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Bandvulc Director Tires of Govt’s Recycled Arguments Against Retreads

Bandvulc director, Richard O’Connell, has received a government letter confirming his fears that retreaders will continue to be unfairly penalised for the foreseeable future. After a four year fight to be heard, Richard O’ Connell, director of Ivybridge based Bandvulc Tyres, thinks his struggle has finally reached a dead end, his argument having continually fallen on deaf ears.

O’Connell had thought that by confronting Ben Bradshaw MP at labour’s last annual conference, taking the opportunity to express his Industry’s frustration on stage and asking that the government allow it the same benefits as its new tyre counterparts, his efforts would at least lead to an open discussion. Instead, the Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare has written a letter O’Connell says, clearly demonstrates the Government is totally misinformed about the benefits of retreading.

15th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Awards First Expert Level Dealers

At the end of April Bridgestone UK announced details of its Expert Level Truck Point Dealer Audit Programme, naming the first three recipients. The accreditation scheme is the latest stage in the multi-million-pound total tyre management investment programme Bridgestone has been engaged in for the last three years. A further 46 external “Expert Level” audits were scheduled to have been completed at the end of April. Bridgestone plan to hold an official awards ceremony for the remaining Expert Level dealers at the annual Truck Point conference in October.

Talking to Tyres & Accessories, Bridgestone representatives described how working with Lloyd’s register made their scheme “a first.” As external auditors, LRQA (Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance), a leading management systems assessment body, carry out the necessary checks independently, adding greater value to the validation of the Expert Level dealers.
The objective of the programme is to recognise the high service standards of Expert Level Truck Point dealers, and to further improve the service standards of the entire network. The Expert Level Truck Point Audit Programme audits customer service provision, casing management, health & safety policy, equipment checks, administration, invoicing and training within Truck Point dealers.

14th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho to Title Sponsor Man U. Visit to Korea

In an attempt to boost its sports marketing profile, Kumho Tires has invited phenomenally popular football team Manchester United to participate in a friendly game that the tyremaker is title sponsoring. The Kumho Tires Cup 2007 Manchester United Korean Tour, as the event is to be known, will take place on July 20 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, and the lads from England will compete against leading South Korean professional football team FC Seoul.

A press conference held on April 27, attended by Kumho Tires CEO Sae-chul Oh, Manchester United president David Gill, FC Seoul president Wan-kyung Lee plus a number of dignitaries outlined the plans and hopes for July’s high-profile event. Kumho Tires’ president, Mr. Oh, said, “We hope that this game can lead young soccer lovers to have more aspiration for the future while revitalising general public’s interest in soccer reaching out to more people.”

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rubber Prices Bounce Higher as Demand puts Stretch on Reserves

Prices of export rubber from Vietnam are expected to increase on world markets by about 10 per cent throughout the remainder of 2007 as demand continues to outstrip supply. This analyst prediction added that shipments of Vietnam-sourced rubber to global top rubber importer China would experience price rises of 20 per cent, up from the current US$2,000 per ton to $2400. World market prices are tipped to reach $2,200 per ton.

The world produces about nine million tons of natural rubber each year, most of which is already accounted for, leaving a delicate balance between supply and demand. This balance looks in danger of being upset in the near future, as a recent rubber industry conference in Thailand predicted a jump in global demand by more than 6 per cent in the second half of 2007.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

EU Tyre Recycling Tests Outline “Best Available Technology”

Estimates put forward during the European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA) Conference 2007 in Brussels suggest that at least 300 million tyres reach their end-of-life each year throughout the EU’s 27 member states, with similar amounts found in North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. Taking all of these regions collectively it is likely that the equivalent of more than one billion passenger car tyres require scrapping each year, and in the past many of these were destined for landfill or otherwise illegally dumped.

With EU directives banning the stockpiling of tyres or their disposal in landfill alternative methods of processing end-of-life tyres have been sought, however ETRA have reported that only a third of these tyres are being recycled into recovered materials, the bulk of them instead burnt as a fuel source. The results of conducting pyrolysis on scrap tyres have not in the past achieved promising results, with the resultant carbon being high in ash content and therefore only suitable for low-grade uses.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone – External Audit Accreditation for CV Dealerships

Bridgestone UK is to award “Approved Expert Dealer” status to three commercial vehicle tyre dealerships. In a move that Bridgestone says is the first of its kind, the manufacturer has partnered with Lloyds register to develop a rigour auditing process to be thoroughly inspected by an external body.

The accreditation is the latest stage in the multi-million-pound total tyre management investment programme Bridgestone has been engaged in its Truck Point network in the last three years. Three audit awards will be presented on Wednesday 25 April, at Bridgestone’s stand at the CV Show. 46 other audits are in the process of being finalised and should be completed by the end of April.

23rd April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Shares Plans to ‘Get There’ at Dealer Meeting

(Akron/Tire Review) Last year was “turbulent, dramatic,” said Robert Keegan, Goodyear chairman and CEO, in front of more than 2,000 attendees at the tyremaker’s annual dealer meeting, held Feb. 3-5 in Orlando, Fla. “About the only thing that didn’t hit you and I in 2006 was plague and pestilence.” Reflecting on one of the longest work stoppages in Goodyear history, Keegan said the company’s relationship with dealers was put to the test late last year.

“We needed your support more than at any time in many decades,” Keegan told dealers. He thanked dealers and even credited them with the strike’s successful resolution. “You supported us in a way that, frankly, drove for us a better agreement with the union that we could not have had without that support,” he said.

19th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

MyGoodyear.co.uk Hits the Radio

Goodyear has launched a radio information campaign to highlight the role of preventative tyre maintenance in road safety. The campaign also promotes the launch of MyGoodyear.co.uk, a new website that not only offers safety advice, but also celebrates the great British Bank Holiday with suggestions for ‘Good Days Out’ across the UK. Goodyear launched the website with interviews on nineteen local and regional radio stations this week, reaching an audience of over 1.4 million listeners.

James Bailey, Communications Manager, stated: “With the May Bank Holiday approaching it is the perfect time to start thinking about places to go across the UK. MyGoodyear.co.uk, in conjunction with our DriveHomeSafely partnership, offers advice on where to go, but also on how to get there safely. Preventative tyre maintenance can mean the difference between a brilliant bank holiday and a potentially tragic weekend, and we are urging drivers to carry out simple pressure and tread depth checks before setting out. MyGoodyear.co.uk provides inspiration for people looking for a fun bank holiday weekend with an eclectic range of suggestions from organic food markets to a sheep and goat Grand National!”

18th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

RMA Outlines Its NTSW Events

(Akron/Tire Review) The RMA says it has a full schedule of events planned around the upcoming 2007 National Tire Safety Week, Apr. 22-28. Some of the events precede the scheduled NTSW.

RMA said that more than 17,000 tyre retailers – tyre dealers, mass merchants, discount chains and auto dealers – plan to participate in NTSW, and will be passing our brochures, holding tyre safety events, offering free tyre checks and more.

During the week of Apr. 16, RMA, Goodyear and Wal-Mart are co-sponsoring tyre care and safety events in Cincinnati, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Houston and Dallas. On Apr. 21-22, all Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express locations will likely offer free tyre pressure check lanes, and Sam’s Club locations will offer Be Tire Smart brochures.

16th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tire Society Calls for Papers

The Tire Society has put out its second call for technical papers for its 26th conference that runs 25-26 September in Akron, Ohio. Abstracts are due by 1 June. Final paper manuscripts need to be submitted by 1 August, the Akron-based non-profit organization said. There will be a special award of $500 for the best paper authored by a university student. The keynote speaker will be Tadanobu Nagumo, president of Yokohama Rubber Co.

Abstracts in Microsoft Word format can be submitted electronically to conference2007@tiresociety.org and seen at www.tiresociety.org.

12th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Considering HQ Upgrade

Goodyear is looking to replace its 80-year-old global headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Many within the company believe the existing premises to be obsolete and are concerned about the first impression visitors receive upon entering the aging building.

Eager to keep the tyremaker based in its traditional hometown, an Akron developer has approached Goodyear with a plan to build a new headquarters alongside the company’s technical centre. Once this has been completed it proposes to redevelop the old headquarters into a mixed-use complex housing other office, commercial and retail space.

“If the economics can be worked out, Goodyear will establish a new building for their global headquarters… on existing Goodyear property,” said Akron mayor Don Plusquellic during a news conference on April 11. Plusquellic believes the redeveloped Goodyear campus could create as many as 2,000 new jobs.

12th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Unveil “New Generation of Tyres” at CV Show

Bridgestone has announced that it will present a complete range of new generation tyres at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, at the NEC in April. Bridgestone’s pioneering collection will be revealed at this year’s show, encompassing the R249 and R168, as well as their most recent addition to the family, the M749.

The introduction of the Bridgestone M749 highway drive-axle tyre (first published in T&A September 2006) follows the launch of the R249 steer-axle and R168 trailer-axle tyres, and completes Bridgestone’s new generation long distance highway line-up. The range has been engineered to improve cost efficiency due to excellent rolling resistance and superior mileage as well as their capacity for future retreading.

29th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Prema to Expand into Ireland

Describing 2006 as a “another tough yet successful year for Harvie,” managing director, Terry Brooks has explained that pressures from Chinese balance weight imports and more aggressive competition have not stopped the company from growing and investing in two new salesmen.

In the last year Harvie has grown its fleet of vans to 12 and boasts full UK coverage. Plans to enter the Irish market are underway and a new salesman for the north based in Belfast will start later this year. Negotiations with 2 possible agents based in Dublin in the south are said to be “advancing.”

29th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin guide to Tokyo an Asian First

The guidebook often referred to as the ‘gourmands’ bible’ and legendary for its ability to make or break the reputation of high-end restaurants in Europe is soon to be given its first Asian edition. On March 14 Michelin released word that a Tokyo edition of the famous Michelin guide would be released in November 2007.

With about 35 million people living in the Greater Tokyo Area, the city is one of the world’s largest and also home to an estimated 300,000 restaurants. Michelin’s publications director, Jean-Luc Naret, praised the quality of Tokyo’s restaurants at a news conference in Tokyo. “Restaurants here are often very simple — a counter, a kitchen and some stools — but what’s on the plate is really worth three stars,” he said. He added that the criteria for Japan were very different to that in Europe.

15th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

TIA Accepting Board Nominations

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has announced it is accepting nominations for service on the 2007-2008 Board of Directors. Nominations and self-nominations are welcomed from “any TIA member in good standing or an official representative of an industry association.”

8th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors