In addition to soon to be announced plans for a new factory in Central/Eastern Europe, Apollo Tyres has voiced interest in establishing a plant somewhere in Asia. On 11 May, the Hindu Business Line quoted Apollo vice-chairman and managing director Neeraj Kanwar as saying “we would like to set up a production base in Asean.”
Pirelli & C. SpA has announced first quarter revenues of 1.556.5 billion euros, up 11.1 per cent compared with 1,400.9 million euros in 31 March 2011. Pre-tax profits (EBIT) after restructuring charges grew by almost half to 209.4 million euros (up 46.1 per cent compared with 143.3 million in the first quarter 2011).
Alcoa Wheel Products will be present at the Tip-Ex show 25 – 27 May. The company will be exhibiting examples from its range of wheels aimed at heavy and medium duty trucks, trailers and buses.
This weekend Castle Combe will host the tenth anniversary of Japfest, Europe’s biggest Japanese Car Show. On 12 May the Maxxis British Drift Championship will be the star attraction, with three extended track sessions, during which star drivers from all three classes will be demonstrating their skills and precision in a mass drift train. The title sponsor of the UK Drift series will be strongly represented at Japfest, with the Maxxis Babes joining its two sponsored drifting teams, Team Japspeed and SATS Motorsport.
A number of Michelin factories across Europe, including the firm’s Dundee, Scotland plant have opted to reduce output in order to manage “the market requirements and stock conditions.” According to the company, Dundee – the firm’s only British passenger car tyre factory – has been impacted because the issues centre on the car tyre sector. Recently announced investment projects are also being delayed.
Sometimes punctures are unpreventable. That is why Bridgestone UK is so pleased by its latest breakdown response times. According to the company, the figures show average call out response times of 48 minutes anywhere in the UK – day or night.
The network has more than 300 independent outlets and 1,000 service staff that are trained specifically on servicing truck tyres, reassuring customers that it can properly provide service cover across Europe.
Five months after its foundation stone was laid in December 2011, Starco’s new central warehouse in Winsen, 30 kilometres south of the German city of Hamburg, is virtually ready for business. The company reports that the relocation of staff and stocks from its previous warehouse in nearby Lüneburg is almost complete, and Starco is set to benefit from the major expansion in capacity the new central warehouse delivers; the Winsen facility offers 11,400 square metres of indoor storage with 12 metres headroom (a doubling of the previous six metre headroom) giving space for 20,000 euro pallets. A further expansion that will bring capacity up to 30,000 euro pallets is already being planned, and the location can handle additional expansion when the need arises.
Maxxis-sponsored Team Japspeed dominated the opening round of the Maxxis British Drift Championship on 21-22 April at the Teeside Autodrome, as the team scooped three of the top four spots in the Super Professional class, which the title sponsor refers to as the premier league of drifting. Maxxis-sponsored SATS Motorsport, also using the MAZ1 Drift tyre, leads the constructor’s title race after Steve Moore made it on to the second step of the podium in the Super Pro class. The Infinity Tyres sponsored Acorn Motorsport Division team also had a successful time at the Teeside Autodrome, finishing in third place in the team standings.
Kumho Tires claims to have developed a tyre capable of achieving an ‘A’ rating in the European tyre label for both rolling resistance and wet grip. The tyre in question is the Ecowing ES01, which Kumho intends to launch in Europe in the second half of 2012.
Tyre repair material and wheel service solution producer Tech Europe is a long-term supporter of the Reifen exhibition, and returns to Essen this year to exhibit the latest products and services in its Tech and Truflex/Pang ranges. As the European arm of Tech International, a supplier of over 5,000 products into 110 countries worldwide, Tech Europe will be presenting its complete range of Tech tyre repair material, Truflex/Pang tyre repair material, tools and accessories, balance weights and valves, and, most significantly this year, introducing its new offering of TPMS solutions.
Bridgestone has detailed the new organisation of its retail network, bringing together its current UK and Ireland operations. As part of the company’s regionalisation strategy – essentially northern European operations being streamlined from the UK – the division is headed by Alex Watson, retail managing director UK and Ireland, who takes up responsibility for Kingsway Tyres Ltd, Fast Fit Tyres and also the First Stop network. He has been involved in Kingsway Tyres Ltd since 1996 and stayed with the company when it was bought by Bridgestone in 2004, becoming its managing director during the acquisition. There are 170 First Stop centres in the UK, and around 2,000 across Europe.
The latest analysis from JATO Dynamics, the provider of automotive intelligence, reveals that new car sales in Europe for March declined by 7.1 per cent and were also down 7.5 per cent, year-to-date compared with Q1 2011. While there was growth in the British and German markets, this was countered by reduced sales in France and Italy.
Nissan's factory at Sunderland has been awarded the Queen's Award for continued achievement in International Trade. The Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance, recognising and rewarding outstanding achievement by UK based companies.
"Car production held firm in March contributing to 12.3 per cent growth during the first quarter of 2012. Challenging economic conditions in mainland Europe are a concern, but the sector continues to win business in important and faster growing export markets,'' said Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive. "The prospects for the UK motor industry are extremely good with new investment, commitment and jobs being created by global automotive companies.''
Following the launch of four new tyres to the European market in 2012, Japanese manufacturer Falken says will continue to reflect the changes of original equipment requirements as it develops its tyre range – a message that it will transmit via its booth at Reifen 2012. Falken told Tyrepress.com that it continues to experience growth in the passenger car market, and its movement into a number of growing niches includes the new flagship Azenis FK453 and innovative Ziex ZE914, both of which will be displayed. Alongside those, Falken’s WildPeak off-road tyre and the FK453CC, a tyre specifically for the European performance SUV market, will also take prominent positions.
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