According to Thierry Chiche, Michelin’s senior vice-president Russia & CIS, the tyre maker plans to invest 35 million euros this year developing facilities within the country. Thierry shared this news during the Moscow International Automobile Salon 2012, which began yesterday, and said the funds would primarily go towards expanding the product portfolio manufactured at Michelin’s Davydovo factory near Moscow.
Michelin has instigated a large-scale recall in the US; the tyre maker has announced it is voluntarily recalling approximately 841,000 BFGoodrich and Uniroyal-branded van and light truck tyres sold in the US, Canada and Mexico. The reason given for the recall is that 0.017 per cent of tyres sold have been returned by customers, who have experienced tread loss and/or rapid air loss, resulting from tread belt separation. Michelin says that no deaths or injuries have been reported in connection with the recalled tyres.
Pirelli Tyre’s UK motorsport manager believes that Dorset and Hampshire’s Rallye Sunseeker “marks a new beginning for the British Rally Championship”. While Ford announced that it would join the manufacturers’ championship, the tyre-maker was providing tyres to two-wheel drive vehicles – the only cars eligible for points in this year’s series for the first time since the 1990s. Ireland’s Mark Donnelly took the spoils at an enthralling curtain-raiser, set in the Wareham and Ringwood forest complex close to the rally base in Bournemouth, Dorset.
Tire Review notes that Michelin North America (Canada)'s price increase was the continent's 86th in 2011. As of 1 October, the unit is increasing pricing on its Michelin and BFGoodrich medium truck tyres by up to 6.5 per cent. Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal and MNA’s associate brand passenger and light truck replacement tyres (excluding winter tires) will see increases averaging 4 per cent as of 1 November.
Ambest Service Centers, a 68-outlet chain of truck repair and facilities in the US, has signed a deal with Michelin Americas Truck Tires to stock the tyre maker’s range of Michelin and BFGoodrich brand products and for Michelin to offer tyre and emergency road service at many Ambest locations.
Production capacity at Michelin North America’s Fort Wayne BFGoodrich plant will expand through a US$50 million investment. The tyre maker has announced that expansion work at the Indiana-based facility will begin immediately and includes upgrading equipment at the 40 year old plant. Approximately 35 new jobs will be created through the project.
Maxxis’ specialist mud terrain tyres, like the Bighorn MT-762, enhanced their credentials after being voted runner up in a comparison test by popular consumer magazine Australian 4WD Action. During a week of testing journalist Scott Butler compared all-terrain, mud-terrain and road-going 4x4s to assess traction and handing, carrying out braking distance and high-speed swerve tests, noise testing and driving tests in sand, dirt, hills and mud. The Maxxis tyre, which was up against BFGoodrich, Cooper and Mickey Thompson, was rated the best specialist mud tyre as well as second overall.
Two Hankook Tire America Corp. executives have opted to leave the company. Bill Bainbridge, director of brand communications, has decided to retire effective February 25. He joined Hankook in 2003 after stints with Toyo Tire USA, where he served as marketing director from 1996 to 1999 and as a regional sales manager from 2001-03. Prior to that, he held positions with SEMA, where he was vice president of marketing from 1999 to 2001; and BFGoodrich Tire. in a variety of in-store and field positions.
Prices for Michelin replacement market products in the US is set to rise, with new truck tyre and retread prices coming into force on December 1 and passenger car and light truck tyre price increases scheduled to be implemented on February 1, 2011. The specific amount of each price increase has not been announced, however it appears that prices for Michelin and BFGoodrich branded truck tyres and MRT brand retreads will go up an average of eight per cent.
Michelin’s BFGoodrich brand is giving its Facebook fans a chance to win a “piece of automotive history,” reports Tire Review. New or existing fans of BFG’s page will be eligible to win an actual wheel and tyre assembly that was bolted onto Travis Pastrana’s Subaru for his recent record-breaking feat, signed by Pastrana himself.
Effective July 1, 2010, Thomas Praktish has taken on the role of executive vice president and chief financial officer of Michelin North America. Prior to this appointment Mr. Praktish served as controller for Michelin Americas Small Tires and his previous roles within the company include financial positions in Michelin’s manufacturing plants and corporate offices, both in the US and in France. Praktish began his career with Michelin as a financial analyst for BFGoodrich Tires.
Come June 1, North American customers wishing to purchase Michelin company tyres will require pockets that are up to six per cent deeper. The tyre maker has announced price increases for Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal, private and associate brand passenger car and light truck replacement market tyres sold in the United States. Prices for replacement market motorcycle tyres will also increase by up to six per cent in the US, Canada and Mexico markets.
Launched in 2009, BFGoodrich’s Mud-Terrain KM2 proved to be an excellent brand on which to learn new off-road skills when a 4×4 neophyte from Tyres & Accessories tried out the rubber in muddy Warwickshire countryside (see Related News). Now, TV chef Richard Fox and actor Neil Morrissey have used the product to hone their skills with off road driving experts Yorkshire 4×4 in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, in preparation for their next TV adventure heading out to Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Yorkshire 4×4 delivered the training using the newest addition to their fleet, a 2010 110 TDCI Land Rover Defender, which was fitted with BFGoodrich Mud Terrain KM2 tyres to replace the original equipment road-biased tyres.
The managing director of Yokohama’s UK distributor, David Seward, has been appointed president of the Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association. Commenting on his appointment, Seward said; “Yokohama has been a long-standing member of ITMA and I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed President of the Association. ITMA has a vital role in the UK and it is a responsibility I will give my full commitment to.
Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) and its Southam specialist 4×4 division reports that it distributed more than three quarters of a million 4×4 tyres in the UK tyre market during the course of 2009. According to company representatives, this means Micheldever is “probably the largest distributor of 4×4 tyres in Europe.” From MTS’ perspective, the largest ongoing growth sector remains mid-range 4×4 product (see “Was Winter of Discontent Good News for 4×4 Market?” elsewhere in this feature for more discussion on this subject), with General, BFGoodrich, Kumho, Falken and Toyo said to be leading the way.
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