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 the third quarter of 2011 Polish tyre maker Debica S.A. reported sales of PLN 717 million (£138.6 million), a 38.9 per cent year-on-year increase. Operating profit in the July to September quarter rose 61.6 per cent year-on-year to PLN 59.9 million (£11.6 million) while net profit, at PLN 32.6 million (£6.3 million), was down 9.62 per cent compared with the third quarter of 2010.
South Africa’s Competition Commission has settled its price fixing case with Apollo Tyres South Africa. Under the terms of the deal struck between the tyre maker and the government body, Apollo will pay a 45 million rand (£3.5 million) fine and admit to its prior participation in the tyre manufacturers’ pricing cartel that also allegedly included the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (Pty) Ltd (SATMC), Goodyear South Africa, Continental Tyre South Africa and Bridgestone South Africa. The penalty Apollo Tyres South Africa is required to pay represents 4.75 per cent of its total 2008 turnover.
On 18 November Goodyear Tire & Rubber held a topping ceremony for its new corporate and North American headquarters in Akron, Ohio, seven months to the day after its groundbreaking. A steel beam signed by hundreds of Goodyear’s Akron employees was put in place today as many of them, along with chairman and CEO Richard J. Kramer, watched the event live via video feed. The Goodyear blimp was also on hand to provide aerial coverage.
Titan International has confirmed its subsidiary Titan Tire Corporation paid “approximately US$9 million” for the physical assets of the Goodyear tyre plant in Union City, Tennessee, which closed in July 2011. Included in the purchase are around 480 acres of land and a 2.1 million square foot building. As part of the deal, Titan has agreed not to produce radial passenger car or 4×4 tyres at the factory and to scrap all curing presses and tyre building equipment that Goodyear requests to be scrapped. Titan will retain the scrap value of these items.
Four recent independent tests in Europe have recommended Goodyear’s UltraGrip 8 winter tyre. Tests conducted by Auto Motor und Sport; Germany's largest automobile club, Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC); and its Austrian counterpart Österreichische Automobil-, Motorrad- und Touring Club (ÖAMTC) support similar conclusions drawn by previous 2011 tests by Germany’s AutoZeitung and GTÜ magazines. The UltraGrip 8 was launched in early 2011, and is Goodyear’s first directional tyre to use patented 3D-BIS (Block Interlocking System) Technology throughout the entire tread pattern.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Daniel L. Smytka as president of the company’s Asia Pacific business. He replaces Pierre Cohade who has decided to leave Goodyear and move to a new opportunity that will be announced at a later date. Cohade will remain with the company through the end of the year to assist with the transition.
Smytka, who has more than 25 years of leadership experience, takes the role after successfully running Goodyear's Asia consumer business and subsequently leading the relocation and expansion of the company’s factory in China.
Following speculation, the mayor of Union City Terry L Hailey has confirmed Titan Internationsl's purchase of the former Goodyear plant in Union City, Tennessee in a Facebook status update. Hailey's Facebook message reads: "Good News! Titan Tire has bought the Goodyear facility in Union City. We look forward to a lasting relationship with Titan. It is official."
Goodyear has announced a new range of low platform trailer tyres for applications such as car transporters in both long and regional haul service and also for heavy haulage trailers. The Regional RHT II 19.5” and 17.5” have been developed to provide increased operational mileage and improved wet grip. Goodyear says the low rolling resistence tyres meet the requirements of the future EU Regulation 661/2009. The Goodyear Regional RHT II is fully regroovable and retreadable.
Michelin North America has been honoured with a 2011 Secretary of Defense Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) Award, reports Tire Review. The award was presented to the French manufacturer at a ceremony last week at the Aerospace Industries Association Fall Product Support Conference. MNA’s aircraft tyre unit was a PBL Component-Level Award recipient for supplying tyres to the US Navy.
Reading the recent UK winter tyre usage survey commissioned by Manheim Auctions, anyone would think that the concept of fitting winter tyres was a) peculiar and b) a “minority purchase.” The reality is that all across Europe millions of winter tyres are fitted every season and that the numbers of motorist taking the winter option are at an all-time high and growing fast.
Local TV stations in the US (namely WPSD-TV in Paducah, Kentucky), is reporting that the now closed Goodyear plant in Union City., Tennessee, may open up again soon. Tire Review reports that rumours are flowing through the community that a "major company" is looking at the plant with an eye toward potentially buying, modifying and reopening the facility.
British Gas recently completed a year-round trial of Continental winter tyres on its fleet of car-derived vans. Following the extreme weather conditions experienced in 2009, British Gas took the decision to fit 120 of its Volkswagen Caddy vans with winter tyres to ensure its vehicles stayed on-call and on the road last winter.
Goodyear has introduced its latest North American market winter tyre, the Ultra Grip Ice WRT. According to the manufacturer, this new product is designed to provide traction on the changeable road conditions encountered during winter; to achieve this, the Ultra Grip Ice WRT features 2D blades in the centre zone – Goodyear says these provide “hardworking biting edges for enhanced starting and stopping power on snow and ice” – and Goodyear’s proprietary ‘3D TredLock Technology’ blades in the tyre’s shoulder zone – these are designed to lock together to form large outer tread blocks for “confident winter grip and handling in sweeping turns.”
Goodyear is introducing a new programme aimed at OTR tyre users. Called ‘Goodyear at Service’, the internet-based programme will be available to all off-road plant operators in the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions. Goodyear says it will “ensure that each customer gets the best possible expert support when purchasing and operating Goodyear tyres.”
Goodyear is hosting a web tv show at 15:00 (BST) today. In the webcast Quentin Willson will share his safe winter driving knowledge with Goodyear Dunlop PR support manager Kate Rock. The show is based on a OnePoll survey of 4,000 motorists, which revealed motorists’ phobia of driving in winter conditions. It also showed that less than one in five drivers have ever purchased winter tyres. To view the webcast, go to http://77.237.250.82/~tyrepress/live.html. You can also submit a question to Willson and Rock now.
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