Derbyshire-based exhaust manufacturer Scorpion Exhausts has launched a system for the Mini Countryman that it says offers “genuine performance gains and a sublime soundtrack.” The UK designed and hand-fabricated exhaust system utilises T304 63.5mm aerospace grade stainless steel tubing and precision CNC mandrel bends to optimise gas-flow and improve throttle response across the rev range.
A new plant manager has taken charge of Goodyear Dunlop’s factory in Philippsburg, Germany. As of May 1, Klaus Happ has taken over the role from Bruno Kihm, who is now plant manager of the company’s Riesa passenger car tyre factory in the country’s east. Kihm in turn has replaced Dr. Christian Paech, who retired on May 1 after a career with the tyre maker spanning 33 years.
On Friday May 6, some seven years after first launching its SSR run-flat technology, Continental produced its ten millionth run-flat tyre. The milestone tyre was produced at the company’s passenger tyre plant in Aachen, Germany – one of three million run-flats expected to be produced this year in the nine million passenger car tyre per annum factory. SSR run-flat tyres produced in Aachen are supplied to numerous OEM customers, including BMW, Ford Mercedes-Benz, Mini and Volvo.
Some 80 million television viewers around the world are said to watch the FIA European Truck Racing Championship, and in 2011 Goodyear is continuing its commitment to the sport by supplying tyres to all 24 participating race trucks. In addition to supplying all teams with specially designed and built Truck Racing tyres, the company will also provide the FIA with technical support at all ten series races. The Goodyear tyres are supplied and serviced by TRO (Truck Racing Organisation), the sole tyre supplier. TRO represents the interests of all teams in the FIA European Truck Racing Championship and its trucks and trailers will attend all races, providing a tyre fitting area in the paddock at each venue. This year sees the introduction of RFID chips in the supplied tyres to enable their systematic electronic monitoring during race weekends.
Eurotire’s Ukraine training centre, located in Dnepropetrovsk, has opened its doors. According to the company, the Eurotire Training Center will act as an educational facility for Eurotire employees and customers alike. Training will include technical, safety, commercial, and industrial instruction. The aim of Eurotire’s training centre is said to be to further education in the mining industry regarding all OTR related matters. Jack James, a long-time OTR veteran and experienced OTR instructor, has been named director of the centre.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations has announced another original equipment deal for its Firestone brand. The manufacturer will supply Firehawk GT all-season tyres in size 185/55R15 82H to certain Fiat 500 models. In announcing the tyre’s OE supply, Bridgestone comments that the Firestone Firehawk GT is sport-performance tyre engineered to provide a blend of sporty handling while also offering practical all-season traction capability in many different driving conditions.
Federal Tyres reports the imminent UK market introduction of its run-flat range. Group Tyre is expected to take delivery of the Taiwanese manufacturer’s FRF (Federal-Run-Flat) products in May; the independent wholesaler is the first international customer to receive stocks of the 595 Evo run-flat.
According to Titan International chairman and CEO Maurice M. Taylor, momentum from the “outstanding” first quarter the company experienced should “carry over into future quarters of 2011.” Upon announcing sales of US$280.8 million during the three months to March 31, a 41 per cent year-on-year increase, Taylor reported continued strength in Titan’s agricultural tyre and wheel business plus growth in the earthmover and construction tyre business; this sector is, the chairman and CEO commented “really taking off and I believe it will strengthen throughout the year.” He further opined that Titan’s markets are “going to keep moving upwards over the next 18 months.”
In late April Michelin celebrated the official opening of its first retreading facility in Russia. The opening of the retreading plant, located at its Davydovo new tyre factory near Moscow, has been described by Michelin as one of the most important steps in its long-term business strategy for Russia and the CIS. The tyre maker intends to invest some 10 million euros in the facility in the years up to 2015. The establishment of the retreading plant has created 50 new jobs at the Davydovo site.
April 22 wasn’t a good Friday for the statue of Bibendum (the rotund white figure also known as the Michelin Man, in case you aren’t yet on first-name terms) gracing the entrance to Michelin’s Ballymena factory in Northern Ireland. The four-foot tall statue at the County Atrim plant was stolen in the early hours of April 22 and whisked away from the scene in an estate car. According to the BBC, the £2,500 local icon appears not to have left his post outside the Ballymena plant without a struggle, however – one of his feet remains in place.
A portion of the land from Bridgestone Australia’s former manufacturing site in Salisbury, Adelaide has been donated to the local council for community use. The land was officially donated to the City of Salisbury at a ceremony held on April 12.
Vehicle manufacturers in China are set to recall up to 75,000 cars fitted with Kumho tyres as original equipment. According to various sources, Beijing Hyundai will recall around 63,500 cars built between June 4, 2008 and January 13, 2011, while some 7,200 Kia Rio and Cerato vehicles and almost 4,700 cars manufactured by Great Wall Motor will be recalled.
Disagreement between members of the Kumho Tyre Workers’ Union (KMWU) and the South Korean tyre maker has led to disruptions in production at factories located in Gwangju and Gyeonggi provinces. Union members set the ball rolling with a one-day strike on March 25. Upon their return, the 3,400 employees at the two plants were apparently asked to sign individual agreements pledging not to strike. A lockout was then announced.
On March 25 Ceat Ltd informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that the commercial production of passenger car and truck radial tyres had begun that day at its new Halol factory in India’s Gujarat state. The plant, whose foundation stone was laid in January 2009, has been erected with an Rs 5 billion (£68 million) investment and is designed to have an annual output of 4 million tyres in its first phase of operation. Capacity should be increased to 12 million units over the coming decade through a second phase expansion project, which will be made with a further Rs 2 billion investment. Between 25 and 40 per cent of the plant’s output is slated for export, the company said in 2009.
Tyre production at Bridgestone’s Nasu factory in Tochigi Prefecture got underway on March 25, two weeks after the earthquake in Japan. Output at the plant, which holds the capacity to product 2,600 tons of passenger car, motorcycle tyres and other tyres per month, will increase gradually as electricity restrictions are lifted and “other issues” resolved. The Nasu plant’s return to production means that all Bridgestone factories in Japan affected by the earthquake are now back in production.
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