Bridgestone to Build Synthetic Rubber Plant for China
(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Corp plans to spend some $100 million to build a synthetic rubber factory in China, which the company said is necessary to meet growing demand worldwide.
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Conti Boss – “No Alternative” to Stopping Production
Product NewsIn an article in Die Welt, Continental Chief Executive Manfred Wennemer said that the company “can see no alternative” to ceasing production of passenger car tyres at the factory at Hanover.
SRI to Quadruple Production in China by 2008
Product NewsSumitomo Rubber industries has announced its intention to quadruple its tyre production in China within three years, in order to meet the sharply rising demand in that country.
SRI intends to invest between 10 billion and 15 billion Yen ($85m to $128m) over this period. Production at the SRI plant in Jiangsu province, near Shanghai, will rise from the current 1,500 tonnes a month to 6,000 tonnes.
SRI also said that it plans to build a new factory in China to supply tyres to Japanese car manufacturers with factories in China.
How to Successfully Recruit Senior Staff
Product NewsA company’s success is determined by how good its people are and the more senior the people the greater the effect – good or bad –they can have on a company’s success. So how do you ensure that your next high flyer will be exactly that?
QuickSilver Exhaust for Bentley Continental GT
NewsMost people would agree that the sound is an important part of driving a ‘Sports’ car. However, when it comes to the Bentley Continental GT, the original factory silencers are cleverly designed but too quiet for many drivers’ tastes, says exhaust specialist QuickSilver.
QuickSilver’s design team has developed a ‘Sports’ system with internals created to allow the volume and flow to increase in proportion with rpm. This provides a unique, higher pitched and crisper exhaust note, while a much more efficient exhaust gas flow means a real improvement in turbo response and acceleration.
Fast-Fit Manager Wins Michelin Competition
Product NewsFast-fit workshop manager Andy Smedley (38) has beaten 500 other entrants across the UK, displaying outstanding tyre knowledge.
Andy Smedley, the workshop manager for Fast-Fit in Norwich, entered the Michelin Certified Programme competition after being put forward by his area manager. He answered all 47 questions on tyre technology correctly, securing him a place in the top ten for the semi finals.
Tyre Recycling Technology Wins Australian TV Award
Product NewsUsed tyre recycling technology has scooped the Invention of the Year award on ABC TV’s The New Inventors.
Developed by Gold Coast inventor John Dobozy, the Melectra Tyre Recycling technology integrates mechanical, chemical and microwave treatment to break down tyres into their base materials – oil, carbon, rubber granules, steel and plastic fibres, recycling 100 per cent of a tyre without waste, residue or emissions.
Ural Tire Plant to Produce Winter Tyres
Product NewsThe Sibur-owned Ural Tire Plant Ltd in Yekaterinburg, Russia has launched the production of the new Tunga and Tunga-Master winter tyres. A special rubber mixture with enhanced elasticity is reportedly used in the production of the new generation of branded tyres.
Sibur launched Tunga in March this year alongside its Cordiant passenger tyre brand. The first Tunga tyres will be available in size 175/70 R13, while Tunga Master will be released in 185/60 R14. Several new sizes, including Tunga Master 13 and 15 inch variants are planned for next year.
Continental AG Could Cut 10 per cent of its Hanover Tyre Workforce
Product NewsContinental AG will make a decision in the next fortnight about whether to cut 10 per cent of jobs (320 positions) at its tyre factory in Hanover-Stoecken, chief executive Manfred Wennemer told Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. “The fact is we have an over-capacity of tyre (production),” Wennemer said. “The costs at Stoecken are higher than at any other plant in Western Europe. We are not talking 10 cents higher, but more than a euro higher per tyre produced,” Wennemer said.
Nokian Begins Lay-off Negotiations
Product NewsToday Nokian Tyres began the statutory negotiations for the lay-off of some personnel as well as for possible dismissals of around 100 employees, working at the car tyre production facility in Nokia, Finland. The aim of the procedure is to adjust the car tyre production to suit current tyre demand and inventories.
‘Do As the Best Do’
Product NewsSamson Machinery Inc was founded in 1975 by Mr Lin Kun-Te. Since then the company has grown 10 per cent per year on average and has produced the only Taiwanese machine capable of producing 24-inch tyres, the ZR2024.
In thirty years of manufacturing, working with customers in numerous countries, Samson has acquired a level of knowledge and experience that has enabled it to follow a pattern of steady growth. The business’ growth has been particularly strong in recent years, something that has been reflected in factory size, worker numbers and sales figures.
The Boss – “A New Concept in Tyre Fitting”
Product NewsHofmann Megaplan has launched what it claims is “a totally new concept in tyre fitting and removal technology,” namely The Boss super automatic tyre station.
The Boss revolutionises the way tyres are changed by mounting the tyre in a vertical position, enabling a better view of both beads, and eliminating the need for a tyre lever. Designed specifically for stiff, low profile tyres and run flat tyres, the machine is operated by a keypad control, making the whole process fully automated and non-contact.
Pirelli’s John Nixon Retires
Product NewsPirelli UK industrial director, John Nixon, will retire at the end of December after 37 successful years with the company. Having started as a Technical Clerk in 1968 at the company’s Cummersdale factory, Nixon steadily rose through the ranks to become the industrial director, responsible for a 1000 strong workforce. Wolfgang Meier will take over as industrial director.
Nizhnekamskshina Expands Into Using Silica Technology
Product NewsAfter several years of working in close association with engineers from one of the world’s largest tyre manufacturing factories, Chronos Richardson has secured a major order from the CIS. Valued at more than 2.5 million euros, the contract is for silica-based tyre compounding systems for the Nizhnekamskshina factory in Tartarstan.
Pirelli Strengthens its Global Footprint
Product NewsThe Pirelli group’s tyre division is consistently moving towards achieving its expansion plans. Under the guidance of Francesco Gori, arguably the architect of the Pirelli Tyre Company as we know it today, the company has built a MIRS factory on a greenfield site in Georgia, Rome, as a way of making a new start in the US; the world’s largest tyre market. In the meantime Pirelli’s bread and butter sizes are finding their way into the US from another new, ultramodern factory in Salvador, Bahia – a factory that also makes Pirelli a strong competitor in this region. In all probability Pirelli will establish a remarkable position in what is not only the largest tyre market in the world, but also one of the most important.
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