Founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Akron, Ohio. It is one of the oldest, biggest and best-known tyremakers in the world. Goodyear makes tyres for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, racing cars, aeroplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery. Find all the news and analysis you need relating to Goodyear here.
According to a survey conducted by Goodyear Dunlop in New Zealand, some 16 per cent of all vehicles in the country’s major centres have at least one unroadworthy tyre. The 1,600 vehicles surveyed in the cities of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch showed a 40 per cent increase in tyre-related defects over a similar survey conducted in 1999.
In 2009 Bridgestone and Michelin remained relatively stable market leaders in the UK commercial vehicle tyre market. However a real turnaround has taken place in the rest of the top five. According to Tyres & Accessories’ research, the recession has resulted in traditional truck and bus tyre market stalwarts Goodyear Dunlop and Continental being leapfrogged by relative newcomers Hankook, which now resides in third place with a 20 per cent market share.
While Continental didn’t explicitly confirm all the details of T&A/tyrepress.com’s research at its annual market trends briefing in London on 11 December, a spokesperson did concede that the company had slipped to fourth place in 2009 (holding 15 per cent of the market), after its group brands occupied third position in 2008: “We reached third position in 2008, but the challenging economic conditions mean that we are currently fourth in the market with an aim to regain ground in the next three years.”
The prototype tyre containing the BioIsoprene technology developed by Goodyear and Genencor is gaining much attention at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, yet Goodyear points out that products it has already made available to consumers are also represented at the high profile event. The tyre major notes that journalists covering the conference are being transported around the Danish capital in a pre-production example of the electric-powered Renault Fluence Z.E. fitted with its EfficientGrip tyres.
Copenhagen is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference, and present at the event will be the world's first concept demonstration tyres made with BioIsoprene technology. This breakthrough substance, which replaces a petrochemically produced ingredient used in the manufacture of synthetic rubber with renewable biomass, made its debut in the Danish city in early December. Several tyres, produced in collaboration between Goodyear and industrial biotechnology company Genencor, have been shipped to Copenhagen. One will make appearances at several events during the conference. Others will be displayed in several locations, including at Copenhagen International Airport’s departure lounge through to December 21.
The US based non-profit organisation AARP caters to the interests of people aged 50 plus, and one of the services it directs at its mature support base is AARP The Magazine. This publication, which AARP describes as the “definitive voice for 50+ Americans”, is claimed by the organisation to be, with 35.7 million readers, the world’s largest-circulation magazine. For the last eight years it has held an annual ‘Inspire Awards’, which salutes ten individuals in the aforementioned age bracket who “are using their energy, creativity, and passion to make the world a better place.” The 2010 list of honourees includes one name that may have a familiar ring to those at one Akron, US based tyre manufacturer – Lilly Ledbetter.
South Korea’s Hyosung Corp. has announced it will close its tyre cord plant in Scottsville, Virginia, in January 2010. The former Uniroyal tyre cord plant, which Hyosung took over in 2002, employs 106 people, according to Tire Review’s report.
The US tyre magazine explains that the facility was built in 1944 by the Defense Plant Corp. to help with the war effort, and Uniroyal bought the plant in 1945. Hyosung bought the plant from Michelin North America, and struck an exclusive supply deal with Uniroyal’s successor.
On November 30 Goodyear India announced it would enter into an agreement to reimburse expenses incurred by parent company Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for services received. This agreement will come into effect on January 1, 2010. The company has also reappointed Daniel Richard Ackerman as an alternate director to Pierre E. Cohade.
Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe has reported the recent appointment of a new communications director for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. According to EMEA region president Arthur De Bok, Belgian Tom Delforge began in the role on September 1, replacing Chris Aked, who has retired.
Tyre manufacturers in the US are likely to follow Goodyear in raising prices to offset tariffs on Chinese made tyres and rising raw material costs. This is the opinion disseminated by Associated Press, which reports KeyBanc analyst Saul Ludwig’s view that prices will be up some five to ten per cent by January. Goodyear, which will increase consumer replacement market prices by six per cent in December, imports around two per cent of its tyres from China. Its price increase, thus, could offset the extra costs.
Transense subsidiary, Translogik Ltd has secured significant order for its tread depth and tyre pressure field inspection kits from Cetaris, a leading Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) provider in North America. Cetaris will now deploy the Translogik kits as part of its innovative EAM and Fleet Maintenance Solution. The system will provide its customer fleets with "real-time" mobile data capture capabilities. The announcement follows a successful pilot programme, the newly ordered kits will be deployed throughout the Cetaris network in 2010.
Goodyear’s Turkish operation, Goodyear Lastikleri, has selected Ceva Logistics to handle its logistics requirements. Ceva Logistics will provide Full Truck Load (FTL) and Partial (LTL) distribution services from the tyre maker’s factories in Adapazari and Izmit, near Istanbul, to dealers and OEM customers throughout the country. All distribution process will be visible by Goodyear via a web based track and trace system.
The UrbanMax is the latest member of Goodyear Europe’s Max Technologies family, a range promoted by Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe as featuring the latest technology materials, dedicated tread patterns and durable carcass construction. The UrbanMax MCA and MCD Traction comprise a new line-up of all-season tyres for municipal vehicles, including city buses, fire engines and garbage trucks, and the benefits the manufacturer states these products deliver include high mileage and superb braking on wet and snowy roads.
Henk van Tuyl has been appointed director of Goodyear Dunlop Tires’ Tire Technology Commercial Tires – Europe Middle East and Africa division. Van Tuyl, who is originally from the Netherlands, has worked for the company for more than 21 years and took up his new post on October 1.
US based science and technology magazine Popular Science has included Goodyear’s Assurance Fuel Max in its 2009 “100 Most Innovative Products of the Year” list. The Goodyear tyre appears in the Automotive Technology category of the "Best of What’s New" section and is featured in the magazine’s December issue and online at www.popsci.com.
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Goodyear has announced that the 2010 Toyota Prius will fit its Assurance Fuel Max tyres as standard in the US. According to the company, the fitment for the popular Prius will be Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tyres in size P195/65R15. The selection of the new Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max for the 2010 Toyota Prius follows earlier announcements that the tyre will be fitted on the 2010 Ford Fusion S and the exclusive fitment for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.
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