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.
In order to prevent damage from ‘friendly fire’, Titan International Inc. has issued a statement distancing itself from the spat between US President Donald Trump and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Titan wants to make it clear that there is absolutely no link between it and the alleged Goodyear diversity training document that’s circulating on the internet.
This publication stands by a long-standing precedent of being a-political. Rather like the saying that it is bad manners to talk religion or politics while dining, we have historically opted not to take a line on such issues. Propriety aside, there is another particular good reason for this approach. During the nearly eight decades since Tyres & Accessories was published in 1946, 16 prime ministers and many more governments have come and gone, but one thing has remained: the motoring public’s demand for tyres has continued and even grown in the medium and long-term. But this column isn’t finishing school, so why the discussion on protocol? We don’t normally engage in politics, but this month politics engaged with the tyre business more directly than ever before when US President Donald Trump told US motorists: “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES”, adding: “Get better tires [sic] for far less!” (see pages “President Trump attacks Goodyear” for further details of the furore).
It is an open secret that the US presidential limo, affectionately known as “the beast” runs on Goodyear tyres. What many people are less aware of is that – owing to the fact that “the beast” has significant amounts of armour plating – unlike most limousines, the US presidential limo is actually fitted with 19.5-inch truck tyres that are better suited to the vehicle’s increased load. Whatever the fitment, 24 hours after Donald Trump tweeted “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES”, adding: “Get better tires for far less!”, one has to ask if the current incumbent of the White House will be taking his own advice.
Goodyear has been forced to release an official response after US President Donald Trump urged motorists not to buy its tyres in a social media message. On 19 August, the President rebuked Goodyear in an apparent critique of its “One Team” equality policies, saying: “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS”. He further suggests that motorists could “Get better tires for far less!” – pointedly undermining the company’s premium brand positioning and performance without reference to any tyre performance or price data.
Goodyear is looking forward to recommencing the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps. The tyre manufacturer’s partner teams, Jota Sport and Jackie Chan DC Racing are currently second and third in the LMP2 standings. The former has finished on the podium in the last four rounds, while Jota took a memorable win at Shanghai in November. They will be joined by an additional Goodyear-shod car from Algarve Pro Racing. The Portuguese team usually competes in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) but will step up to the world stage this weekend.
Goodyear has revealed the bespoke Eagle F1 SuperSport race tyre that will be equipped to all cars in Pure ETCR. The series is the world’s first all-electric multi-brand touring car series. Goodyear is the exclusive tyre supplier and founding partner of the championship.
Goodyear has been marketing its passenger car tyres in Germany directly to end users for fitting by a listed partner for roughly six months. And for years before that there has been a noticeable trend towards online selling. Following on from our online preview article, Tyres & Accessories’ German group publication Neue Reifenzeitung interviewed David Anckaert, vice president Commercial Europe at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and began by asking: is it too early to draw initial conclusions? And where’s next?
Goodyear Tire & Rubber reported a Q2 2020 net loss of $696 million ($2.97 per share) compared to net income of $54 million ($0.23 per share) a year ago in financial results released 31 July 2020. Goodyear’s second quarter 2020 sales were $2.1 billion, down 41 per cent compared with a year ago. According to the company, the decline was driven by “lower industry volume and reduced sales from other tyre-related businesses.” However, there are signs that demand is improving.
During the last few months Tyres & Accessories has analysed the tyre choices of the UK’s largest Police fleets. Having begun with an introductory investigation into Police tyre supply as part of the June 2020 magazine, our July edition took a closer look at which tyres the Metropolitan Police fleet chooses. Throughout the series we have found a number of consistent trends. Firstly, despite the tyre supply business being contracted to Goodyear and Michelin (via ATS Euromaster), the Police fleets are actually surprisingly open to competing tyre brands. And secondly, tyre consumption habits vary significantly between Police forces.
Goodyear has been marketing its passenger car tyres in Germany directly to end users for fitting by a listed partner for roughly six months. And for years before that there has been a noticeable trend towards online selling. With this in mind, Tyres & Accessories’ German group publication Neue Reifenzeitung interviewed David Anckaert, vice president Commercial Europe at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
Ahead of next week’s Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) opener at Donington, four-time champion Colin Turkington put the latest Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport tyres through their paces.
Goodyear has been supplying original equipment tyres (OE) for various Land Rover models for year. Now, Goodyear is equipping the New Land Rover Defender in 2020.
Titan International has been manufacturing Goodyear Farm Tires in USA for more than a decade. It returned to the European and UK markets last year after Titan purchased the licence. It has also made a significant investment in new plant and equipment to manufacture tyres specifically for the UK and European markets. Lindsay Hart, tyre sales director at Titan Europe and Goodyear Farm Tires, gave Tyres & Accessories an insight into demand for agricultural tyres during the Covid-19 crisis.
Goodyear will make its debut as a tyre supplier to the European Le Mans Series this weekend. The manufacturer is working alongside top teams in the LMP2 and LMGTE classes at the season-opening 4 Hours of Le Castellet. Goodyear’s latest tyre technology will be fitted to five front-running LMP2 prototypes and every car in the LMGTE field throughout the ELMS season. The brand’s entrance into the series follows last year’s fitments to LMP2 winners in the FIA World Endurance Championship. However the weekend will mark the first time that LMGTE cars have raced on the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport race tyres. Having been delayed by the pandemic, the series will run over five races until November.
The UK’s first Highway Heroes have received public recognition and some Goodyear tyres. During April and May, Goodyear invited nominations via LinkedIn for deserving commercial operatives, with one winner chosen each month to receive a brand-new set of premium tyres for their personal vehicle.
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E Bouman; Pixabay
Kirk W, Flicker; https://www.flickr.com/photos/7767586@N03/468658986 cc-by-sa-2.0
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West MidlanSer Amantio di Nicolao; flickr
Jakob Ebrey, Goodyear
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City First; Goodyear