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Cooper Takes on British Formula 3 from Avon

This Easter the British Formula 3 season will begin with a new tyre supplier and title sponsor as the country’s premier single-seater racing championship becomes known as the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series. One of the world’s most successful championships for aspiring Formula 1 drivers, stars including Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton all raced in the series on their way to the top of the sport. And after 27 years of racing exclusively on Avon Tyres, this year’s supply will switch to Cooper Tire – a brand that has a well established reputation in US motorsport.

3rd April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Tire Appoints Corporate Communications Director

Cooper Tire has appointed Cathy Hissong its new director of corporate communications. In this position, Hissong will be responsible for employee communications, including oversight of employee publications and intranet communications, direction of various business projects and management of Cooper’s Visual Communications Center. Having joined Cooper in 1986 as a budget analyst, Hissong’s time with the Ohio, US based manufacturer has seen her employed in the roles of capital equipment buyer, regional credit manager and audit manager before training as a Six Sigma black belt, her most recent position.

25th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper in Third Year as Atlantic Series Sponsor

Cooper Tires said it will continue as presenting sponsor of the Cooper Tires Presents The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda for 2009. In addition, Cooper has upped its participation in the 12-race series to raise the series’ overall purse to $3 million.

“Cooper’s partnership with the Atlantic Championship continues to pay tremendous dividends,” said Chris Pantani, Cooper director of motorsport and event marketing. “Our involvement provides a great research and development environment, as well as marketing opportunities. It also provides an excellent platform for Cooper to showcase its ultra-high performance racing products and technological capabilities to enthusiasts throughout the race season.” (Tire Review/Akron)

23rd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Minor Fire at Cooper Tire Plant

Cooper Tire’s Tupelo experienced a minor fire on Saturday 14 March, after an apparent mishap with some welding work. According to WTVA.com, no injuries were reported, but “several holes had to be cut in the roof by firemen to get the fire out.” As a result the first is said to have caused “an early shutdown of the plant, just ahead of a scheduled shutdown for this week.”

16th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper: New Zeon CS6 Offers 12% longer tread life

Cooper Tire has launched a new ultra-high performance tyre which, the company claims, offers all the performance of the Zeon range, but with the addition of much improved tread life. The new Cooper Zeon CS6 replaces the Cooper Zeon XTC V and W-rated sizes. The enhanced tyre tread life comes by virtue of a new silica tread compound which, thanks to the latest in computer-aided design technology, offers enhanced grip in wet weather braking and handling situations, but also features up to 12 per cent longer tread wear than the XTC.

The CS6 will be available in sizes ranging from 15 to 18 inch rim diameters, and more high-speed ratings than its predecessor, including V, W and Y ratings. The CS6’s new up-rated tyre construction means the CS6 is lighter than its predecessor, and features lower rolling resistance, which offers energy and money saving benefits to consumers.

13th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New UHP From Bridgestone

Bridgestone Americas has introduced the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, a V- and W-rated UHP line. The tyre, introduced in Japan last year, features Bridgestone’s “Stealth Technology,” an aid in water dispersion.

“The tyre’s unique new sidewall shape and radical new ‘stealth’ block, which was derived from Bridgestone’s Formula One race tires, promotes higher tread stiffness while enhancing water evacuation,” the company said in its description. “An asymmetric cavity shape offers improved handling and ride characteristics. Large outer tread blocks improve cornering performance, and grooves around the tyre’s circumference help channel water from the tyre’s footprint to decrease hydroplaning.”

Bridgestone said the tyre targets such cars as the Honda S2000, Nissan 350Z, the Mini Cooper S and the BMW 3 Series. It will be available in 31 sizes covering 15- to 19-inch wheel diameters, and carries a UTQG of 180 AA. (Tire Review/Akron)

13th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Analysts Upgrade Goodyear and Cooper Shares

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., both experienced gains in their share prices after analysts raised their ratings for the two firms’ stock. According to Bloomberg, Cooper climbed 17 per cent after CRT Capital Group Inc. rated the stock as “fair value,” up from “sell.” Goodyear gained 15 per cent after KeyBanc Capital upped its rating to “hold” from “underweight.”

11th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Formula Two Relaunches on Avon Tyres

Avon Tyres has been unveiled as the official tyre supplier for the FIA Formula Two Championship, which re-launches in 2009 after a 25-year absence from motorsport. The championship, which will feature 24 identical cars designed by the Williams F1 team, has been created as the ultimate feeder category for Formula One, while still being affordable for aspiring young drivers. Sixteen races will take place at eight circuits across Europe, from Valencia and Barcelona in Spain to Donington Park and Brands Hatch in the UK.

Headed by Jonathan Palmer, whose MotorSport Vision (MSV) company has used Avon as the control tyre supplier of the Formula Palmer Audi championship since it began in 1998, all the F2 cars will be manufactured to identical specification and run entirely by MSV to ensure driver talent shines through.

10th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Formula Two Re-Launches on Avon Tyres

Avon Tyres has been named official tyre supplier for the FIA Formula Two Championship, a series re-launched in 2009 after a quarter-century absence from the motorsport calendar. The first round of the championship will take place at Valencia, Spain, on 31 May.

The championship, which will feature 24 identical cars designed by the Williams F1 team, has been created to be the ultimate feeder category for Formula One, while remaining an affordable series for aspiring young drivers.

5th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Reports 2008 Losses of $219 million

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has published losses of $219 million for the 2008 financial year. The company made profits of $120 million in 2007. 2008 group sales totalled $2.88 billion, down slightly from 2007 sales of $2.93 billion. According to a company statement detailing the financials, some of the 2008 losses can be attributed to restructuring charges from the company’s planned closure of its Albany, Georgia, tyre facility.

Cooper’s International Tire Operations division, which includes Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe, reported sales of $176 million in the fourth quarter of 2008 compared with sales of $228 million in the same quarter of 2007. According to the company, this decrease was the result of decreased volume, offset by improved price and mix. Expansion of the facilities in China was partially affected by the decrease in demand globally for tyres. The segment was also negatively impacted by a $31 million charge for impairment of goodwill. For the full year, the segment reported net sales of $975 million, an increase of 11 per cent compared with the year before.

26th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper to Issue Quarterly Dividend

Cooper has announced that it will once again be issuing its shareholders with a quarterly dividend of 10.5 cents. This will be the 148th consecutive quarter in which the company will be making this openhanded display to its shareholders. Considering current market conditions the continuation of the 10.5 cents payment – a figure first reported on Tyrepress.com in June 2002 – shows Cooper’s determination to project an image of business proceeding as normal throughout the downturn.

The dividend will become payable on common stock at close of business on 31 March, 2009, while stockholders of record will receive their payment at stumps on 9 March.

25th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper’s Melksham Plant Halts Production for a Week

Cooper Tire Europe has suspended production at its Melksham, UK production plant. According to a company spokesman production and closed for a week in order to reduce stocks. However, a BBC news report added that the move would also “help safeguard its future.” There is apparently no threat to jobs at the plant which employs 1100 people. Production is expected to return to normal next week.

19th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Sinton Tyres Stocking the Latest Cooper 4×4 Range

In spite of the economic downturn, Sinton Tyres reports that its customers are happy to continue investing in their SUVs and off road vehicles – and the Cooper All Terrain (Discoverer ATR) and mud pattern (Discoverer STT) thus remain as popular as ever, with the Discoverer ST remaining a firm favourite with those enthusiasts who want a 40 per cent on-road/60 per cent off road tyre.

The latest products to find a stall in the Cooper stable are the Zeon XSTA, which replaces the Sports HP in the Discoverer range, and the Zeon LTZ, which comes in American truck sizes but is also suitable for some UK conversions. Both are suitable for the aftermarket.

17th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone’s Ecopia Launched in North American Aftermarket

Bridgestone has chosen the Chicago Auto Show as the venue for the North American replacement market release of its low rolling resistance Ecopia range. The first tyre in the line-up to arrive on American shores is the Ecopia EP100, a summer tyre fitment for vehicles such as the Mini Cooper, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Nissan Versa and Toyota Corolla. Available in H- and V-speed ratings, the Ecopia EP100 has a UTQG of 400AB and will be offered in six different sizes ranging from 14 to 16 inches. The tyre will be available in March in the first phase of a two-phase rollout during 2009.

12th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Tire Appoints Silverline International to UK Distributorship

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Warwick-based Silverline International as one of its official UK distributors. Silverline International has been in business since 1988 and is, says Cooper, one of the UK’s leading centres for UHP and SUV wheels and tyres.

“We are delighted that Silverline International will be representing Cooper Tire,” said Cooper Tire divisional manager, Andy Harris. “They are one of the UK’s leading and most respected independent suppliers of tyres in the country.”

9th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors