The Tire Industry Association (TIA) today announced that it held the first of its annual manufacturers’ meetings with Michelin North America at their Greenville, South Carolina, headquarters on 7 March 2007. For the past few years TIA has been holding annual meetings with the major tyre manufacturers to encourage the exchange of information between both groups. The meetings have proved beneficial to all involved.
Michelin announced on March 7 that it will open its first North American retail store, Michelin on Main, not far from the site of its US headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina. The store will offer Michelin branded mobility and lifestyle products, as well as advice on the company’s tyre products. Customers will be able to obtain information on the tyres best suited to their vehicles and then be referred to a local Michelin dealer to complete their purchase.
(Akron/Tire Review) Jim Morton, the former Michelin North America public relations and government affairs chief who later became vice chairman of Nissan North America, has decided to retire at the end of March. Morton will continue as a government affairs advisor to Nissan management after his Apr. 1 departure.
(Akron/Tire Review) Reports from the United Steelworkers indicate that master contract negotiations with Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire are progressing. Earlier this week, the two sides held meetings at USW’s headquarters in Pittsburgh that were termed “generally positive” by the union.
The nationwide driving school BSM, part of the RAC, has signed a new one-year contract with ATS Euromaster for the provision of new tyres and tyre services. The contract covers BSM’s fleet of over 3,500 dual control vehicles – the largest of its type in the UK.
(Akron/Tire Review) GITI Tire (USA) announced that it is relocating to a larger facility in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. The 177,550-square foot facility will serve as GITI Tire’s home office and national distribution centre and will stock more than 180,000 passenger and truck tyres. Current offices and warehouses will be consolidated into the new facility by Feb. 23, according to the company.
The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) has announced that its headquarters will be moving to Singapore before the end of June 2008. In the future the IRSG Secretariat will be situated at the Peninsula Plaza, Coleman Street, Singapore, according to reports.
Cooper Tires has confirmed that its UK factory in Melksham, Wiltshire, will be the home for a new European Technical Centre (ETC) that will be the hub of the company’s European activities.
The ETC will be responsible for all elements of the design and development of products manufactured at Melksham, primarily high-performance passenger vehicle tyres in both Cooper and Avon brands.
Automotive component supplier Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. has announced further plans by which it intends to maximise long-term value for its shareholders through the ‘streamlining’ of its North American operations. Specifically, the Company announced:
(Akron/Tire Review) Falken Tire Corp. has relocated its US corporate headquarters from Rancho Cucamonga to Fontana, Calif.
Effective January 26, Falken’s new address is: 13649 Valley Blvd., Fontana, CA 92335. The company’s phone and fax numbers remain the same: 800-723-2553 and 909-466-1116; Fax: 800-950-2561 or 909-466-1169.
Goodyear Dunlop’s UK Director of Consumer, Paul Wilde, has completed one of the world’s most famous races, with the proceeds raised as a result of his effort going to a good cause.
The Bavarian design team at Loder1899 has successfully combined the comfort of a luxury vehicle with the dynamic power of a racecar. The result is a fresh take on the Aston Martin Vantage V8 with a top speed of 280 km/h, acceleration of 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and new titanium suspension system. Loder1899 is one of the German distributors of the Kahn Design RS-V wheel line in 9×20 and 11×20 inch for Aston Martin V8, Aston Martin DB9, Bentley GT, Mercedes SL, VW Phaeton and Audi A8. This exclusive set of wheels is available starting from 7,000 euros.
1400 tyres have been stolen from a container belonging to Hankook Tyre UK Ltd. The company reports that a container carrying 165/65R 14T K702 and 185/65R 14T K702 tyres was hijacked on the A45 en route to its Daventry headquarters late on the 15 November. Hankook Tyre UK Ltd has asked that anybody approached with the aforementioned products should contact them directly, if they are not from a reliable source.
September marked the Golden Jubilee of Italian company Matteuzzi and the event was celebrated with a gala dinner at the company’s headquarters. The guest list included past and present employees – many of the latter having in excess of 25 years’ service with the company and also present was Matteuzzi’s first employee, who left to become an artist. Elisa, Giulia and Alberto represented the third generation of the Matteuzzi family.
(Akron/Tire Review) Hunter Engineering won the Best New Product Award from the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) for its DSP600 Digital Imaging Alignment Sensors. The NSPE award recognizes engineering ingenuity, functionality, safety, construction, marketing success and economic contribution. Hunter said the DSP600 Sensors were nominated for the national award after winning the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE) New Product Award in 2005. Representatives from MSPE presented the 2006 NSPE New Product Award to Hunter Engineering executives during a recent visit to the company’s Bridgeton, Missouri, headquarters.
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