Tyre industry jobs, appointments and personnel-related information.
(Akron/Tire Review) Following the retirement of chairman and CEO Dan Wire on 31 March, Treadways Corp has announced the reassignment of two senior executives. Ryoji (Roy) Araki will assume the position of chairman of the board and CEO, and Koichiro (Kyle) Iwasawa will assume the position of president and chief operating officer.
(Akron/Tire Review – Quincy Herald-Whig) Morry Taylor, who created a stir when he ran for president in 1996, is shaking things up again. This time, the president and CEO of Quincy-based Titan International took out a full-page ad 2 February in USA Today calling on Americans to demand common-sense solutions to some of the problems facing this country.
The top of the ad reads in bold print: “Americans are you stupid? I don’t think we are, but politicians, bureaucrats and the intelligent elite think so.” Taylor used the ad as a platform to express his views on a variety of issues he feels are being mishandled by the nation’s leadership.
Continental AG CEO Manfred Wennemer has said he could well imagine the company making acquisitions in the US and Asia in the future. In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Wennemer also said there are plans to strengthen the tyre-making business in China.
Goodyear Europe’s CEO Mike Roney is to become the new chief executive of distribution and outsourcing group Bunzl PLC.
Currently a non-executive director of the company Roney will take over from Anthony Habgood as of 1 November. Company chairman, Habgood, took on the executive role after the unexpected withdrawal of CEO-designate Christoph Sander in June.
(Akron/Tire Review – Freeport Journal-Standard) Following months of virtual silence about the future of Freeport’s Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant, among the region’s last major source of good-paying industrial jobs, the CEO of Titan International Corporation Wednesday drew a rhetorical line in the sand, saying that while he wants to negotiate in good faith with the local United Steelworkers of America, Titan is in no mood for protracted talks or costly demands.
Since John McNaught took over at Bridgestone UK there have been a number of changes including some high profile acquisitions in the commercial vehicle sector. But in general the developments of the last few years can be summed up in one word, growth.
It has been a “phenomenally busy period,” John McNaught told Tyres & Accessories at the company’s Warwick, headquarters. “Bridgestone is in a very high period of growth and for all our staff it is a tremendously busy and rewarding time,” said Mr McNaught explaining that this is part of a long-term plan developed in conjunction with the company’s European management based in Brussels. John McNaught praised the efforts of all his team and highlighted the fact that the company has been awarded the prestigious Investors in People award.
Following Stephen Myers’ decision to step down, John C Orr has been promoted to CEO of plastic, rubber products company Myers Industries in Akron, Ohio. According to reports the board did not waste any time in appointing Mr Orr, the company’s 54-year-old president and chief operating officer, as CEO.
(Akron/Tire Review) Emanuele E (Manny) Cicero has been named president and CEO of Denman Tire Corp., effective 1 May, Denman Tire has announced. Cicero replaces Charles R.Wright, who is retiring.
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) has reported that 11 CEOs from tyre companies in Europe, Japan, South Korea and North America met in Geneva during the Geneva Motor Show to discuss common global policy issues faced by the industry. According to news published by Tire Review, the CEOs discussed environmental and health and safety matters, and reached a consensus on two major issues.
The companies agreed to address industry policy issues of tyre materials and tyre wear particles. As part of that, they agreed to initiate independent research on these issues by establishing two project teams that will report back to the group. Participating in the discussions were the chief executives of Bridgestone Corp., Continental AG, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Hankook Tire Co., Kumho Tire Co., Groupe Michelin, Pirelli & Cie SpA, Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., and Yokohama Rubber Co.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the European Association of the Rubber Industry – BLIC, the Japanese Automotive Tire Manufacturers Association, the Korea Tire Manufacturers Association and the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
Through its participation in the 2006 World Cup, Continental AG is aiming to further enhance its reputation and awareness of the Continental brand. This huge sporting event is said to be the ideal scenario in which to ‘emotionalise’ spectators. The World Cup offers another advantage, according to Lars Fahrenbach, marketing director at Continental’s passenger car division and responsible for the European replacement market: “Everybody else is in motorsports.”
Kwik-Fit has appointed Ian Fraser as its new chief executive, as of the 1st February 2005. Mr Fraser takes over from Tim Parker, who resigned last summer in order to take up the CEO role at the AA. Despite the move Mr Parker remains deputy chairman of Kwik-Fit.
Superior Industries has announced that Steven J Borick will become the company’s new president and chief executive officer from the 1 January, 2005. He will succeed Louis Borick, who will remain chairman of the board.
Commenting on the appointment, Louis Borick said: “Steven Borick has demonstrated his ability to effectively manage our complex operation. He has earned the trust and respect of our employees, our entire management team, and our customers. With his leadership and personal commitment to Superior’s success, we are confident that Steven is the right choice to lead this company into the future.”
Steven Borick, has been president and COO of Superior since 2003. He was executive vice president from 2000 to 2002, and has been a director since 1981. Mr Borick is a director and member of the Audit Committee of MDC Holdings, Inc, Colorado, America’s eighth largest homebuilder, and a director of Richmond American Homes, Denver.
As from April 2004, Minekazu Fujimura has taken up the position of Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President of Bridgestone Europe (BSEU).
Mark Emkes says his top priority as the new chief executive of Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc. is to make the division he headed the past year turn a profit. As the Nashville-based business continues its turnaround from a devastating tyre recall in 2000, three units are making money. Not Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, which includes tyre manufacturing and sales of wholesale and original equipment. “We’ve made nice progress over the last 12 months, but the goal for 2004-2005 is to make that business profitable,” said Emkes, who will continue heading that division even as he takes over the entire company after John Lampe retires on March 31st.
Lewis Booth, Chief Executive of Mazda for the past year, has been named as the new president of Ford of Europe, succeeding Martin Leach, who resigned recently. Booth’s place at Mazda, in which Ford owns a 33 per cent stake, will be taken by Hisakazu Imaki, who has been with the company for 38 years.
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