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Performance Fibers to Idle Production at Two Factories

International competition and reduced demand from US tyre customers have led Performance Fibers Holdings, Inc. (Performance Fibers) to announce on March 26 its intention to halt all manufacturing at its Winfield and Scottsboro, Alabama factories. The company’s plans will see polyester fabric converting operations in Winfield and fabric dipping operations in Scottsboro idled, affecting a total of around 140 employees. The exact timing for the cessation of production will depend, says Performance Fibers, upon the transition period necessary to meet customers’ needs.

The decision to idle its full manufacturing operations at these two plants was, the company reports, caused by a number of factors, including lower consumer demand for cars, global competition, and higher raw material and operating costs over the last three years. These factors, combined with the restructuring activities of key tyre customers in North America, have resulted in lower overall demand for tyres.

31st March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Reports on Vietnam Opening Ceremony

Yokohama has released its official statement on the opening ceremony at its new tyre making facility in Vietnam; the ceremony took place at the factory in Binh Duong Province, on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, on February 29, and some 200 guest attended, including Vietnamese government officials, the Japanese consul general in Vietnam, local tyre dealers, representatives from the local subsidiaries of Japanese car manufacturers and media representatives.

Yasuo Tominaga, Yokohama Rubber chairman and representative director of the board, and other executives hosted the ceremony. “We began tyre production 10 years ago in Vietnam,” said Tominaga during his speech. “As the new plant starts operation, our operation in this country will have another momentum for continued growth.”

27th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Ford Announces Jaguar, Land Rover Sale Agreement

Not strictly tyre-related, but nevertheless a significant event for the UK automotive industry. On March 26 the Ford Motor Company announced its entry into a definitive agreement to sell its Jaguar Land Rover operations to India’s Tata Motors. The transaction, says Ford, is the culmination of its August 2007 decision to explore “strategic options” for the Jaguar Land Rover business while accelerating its focus on its core Ford brand and One Ford global transformation.

The total cash amount to be paid by Tata Motors for Jaguar Land Rover upon closing will be approximately US$2.3 billion. At closing, Ford will then contribute up to approximately $600 million to the Jaguar Land Rover pension plans. The sale is expected to close by the end of the next quarter and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

26th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Dear Prime Minister – Conti Asks Tanzania’s Govt. to Aid GTEA

Continental is reported to have requested the government of Tanzania take action to aid the moribund General Tyre East Africa (GTEA), in which the German tyre major holds a 26 per cent share. Furthermore, Conti is said to have informed Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Mr. Mizengo Pinda, that without assistance a complete closure of GTEA may be required by March 31, 2008.

An article that appeared in East African Business Week on March 10 indicates that, according to “reliable information”, Continental wrote to Mr. Pinda in mid-February, asking his government to honour the commitments agreed upon nine months earlier. The country’s sole tyre manufacturer suspended its 400 employees without pay towards the end of 2007, and is said to need at least US$10 million before production can resume. However, Mr. Said Nguba, press secretary to Mr. Pinda, told the business newspaper in early March that he had no knowledge of the letter. “I’m not in office and I’ve yet come across such information,” stated Nguba.

12th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Egypt to Charge Anti-Dumping Duty on Chinese, Indian Tyres

Egypt’s government is the latest to introduce a duty to deter the dumping of cheap tyres into its market. A so-called dumping duty, which will remain in place for the next five years, is to be levied on all new bus and truck tyres imported from China or India. According to the Egyptian MENA state news agency, the national Trade and Industry minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid imposed the duty as a means of encouraging investment in the domestic production of this type of tyre and to create new jobs in the sector. Mr. Rachid added that an Egyptian-Chinese joint venture producing automotive industry components would be up and running near Cairo within the next 12 to 18 months.

The news agency did not indicate how much duty would be charged.

10th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Invest $1 Billion Dalian, China Tyre Plant

Goodyear is reportedly close to investing over $1 billion in the construction of a tyre manufacturing facility near Dalian. The mayor of Dalian, Xia Deren, told the Reuters news agency that the city’s government had finalised an investment plan and would sign an agreement shortly.

According to the report, Goodyear is planning to build a plant in the Beishan area and hire more than 2,000 employees for a factory that would sell both domestically and for export. Goodyear representatives told Tyres & Accessories that they were aware of the reports, but didn’t give any further details.

28th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Government of Liberia and Firestone Sign Agreement

Firestone Liberia has signed an Amended and Restated Concession Agreement with the government of Liberia. The agreement modifies the current 2005 concession agreement and comes after extended negotiations.

The government and Firestone have jointly affirmed that the amended agreement represents an opportunity for a new partnership between Firestone and the government in their support for the rehabilitation and enhancement of Liberia’s natural rubber industry.

25th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

India’s ATMA Calls for the Elimination of Rubber Duties

Days after Indian tyre manufacturers and their representative body, the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), called for a reduction of duties on natural rubber imports into the country, ATMA appears to be calling for duties to be scrapped entirely. According to India’s The Hindu newspaper, lobbying for an elimination of tariffs has been paired with lobbying for the government to encourage the export of value added products rather than raw rubber.

18th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BorgWarner Expands in Hungary

Reducing fuel consumption and pollutant emissions plays a major role in the automotive industry. In response to these demands and to increasing European demand for turbochargers, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems has enlarged its facility in Oroszlány , Hungary.

Among the company and government officials attending the recent inauguration ceremony in the town (situated 80 km from Budapest) were Roger Wood, President and General Manager of BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems, the American Ambassador April Foley, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy Géza Egyed and plant manager Kornél Schmidt. Thanks to rapid growth in the turbocharger industry and to the successful co-operation with numerous customers a new hall was built, covering an area of 4650 m2. The increased total space is now 13.500 m2 and 600 people are currently employed.

15th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Quits Marine Hose Business due to “Improper Payments”

According to the content of a statement released by Bridgestone on February 12, the company’s internal inquiry into the now well known international marine hose cartel has uncovered a number of occurrences of what Bridgestone calls “improper monetary payments.” These payments were made to foreign agents, including government officials. Other “possible forms of improper payments” were also reported.

The European Commission, US Department of Justice, the Fair Trade Commission of Japan and other authorities have been investigating Bridgestone Corporation since last May due to suspicions of the company’s involvement in the marine hose cartel. Bridgestone, in its February 12 statement, wishes to clarify that the act of making improper payments to foreign agents, which will possibly be paid to government officers and other customer representatives, is a serious violation of its compliance rules. “Such acts betray the confidence that customers, shareholders and business counterparts have in our company,” declares Bridgestone. “We solemnly apologise for all such acts.”

12th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Dealers Object to 50-Cent Fee on Tyres

(Burlington (VT) Free Press) Rep. Jon Anderson, D-Montpelier, wants to put a 50-cent fee on each new tyre sold in Vermont to raise about $300,000 to help Green-Up Day volunteers and solid waste districts cover costs associated with illegally dumped tyres.

“I don’t want to overstate the tyre problem,” Anderson said. “It’s 1 per cent to 2 per cent of the tyres sold, but that is still 6,000 to 12,000 tyres.”

His plan isn’t popular with tyre and auto dealers, who lined up to testify before the House Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources Committee this week. They downplayed the problem Anderson is trying to solve and emphasised the detrimental impact on business of another government fee.

11th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Ends Lockout

Management at India’s MRF Tyres brought the company’s lockout at its Tiruvottiyur facility to an end on February 4. This move came after an assurance to this effect was given by company chairman K.M. Mammen Mappillai the previous day. It was also decided that MRF management would resolve employee grievances with the relevant government representatives.

6th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Autopromotec Cancels India Presentation Due to Political Crisis

The organisers of the Autopromotec have announced that the company has cancelled its proposed publicity campaign to Indian companies. An official statement from the company reads: “We inform you that the mission in India supported by the Italian Government in cooperation with Regions scheduled on February 4-8, 2008 has been cancelled owing to India’s political crisis.”

5th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Czech Republic Proposes Winter Tyre Sign

Czech transport Minister Aleš Řebíček has proposed a white-on-blue winter tyre sign. The idea is to warn drivers that they can only proceed on a particular if they have winter-tyres fitted to their cars. Drivers with summer-tyres will apparently be “obliged” to find an alternative route. At present, the proposed law only requires the signature of the Transport Minister to come into effect, and is set to appear on roads from March onwards. This means it is likely to be on display from the 1 November 2008 until 30 April 2009.

According to local media reports, the proposal underscores recent government initiatives to increase road-safety in the face of Czech Republic’s traffic accident and fatalities rate. Official preliminary figures show the Czech Republic had around 1111 road fatalities in 2007, despite the recent introduction of a penalty points system for Czech drivers.

5th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNAT Discusses New Tech Centre

Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire wants a new technical centre, and is considering either building new facilities in Akron, Ohio or Nashville, Tennessee, or trying to rehabilitate its nearly 100-year-old existing facility in south Akron. The tyremaker, which has some 1,000 employees in Akron and about 600 working in the technical centre, has begun talks with Akron and Nashville officials about possible solutions. BFNAT plans to reach a final recommendation in May, and, with the approval of the boards of both Bridgestone Americas Holding and parent Bridgestone Corporation, announce its plans this autumn.

4th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors