Winner of the constructor’s title in the 2011 Maxxis British Drift Championship, Team Japspeed will demonstrate its skills at Top Gear Live, which starts today. The Maxxis-sponsored team will perform drift displays at the NEC Arena in Birmingham on 11-13 November and London’s ExCel on 24-27 November.
Commenting on a half-year that saw the increase in Apollo Tyres’ net profit fall behind sales growth, company chairman and managing director Onkar Kanwar noted that “currency fluctuations, especially a weaker rupee, and continued cost push have impacted our bottom line.” Kanwar described the “near flat growth” in India’s commercial vehicle tyre segment during the first half of the country’s fiscal year as “worrying” and a situation that “could pose a challenge in the coming quarters.” The Apollo chairman said the company’s European business is currently registering strong growth, however his view of the region remains cautious: “We are alert to the broader economic situation there and are keeping a close watch on developments,” he stated.
Yokohama’s BluEarth S34BZ eco tyre has been chosen as original equipment for the 2012 Toyota Prius V. The new crossover, which is known as the Prius + in Europe, is available to US and Canadian purchasers fitted with the BluEarth tyre in size P205/60R16 91V.
Toyota has fitted the Bridgestone B250 Ecopia to its IQ for a couple of years now, and now the tyre has been selected as original equipment on a vehicle that bears more than a passing resemblance to the pint-sized city car. Bridgestone has started supplying the B250 Ecopia as standard equipment for the Aston Martin Cygnet, launched in Europe in September 2011. Each and every Cygnet sold will be delivered with Bridgestone B250 Ecopia tyres in size 175/60 R16.
Results for the third quarter of 2011 show across the board year-on-year improvements at Bridgestone. During the June to September period, the Japanese company achieved sales of 775.3 billion yen (£6.2 billion), a 9.9 per cent improvement over the same three months of 2010. Operating income reached 49.7 billion yen (£396.9 million) in the quarter, reflecting year-on-year growth of 42.4 per cent, while operating profit margin rose from 4.9 per cent to 6.4 per cent. Net income, at 27.8 billion yen (£222.0 million), was up 25.2 per cent compared with the third quarter of 2010.
As of November 2011, former GKN Wheels Carpenedolo sales director Thomas Ruedl will take on the role of group sales director, OEM Key Accounts at Starco. In his new role, Ruedl will report to regional director Jef de Smedt and have overall responsibility for Starco’s existing and future OEM customers. First priority for Ruedl in his new position will be prioritising Starco’s agricultural, industrial and trailers/caravans markets; this will be followed by the horticultural and internal transport markets. The new OEM Key accounts group sales director will work in close liaison with local Starco sales entities, which will also continue their daily contact with global OEM customers as before.
Goodyear is introducing a new programme aimed at OTR tyre users. Called ‘Goodyear at Service’, the internet-based programme will be available to all off-road plant operators in the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions. Goodyear says it will “ensure that each customer gets the best possible expert support when purchasing and operating Goodyear tyres.”
Hankook Tire has established an additional subsidiary in Europe. The opening of the company’s Polish branch in Warsaw is in keeping with the growing demand for Hankook tyres in the European markets. “Thanks to our new subsidiary in Poland we are now also able to provide full service to our partners and customers in the 6th largest tyre market in the European Union. This is in-line with Hankook’s strategy of close market and customer proximity to provide optimal tyre solutions, developed and produced with the very latest in market-specific and innovative technologies, to meet regional requirements and demands,” explains Hee-Se Ahn, vice president for marketing and sales Hankook Tire Europe.
Michelin Tyre has announced the appointment of former Wedgwood and Austin Reed customer service specialist Mike Lawton as its new commercial director of agriculture, responsible for the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Lawton joined Michelin’s UK operation, based in Stoke-on-Trent’s Campbell Road, in 1999. He will replace Rob Beddis, who is retiring at the end of the month, after seven years in the role.
The e-paper edition of Tyres & Accessories October 2011 is now available online. To access the most recently published edition, which contains feature on the wholesale business, e-commerce and batteries subscribers need only click more.
Interstate Tire & Rubber Co. has announced third quarter results reportedly showing double digit growth “across all markets.” According to the company’s official statement on the matter, the business performed strongly in “Europe, CIS states and Asia.”
Marangoni Retreading Systems has announced a new deal with Bergkvarabuss AB, one of the largest private tourist bus and coach companies in Sweden. The Italian retreader will supply tyres with its BUS-T tread pattern, manufactured using its Ringtread joint-free procured ring technology, to the transport firm, becoming the first retreader to supply Bergkvarabuss. Founded in 1975 as a small taxi and bus business, the fleet has since grown to become the biggest family business in the sector in Sweden.
A Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle dealer covering the North East of England has invested in four Haweka Axis200-2 wheel aligners, turn plates and car kits. Bell Truck and Van in Billingham, Gateshead, Longbenton and Spennymoor says the investment will enable them “to help customers save costs on fuel and tyres”. The dealer group purchased the aligners from Haweka after seeing a demonstration of the equipment in their workshops.
Work on phase two of Hankook Tire’s Rácalmás plant in Hungary is now complete. The tyre maker began its project to expand the plant in September 2009 and produced its first ‘phase two’ tyre in November 2010; now the Rácalmás factory is gearing up to produce 12 million tyres per annum and boasts a workforce of 1,900.
A direct pay contract signed between Russian corporation Tatneft and Thai Eastern Rubber is hoped to reduce the procurement costs associated with raw materials for tyres. The agreement was signed following a Thai Eastern Group delegation visit to the Nizhnekamsk SSC tyre plant and Kama Research and Technology Center in Russia; this visit and meeting was initiated by OOO Tatneft-Neftekhim Management Company under the scope of implementing company policy of entering into direct pay contracts with raw material producers.
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