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BEN’s UK 5-a-side 2007 Football Championship

BEN’s UK 5-a-side Football Championship is back. After a huge success in 2006, in which over 100 teams competed, one of the largest automotive industry tournaments is returning. Held at 9 venues across the UK, this event aims to raise awareness of BEN – the automotive industry charity and raise much needed funds. Once again the event will be run in conjunction with Powerleague, the UK’s largest provider of 5-a-side football and will culminate in a free UK Final for those who progress through.

This Championship is one of the few industry events where company teams from all automotive sectors can participate. In short, the team that wins this event is truly the automotive champions.

16th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Lift from Maywood

Maywood Equipment Group has introduced a new lift. The five tonne four-post lift, Europa 5000, is just one of several new products to be included in Maywood’s new price list catalogue. The Europa 5000 has been launched to fill a gap in the market place.

Gavin Masterton, Director of Maywood commented: “We already have over 50 lifts in our range but we listen to our key distributors like Unipart Automotive and when they say there is a gap in our range, we seek to find the product to fill it.”

The Europa 5000 is electro-hydraulic in operation, has many safety devices like automatic arm locking, foot saver protection and independent four cable lifting system. It is available in single and three phase. The lifting height is 1960mm and the platform length is 5100mm. It is available as a surface mounted lift and requires just 160mm of concrete on the floor.

16th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Riding the Wave

The surface acoustic wave (SAW) tyre pressure monitoring technology that Transense Technologies plc has specialised in since the company’s establishment in 1991 will be used to produce the automotive industry’s first piezo-electric surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor based system. In mid-May Texas Instruments announced their selection of Transense Technologies’ TMS3 20F28X digital signal controller as a key component in the development of this new system, a decision that will see the Oxford-based company supplying a market where, come September 1, all new light motor vehicles registered must be equipped with tyre pressure technology that alerts drivers of significant tyre under-inflation.

16th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Wabco and TVS Group Agree to Brakes Business Demerger

Wabco, a leading provider of vehicle electronic systems to the global commercial vehicle industry, and India’s TVS Group, who amongst other things produce and distribute automotive components and hardware, have announced their intention of transferring the brakes business of their Indian joint venture Sundaram Clayton Ltd (SCL) to a new wholly-owned subsidiary, WABCO-TVS (INDIA) Ltd., (WABCO-TVS) through a demerger plan.

The demerger of the brakes activity will result in two separate corporate entities. The non-brakes business and investments will remain with SCL, who are based in the Indian city of Chennai. The demerger plan is conditional upon securing the approval of the relevant stock exchanges, shareholders, creditors and the Madras High Court.

15th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Europe appoints new PR manager

Hankook has appointed a new head of public relations for its European markets. Effective as of May 1, 2007, Felix Kinzer stepped into this role, taking over from Benedikt Preussner, who will now take charge of European media and event planning for Hankook Europe.

Mr. Kinzer, aged 44, has served in a number of public relations roles within the tyre industry for more than 15 years, most recently heading up his own press office in Munich, from which he supplied automotive related articles to various car and tyre magazines. Previous industry positions include head of the public relations department at Pirelli Germany and public relations manager for Bridgestone’s German operations.

Amongst other responsibilities, Mr. Kinzer will be responsible for the expansion and strategic positioning of Hankook’s pan-European press activities, a role of particular importance in light of the upcoming inauguration of the company’s Dunaujvaros production facility in Hungary, Hankook’s first in Europe.

14th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA Joins Right to Repair Strategy Group

Following on from the Right to Repair Seminar organised by the NTDA at Brityrex in Manchester earlier this month, the NTDA have been invited to join the powerful R2RC Strategy Group which will run the UK end of the Europe wide campaign. The Strategy Group is made up of representatives from the SMMT Aftermarket Section, the Automotive Distributive Federation and the Independent Garage section of the Retail Motor Industry Federation and other members of the Automotive Aftermarket Liaison Group

The main task of the group will be to manage the UK end of the campaign which will include lobbying of MPs in Westminster and MEP’ in Brussels.

Representing the NTDA will be the newly elected Vice Chairman of the NTDA David White of Kwik-fit who commented: “This issue is one of the most challenging for our sector and I look forward to representing the Tyre and Fast fit interests within this group which has a lot of work to do over the next few years”.

14th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

European Commission Approves VB Autobatterie Acquisition

The European Commission has reported its approval of German company VB Autobatterie GmbH’s proposed acquisition of Italy’s FIAMM group’s automotive starter battery business, subject to the German company allaying competitor’s concerns about the impact such a deal may have.

These concerns are related to the FIAMM group’s business in Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as the company holds a strong market position there. A question mark hangs over the impact the planned transaction will have in these markets. VB Autobatterie has offered to divest some of its manufacturing capacity and some key FIAMM brands relevant to the replacement part markets in these countries.

The Commission’s initial market investigation in December stated that the proposed acquisition would raise ‘serious competition concerns’, but its latest position is that, subject to a number of conditions, the takeover would not have any significant hindering effect upon competition within European markets.

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Siemens Hires Banks for Possible VDO IPO

(Akron/Tire Review)) News reports out of Germany say that Siemens AG has hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank AG to act as lead coordinators for a possible initial public offering (IPO) of its VDO Automotive unit.

The reports added that Siemens has not yet made a final decision on whether or not it will seek to list a minority stake in the unit, or sell it outright.

Continental AG has repeatedly said it wants to buy the business from Siemens.

Following an IPO, analysts expect VDO to achieve a market capitalization of $9.5 billion to $12 billion. However, if the entire business is sold, they think Siemens could receive more than $14 billion for it.

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New European Head for Hankook

On May 2 Hankook Tire announced the appointment of Mr. Seung Do Jin, currently executive vice president of the company’s Korea Headquarters in Seoul, to the position of head of Europe Headquarters. Mr. Seung Do Jin, who has been credited with improving and expanding Hankook’s distribution channels within his home country, officially took over the position on May 8. Mr. Seung Do Jin takes over the role from Mr. Seung Hwa Suh who recently became the company’s global CEO.

Mr. Seung Do Jin played an important role in expanding Hankook’s distribution channels through the establishment of more than a hundred automotive aftermarket service shops, known as T-Stations, and in March 2006 he assumed the role of executive vice president at the company’s Korean headquarters. He also served as the managing director of Hankook Tyre UK between 1997 and 2004.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook’s T-station Enters China

Hankook has opened the first of its T-station centres outside of Korea. In mid-April the company announced the opening of a company-owned branch of Hankook’s one-stop automotive aftermarket service shop chain in the Chinese city of Shanghai, the first of many T-station centres the company plans to launch in China. Currently five distributors from various parts of the country have applied for franchises, and Hankook predicts that it will open 300 franchised centres in the next five years, as well as other company owned centres.

China is the first market outside of South Korea in which the T-station concept has been launched. The chain has been operating in its home market for almost three years, and at present some 100 franchised T-station centres – with equipment leased from Hankook – are operating within South Korea.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

NR Speculation a Concern in India

An association representing seven of the largest tyre manufacturers in India has expressed concerns that futures market speculation could lead to rising natural rubber prices in the domestic market, forcing manufacturers to become reliant upon imports – as was the situation in December 2006 and January 2007.

While the current domestic market price of rubber in India is Rs84 (£1.03) per kilogram compared with Rs93 (£1.14) a kilogram in the export market, last year tyremakers were forced to import rubber when domestic market prices shot up to Rs100 (£1.23) a kilogram. The director general of India’s Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, D. Ravindran, believes that speculation in the futures market and a resultant decision by rubber growers to hold back their crop in anticipation of higher prices led to this sizeable price increase. “The futures market, driven by speculation, had given wrong signals to the growers that prices would go up by more than Rs120 a kilogram. As a result of this, they held back their stock, creating an artificial shortage,” he stated.

8th May 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

Poor Perception of Russian Quality a Stumbling Block – Gurin

During an address to the 10th Annual Russian Economic Forum in London, Amtel-Vredestein CEO Alexei Gurin pointed to Russia’s poor quality image as a major stumbling block to diversification, and called for President Putin to identify and support industries outside the energy sector in which Russia could become a quality producer. Amongst those industries suggested was the automotive sector.

Gurin believes that Russia needs to stop its sole orientation towards the oil or raw materials export sector and develop other industries with high export potential and domestic competitiveness which can act as ‘ambassadors’ for Russian-made products – and improve government taxation, customs and industrial policies for those who invest in producing quality, premium, competitive and ‘exportable’ Russian goods.

25th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Chooses SAP to Provide Software Solutions

Indian tyre major MRF Ltd has chosen business solutions provider SAP to provide assistance in its efforts to enhance its global operations through the company’s ‘SAP for Automotive’ set of solutions, which includes enterprise resource planning and customer resource management software.

As a company exporting to more than 75 countries MRF needs to be prepared for fluctuations in the global supply and demand of everything from raw materials to finished products while still meeting strict shipment deadlines. Furthermore, in the increasingly competitive global tyre market, it is essential that tyremakers such as MRF be able to timely monitor and respond to competitor’s pricing and special offers. By using SAP MRF will be able to seamlessly integrate logistical and financial data, eliminating redundant work and saving time and operational costs.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Titan Wheels Wins Queen’s Awards for Enterprise

Titan Steel Wheels Ltd and several other firms from the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors are celebrating after winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise – the UK’s most prestigious annual accolade for business success.

In total, 119 Business Awards are announced this year – 71 for International Trade, 40 for Innovation and 8 for Sustainable Development. As ever, winning companies come from a vast range of business sectors, and range in size from two firms with just three employees to an international giant employing 68,000 people. 49 per cent of this year’s winning firms employ less than 50 people.

This year Titan Steel Wheels Ltd, a manufacturer of wheels for earthmoving machines, represented the tyre and wheel industry.

To mark their achievement, a representative from each winning company is invited to attend a special reception in London tonight (Tuesday 24th April 2007) in the presence of HRH The Duke of York.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors