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Feddi Ready to “Woo Masses” with 2008 Promo Gift Range

Federal Tyres of Taiwan are proving that mascot Feddi is “much more than an advertising tool or corporate logo” with a range of promotional goods bearing the corporate icon’s grinning visage.

Feddi has come a long way since his “first kick in the womb” in 1893, reportedly helping Federal to interact “physically and psychologically with the public” – so much so that Feddi is now ready “to strike more playful postures to his fans.” Among the promotional items “to accommodate your style and discriminating taste”, Federal list a Feddi Sport Bottle, Ball Pen and Memo Sheet, though surely the highlight of the range is the “cute and cuddly collectible” Feddi Doll, complete with baseball bat.

3rd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Federal Puts Feddi Out Front

Federal Tire’s cartoon ambassador Feddi will be getting greater exposure by the Taiwan tyremaker. Beginning this year, Feddi has gained his own website – www.feddi.com.tw – and will grace a host of promotional materials from Federal. Now available are such Feddi-oriented promotional items such as sport bottles, pens, note pads, memo sheet cubes, and plush Feddi dolls. (Tire Review/Akron)

30th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Federal Announces Further Price Increase

Federal & Hero brands have implemented a further price adjustment in advance of August 2008. The last price hike, which has only just been announced reportedly only offsets the increase of cost in the fourth quarter of 2007. Company representatives told T&A: “We are…forced to adopt up to 10 per cent for our product of Taiwan origin and 16 per cent for our Chinese made products. Cost hike of raw materials and energy is the deciding factor behind the price rises.” Federal blamed disproportionately fast labour cost increases for the 6 point higher hike on Chinese produced tyres.

7th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Four US Michelin Plants Awarded for Workplace Safety

Four of Michelin’s US plants were recognised for excellence in worker health and safety at the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s (RMA) annual meeting, held April 13. Michelin’s US6/CPV facility in Greenville, South Carolina, received an Excellence award. Three Michelin plants – in Anderson and Spartanburg, South Carolina and Dothan, Alabama, received Improvement awards.

“Michelin takes great care to provide employees with a safe work environment,” said Dan Merchant, director of asset protection and safety. “It’s nice to have the industry recognise our safety results, which we have been able to achieve thanks to the measures put in place and the hard work of each of our manufacturing employees.”

25th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conquer the Asphalt with Federal and Hero

Taiwan’s Federal Tire has been in the business for more than half a century, and in recent times has become much involved in motorsports, especially in parts of Asia and the US, with an emphasis on drifting championships much in evidence. A hardcore base of motorsport fans always ensures a market for a tyre manufacturer’s high performance products, and in 2008 Federal Tire has several such ranges available under both the Federal and Hero brand names.

23rd April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

CTNA Makes Healthcare Funds Available for USW Retirees

The United Steelworkers stated on April 15 that Continental Tire North America, (CTNA) has agreed to make US$158 million in payments to a retiree health insurance fund. The settlement is in response to a lawsuit filed by the USW and a number of retirees when CTNA implemented a $3,000 cap on its payments for retiree health coverage, a change that increased monthly health coverage fees for some retirees up to $1000 or more.

“This was an unconscionable attempt by an employer to strip away benefits from retirees who had already paid for them with a lifetime of work,” said USW president Leo W. Gerard. “We couldn’t let that happen, especially given the current shambles of our country’s health care system.” The lawsuit asserted that CTNA’s changes to its retiree health care coverage in April 2007 violated federal law. Last July, Judge Jack Zouhary of the Northern District of Ohio agreed by ruling that the company had no right to reduce or terminate benefits.

17th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

TIA Formally Back R2R Bill Effort

The Right to Repair issue has been a hot button for the independent auto service industry for nearly a decade. And calls for such legislation have spread to Europe and Canada. Yesterday, TIA formally announced its support of the latest federal Right to Repair bill – Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (HR 2694) – and “strongly urges Congress to pass the legislation in order to ensure that car owners and their trusted repair shops have the same access to safety alerts and repair information as the franchised new car dealer network.”

“We have always supported Right to Repair, but because most new vehicles are equipped with TPMS that are controlled by computers, we felt compelled to formally state our position,” said Roy Littlefield, TIA’s executive vice president. “Keeping these systems updated and in safe working condition requires ready access to complete and accurate information from the car companies.

17th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Australian ‘Drifter’ Nathan Weissel Teams Up With Federal Tyres

Federal Tyres has partnered with Nathan Weissel, winner of the 2007 NSW Drift Series, 8th overall in the Australian National Drift Series as his major sponsor. According to the company, the extreme performance of Federal’s 595 Competition Series has shown great resonance in action at 2008 Toyo Drift Australia Series at Symmons Plians Raceway.

16th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Final Approval for Goodyear Retirement Fund Not Reached

Goodyear employees, union representatives and the tyre major will have to wait longer for a final settlement to issues relating to their 2006 strike action. US District Court Judge John R. Adams stated on April 11 that he needed more and better information on the long-term viability of the Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association (VEBA), which was set up by the United Steelworkers and Goodyear as part of negotiations regarding the 85-day strike.

The US$1 billion plus independent healthcare trust is intended to pay benefits to approximately 30,000 USW member retired Goodyear employees, and Adams gave preliminary approval to the trust in December. Goodyear said it will pay $1 billion into the trust, after which it will no longer be responsible for retiree healthcare benefits. The tyre major expects to save $110 million a year and remove $1.2 billion in liabilities from its books through the VEBA’s creation.

14th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Federal Exhibits in Essen for Fifth Time

Federal Tyres will be exhibiting in Essen for the fifth time this May (Stand 3-127). Federals presence will a range of the company’s products – from its Combat FZ-201 slick tyre, to its 595RPM and Formoza AZ01 asymmetric ultra-high performance tyres; and including its Formoza FD2 low noise tyre Himalaya WS2 studdable and studless winter products.

Federal’s latest offering is its 595 Evo, which according to the company, will eventually replace its well-known 595. Promotional literature explains that the new Evo variant is aimed at the top end of the market and features “exceptional…groove within groove” water dispersion technology. This tyre is scheduled for production in over 60 sizes, fitting 14 to 20-inch wheels.

7th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Signs Civil Aviation Agreement with US

Kumho’s long awaited breakthrough in the area of civil aviation arrived on February 19. That day Kumho Tires CEO Dr Sae Chul Oh visited the US Embassy in Singapore and, on behalf of the South Korean manufacturer, signed a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between South Korea and the US. With the signing of this document, the door has been opened for Kumho to supply tyres to civil aircraft that operate in the United States.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Right to Repair Act Re-Introduced in Oklahoma

State Representative Daniel Sullivan (R-71) of Oklahoma re-introduced the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act (H.B. 2820) in the Oklahoma State Legislature on January 18. Similar to federal legislation, the Oklahoma bill would require car companies to make the same information and tools available to independent repair shops that they make available to their new car dealer franchises. Oklahoma now joins Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York as states with active Right to Repair efforts during 2008. (Tire Review/Akron)

30th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear US Factory Cited for Safety Violations

The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may penalise Goodyear US$52,000 for five safety violations it discovered during an inspection of the company’s facility in Social Circle, Georgia. Inspectors from the Administration noted two repeat violations, for which they proposed penalties of $42,500 after it became apparent that management had not performed certified periodic inspections of its energy control procedures, and that a production machine lacking proper safety guards was in use. Goodyear had been cited for similar failures after an inspection at the same facility in 2006.

16th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Amerityre to Update Website

Amerityre Corporation is to launch an updated version of its website by the end of the year. According to the company, the new site is being redesigned to enhance access to information and provide simplified navigation and improved search functions. “The new website will clearly show how Amerityre plans to change the way tyres and tyre products will be made in the future,” stated Dr. Benninger. “Especially now that our run-flat polyurethane passenger car design has successfully passed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 139 testing, we want visitors to our website to know that Amerityre does more than make the best polyurethane foam lawn and garden tyres available.”

6th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Titan CEO Taylor on Trial for Slander

(Tire Review) The chairman and CEO of Titan Tire parent company Titan International Inc., Maurice M. Taylor Jr., is a defendant in a slander trial that began December 3 in the U.S. District Court in Des Moines, Iowa. About 20 former and current Titan employees allege they were slandered when Taylor, at a news conference in 2000, falsely accused them of filing fraudulent worker compensation claims as part of union tactics during a long United Steelworkers strike at Titan’s agricultural tyre plant in Des Moines.

5th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors