In a statement dated February 18, Michelin has “expressed its satisfaction” following an agreement reached between the company and labour unions. According to Michelin, this agreement enables the “continued deployment of support measures for employees at the Toul plant in conditions that are conducive to moving the discussions forward.”
Workers at Michelin’s manufacturing facility in Toul have released the two plant managers that had remained locked in a room for three days to protest the French factory’s impending closure. The pair were released on February 17, and talks between employee representatives and the company have apparently now resumed.
The ‘lock-in’ began the previous Thursday when talks between management and staff broke down, and two days later France’s Economy Minister Christine Lagarde was appointed to act as a mediator between the two parties. When the managers were finally freed and escorted from the factory, it is said that workers turned their backs on the two men. “We turned our backs on the management because it has been turning its back on us for at least four years,” commented one unnamed worker to Reuters.
Finnish manufacturer Nokian Tyres has disclosed plans to add three extra production lines to the company’s Vsevolozhsk facility in Russia rather than the previously announced two. Chief executive Kim Gran told media on February 13 that “we are contemplating adding the third line during the second half of this year,” adding that the third line’s addition was more than 80 per cent definite and would cost some 20 million euros.
If all three lines are built the company will have seven production lines operating in Russia by the end of the year, and Gran believes the demand exists to justify their addition. “We could have grown even faster last year if we had had more capacity,” he said.
Power and Performance Products (Triple P) has introduced the UK to a new two-piece brake disc set from renowned Italian specialists Brembo. Triple P is the exclusive importer for Brembo High Performance products in the UK, and the new Turismo range is aimed at some of the market’s best-performing road cars. Turismo is suitable for the Audi R8, BMW M5 and M6 (E63), Lamborghini Gallardo, Mini Cooper and Cooper S, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Nissan 350Z, Porsche 996/997 – C2S/C4S, and the Subaru Impreza WRX STi.
Following the news that Polish retreader Mark Gum had purchased the retreading equipment and the Colway and Greenway brands, all previously owned by C-Tyres, it has been revealed that the company will build a new factory in Poland to produce the tyres.
Mark Gum’s owners, Mariona and George Krzyzagorski, have said that construction of the plant will begin this summer, with some tyres being produced later this year. Full production will come on-stream in the summer of 2009 and the range will include tyres for all sectors; passenger car, 4×4, van, light and heavy truck.
Ayrshire based haulier French & Son shift a million and a half tonnes of coal each year to local railheads and into southern England, and the company has praised the durability of the Semperit tyres fitted to its vehicles. For almost three years Semperit has been the tyre of choice for the long-established firm of Tom French & Son of Cumnock. Their 42 trucks – mainly Volvo mid-lift axle artics – move between 6,000 and 7,500 tonnes of coal every day from a local open cast mine. It’s very demanding work, both for the vehicles shuttling constantly between the site and the nearby railhead and for those on the long haul work.
The Drester Wheel Washer – distributed by Beissbarth UK – has always been a firm favourite with customers who want that show-room sparkle. But now the Drester has moved from the showroom to the race circuit.
It turns out that the Drester Wheel Washer is the preferred choice for the highly successful RML team, who are targeting more glory in 2008 as they aim to add to their tally of 15 titles over the last 10 years. The team is gearing up for its challenge for WTCC glory following its best-ever season last year. RML will also compete at Le Mans itself and in the Le Mans Series – the scene of their most recent success in 2007.
American Tire Corporation (ATC), the company that recently appeared on the tyre industry’s radar screens after disclosing its astonishing intention to build a half billion dollar OTR tyre factory in the US, reported on February 6 that it has declined an acquisition offer made by a “multi-billion US company.” According to an ATC press statement, the company received a letter of intent that ATC says “clearly expresses, the investor’s strong interest in ATC and its OTR tyre business, in addition to its new project in Washington.” Furthermore, reports ATC, the un-named company included a “big” offer for the 100 per cent acquisition of ATC.
The sprawling Continental Tire North America headquarters site in Charlotte, North Carolina will soon be re-born as a business complex following its sale to a developer. Philadelphia based Patriot Equities, a company specialising in the purchasing and leasing back of corporate buildings, has agreed to acquire the tyre manufacturer’s offices and former factory for US$29.4 million.
CTNA has taken out a ten-year lease on a portion of the site, and will continue its tenancy there in a reduced capacity. Of the 1.7 million square feet of commercial space contained in the site, the company will now lease and occupy 600,000 square feet.
During the month of January 2008 CTNA made the significant disclosure that its North American operations, in the red for several years, seem likely to have broken even in 2007. It is not clear if, or to what extent, the proceeds from the headquarters sale have contributed towards this return to the black.
The government in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu may assume control of the MRF Ltd tyre manufacturing plant in Tiruvottiyur, near Chennai, if the company does not promptly re-open it. The facility has been closed since last December, following industrial disputes in which MRF accused its employees of “indiscipline and being unable to meet productivity norms.”
“The MRF management should find a solution to the labour problem in its units within a week’s time,” electricity minister Arcot N. Veerasamy told the Tamil Nadu state legislative assembly on January 30. He said that the Tamil Nadu chief minister, M. Karunanidhi, would intervene to find an amicable solution, adding that “if no solution was found even then, the government would take over the unit.”
The president and chief executive of Kumho, Oh Sae-cheul, has described plans for his company’s $165 million factory in the US state of Georgia as being part of Kumho’s efforts to become a global tyre manufacturing leader. The signing ceremony for the new 123.6 acre facility took place on January 29, and was attended by Mr. Oh and Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue.
“With this plant in the United States, the world’s biggest tyre market, we want to save shipping costs to that market and to emerge as a global leader,” said Mr. Oh to South Korea’s JoongAng Daily newspaper. The establishment of a facility in the US marks Kumho’s first step out of Asia in terms of production; currently the company operates three facilities in China and one in Vietnam in addition to its three South Korean factories.
The Colway brand and equipment owned by County Durham-based C-Tyres have been bought by Polish retread company, Mark Gum. No details of how much Mark Gum paid for the company have been made available. According to local news reports, equipment from the factory on the Littleburn Industrial Estate will be now be transported to Poland. C-Tyres managing director Gary Oliver had previously spoken of his hope that a British company would take ownership of the assets, allowing tyre production to start up again from within C-Tyres leased premises in Langley Moor.
“There were several UK people that I know were interested and I was hoping there was a chance we could get things back up and running here, but that hasn’t happened. Colway tyres will no longer be made in the UK, which is very disappointing,” Gary Oliver commented.
Kumho has announced it will invest US$165 in the first stage plans for a new facility in the US state of Georgia. Proposed total investment in the factory, which will have an annual capacity of 2.1 million units, has not as yet been disclosed.
Russia’s AK&M Information Agency reports that investment in the second stage of the Nokian Tyres facility in Vsevolozhsk, St Petersburg will this year be increased by 66 million euros. Total investment in the project, which will double the factory’s output to 10 million units per year by 2011, is expected to reach 195 million euros.
Stage one of the project required an investment of 155 million euros and production at the facility began in June 2005. Plant production reportedly covers 27.4 per cent of Russia’s output. In 2006 the factory’s net profit rose 30.5 per cent to 107.3 million euros, with net sales increasing 21.8 per cent to 835.9 million euros.
Tyre and wheel equipment supplier Hofmann Megaplan has recently installed a new tyre & wheel assembly line for Lotus at the car manufacturer’s factory in Hethel, Norfolk. The new facility includes a megaspin 900 TFT wheel balancer, megamount ‘Boss’ tyre changer and various items from the ‘speedline’ system including inflation system and wheel lifters.
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