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Sri Lanka Encourages Tyre Rubber Production

International News

At the end of June Sri Lanka’s government announced plans to encourage small farmers to produce more tyre grade rubber. Local news sources reported that plantations industries minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said a policy decision was taken aimed at increasing production of the RSS 3 type rubber grade: “Although most people think RSS 1 is the best and it is, the biggest demand is for RSS 3…That’s what big industrialists want. They are the main buyers of rubber.”

13th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Cuban Retreader Poligom Output 56,900 tyres in 2009

International News

A recent article written by Joel Mayor Loran and published by the Granma and Periodico publications in Cuba gives a fascinating insight into the workings of the country’s National Rubber Company – Poligom. According to the article, which is entitled “How to Save a Million Dollars” the Cuban retreading operation has been facing a scarcity of raw materials and retreadable casings.

The Poligom National Rubber Company reportedly runs five factories specialised retreading work, which retreaded 56,900 tyres in 2009. However, the lack of stability in the supply is said to have affected plans to increase production to 90,000 in 2010. In the year to 10 June the retread companies located in the municipality of Cotorro in Havana City, in the central province of Las Villas, and in the eastern provinces of Camaguey, Holguin and Santiago de Cuba received 34,000 casings, 6,000 less than expected.

12th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Robert Halfon MP Says Garages Should Hold Kitemark Standard

Robert Halfon, the MP for Harlow, has Tabled a Motion in Parliament following a radio morning (on Wednesday, 30 June) with consumer motoring champion Quentin Willson debating poor garage servicing.

The news follows survey evidence showing that over half of the British population who have had a car serviced in a garage before are not totally confident that the work they have paid for has been carried out. That’s according to new YouGov research recently commissioned by BSI Kitemark, which throws light on just how wary people have become of garages and what work is actually being done to their cars.

8th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Thailand Passenger Tyres Lose Duty-Free Status

The US government dropped the duty-free status for certain passenger tyres produced in Thailand, part of a group of imported products that were part of an annual tariff review of trade programmes involving emerging countries, reports Tire Review. With the change, Thailand-produced passenger tyres are now subject to a tariff if annual imports of those products exceed $140 million in value or represent 50 per cent of total passenger tyres imported into the US. No tariff has been set or planned for these tyres. The status change was made when US trade officials found the product to be ''sufficiently competitive'' in the US.

1st July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Cable Ties Noose on Car Industry Aid

UK coalition government business secretary Vince Cable has ruled out further publically financed direct support for the UK car industry. Additionally he cast doubt on plans made by the previous Labour government that would have subsidised early purchases of low-emission vehicles in 2011. Cable told London’s Financial Times on 29 June, “We don’t want to go around the country waving a cheque book.”

29th June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Hercules International Joins ITMA

Ontario Canada-based tyre marketer and distributor Hercules Tire International has joined the Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA). Hercules, which has worldwide sales in excess of US$500,000,000.00, will be represented within the association by its European Sales and Purchasing manager, Paul Sleath.

25th June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Government Confirms Safety of Michelin Grant

A £3.9 million grant awarded to Michelin through the Advantage West Midlands regional development agency for the improvement of its Stoke-on-Trent facility has been confirmed by the Department for Innovation and Skills. The grant will allow the French manufacturer to make plans for the modernisation of the site.

23rd June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Issues Statement on Perambra Lockout

The lockout at Apollo Tyres’ Perambra factory in India’s Kerala state is now in its second week, and the company’s chief of India Operations, Satish Sharma, has released an official statement broaching the issue:

21st June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Deploys Latest Military Tyre

International News, Product News

Weapons manufacturers, government representatives and perhaps, one may speculate, the odd soldier of fortune and terrorist crackpot, are flocking to Paris this week to take part in the Eurosatory military vehicle show. Those perusing the latest additions to our global arsenal were amongst the first to catch a glimpse of Michelin’s new XZL2 tyre. Introduced at the show, the XZL2 is designed for both military and off-road commercial applications, and Michelin states it features a redesigned tread pattern that offers greater speed capabilities and improved tread life over a wide range of terrains.

15th June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

US Senator “Owes Retreading Industry an Apology”

Although most likely uttered out of ignorance rather than malice, comments made by Iowa Senator Tom Harkin have the potential to tarnish the reputation of retreaders throughout the US. During a speech at the Iowa Democratic Party’s state convention on June 12, Harking referred to a Republican party candidate as a ‘retread’ – an insult that, you may be amazed to learn, has gained a measure of popularity on the other side of the Atlantic – and then continued by saying “and the problem with retreads is that they have a tendency to blow out and cause a lot of wrecks.”

15th June 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Coalition Question Mark Hangs Over Michelin Funds

The Stoke Sentinel reports that up to ₤3.9 million awarded to Michelin through the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands (AWM) may not head in the tyre maker’s direction if the new coalition government’s spending axe falls upon it. The Government says it will review spending projects reviewed upon after January 1 and decide if they represent value for money; Michelin’s intention, according to the Sentinel, was to use the awarded funds towards a ₤20 million modernisation plan for its Stoke-on-Trent site.

21st May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Irish Associations in Waste Tyre Crisis Talks

Representatives of the Tyre Recovery Activity Compliance Scheme (TRACS), Tyre Waste Management (TWM), the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) and the Tyre Wholesalers and Retailers Association (TWRA) had to face crunch talks with the Irish government Department of Environment on 20 May. According to Irish publication Tyre Trade Journal (TTJ), the associations were summoned following the broadcast of a Prime Time Investigates programme, which screened three days earlier.

21st May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

SMMT: UK Van and Truck Registrations Showing Mixed Fortunes

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders registration figures suggest the UK’s slow upturn in light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes continued in April 2010, but trucks remained in the downward trend experienced since the last quarter of 2008. “UK van registrations rose in April, continuing the welcome growth over the first quarter of 2010,” said Paul Everitt, chief executive at the SMMT. “Demand for trucks is still running well below pre-recession levels and continues to reflect weak demand and a lack of business confidence. As our new government establishes itself, the priority must be sustaining and strengthening the economic recovery with particular focus on encouraging the availability of more and better priced finance.” Of course, the supposition that there will be a government able to establish itself may come under threat after the indeterminate result of the UK election.

7th May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Retreaders, Associations Kill Anti-Retread Bill

TIA reports that a coalition of members, other associations and local retreaders were able to defeat pending legislation in Georgia that would have effectively outlawed retreads on government-owned safety vehicles, says Tire Review. Along with TRIB and the RMA, the group worked to amend a House-passed bill that contained the anti-retread provision. The amendment was made in the Senate version of the bill, which was then passed by the Georgia House.

7th May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Announces Sponsorship of 2010 Eco Rally

Bridgestone has announced that it will sponsor a rally of low and zero emission vehicles: the 2010 Brighton to London Eco-Rally. The company says it will bring along well-known Formula One names on Wednesday 7 July, when the convoy of vehicles will travel the famous Veteran Car Run in reverse, driving from Brighton’s seafront to London’s Hyde Park. At the park, the rally will join a green transport exhibition, free to attend, at the Royal Albert Memorial.

4th May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors