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Government Extends Scrappage Scheme to Include Vans

The UK government is to extend the successful “bangers for cash” scrappage scheme until February 2010 with £100 million in extra funding. Alongside the increased funding the government will work with manufacturers to extend the benefits to van owners with vehicles over 8 years old rather than the current 10 year requirement. Car owners will also get a boost, with the age qualification changed by 6 months to extend the benefits to cars registered on or before 29 Feb 2000 (V registration). The scheme will come to an end in February 2010 or when the funding runs out, which ever is sooner.

So far 227,750 orders have been placed through the scheme. The increased funding enables the scheme to fund a further 100,000 vehicles, bringing total budget to £400 million and covering up to 400,000 vehicles in total. The extension continues as a government and manufacturer partnership, with matched funding providing the £2,000 discount for each scrappage order.

Announcing the news Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: “The sector has been strongly affected by the recession, but the scrappage scheme has delivered a boost to manufacturers and the supply chain. We have listened to the concerns of manufacturers and are increasing the funding of the scheme to £400 million.”

28th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

French Government to Phase Out Scrappage Incentives

After pioneering the so-called “cash for clunkers” scrappage incentive model in 2008, which was then mirrored in all the major European markets, the French government has announced that it is phasing out its 1000 euros for a 10 year-old car stimulus package. According to financial analysts, this measure had a net positive impact on demand of approximately 200,000 units, or 10 per cent of the market against a gross market impact of 400 units.

The developments in the French market follow the rather more abrupt end of a similar scheme in the German market, where demand for cars purchased under the scheme exceeded supply on 2 September. According to a Deutsche bank report published at the time, the scheme was responsible for 9000 unit sales a day since its introduction.

To avoid a free fall of the market next year, Germany’s car market for example is expected to be 25 per cent down in 2010, the French government has decided to reduce its scheme progressively. Next January the incentive will drop to 700 euros before dropping to 500 euros next July and hitting zero in January 2011. As a result, Deutsche Bank analysts are predicting “a limited decline of French registrations in 2010 of around 1.9 million units, -5 per cent.”

28th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

China Welcomes ITC Ruling Forcing OTR Anti-Dumping Rethink

The Chinese government has welcomed a US Court of International Trade ruling that the US Department of Commerce imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Hebei Starbright Tyre Co., Ltd might result in it paying twice. According to the Xinhua news agency, the US court ruled that the Department of Commerce should either scrap the countervailing duty or amend its methodologies and procedures of levying anti-dumping measures and countervailing duty on merchandise from China within 90 days.

The news refers to the fact that, on 31 July 2007 The US Department of Commerce decided that it would launch anti-dumping and countervailing probes simultaneously into China-made off-road tyres. On 4 September 2008 it introduced a 19.15 per cent anti-dumping and a countervailing duty ranging from 2.45 per cent to 14 per cent on the Chinese produced tyres.

25th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

ANRPC Annual Conference Looks “Beyond the Crisis

The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) is hosting its Annual Rubber Conference on 4 November 2009 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This year’s conferences’ theme is: “Beyond the Crisis: Emerging Asia and Opportunities for Natural Rubber.” Hosted by the Government of Vietnam, this one-day Conference will have three sessions followed by a panel discussion. The conference is being held in conjunction with the ANRPC’s assembly session and committee meetings to be held in the same week.

24th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone, Goodyear Weigh in on Tariff

Though silent while the government mulled over the USW’s Section 421 complaint about China-made passenger tyres, both Bridgestone Americas and Goodyear issued statements regarding the Obama Administration’s decision to levy a three-year tariff on the imported tyres.

16th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New Zealand to Consider Winter-Regular Tyre Mix Ban

International News

New Zealand could become the first country to ban the use of winter and regular tyres on a single vehicle by as early as 2010 when its government considers a change in the rules proposed by the Transport Agency.

3rd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

German Scrappage Scheme Ends

Market analysts are predicting that the German market scrappage scheme is likely to have come to end today as demand for cars purchased under the scheme now exceeds supply. According to a Deutsche bank report published today the scheme has been responsible for 9000 unit sales a day since its introduction and – as of today – only 5000 applications remain.

2nd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cash for Clunkers to Wind Down

International News

The White House is now working on plans to wind down the popular Cash for Clunkers program. At the urging of car dealers, who want a defined end date for the program so they don’t get caught out on the incentive program, the Obama Administration may announce this week when the consumer incentive program will end.

21st August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Issues Statement Regarding Court Finding

In an August 18 news story, it was revealed that Hankook Tire Co. and some of its manufacturing plant managers were found guilty of failing to prevent a series of work-related deaths at Hankook facilities.

20th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Deal Secures Saab's Future

General Motors Co. has confirmed it has signed a stock purchase agreement with Koenigsegg Group AB regarding the sale of 100 per cent of the shares of Saab Automobile AB. The deal is expected to conclude in the next few months and will then secure Saab's future. The stock purchase agreement will be subject to agreed closing conditions. Conditions to close the sale include expected funding commitments with Swedish government support and guarantees, as well as transitional assistance from GM, as Saab becomes independent. Saab is about to launch several new cars, developed with General Motors, that are in the final stages of development.

19th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Proportion of ESP Equipped Vehicles Grows ‘Significantly’ in Europe

Bosch reports the 81 per cent of passenger cars newly registered during 2008 in its home market of Germany are now equipped with its ESP electronic stability programme, two per cent more than last year. Europe-wide, 55 per cent of newly registered passenger cars were so equipped in 2008, five per cent more than in 2007. This figure is set to keep on growing as the enforcement date for EU legislation draws nearer – the EU requires all new vehicle models from November 2011 to be fitted with the safety system, while all newly registered vehicles must have ESP from November 2014. Similar legislation has also been passed in the US and Australia.

14th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

JK Tyre to Set up in Tamil Nadu?

India’s Economic Times reports that New Delhi-based JK Tyre could be on the verge of making a deal to install a radial car tyre plant in Tamil Nadu, having met with regional government representatives.

13th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TRIB Addressses Canadian Parliament, Prime Minister

The following is an open letter to Prime Minister Steven Harper and all members of the Canadian parliament, written July 28 by Harvey Brodsky, managing director of the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau:

Dear Prime Minister Harper and all Members of the Canadian Parliament,
The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau is an international non-profit, member owned industry association. I am writing today on behalf of our Canadian members in the tire retread and tire repair industries to bring to your attention the tremendous contribution our members make to both the environment and the economy throughout Canada.

29th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Independent Garage Complaints Down

The garage sector is said to be succeeding in raising customer service levels. Figures released this week by government-funded advice service Consumer Direct suggest that the number of concerns with workshops is falling, reporting that it received 8,047 calls between January-June 2009 about service and repairs carried out by independent garages – a fall of 4.16 per cent over the same period the previous year.

“These latest figures indicate that there has been an improvement in the performance of independent garages over the past few months. The more businesses that recognise the benefits to be obtained by subscribing to this Code, the better the overall consumer experience will be,” said Motor Codes director Chris Mason. “By working with the sector to provide real benefit for consumers and raise standards across the industry, Motor Codes is best positioned to help motorists identify who they should be doing business with.”

29th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Clairoix Workers Face Property Damage Charges

Several hundred employees from Continental AG’s Clairoix facility in France assembled outside a courthouse on July 17 during the appearance of seven of their colleagues. The seven workers were answering charges related to property damage at a regional government office in April. If found guilty, the accused face up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to 75,000 euros.

The seven are accused of stormed the office in April following the Clairoix factory’s announced closure. Furniture and computers were thrown from windows and files were removed from cabinets and strewn about. Authorities estimate that around 40,000 euros worth of damage occurred.

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors