Wiltshire news sources have reported a fire at Cooper Avon’s Melksham facility over the weekend; while crews worked in “difficult conditions” to put the fire out according to the Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service, Cooper Avon stated that the “damage was minimal and because there are no weekend shifts at present, there were no injuries to staff.” Operations at the plant were not affected, according to the company.
Tyre makers Continental and Cooper are not alone in seeing the possibilities locked within the humble dandelion. Researchers at the Ford Motor Company and Ohio State University have also explored the plant’s qualities and recognised its potential as a sustainable source of rubber. As Ford research engineer Angela Harris explained, the vehicle manufacturer is “always looking for new sustainable materials to use in our vehicles that have a smaller carbon footprint to produce and can be grown locally. Synthetic rubber is not a sustainable resource, so we want to minimise its use in our vehicles when possible. Dandelions have the potential to serve as a great natural alternative to synthetic rubber in our products.”
Although this year’s CITExpo is still several months’ away, the organiser of the Shanghai-based show reports that nearly 200 exhibitors have already booked space. As a result, halls one and two of the Shanghai Everbright Convention and Exhibition Center are already fully occupied and the organiser says the planned exhibition space in hall three is currently being “booked aggressively.” Reliable International Exhibition Services, the shows organiser, claims it is ready for this, the ninth CITExpo held, to be the largest ever – the 2011 show is expected to have a floor space of over 22,000 square metres and host major Chinese manufacturers plus international brands such as Cooper ChengShan Tire. The 6th Automotive Testing Expo will be held in the week following CITExpo.
Cooper Tire & Rubber has reported a net income of US$16 million attributable to Cooper Tire for the quarter ended March 31, 2011, an increase of $4 million from the same period in 2010. Net sales during the quarter amounted to $906 million, an increase of $152 million, or 20 per cent, from the prior year. Operating profit was $32 million for the quarter, a decrease of $1 million from the prior year same quarter. Results during the quarter included an after-tax gain of $3 million related to the acquisition of a controlling interest in Corporacion de Occidente SA de CV. The Company also incurred costs of $4 million during the quarter. The prior year first quarter included restructuring charges of $8 million, and $22 million of increased charges for an adverse verdict in a single products liability case.
Following on from its five year deal with the MCE British Superbike Championship, Metzeler has announced that it will increase its involvement in Superstock 1000, 600 and the Triumph Triple Challenge, including a promotional brand unit in the trade areas of each event. Metzeler Racing manager Jason Griffiths commented; “This is a big year for Metzeler as the Superstock classes have never been bigger and we are also proud to supply the tyres for the Triumph Triple Challenge. Just like the bike manufacturers, Metzeler sees real importance in proving the quality of its road based products especially as lap times have continued to tumble. The class is very difficult to predict this year with so many potential winners, it’s going to be a real battle out there I’m sure! We are also supporting the fans more this year with a promotional unit and competitions at every round with top prizes.”
Mullingar-based tyre dealer, Mileage Tyres, has been appointed as an official Avon Tyres distributor, the Cooper Tire-owned brand announced today. Mileage has operated in the Republic of Ireland for more than 20 years, and will now stock products from Avon’s passenger car, UHP and van ranges. The distributor’s sales director Steve Jackson said that the addition of Avon Tyres to its product offering will lead to an increase in footfall and profit for the company.
This weekend Cooper Tire enters its 30th season as exclusive tyre supplier to the Cooper Tires British Formula Three International Series, as the formula begins its 60th anniversary season this weekend. The series’ more international flavour of recent years will be represented by its first round taking place at Monza, Italy: one of four held outside the UK. Britain will see six events.
Avon Tyres has a long association with another British brand famed for its sporting activities, Caterham Cars, and in keeping with this relationship the tyre brand has announced its CR500 as the original equipment 13” tyres for the latest incarnation – the first new edition in two years – of Caterham’s Seven range, the Supersport. Derived directly from the race car that competes in the Caterham Supersport championship, the road-going model borrows the track version’s performance essentials and then fine-tuned for the road. Priced £19,995 in self-build form, the 140bhp Supersport remains true to Colin Chapman’s 1950s concept of lightweight, minimalist machines that place outstanding handling characteristics.
Cooper Tire has created a set of jewel-encrusted tyres to mark the diamond anniversary of Formula 3 racing in Britain, a series for which it is the current title sponsor. The tyres were made by London jeweller Freddie Keeble at FK Diamonds using both diamonds for the 60th anniversary and Swarovski crystals. They were unveiled at Silverstone during the launch of the 2011 Cooper Tires British F3 International Series, where they were bolted on to the race car of Carlin driver, Rupert Svendsen–Cook.
Steve Cundy, business development director for Cooper Tire Europe, has retired after almost 40 years of working at the European headquarters in Melksham, Wiltshire.
Having joined Avon Tyres in November 1971 as the company’s youngest Area Sales Manager at the age of 21, Cundy moved up through the ranks. He was UK sales director when the US-based Cooper Tire & Rubber Company acquired Avon in 1997 and since then has continued to develop Cooper’s car tyre business across Europe as well as becoming the head of the company’s motorcycle business unit and sales team in 2008.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe has appointed Jason Clarke as its new UK sales director, effective of 1 April. Clarke, 41, has worked for Cooper Tire since 1998 and takes over the position following the retirement of Steve Cundy at the end of March. Clarke joined the Company in March 1998 as regional sales representative for Wales. He then became a regional sales manager for the Wales and Midlands region, before being promoted to the role of UK sales manager for retail accounts in 2006.
Available in various fitments for 18 and 19-inch diameter rim sizes in the UK and mainland Europe from March 28, 2011 is the Avon ZZ5 ultra high performance tyre, following high speed durability testing at the Nürburgring, among other places. The tyre has what manufacturer Cooper Avon terms an “Intelligent Asymmetric Tread Design” and “Optinoise” technology for a quieter ride. The company says the tyre’s development on European roads and racetracks have given it improved handling and grip capabilities. The tyre is aimed at the small-medium high performance sector, typified by such models as the Audi S4 and Lotus Evora.
A Land Rover Defender shod with standard 255/55R18 Cooper 4XS tyres has topped the Kirkby Lonsdale Motor Club drivers and co-drivers competition at the start of the UK’s domestic rally season. Mike Dawn and Jane Clarke, from Windermere, chose the biodiesel-powered 4×4 to compete in a series of national rally events during the 2011 season. In their first rally on the North West Stages, they completed 24 stages and 75 competitive miles of asphalt routes to finish 41st out of 105 competitors.
As of April 4, Stephen Zamansky will succeed Jim Kline in the position of vice president, general counsel and secretary at Cooper Tire & Rubber. Kline will retire on May 31, 2011 after leading Cooper’s legal department for eight years. In his new role, in which he reports directly to company chairman, CEO and president Roy Armes, Zamansky will oversee Cooper's legal affairs, environmental affairs, and corporate governance and compliance functions.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe has announced the appointment of Nigel Hampson as its new sales and marketing director, which took effect at the beginning of this year. He had previously held the post of European major account manager, having worked for Cooper Tire since 1996, as an export sales executive. He became marketing services manager in 2004, before switching to subsidiary sales manager for France, Germany and Switzerland in 2006.
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