factory Archives - Page 60 of 85 - Tyrepress

Posts

Jobs to Go at Michelin’s Ota Facility

Michelin has released further details regarding changes at its Ota factory in Japan. As previously reported, the tyremaker intends to transform the facility into a centre for producing technologically advanced Japanese market products at the expense of its current export production. This change in focus is expected to come at a cost of about 65 million euros.

In addition to the fiscal cost, Michelin also states that 550 jobs will be cut from the factory before it fully resumes production with its new emphasis. However a company spokesman added that an unspecified number of workers will be offered alternative employment within the Michelin group. “We are not planning 550 redundancies,” he said.

12th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Stapleton’s Owner to Enter Car Making Business

The owner of UK tyre wholesaler Stapleton’s Tyre Services, Itochu Corporation, is reportedly entering into a joint venture with carmaker Suzuki to build a factory in Russia in order to capitalise on the country’s rapidly growing market. The Japanese newspaper Nikkei has claimed that Itochu and Suzuki would be equal owners of the joint venture facility, and would spend a combined 15 billion yen (£62 million) constructing the St Petersburg plant.

The factory will commence operation in 2009 and initially produce 10,000 vehicles based upon the Suzuki Grand Vitara using CKD components from Japan.

8th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Tyre Cord Factory Earmarked for Vietnam

On June 7 South Korean industrial giant Hyosung Corp. revealed its plans to build a new £80 million tyre cord facility in Vietnam by 2010 as part of its drive to expand global production. The plant will be located in Dong Nai province, near Ho Chi Minh City, and will eventually produce 53,000 tons of tyre cord annually, much of which will be destined for export to Europe, South America and other parts of Asia.

7th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kazakhstan to Build Premium Tyre Factory

Kazakhstan has expressed its ambition to become a tyre industry player. The national government, the Astana Akimat, has signed a memorandum giving the go-ahead to build a new tyre manufacturing facility under the country’s “Kazakh Tyres’ Industry Sector Development” investment project. The memorandum was signed by numerous government officials.

According to Kazakhstan news agency Kazinform, the proposed factory will specialise in the production of premium car tyres, and will have an annual capacity of four million units. Approximately US$200 million is being invested in the project that will be located in the Astana Industrial Park, near where Nissan reportedly recently agreed to establish a manufacturing facility.

5th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Production for Make Benefit of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, a country perhaps best known through the talents of UK film and television personality Sacha Baron Cohen, has expressed its ambition to become a tyre industry player. The national government, the Astana Akimat, has signed a memorandum giving the go-ahead to build a new tyre manufacturing facility under the country’s “Kazakh Tyres’ Industry Sector Development” investment project. The memorandum was signed by numerous government officials.

According to Kazakhstan news agency Kazinform, the proposed factory will specialise in the production of premium car tyres, and will have an annual capacity of four million units. Approximately US$200 million is being invested in the project that will be located in the Astana Industrial Park, near where Nissan reportedly recently agreed to establish a manufacturing facility.

5th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

MG Rolls Off Production Line at Longbridge

The 130 or so workers who were able to return to work at Longbridge may have found it a relief, but market watchers and union representatives are similarly sceptical about the long-term prospects for Nanjing Automobile-produced MGs in Birmingham. Nanjing has not confirmed how much of the new (bright orange) MG was actually built in Britain. According to reports, its engine was definitely made in China. Nanjing originally said it plans to build 15,000 cars a year at Longbridge in the “first phase.” This compares with 200,000 MGs that the corporation is planning to build at its plant in China. And as long as production remains at 15 per cent of its pre-closure levels the prospects for factory suppliers remain similarly uncertain.

31st May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Chosen for Green LCV

Coventry based manufacturer of zero emission commercial vehicles, Modec Limited, have chosen to fit Kumho tyres as OE on their range of environmentally friendly vehicles. Kumho will supply freight truck tyres to Modec, who officially opened their Binley factory on March 8. The Modec range of electric light commercial vehicles, which are powered by nickel chloride batteries, reportedly generate 102bhp and can reach a top speed of 50mph with a range of 100mph. The Modec is able to carry a load of up to 2 tons.

Kumho has participated in the development of the Modec from the earliest stages. “I am very honoured to work with Kumho Tires, who have supported this project and process from the beginning,” said Graham Mclntosh, product developer at Modec Limited. “Kumho Tires’ product fits the quality and price of Modec which is in high demand in urban cities.”

29th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Small Fire at Cooper Melksham

Cooper’s Melksham, Wiltshire factory has been the scene of a small fire in the early hours of Wednesday 23rd May. According to local news reports, overheated electrics on a forklift truck caused the fire. Firefighters at Cooper Tires were alerted after alarms went off at about 3:45am on the first floor of building 151. They reportedly discovered a small fire which was put out using a CO2 extinguisher. Firefighters carried out an inspection of the building to make sure it was safe.

24th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Extends DaimlerChrysler Supply

Continental is now equipping further high-class vehicles at DaimlerChrysler with tyres. Germany’s leading tyre manufacturer has recently been awarded the contract to factory fit a share of all models in the new Mercedes- Benz C Class.

Continental supplies ContiPremiumContact 2 and ContiSportContact 3 in sizes 16, 17 and 18 inches to the Mercedes-Benz C Class. The ContiPremiumContact 2 excels with short braking distances, comfortable handling and low rolling resistance, while the ContiSportContact 3 offers superb grip for acceleration and braking.
Continental manufactures the new tyres for Mercedes-Benz in Germany, France, Portugal and the Czech Republic.

22nd May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Change UK Pension Scheme

The retirement plans of 4,000 Michelin employees in the UK – including workers at the Stoke-on-Trent, Dundee and Ballymena plants and ATS employees – have been affected by the company’s planned closure of its final-salary pension scheme to existing members and decision to transfer staff onto a money-purchase plan. The company said this decision was made in the face of a continued deficit of more than £250 million, despite the fund receiving a £100 million top-up in recent years. In 2002 the company’s UK pension deficit sat at only £57 million.

The proposed changes would see members of its pension scheme cease building up any further benefits from January 1, 2009. Accrued pension benefits will be preserved and will remain linked to the employee’s final salary at retirement. Michelin stated that it plans to pay off the deficit in its final salary scheme over the next decade.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

QuickSilver Exhaust For Latest Lamborghini

QuickSilver’s ‘Titanium SuperSports’ exhaust system for the newest range of Lamborghini Gallardo’s is designed and tuned to provide a sound track to match the looks and performance of this SuperCar.

The newly developed exhaust system for the Gallardo is designed to be amazingly lightweight and give the best sound and performance possible. Sound is such an important part of driving a sports car and the special internal design of the box mixes the exhaust gases to give a crisper exhaust note, says QuickSilver. The Gallardo’s original factory silencers are cleverly designed and when the valves open also give quite a lot of volume but the exhaust gasses are not mixed so the sound is essentially just two five cylinder engines running side by side and not the great sound a V10 can produce.

26th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin’s Gift to the Community

Up in Dundee Michelin is creating more than new tyres – the company, through its Michelin Development division, is creating opportunities. An estimated 200 plus jobs will be created as a direct result of funds – almost half a million pounds – that Michelin Development has invested in twelve new or fledgling Dundee companies during the past few years.

Michelin Development was established with the aim of helping small and medium businesses flourish in regions were the tyremaker has plants or other strong community links. These locations also include Stoke-on-Trent, Ballymena and Burnley – the closure of Michelin’s factory at the latter site in 2001 prompted the establishment of Michelin Development. The investment Michelin Development provides comes in the form of unsecured base interest rate loans (at present 5.25 per cent), the risk for which is covered by Michelin. And it appears these investment loans are doing what they were intended to do – throughout the UK almost a thousand jobs have been created through Michelin Development’s support, with an expected 211 new jobs in Dundee alone. One Dundee company has secured £500,000 worth of contracts thanks to the programme, while another has trebled its payroll.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rimex Supply Launches Portable Earthmover Tyre Press

Canada’s Rimex Supply Ltd has unveiled the Mobile Press, a portable tyre press for earthmover tyres. Engineered to easily remove an earthmover tyre from a multi-piece rim, the Mobile Press can be used on 51 to 63-inch tyres.

As removing an earthmover tyre from its rim is quite often time consuming and hence costly, Rimex believe the appeal of such an easily transportable product is clearly evident. The Mobile Press can be brought into most worksites and is easily stored when not in use. Rimex describe the unit as user-friendly and claim that, given proper training, any employee would be capable of safely operating the Mobile Press with ease and confidence. The Mobile Press carries the added bonus of costing substantially less than a standard tyre press.

19th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Year Round Performance from Avon

Taking into account today’s unpredictable weather, the ever-rising performance of bikes and motorcyclists wishing to use their machines in a far more diverse manner than ever, Avon started with a blank canvas for its new sports-touring tyre, the Storm-ST. And by implementing new manufacturing and development processes at their factory in Melksham, Avon built on the qualities cherished by users of their Azaro-ST whilst making improvements in other areas. The result is a tyre that allows a rider to get the most from their machine in all seasons and conditions.

Avon believes that it is not necessary to use two compounds to produce a tyre that is hard in the centre and softer at the edges. Instead the company uses what they call Advanced-Variable Belt Density (A-VBD) construction features – Aramid fibres that are wound round the tyre densely in the centre section and then progressively spaced out as it reaches the edges.

3rd April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rockwell Automation Names New Automotive and Tyres VP

Rockwell Automation has named John Genovesi vice president of its automotive, tyre and rubber industry initiative. In his new role, Genovesi will lead the company’s global sales efforts directed at helping automotive, tyre and rubber machine builders, components suppliers and end manufacturers compete on a global basis. Since joining the company in 1989, Genovesi has served in a variety of sales positions including branch manager in both Rochester and Buffalo, N. Y. Most recently, he served as the district manager in Cleveland, Ohio.

“John’s previous management positions gave him the opportunity to clearly demonstrate his superb leadership and communication skills,” said Keiran Coulton, senior vice president, Rockwell Automation. “His passionate drive for results and extensive sales experience make him uniquely qualified to lead our automotive, tyre and rubber industry initiatives, enhancing our ability to deliver high-value solutions to our global customers.“

2nd April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors