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Pirelli Carlisle Plant Temporarily Shut Down

Pirelli’s plant in Carlisle has been shut since Thursday, when workers were told to stay away following the discovery of a problem with the building’s boiler system.

Local news sources have reported that engineers spent the bank holiday weekend working to repair the malfunctioned apparatus, but that the factory’s management team is waiting for assurance of the building’s safety for work. Pirelli has continued to pay its workers’ wages at the site despite the closure and subsequent loss of production of thousands of tyres.

The factory usually operates all year round, employing 1,000 workers, though this number is set to be reduced following the announcement last month that the company would shed 60 jobs from the site.

26th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Shuts Burton Plant too

Having temporarily shut its Carlisle plant after a fault with the building’s boiler, Pirelli has also sent home its workforce at the company’s other UK factory in Burton.

Pirelli told its workers that production would be suspended while checks were performed on the company’s boiler system. However, there is as yet no word on when the workforce will be able to return to the plant.

26th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Recycler Fined for ‘Tyre Mountain’

Carlisle based recycler Envirotyre Limited has been issued a £20,000 fine for allowing the tyres stored at its premises grow to become what has been described as a ‘tyre mountain.’ The company pleaded guilty to nine offences related to the unlicensed storage and treatment of waste at its site. Commenting on the case, officials from the Environment Agency said that Envirotyre has displayed a blatant disregard for the regulatory controls put in place to protect the environment.

13th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Redundancies Could Be Voluntary: Pirelli Carlisle

Hopes are high that the 60 redundancies announced last week for Pirelli’s Carlisle plant could be filled by volunteers. The MP for Carlisle, Eric Martlew praised Pirelli for their continued investment in the factory despite the job cuts, revealing to local news sources that he was confident that the redundancies could be filled without forcing anyone to leave their job.

The move to cut the jobs comes as a response to decreased demand for products produced at the plant and the ability to manufacture identical items elsewhere. Pirelli released a statement promising to “strive to minimise the impact on our workforce” and that the action – alongside the company’s investment in new technology at the plant – would “help safeguard” its future.

22nd July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

UPDATE: Pirelli Carlisle Cuts 60 Manufacturing Jobs

Following the announcement that its Carlisle plant would be shedding 60 jobs – as reported here on Tuesday – Pirelli has released a statement that it has begun consultation with the site’s senior Union officials. It remarks that, as suggested on Tuesday, the declining price of commodity tyres and identical products made in lower cost countries have led to the necessity to lose 60 employees from the site, taking effect at the end of October 2008.

A spokesman for the company said that “Although difficult for all concerned, this course of action will help safeguard the future of the plant and the Company will strive to minimise the impact on our workforce. On a more positive note, we continue to invest in the Carlisle plant, with the installation of 10 new large presses and the upgrade of some building machines, to increase our capacity in large tyres. Within the next few months we anticipate signing a contract for delivery of a wind turbine, to improve our costs.”

18th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Carlisle Cuts 60 Manufacturing Jobs

Pirelli’s Carlisle factory, which employs 1,000 workers, is set to cut back 60 jobs from the firm’s operation due to foreign competition and lost orders, say local news sources. The redundancies are to come into effect in the autumn of this year.

Pirelli’s spokesmen have told news sources that the cuts are necessary to ensure the future survival of the large facility. They also stressed that there are no current plans to move out of the factory and that the company is pursuing an ongoing investment plan bringing machine upgrades and increased production capacity to the plant. Talks with the trade union over the redundancies are underway, though union officials declined to comment on news of the job losses.

15th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Gates Tyres Joins First Stop

Bridgestone’s First Stop network of tyre dealerships has signed up Gates Tyres in Cumbria, bringing the total number in the First Stop network to 155. The First Stop network has added an additional 23 dealerships since the start of the year.

Gates Tyres retails car, commercial and agricultural tyres and has more than 50 employees across its two sites in Workington and Carlisle. The dealership is celebrating joining the First Stop network by taking part in two shows this summer including hosting a F1 show, featuring Bridgestone’s F1 car and simulator, at the Cumberland Show on 19th July and a tyre safety event for local shoppers on 20 July.

19th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Carlisle Net Sales Increase in 2007

Carlisle Companies Incorporated reported net sales of US$675.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2007, an 11 per cent improvement over its fourth quarter 2006 net sales of $608.7 million. For the full year ended December 31, 2007, net sales were $2.88 billion, a 12 per cent increase over net sales of $2.56 billion in 2006. Organic growth of 7 per cent was driven by increased sales volumes across all reporting segments.

“2007 was another successful year for Carlisle with fourth quarter and full year sales growth in all of our segments,” commented company chairman, president and CEO David Roberts. “Our attention is now turned to the opportunities ahead. We have established a five year average sales growth target of 10 per cent and have set our sights on achieving a 15 per cent operating income margin by 2012. We plan to reach these goals through a combination of operating excellence and strategic growth.”

13th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Fred Sutter Carlisle Tire Transportation Products President

David Roberts, Carlisle Companies’ chairman, president and CEO, has announced a series of “key management changes” that include the appointment of Fred Sutter as Group President of the firm’s Transportation Products division. Sutter joins Carlisle from Graco Inc. where he most recently served as Vice President and General Manager of the Applied Fluid Technologies Division. During his tenure at Graco, Sutter also served as Vice President of the Industrial and Automotive Equipment Divisions and as Vice President, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Sutter joined Graco from the Emerson Process Group, a division of Emerson Electric. Sutter holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.

11th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

50 Pirelli Carlisle Workers to Strike Over Pay

50 tyre production staff that are members of the GMB Union, will reportedly strike at Pirelli’s Carlisle. They are reportedly planning a walkout on 9 January. GMB Cumbria regional organiser, Ged Caig, told the Carlisle News & Star that negotiations are still open in an attempt to stop the strike going ahead and that he would be happy to meet them. There has been no official comment on the matter from Pirelli.

2nd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Wyko Uses Pirelli Know-How

35 Wyko customers were given access to Pirelli technical know-how at an event in Carlisle last month. The inaugural ˜Know-How Makes a Difference Day,” hosted by Pirelli Tyres in Carlisle, was a resounding success and saw over 500 customers visit over the course of the day. The day-long event took place in a large marquee with 35 of WYKO’s key suppliers providing stands to construct a mini-exhibition. Visitors to the event were also able to take part in some light-hearted activities with the chance to test their driving skills in a Subaru Rally Car simulator.

18th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Wolfgang Meier to Leave Pirelli UK

Pirelli’s factory in Carlisle will bid farewell to its head of operations at the end of this year. UK industrial director Wolfgang Meier has accepted a senior position at Pirelli headquarters in Milan, and will end his five-year tenure with the company’s UK operations in December. He will be replaced by the current UK traditional manager Vittorio Carducci-Agostini, who will take over in January.

Meier’s career in the UK began in 2003 following his appointment to the role of human resources director. He served in this capacity until the start of 2006, when he stepped into his current position following the retirement of John Nixon.

15th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Former Caribbean Tyre Workers Protest

Former workers of defunct tyre company Dunlop have protested for the payment of outstanding severance packages. The workers were laid off in 1995 by then owner of the company, Caribbean Tyre Factory. To date, the workers have only received 70 per cent of their severance.

Earlier this year, the Industrial Court ordered the US-based Carlisle Tire and Rubber Company, which took over operations from the Caribbean Tyre Company, to pay more than $10.6 million in outstanding benefits with a February 23 deadline.

However, Carl Kelly, a former manager at the tyre company, said that Carlise Tyre and Rubber Company claimed that local insurance company CLICO was still responsible for the payment of the workers. They are now threatening legal action against CLICO.

More than 240 people are reportedly affected by the dispute.

8th October 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Strike at Pirelli Plant Cancelled

Workers at the Pirelli facility in Carlisle have called off their planned three days of strike action after the tyremaker dropped plans to subcontract grinding operations to a third party. Despite previous assurances from Pirelli that the outsourcing would not result in job losses, more than 700 employees were scheduled to strike on August 3, 4 and 17 after 66.4 per cent of manual workers belonging to the Transport and General Workers’ Union (T&G) voted in favour of industrial action.

3rd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Chemix Autocentres Mark Passing of Former Chairman Mike Harris

The directors and staff of Chemix Autocentres, have reported the death of their long serving chairman, Mr Mike Harris, who passed away on Saturday 14th July, following a period of illness. Mike Harris, 75, was a well-known tyre-man, having established Chemix Autocentres with his father back in 1963. He started in the ‘remoulding’ business early on, establishing a remoulding plant in Annan, and opening a tyre fitting service in Carlisle. He then established further depots in the North and Midlands. More recently the company has concentrated its efforts in the Midlands area, selling the Northern assets of the business. Since retirement a few years ago, Mr. Harris took the opportunity to pursue his passion for golf and travel.

Mike McCarron, MD of Chemix said: “Mike Harris will be sadly missed by all who knew him. He was a warm and gregarious individual, with an energy for life that belied his advancing years. All our staff, new and old, were touched by his warm and vibrant personality. It is a very sad day for Chemix, and we wish to extend our deepest sympathies to his family”.

30th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors