Todd Hershberger Named Hankook Sales VP
Hankook Tire has appointed Todd Hershberger as its new vice president of sales and marketing in the USA.
Hankook Tire has appointed Todd Hershberger as its new vice president of sales and marketing in the USA.
The lights may still be out and the machinery standing idle at Dunlop India’s Sahaganj factory, but this isn’t stopping parent company the Ruia Group from eyeing up new acquisitions further afield. The Indian conglomerate is reportedly in “an advanced stage of talks” regarding the purchase of a European sealing systems company.
In order to witness the benefits of wheel alignment in action, Goodyear recently invited Tyres & Accessories to see a demonstration of tractor wheel alignment technology at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire. Over the years Goodyear Dunlop has developed a long-term partnership with Harper Adams and is therefore able to use this leading agricultural educational establishment’s specialist facilities (which include an off-road test track and specialised covered and open test ploughing fields) from time to time with which the company.
During the demonstration Jason Hoare, part of the technical support/sales team within Goodyear UK’s agricultural tyre department, stressed that being just 14 millimetres out of alignment (a measurement that is dwarfed by the size of your average tractor – and that has been known to be found on brand new vehicles) can reduce tyre life by 33 per cent and absorb nearly six horse power when travelling at 50 km/h.
Superbrands has released its 2009 Superbrands and Business Superbrands survey results, and several familiar names appear in the respective top 500 lists this year. Tyre manufacturer Michelin appears in the 88th spot and Pirelli at number 154. The trio of tyre Superbrands is rounded off by Dunlop, occupying the 265th position this year.
Business Superbrands – which began in 1995 – lists the UK’s strongest business-to-business brands as voted for by independent experts on the Business Superbrands Council and more than 1,500 individual business professionals from across the country. Our three tyre Superbrands were also present in this category – Michelin in eighth spot, Pirelli at number 20 and Dunlop at 53. They are joined by Bridgestone in the 54th spot and Snap-on Tools at 193.
The supply of electricity to Dunlop India’s factory in Sahaganj is still disconnected, and company chairman Pawan Kumar Ruia has threatened to close the plant if the power is not restored during the first half of August. The chairman indicates that Dunlop India is ready to resolve the matter with the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company out of court.
The factory’s electricity supply was severed earlier in the year due to the non-payment of dues amounting to Rs 130 million (£1.66 million), and the company claims responsibility for this lies with the previous owner. “The electricity dues got accumulated much before we took over the company. We do not know why the electricity connection was not disconnected when the dues remained unpaid for five years before we took-over. We heard lot of people ran business taking illegal connection from Sahaganj unit,” Ruia stated.
Leading two-wheel tyre wholesaler, Bike Tyrestore, has announced that it is to increase its prices for “key sizes” by Bridgestone, Dunlop and Michelin. For specific prices, the company recommends that customers visit the “YOUR Online Warehouse” of www.worldofbiketyres.com.
Sava has announced the launch of three upgraded tyre ranges designed to offer enhanced performance and value for long and regional haul trucks, trailers and coaches. The Slovenia based Goodyear Dunlop subsidiary reports that its Avant A3plus steer tyre and Orjak O3plus drive tyre have benefited from new construction and tread compounds, giving the tyres significantly improved mileage, durability and stability compared with their predecessors. The new carcass construction is shared in the Cargo C3plus trailer tyre and features a revised belt package lay-up that delivers reduced heat build up and improved durability.
Dunlop are to support the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) organized Great and British Festival package for a further three seasons, and three leading UK Championships have committed to be a core part of the programme for the next three seasons till 2012.
The Radical Championships, Mini Challenge and the BARC Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Cup have proved to be popular with competitors and spectators alike, and will form the core content on the package for a further three seasons. The package was launched in 2006 with the mission of ‘putting national racing back on the map’ and has carved its place in the UK motorsport hierarchy, complementing the TOCA British Touring Car Championship package that is also supported by Dunlop and organized by BARC.
A chunk of Ruia Group company Falcon Tyres will be sold in order to increase ouput at its factory in Mysore, eastern India, and to ensure its promoters shareholder remains below the 75 per cent required to stay listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The share, according to Indian media, is to be sold to a private equity firm for Rs 1 billion (£12.6 million).
“We are in the process of preparing our presentation and hope to be through with the placement within the next two months,” Falcon Tyres chairman Pawan Kumar Ruia told the Hindu Business Line. Ruia reports that the promoters’ share in the company went up to 86 per cent following the recently concluded open offer requiring either a public issue or private placement.
Apollo Tyres South Africa recently won the contract to supply half of Nissan Diesel’s truck tyre requirements. Nissan Diesel SA (Pty) Ltd, based in Rosslyn Pretoria, have reportedly chosen Apollo Tyres South Africa (formerly known as Dunlop International) to supply the Dunlop brand steel radial truck tyres, in an “open-ended contract.”
The deal with Nissan Diesel is the single largest original equipment deal secured with a vehicle manufacturer since the reinstatement of Apollo Tyres South Africa’s Original Equipment department early last year. Dr Luis Ceneviz, Apollo Tyres South Africa’s CEO said: “We are proud to be collaborating with Nissan Diesel as both companies share a common goal of exceeding customer expectation and growing its share of business. We look forward to many more such partnerships into the future.”
The importance of correct wheel alignment is already widely conveyed in the truck and passenger car segments. In these parts of the market customers have been hearing about how correct alignment improves road comfort, fuel consumption and prevents premature wear for years. But what about the off-road and agricultural segments? Is it worth aligning vehicles that are literally designed to face the axle jolting lumps and bumps other drivers try to avoid? Goodyear and Haweka certainly think so.
In June Goodyear and Haweka teamed up to promote an agricultural wheel alignment programme that will see the two-companies promote the benefits of wheel alignment to customers, dealers and vehicle sales offices. Goodyear is communicating the tyre alignment message because, according to the company, tough economic times mean improving fuel consumption and preventing the costs that come with premature tyre wear are more important than ever. A similar partnership between the German branches of the two companies has been in operation for some time.
Goodyear Dunlop Tires Germany GmbH is to cut 140 of the 1340 tyre production jobs at its Hanau production facility, according to local news reports. This year production is expected to fall from 7.4 to 6.8 million tyres will fall. The company’s management is planning to produce just 5.6 million tyres in 2010. The scrapping has not helped us,” regrets Jörg Pohl, chairman of Goodyear Dunlop’s Hanau tyre production plant. Goodyear Dunlop Tires Germany GmbH employs over 7400 workers at seven sites across the country.
Operations at Dunlop India’s Sahagunj facility have remained idle since last November, and in an attempt to coerce company management to resume production some fifty employees and their families commenced a hunger strike on July 16.
“Fifty workers will continue the relay hunger strike till July 20. From July 22 the workers, accompanied by their family members, will go on a fast unto death. Our demand is that the plant has to be opened and production started immediately,” spokesperson Bidyut Raut said.
Goodyear has been using high-strength Kevlar in its products for some years now, and recently the company highlighted the advances made using the fibres developed by the scientists at DuPont. The US based tyre major points out that tyre reinforcement was the initial application for Kevlar more than 40 years ago, and today the product is used across the company’s range. The material property advantages of Kevlar are extensively used in developing products that address the issues of ride and comfort, handling, thermal and flame resistance, reduced tyre weight and road noise.
Dunlop has secured the contract to supply tyres to the new Moto2 class, which gets underway in 2010. The company will supply 3.75 x 17-inch front and 6.00 x 17-inch rear tyres to the series that replaces the 250cc World Championships.
Speaking about the three-year deal, Dunlop Motorcycle sales and marketing director Europe, Middle East and Africa, Sharon Antonaros, said “We’re excited about building on the expertise gained over fifty years of continuous participation in Grand Prix racing to continue our development of racing tyres and then taking the technology to our road tyres.”
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