from Frost & Sullivan the Chinese passenger car sales volumes have jumped from about 1.2 million in 2001 to over 5.17 million in 2006. Moreover, China has overtaken Japan to be the second largest automotive consumer in the world in 2006. Reduced tariffs are expected enable foreign companies to slash the prices of their cars and compete with the products of domestic OEMs. Meanwhile, new rules on the qualification evaluation of car dealership will ensure the elimination of car dealers without authentic authorisation, aiding fair competition in the market.

“Policies have also been drafted to improve the quality of car parts and components to guarantee the safety of passengers,” says Frost & Sullivan Industry Manager Cecilia Yuan. “The move to promote the consumption of low-cylinder volume cars will not only improve their effect on the environment, but also raise the prices of luxury cars.”

22nd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bidvest Believed to Behind TiAuto Buyout Announcement

Bidvest, 20 per cent shareholders in Tiger Automotive Ltd (TiAuto), who in turn own a 51 per cent share in Yokohama High Performance Tyres in the UK, is believed to have shown interest in acquiring all of the company’s retail and wholesale aftermarket wheel and tyre business. In mid-October TiAuto’s board announced: “Shareholders of Tiger Automotive are advised that the board has received a proposal which may result in an offer to acquire the entire issued share capital of the company.”

22nd October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Breaks Ground on New Central America Components Plant

As of late 2008 Continental will begin sourcing engine and transmission control units for customers in the NAFTA region from a new facility in Costa Rica. On October 17 a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new plant, situated near the capital San José. In attendance were Henner Cnyrim, head of electronics plants Continental Division Automotive Systems, Dr. Sami Krimi, future head of the Costa Rican plant and Mayoress of Alajuela Joyce Zurcher. A reception was then held by the President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias Sánchez, and Minister of the Presidency, Rodrigo Arias Sánchez, along with customer representatives.

The US$61.5 million Conti invests in the facility will give them 16,000 square metres of production and office space that will house 350 employees, and the new plant will specifically manufacture control units and transmission systems for passenger cars built in the NAFTA region. By 2011 the company plans to expand the workforce to 550 and to increase the size of the plant.

18th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Snap-on Sells 1000th Modis

Snap-on Tools has sold its 1,000th flagship Modis hand-held diagnostic tool in the UK to James Gibb, the diagnostic technician at Beauley Motor Services of Southville. To celebrate the UK brand leader in diagnostic tools, software and information for the automotive market, made a special presentation of a Snap-on Tools voucher. Introduced in 2003, the Modis is aimed at providing a complete diagnostic solution to any UK garage or bodyshop. It reportedly continues to be in demand as the UK garage trade “realises the benefits to be gained from upgrading to top-of-the-range hand-held diagnostic tools.”

18th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

GP Automotive: One Fifth Of Business Carried Out On-Line

Back in 2006, G. P. Automotive set out on a mission to create an industry-leading logistics infrastructure, capable of moving parts along the business to business supply chain quickly and efficiently. Central to this vision was the installation of a new MAM Autopart computer system and Autonet e-commerce portal that would help drive the business forward. A year later, this software is managing the internal operations of the business and supporting an e-commerce operation that represents 20 per cent of the company’s total business.

17th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Survey Highlights Sloppy Maintenance

A recent industry survey carried out by Norbar Torque Tools has revealed a shocking lack of awareness of the importance of properly maintaining torque-controlled tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers – with a staggering 24 per cent of respondents to the survey admitting that they never calibrated their torque tools.

Philip Brodey, sales director of Norbar, explains: “Although we were aware of the problem, we were truly surprised by its magnitude as revealed by the survey. As specialist torque tool manufacturers we naturally place a great deal of emphasis on the accuracy of our products. But even the most accurate tool needs regular checking and calibration to ensure that it remains within tolerance.”

17th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors