Bridgestone Europe NV/SA has announced that it will increase prices on all of its tyre brands and categories. It will apply to all replacement channels in all European countries. The increases are between 3.5 per cent and 5 per cent depending on the product category, and are scheduled to take effect from 1 June 2006.
KYB has added another original equipment contract to its already-lengthy list – the company is the world’s largest supplier of original equipment shock absorbers – by supplying shocks for the new Nissan Note. The Note is a mini people carrier, manufactured at Nissan’s factory in Sunderland, and is fitted with KYB gas struts in the front and gas twin tube shock absorbers in the rear.
To some of his competitors Derek Zhang is known as the “godfather” of the aluminium wheel business in China. He has been dubbed with this moniker in appreciation of the rapid development of the China Wheel, which he leads as CEO, and his deep knowledge of the competitive situation in the enormous People’s Republic.
At the moment there are about 200(!) different producers in the country. Some are so small that they are liable to disappear from the map, or have already been forced to cut production. Zhang expects a large consolidation wave, whereby the capacities of the smaller companies are taken only partially from the market; many will be absorbed by the larger players.
Goodyear has launched a new “viral marketing” campaign using black humour to draw attention to the benefits of the company’s RunOnFlat technology.
The video clips, which will exclusively be distributed by “word-of-mail,” highlight the perils of roadside tyre changing through an exaggerated, entertaining and certainly unforgettable approach.
Bosch has reached a production milestone by announcing that it has produced 20 million Electronic Stability Program (ESP) systems since the technology was developed just over a decade ago. The company makes braking control systems at seven plants in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The active safety system detects the onset of skidding in a vehicle and works to counter it without any action by the driver. Recently published studies prove that car driver whose vehicle are fitted cause accidents much more rarely. If every new car were to be fitted with ESP, the number of “single vehicle accidents” resulting in serious injury could be reduced by up to 50 percent.
Toyota Motor Europe has presented its Supplier Award for Superior Performance in Project Management for 2005 to the Continental Automotive Systems Division. In doing so, Toyota paid tribute to the supplier’s performance in the development, production preparation and delivery of the brake system of the new Yaris subcompact car. This was the first time that Toyota transferred the system responsibility for a complete brake system to Continental Automotive Systems.
The Smithers Group, an independent testing, consulting and contract research organization based in the US, has announced that it had closed a deal to purchase UK company Rapra Technology. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The announcement ends weeks of speculation of the fate of Rapra Technology, which was forced into Administration on 8 March.
Shepton Mallet-based Framptons Transport Services Ltd has identified an average fuel saving of 0.24 mpg (nearly three per cent) on its ERF ECT tractor units, following a trial of Michelin Energy tyres, which are designed for trucks operating primarily on major roads and motorways. The trial saw two tractor units fitted with 315/70 R22.5 A2 Energy tyres as original equipment in 2004, with the fuel economy carefully monitored for a period of 18 months. Fuel consumption was measured against identical vehicles in the fleet operating on Michelin’s ‘E’ segment tyres.
Alcoa Wheel Products Europe, together with DaimlerChrysler, has developed a new wheel for the Axor construction vehicle. This new wheel does not have any hand holes and it has been developed to protect the Axor construction vehicle’s disc brakes from sand and gravel on the drive/front axle. The application is as an inner dual wheel on the construction vehicle drive or tag axle, single on the front axle. Available sizes: 22.5 x 8.25, 22.5 x 9.00 and 22.5 x 11.75 (inset 120mm), 32 mm bolt holes and a brushed finish.
Goodyear has been aiming to help reduce the risks associated with the traditional April shower by promoting wet weather safety on the radio. Goodyear has been tackling this head on with a series of interviews promoting wet weather safety on radio stations up and down the country. After all, 32 per cent of road accidents occur in the wet.
Kirkby Tyres operates from a three-acre site in Liverpool, close to John Lennon airport, and has grown to become one of the largest wheel and tyre wholesalers in Europe. For most of the UK, next working day delivery of stock items is the norm. The company has long-standing links with major players in the international tyre and wheel markets, which means that it can obtain products from a variety of sources.
Kwik-Fit Group has announced that it has appointed David Reid as Chairman. Reid, who is the Chairman of Tesco PLC and a Non-Executive Director of Reed Elsevier Group plc, will take up this new appointment with immediate effect.
US companies Startech Environmental Corp. and Future Fuels (FFI) in the building of FFI’s own $84 million Waste-to-Ethanol Facility to be constructed in Toms River, New Jersey. “An important fact sometimes overlooked is that waste is an inexhaustible, renewable, ever-recurring resource.”
Joseph F. Longo, Startech Environmental Corp., president Startech also received the Letter of Intent from FFI for FFI’s purchase of a 100 ton-per-day Startech Plasma Converter System (PCS) for installation in the Waste-to-Ethanol Facility in Toms River, scheduled to go online in late 2007. Plans call for the Toms River Facility expansion to include a series of additional Startech PCSs.
Bridgestone has launched the Blizzak Nordic studless winter tyre range. According to the company the line has been specifically developed to meet the toughest performance demands of Northern Europe’s winter climate. This new-generation design replaces the existing WS-50 series, and Bridgestone says brings with it enhanced capabilities under most adverse weather conditions.
Bridgestone has upgraded its Dayton range, introducing the T-rated D110 general-use tyre. It replaces the D100, which is being phased out across Europe from January 2006.
Designed and manufactured with Bridgestone technology, Dayton is aimed at value-conscious buyers. According to the company, the Dayton D100, launched in 2000, has performed well, but the new product gave Bridgestone engineers the opportunity to retain D100’s wet and dry performance, while extending wear life, a key feature in this segment.
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