Europe Archives - Page 118 of 179 - Tyrepress

Posts

Bridgestone Announces Senior Management Changes

On February 19 Bridgestone Corporation announced that its board has approved a number of changes in members of the Board of Directors, Corporate Auditors and Corporate Officers. As of March 1 Kazuo Kakehi, currently Vice President & Senior Officer Responsible for Diversified Products, Industrial Products, Civil Engineering and Building Materials and Equipments will become Vice President & Senior Officer Responsible for Diversified Products, Industrial Products and Construction Materials Division. A number of other changes will take affect on March 27. These are as follows:

20th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

The Art of Safety

The road safety message is one that can never be taught too early, and for several years Bridgestone has encouraged children to express their understanding of the issue creatively. This year the tyre major is again holding its “dreams at heArt” children’s drawing contest as part of its global “safety at heArt” activities, and all children in Europe up to age 11 are eligible to enter.

19th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess Opens New Central & East Europe Headquarters

Chemical manufacturer Lanxess AG has responded to the growing popularity of Central and Eastern Europe as hubs for tyre manufacturing by establishing a new headquarters for its distribution company Lanxess Central Eastern Europe s.r.o. Located in the Slovakian capital Bratislava, the headquarters officially opened on February 15, and all business activities in Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary are now controlled from this location. The company also intends to operate branch offices in Warsaw and Budapest. Previously, Lanxess organised its operations in Central and Eastern Europe through external distribution agencies.

19th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sales Up but Net Profit down at Sumitomo Rubber

Sumitomo Rubber Group has released interim results for the financial year ended December 31, 2007. The Group as a whole generated sales of 567,306 million yen (£2.68 billion) during 2007, up from 534,086 million yen (£2.52 billion) the previous year. The bulk of these sales came from the company’s SRI Tire Trading division, which recorded 474,282 million yen (£2,24 billion) in sales last year, an increase from 430,630 million yen (£2.04 billion) in 2006.

18th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

World Rubber Consumption to Increase 4% Annually to 2011

Global consumption of rubber is forecast to rise by 4 per cent annually in the next few years, to 26.5 million tonnes in 2011. This growth stems from robust worldwide motor vehicle production as well as a strong global economy, and consumption will continue to be dominated by the US, Japan and, increasingly, China. This third country has become the world’s leading rubber consumer, overtaking the US as number one in 2001. China will continue to streak ahead in terms of consumption, however the double-digit growth enjoyed between 2001 and 2006 will reduce considerably as its domestic market matures and motor vehicle production decelerates. Demand for tyre rubber also remains strong, yet is slower than in previous years.

15th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Snap-on Tools Updates Franchisee Vans

Snap-on Tools has unveiled a new design for its 420 UK Franchisee vans. According to the company, the update is aimed at giving its trade customers “a better shopping experience.” Terry Barcham, Managing Director of Snap-on, approached several contract hire and leasing specialists to come up with a new design concept for the very successful Snap-on Franchisee vans which would transform them into hi-tech sales outlets. The winning proposal came from Pendragon Contracts, part of Pendragon plc, the largest multi-franchise motor group in Europe.

14th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

German Fleet Surprised by GT Radial Kilometre Performance

A German fleet has expressed its surprise at the high drive axle mileage performance of Giti Radial TBR tyres. Braunschweiger Verkerhr operates around 150 city and regional buses in the region of Braunschweig in Germany. They fit and manage tyres in their own garage, and closely follow up on performance. In 2006 their local tyre supplier, Reifen Ehrhardt, proposed to the fleet manager to try a new brand, GT Radial. The fleet agreed to buy 40 tyres and put them tow work in various axle positions and bus fitments.

“We were truly surprised by the performance of the GT Radial tyres” says Andreas Glaser, Fleet Manager responsible for purchasing, adding: “When we saw we could reach over 100,000 km on certain types of buses we did not hesitate to buy more GT Radial for our fleet.”

12th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kwik-Fit Fleet Agrees Contract with Leasedrive Velo

Kwik-Fit Fleet has won a new 12-month contract to provide a wide range of fast-fit services to Leasedrive Velo, one of the largest independent privately-owned vehicle management groups in the UK. Kwik-Fit Europe’s largest independent fast-fit company, was a long-standing supplier to both Leasedrive and Velo before they merged at the beginning of 2007 to form a combined operation now managing around 17,500 vehicles.

Kwik-Fit Fleet is a preferred fast-fit supplier to the combined Leasedrive Velo business covering the supply of tyres, exhausts, batteries, brake parts and MoTs as well as the provision of tyre safety checks at client premises alongside a replacement tyre service. In addition, Kwik-Fit Fleet will continue to provide a vehicle service booking facility to companies that were customers of Velo prior to the merger.

8th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

First New MG Roadsters Expected in May

Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) is aiming to start producing MG TF roadsters in Nanjing in May and at its plant in Longbridge, Birmingham, within three months of then, a senior executive told the Financial Times. However the cars relaunch could be delayed further by quality and production.

According to the report, MG is also studying at least three new models, including a replacement for the TF, which it hopes to produce from 2010, Chen Hong, SAIC’s president told the newspaper. About 70 per cent of the new model’s manufacture – including their engines – will be made in China. The remaining 30 per cent is expected to be produced in Europe.

7th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Launches Battlax BT-016

Bridgestone recently launched its Battlax BT-016 on Cambrian Tyres’ Motorcyle Trade Expo stand. An advanced hypersport tyre seen for the first time at the EICMA 2007 in Milan, it is designed to give “maximum performance to riders who are passionate about sport bikes” and features Bridgestone’s MotoGP multi-layer compound technology. Compared to the BT-014 it will progressively replace, the new BT-016 is said to provide total handling improvement in all riding modes – with noticeably better contact feel, feedback, stability and grip – as well as longer wear life and lower noise levels.

One of the focuses of development in the new tyre has been in its compound. Bridgestone has combined its top MotoGP construction technology with its latest multi-compound technology from SACT (Straight And Cornering Technology) and says this produce a sport tyre that gives high-level grip performance in braking, cornering and acceleration.

5th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kraiburg Names Holger Düx as Sales and Marketing Manager

Kraiburg has announced that Holger Düx became its Retreading Material sales and marketing manager in January. The 39 year-old has been working for the Austrian company for six years, initially as sales manager for Italy and from 2006 as the regional sales manager for South-Western Europe. In the new scope of his duties Holger Düx takes over from the previous sales and marketing manager, Frank Gregory, who left Kraiburg Austria at the end of last year to take on new professional challenges.

“I am looking forward to my new area of responsibility and would like to play an active role in satisfying the requirements of our partners, in the retreading sector and in Kraiburg product and service quality. I am certain that we will enjoy success with our newly designed pre-cure tread product range, consisting of the three product lines, K_base, K_tech and K_plus,” Holger Düx commented.

4th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Avon Unleashes the Cobra

Industry observers agree that, looking forward to what will happen in 2008, recent developments in the motorcycle market reflect a changing demand in favour of sports touring tyres and modern cruisers. modern cruisers (see opening article for more detailed information on the development of the motorbike sector).

As far as tyres are concerned, this translates into increased call for wider and higher speed rated products. “As a market leader in cruiser cross-ply it is important for us to be up to speed in this segment, Avon motorcyle sales manager, Graham Matcham, told Tyres & Accessories. And that is exactly why Avon used this year’s Motorcycle Trade Expo as the NEC in Birmingham as a platform to launch its new Cobra cruiser tyre.

After having listened long and hard to what their cruiser, custom and touring customers demand from a tyre, Avon came up with a wishlist of tyre characteristics that the company has tried to incorporate in its new Cobra range. The Cobra replaces the popularVenom-R.

Featuring unique snakeskin sidewalls, aggressive tread pattern and low noise emissions, Avon representatives claim the Cobra “silently defeats all roads that stand in its path.” Avon’s development team wanted to improve manoeuvrability at both high and low speeds, dismissing the common belief that wide tyres are unable to corner proficiently. A taxing undertaking for a tyre that can be fitted on some stereotypically cumbersome machines.

In order to achieve their goal, manufacturing techniques first used in Avon’s successful sporty Viper range have been adapted and applied to Cobra. To improve handling in the much wider Cobra sizes, they are formed using A-VBD (Advanced-Variable Density Belt). This construction technology utilises a jointless belt of ultra-strong material. Above the carcass, these strands are wound closely together at the tyre’s centre for increased stability and wear resistance. Towards the tyre’s edges the fibres are then progressively spaced out to allow the tyre to take on a multi-compound effect as the tyre leans.

With a fang mark and coiling indentation appearance, Cobra’s snake-like tread pattern looks commanding. But this aggressive pattern is not just for show. Developed by Avon, Force Following Grooves (FFG) follow the exact direction of forces that are transferred through the tyre. These channels in the tyre’s surface significantly reduce irregular and advanced wear on bikes that carry heavy loads. Each Cobra rear tyre also features the distinctive snake’s head logo on the sidewall.

Stormy weather?

According to Avon motorcyle sales manager, Graham Matcham, 2007 was a very good year, with strong sales performance and the launch of new product, timed to coincide with the development of the sports touring segment. The strategy obviously worked and even competing manufacturers are now describing Avon as “the fastest growing brand in the sports touring segment.” And with the UK sports touring motorbike tyre segment now acounting for upwards of 35 per cent of the market (the largest single segment), this is a good place to be.

Last year Avon aimed to kick to kick up a storm, with the introduction of the its Storm ST touring tyre. But how did it all go, did Avon achieve its objectives? In short yes.

According to European sales figures, Storm sales grew 8 per cent across Europe during 2007. This alone was obviously a successful result, but it is fair to say that UK Storm sales performance blew away the European average, growing 12 per cent last year, 50 per cent ahead of the wider European result.

Avon describes the Storm-ST is its first tyre to include new ‘Reactive Footprint’ (RF) technology. RF technology marries Avon’s unique variable belt density (VBD) carcass with Lifetime Profile Engineering (LPE) and is designed to produce a footprint which changes size and shape, depending on the bike’s lean angle. Avon reports that the result is a contact patch that grows as the bike leans, giving more grip in corners whilst minimising wear rates when travelling in a straight line.

1st February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

CV Show and Workshop 2008 Aiming to Break All Records

128 first time exhibitors have already signed up for this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show and Workshop 2008 at the NEC with many regular exhibitors taking bigger stands. The show, which runs from 15 to 17 April at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, is now the biggest annual business-to-business transport and logistics show in Europe.

Last year’s show attracted over 600 exhibitors and 27,000 visitors. “This is due to the enormous range of products and services covered by van, truck, trailer and support service businesses,” said show chairman, David Sedgley. “For three days the NEC really does become the hub of the UK transport industry, with firms using the CV Show as the main platform to launch new products, while supporting sectors use the event as the basis of their marketing activities.

1st February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Performance Fibers Appoints New COO

Manufacturer of polyester fibre for the tyre industry, Performance Fibers, has named Alexander J. Carnevale to the position of vice president/chief operating officer to manage business operations worldwide, and Marc Sicre to lead the company’s European business. Mr. Carnevale’s role is a newly created position, formed at a time when the company reports it is continuing to experience ‘aggressive growth’.

The addition of the COO position to the global leadership team will, the company states, strengthen Performance Fibers’ organisational structure, which is centred around strong regional businesses in Europe, North America and Asia, supported by global functions. Under the new structure, the leaders of each of the three regions will report to Carnevale and maintain the company’s strong regional focus, while Carnevale will be responsible for developing a cohesive global plan for the company.

1st February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Confirms News of VW OE Deal

Hankook has confirmed reports it has reached an agreement with Volkswagen for the delivery of 70,000 tyres per year as original equipment on the latest model VW Tiguan. Effective immediately, the compact Volkswagen SUV will leave the assembly line equipped with, amongst others, Hankook’s Dynapro HP tyre in size 215/65 R 16 H. The Hankook Dynapro HP is a high performance tyre intended predominantly, but not exclusively, for on-road use and was specifically designed for the ever more popular class of smaller yet powerful SUV vehicles such as the Tiguan.

The Hankook Dynapro HP – some sizes of which are produced at the company’s recently opened facility in Hungary – features a symmetric 5-rib pattern designed to provide excellent directional stability even at high speeds. The tie bars lying between the tread elements allow for enhanced lateral stiffness while improving dry braking performance. Hankook adds that they also, in combination with the tyre’s relatively tight block arrangement, offer greater circumferential stiffness and a reduced rate of wear.

31st January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors