Continental has announced a further enhancement of CBS with its ‘DriveOn Time’ guarantee, which reimburses the customer 100 euros should a predefined maximum breakdown repair time be exceeded.
In the event of a tyre puncture, the truck driver can call ContiEuroService (CES), which immediately instructs one of its 4,500 European CES partners to attend the breakdown in the shortest possible time.
Chinese brand Aeolus is set to introduce a range of low-loader tyres in the Netherlands and across Europe. This news represents Aeolus’ response to the ever-increasing demand for these tyres from European companies in the transport business. The expansion of this line again signifies the increasing Chinese presence in the European tyre market. Aeolus has selected Heuver Banden of Den Ham to distribute these tyres in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Denmark and France. Kirkby Tyres sells Aeolus products in the UK.
Exide Technologies has boosted its successful Experience partnership and incentive scheme with a range of exciting new rewards. Dozens of amazing experiences have been added to the loyalty programme including unforgettable opportunities to fly with the Red Arrows, become James Bond for a day or sail in an America’s Cup class race.
The Experience programme also offers a wide choice of extreme sports including powerboat driving, scuba diving with sharks, whitewater rafting and bungee jumping.
PSA Peugeot-Citroën has named Bridgestone Europe as its Supplier of the Year 2005 for quality. On 6 March 2006, BSEU Chairman, CEO and President Minekazu Fujimura accepted the award, based on the company’s achievement of a zero ppm fault rate and zero quality issues for year 2005, at a ceremony held in the automotive manufacturer’s Poissy (France) facilities.
The event, attended by Jean-Martin Folz, Chairman of the PSA Peugeot-Citroën Managing Board, and his fellow board members, was introduced by Jean-Philippe Collin, General Purchasing Director.
Dunlop Motorsport will welcome more than 70 of the top motorcycle riders from 14 countries to test their new 2006 race tyres on the Spanish circuits of Albacete and Valencia, over five days in March.
This is the third year that Dunlop has organised such a pre-season test: “We are strongly committed to winning the national championships in all major markets. In 2005 we supplied the winning tyres for the national champions in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and USA“, said Steve Male, Dunlop’s European Motorcycle Motorsport Manager.
Vaughan Freeman, a motoring writer for leading national newspaper The Times, has published an article promoting the use of cold weather tyres. Under the title “Tests Show Winter Tyres Can Cut Braking Distances”, the article explained all the important features about the introduction of cold weather tyres in the UK.
Goodyear and Dunlop truck tyre customers across Europe will shortly benefit from a major improvement in service through the direct delivery of products from the company’s plants in Germany and Luxembourg. Customers will benefit from reliable on-time deliveries, a vital element of successful tyre management planning.
Korean manufacturer Nexen Tire has strengthened its UK presence by launching its Roadstone brand on the market. This will be exclusively distributed across the UK by award winning wholesaler BITS. Roadstone has been available in the Republic of Ireland through Phillip White tyres since November. The news that Nexen’s Roadstone brand was coming to the UK follows that company’s decision to open a London office at the end of 2005. Tyres & Accessories interviewed Nexen managing director, David Sul, Frankfurt office manager, Anthony Han and new London office manager Bong Lee at BITS’ head office in Bristol.
Gloucestershire, UK-based, Watts Industrial Tyres has expanded its production facility in Brazil, together with its joint venture partner, Souza Pinto Ind.& Com. De Artefatos De Borrahca Ltda.
Watts and Souza Pinto commenced manufacturing of a limited range of resilient solid tyres in late 2001, and have expanded the facilities product range over the last four years. The initial strategy in setting up the facility was to service the rapidly growing Brazilian market, as well as taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the Mercosur markets. The Brazilian Watts factory and central warehouse is based in Lorena, on the main Rodovia Presidente Dutra highway between Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro, and has grown from a 1,300 square metre facility to its new current size of 4,400 square metres.
Delphi Product & Service Solutions has established a joint venture with Roulunds Braking Systems SAS, a leading European supplier of OE and aftermarket automotive friction components. The new company, called Alliance Friction Technologies, has already developed a purpose-built manufacturing facility near New Delhi (India), dedicated to supplying Delphi with OE equivalent quality brake pads for sale throughout Europe and to other countries supplied by Delphi’s European operations.
Figures for European vehicle production rose 8.6 per cent in January. Western Europe posted growth of 1.9 per cent, but production in Central Europe rose by a remarkable 42.4 per cent. There were contrasting performances during the month, with Fiat production up 31 per cent (from a low base) due mainly to the launch of the new Punto. VW production rose 8.6 per cent on the back of Audi, Passat and Golf Plus models. Mercedes output was flat, but Smart production fell 34 per cent. PSA production rose nearly five per cent, but Renault fell 6.4 per cent, despite strong sales of the new Clio.
Shock absorber supplier KYB has strengthened its relationship with Toyota by signing a contract to supply shocks as original equipment for the second generation Yaris, which is built at Toyota’s plant in Valencienne, France.
Michelin North America (MNA) has announced that it will close its Kitchener, Ontario, tyre plant in July with the loss 1100 jobs. Michelin cited overcapacity in its broadline products as the reason for the closure.
The news comes six months after the manufacturer closed its Poitiers, France, plant with the loss of 500 jobs and is believed to be part of a global cost-cutting programme. “We believe that Michelin will accelerate restructuring measures in coming quarters, using the opportunity of the progressive attrition of one third of their workforce (or 25,000 people) in Western Europe and North America in coming years,” Deutsche Banks analysts said in a report shortly after the news broke.
The recent Autosport show saw Korean tyre manufacturer, Hankook, unveil a raft of motorsports plans, as it seeks to become a key player in the UK motorsports arena. Building on last year’s successful rallying programme, Hankook Motorsports has confirmed plans to run a two-car team in the British Rally Championship with former British champion Gwyndaf Evans and rising-star Stuart Jones driving Hankook shod Mitsubishi Lancers. On the racetrack Hankook announced that it is joining forces with the VW Racing Cup.
2005 saw the UK car market record the sharpest decline amongst the EU15 countries. While registrations were strong in December (158.866 units against 144,353 in December 2004), the 8.7 per cent increase disguised what was an undoubtedly tough year.
Germany, Europe’s largest car market, showed the opposite trend, recording an 8.8 per cent dip in December but 1.6 per cent growth over the year. 3,319, 825 new cars were registered in Germany in 2005. France showed the strongest growth in Europe with annual registrations increasing 2.7 per cent to 2,067,818 in 2005, despite slowing 1.4 per cent in December.
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