Alcoa’s Hungarian wheel plant won the 2004 National Quality/Excellence Award, the most prestigious business excellence award in Hungary, the company has announced. Alcoa Wheel Products Europe (AWPE) was awarded the national prize by Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany during a recent ceremony.
Team d’Antin MotoGP has announced that it will use Dunlop tyres in 2005. The team will enter Roby Rolfo on a Ducati Desmosedici GP04. The 2005 MotoGP World Championship starts in Jerez on 10 April.
Team owner Luis d’Antin and Roby Rolfo recently visited Dunlop Motorsport’s European R&D headquarters in Birmingham. “We are delighted that Dunlop has decided to support our programme,” confirmed Luis d’Antin “it will be a very interesting challenge for our team to help Dunlop move forward with their MotoGP tyre development.”
The publishers of Tyres & Accessories and leading US publication, Tire Review, have announced that the magazines have entered into an editorial cooperation agreement. The exclusive arrangement will see the magazines share editorial content including news, feature articles and interviews. In addition, the magazines will work together on projects requiring a global perspective.
Nokian tyres has acquired its Czech importer and a tyre wholesaler, Andel Export-Import. In a statement the company explained that the acquisition will enable it to concentrate its Eastern and Western European logistics operations in Prague.
In 2003 Andel Export-Import’s net sales totalled approximately 3.4 million euros. “The acquisition ensures the sales growth for Nokian branded tyres in a strategically important and fast growing Eastern European market. We will get the control of the whole logistics chain and a very healthy company,” said Kim Gran, president and CEO of Nokian Tyres.
16 years ago Goodyear presented the grandfather of today’s sidewall strengthened tyres on the Corvette. Later the technology was named EMT (Extended Mobility Technology). Now the EMT contraction has outlived its usefulness and, alongside the release of its new “Excellence” summer tyre, Goodyear has renamed the system “RunOnFlat” technology. The first three products to bear the “RunOnFlat” name will be BMW OE versions of the Excellence in sizes 205/55 R16, 225/50 R16 and 205/50 R17. Naturally these will also be available on the aftermarket and four further sizes are due to arrive in the spring.
Following Michelin’s takeover of the Viborg group, the tyre chain was integrated into the pan-European Euromaster network, and now covers the German market with more than 300 service centres, represented in most cities. Europe wide, Euromaster’s turnover totals around 1.8 billion euros (£1.24 billion) per year. The Michelin subsidiary employs over 11,000 people and sells more than 10 million tyres.
Speculation around Hankook’s suggested move to Eastern Europe continues. For months now different sources have suggested that the South Korean company is planning a plant to supply regional carmakers like the Slovak unit of Kia Motors Corp.
Hankook has launched two 300 km/h UHP tyres into the UK market, the Ventus S1 evo tyre and the Ventus R-S2 track day tyre. “The UHP sector is expected to experience growth in the order of 60 per cent or more over the next five years and Hankook is poised to take advantage of this increase, having doubled its UHP tyre sales year-on-year for each of the past three years,” said UK sales manager, Ian Mayoll, explaining the motivation behind the releases.
The future of western European car manufacturing is at risk unless the industry takes steps to improve its international competitiveness, a senior Ford executive has warned.
“The fact of the matter is, these days it is not a very competitive place to do business,” said Mark Fields, executive vice president of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group.
Bridgestone UK’s assessment centre has gained the Institute of Motor Industry (IMI), approval, making it the first tyre company to hold the status for all its training modules.
The award follows a detailed audit by the IMI of Bridgestone UK’s training resources and assessment procedures. It will now mean that a technician qualifying through one of the company’s training schemes will achieve recognition from the IMI via its Quality Assured Awards (QAA) initiative.
The number of cars produced for export hit a record level last year, rising three per cent to 1,179,753 units, says the Office for National Statistics. However production for the UK market fell 9.1 per cent bringing last year’s total to 467,020 units, compared to 513,799 in 2003.
More than seven out of every 10 cars made in the UK are now destined for export markets, says the SMMT, adding that output for export markets rose for the third year in a row.
Kumho Tyre has announced that Steve Tidmarsh has been appointed as managing director and chief operating officer of Kumho Tyre (UK). The appointment became effective on 1 January 2005. Following Mr Tidmarsh’s promotion, YD Yoon, president of Kumho Tire Europe, will assume the role of chief executive officer.
Commenting on the appointment, YD Yoon said: “Under Steve’s leadership I am certain that our team at Kumho Tyre (UK) will be in excellent shape to meet the challenges of the UK and Irish markets. His energy and drive will be invaluable as we move ahead with our strategic plans for Europe.”
Steve Tidmarsh joined Kumho Tyre (UK) in December 2002 as sales director, becoming executive director in 2004.
Goodyear is in discussions about the sale of its agricultural tyre division in North America and sources have reported that Titan would be a potential buyer. It is said that both parties are close to an agreement. As far as Europe is concerned, the management has suggested it is willing to keep this business.
Having established its new European offices on 1 January, Toyo Tire invited guests to an official opening that fused European and Asiatic cultures. Dignitaries present included Toyo president and chief executive, Yoshio Kataoka and the Herbert Napp, the Mayor of Neuss, the German city where the new offices are based.
With just weeks to go until the beginning of this year’s F1 season Bridgestone has announced a pan-European search for talented young journalists.
The official tyre partner to Ferrari, Jordan Grand Prix and Minardi F1 has pledged to “nurture the next generation of motorsport talent,” and so Bridgestone e-reporter is offering a chance of a lifetime to students hoping to pursue a career in journalism.
An independent jury will select seven finalists to attend a European Grand Prix to report on the GP2 series, meeting the drivers behind the championship. The articles will be published on the Bridgestone Europe and GP2 websites.
The winner will then win a once in a lifetime trip to Tokyo, Japan, visiting Bridgestone’s global headquarters and reporting on a major company event.
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