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MEN Reveals “Scandle of Dumped Tyres”

A special investigation by Manchester Evening News journalist Mike Keegan has unveiled the extent of the problem of tyre dumping in the city. An inquiry launched by The Environment Agency has begun, following the discovery – led by the MEN – of 16,000 tyres dumped in a lock-up in Ardwick. European law states that standard tyres must be recycled.

Keegan’s report on his investigation’s discovery states that a man named Naseer Iqbal “rented a railway arch from property firm Maryland Securities last October.” After he failed to pay rent, the company’s managers found the building crammed with spent tyres, which it is understood Iqbal collected for a fee.

18th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook’s Cho Hyun-bum Investigated for Stock Manipulation

Korean news sources report that an investigation has begun into allegations of stock manipulation brought against Hankook Tire executive vice president Cho Hyun-bum. According to the Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo news, the son-in-law of South Korean president Lee Myung-bak is being secretly investigated as part of a larger stock market ‘manipulation racket’ that allegedly involves the younger generation of a number of prominent South Korean ‘chaebol’ business families.

2nd September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Safety Board to Investigate Goodyear Explosion

The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has announced that it is proceeding with an investigation into the causes of an explosion that occurred in June at a Goodyear rubber manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. One employee was killed in the incident and several injured, including contract workers who were exposed to hazardous anhydrous ammonia. CSB investigators have already carried out a fortnight of visits to the plant to conduct interviews and accumulate other evidence.

22nd August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyota SA to Change OE Tyre After Safety Concerns Voiced

Toyota South Africa has acknowledged that the tyres fitted to its strong selling Fortuner SUV model may cause the vehicle to experience handling problems on gravel surfaces. Although the carmaker has not received any official complaints about the tyres fitted – General Grabber in size 265/70R16 – intense debate on internet forums set up by the country’s 4×4 fraternity has been sufficient ground for the company to carry out its own investigation and decide upon replacing this tyre as OE fitment.

20th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Amidst Rumors, Double Coin Chairman Ousted

Fan Xian has been replaced as chairman of Double Coin Holdings, one of China’s largest tyremakers and parent of China Manufacturers Alliance in the US. There have been a number of unconfirmed reports out of China that Fan had been “detained” and is under investigation by the government for unspecified reasons.

Liu Xunfeng was appointed to replace Fan, effective August 6, by the Shanghai Huayi Group, a government body that owns a 60 per cent share of Double Coin Holdings. Fan also served as vice president of Shanghai Huayi Group, and was replaced in that capacity, as well. Yue Chun Chen, general manager of Double Coin and president of its Shanghai radial truck tyre plant, will continue to manage the day-to-day affairs of the company and its global tire subsidiaries.

14th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Factory a Potential Terrorist Target?

A report published by Italy’s La Stampa newspaper on August 12 suggests a possibility that Pirelli’s tyre manufacturing plant in Turin may be a planned target for terrorists. An anti-terror investigation has begun in Italy after police discovered detailed architectural plans for the Turin factory. While the report does not make clear where the plans were found, reference is made to an “encampment” inside a highway tunnel that is used by local homeless people.

13th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Truck Tyre Fitter Killed in Sudbury

A tyre fitter has died after a truck tyre exploded during inflation at a Chilton Grain depot in Waldingfield Road, Subdury. Local news reports said Dial-a-Tyre had been contracted by BM Tankering to change a tanker tyre. The tragic accident is believed to have happened off the vehicle prior to the new tyre’s fitment. While no formal identification has been made, the victim is believed to be Martin Bacon, whose father runs the local Dial-a-Tyre business. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation is underway. According to BBC Look East, the HSE probe will be looking into whether there were any weaknesses in the new tyre.

1st August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Schaeffler Raises Conti Bid to 11.3 billion euros

Schaeffler Group has increased its bid for Continental AG to 11.3 billion (70.12 euros per share), compared with its previous bid of 11.2 billion euros (69.37 euros per share). The move brings the company’s offer in line with Continental’s average three-month share price as determined by German market regulator, Bafin. Following its investigation into Schaeffler’s so-called “creeping bid,” Bafin has reportedly decided against holding up the takeover.

Meanwhile, Conti’s defensive strategy has begun to play out, with chief executive Manfred Wennemer receiving the backing of some of the company’s largest shareholders. One German institutional investor with more than 1 per cent of the Conti told the Financial Times: “An offer must note Conti’s long-term value and include a control premium,” adding that the bidder would have to offer 100 euros a share.

22nd July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Probe into Goodyear Plant Explosion Begins

An investigation into the explosion at the Goodyear chemical plant in Houston last month, which killed employee Gloria McInnis, has begun. While her death has been ruled accidental, The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has decided to launch its own enquiry alongside the company’s own probe.

Goodyear is cooperating fully with the investigation, having hosted the CSB since Tuesday. The CSB spokesman Daniel Horowitz stated that they had interviewed witnesses, who confirmed that the accident was caused by the over-pressurisation of a heat exchanger during maintenance, and requested a number of documents from Goodyear. Meanwhile, Goodyear spokesman Scott Baughman released a statement saying that the company had been in touch with the CSB since the day of the fatal accident.

11th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Company Fined £63,000 for Illegally Keeping Waste Tyres

On 5 June 2006, Eurowaste Recycling Plc was convicted and sentenced in absence at Rugby Magistrates’ Court for keeping waste tyres without the correct documentation, failing to supply waste transfer notes and failing to remove waste. The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Protection Act. Eurowaste Recycling Plc was fined £63,000, ordered to pay costs of £7890.85 and compensation of £3516.00 for unpaid licence fees.

Michael Robinson, representing the Environment Agency, told the court that in the summer of 2006, Eurowaste Recycling Plc entered into an agreement with Fraser Evans and Sons Ltd for shredded tyres to be supplied to Eurowaste Recycling Plc’s site at Long Marston Airfield in Stratford-upon-Avon. Environment Agency officers visited the site in September 2006 and October 2006 and saw that significant amounts of waste in the form of shredded tyres had been deposited. Further investigation revealed that over 1300 tonnes of shredded tyres had been deposited at the site from June 2006 to September 2006.

12th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Explosion at Goodyear Chemical Plant

The Goodyear Chemical plant in Houston, Texas, was evacuated after a heat exchanger exploded. One person was reportedly killed and six injured in the blast, which took place at 7:30 on Wednesday 11 June, after inhaling ammonia, which was being used as refrigerant to cool the exploded heat exchanger. However, company officials report that the rest of the roughly 250 employees were back on-site by 11:00. The Goodyear Chemical plant in Southeast Houston, Texas makes synthetic rubber and the blast occurred in a heat exchanger, an official said. A Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company spokesman said that an investigation into the cause of the explosion has already begun.

12th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Burst Tyre Closes Heathrow Runway

Heathrow’s northern runway was forced to close for 20 minutes on 15 May after an arriving Ethiopian Airlines aircraft burst a tyre during landing. “The aircraft made a routine safe landing, exited the runway and passengers disembarked,” a Heathrow airport spokesperson told BBC News.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, two tyres fitted to a Qantas 737-800 blew during take-off for a flight from Sydney to Canberra. None of the 92 passengers on board was hurt and they were all rebooked on to later flights. “The flight crew acted in accordance with their training,” said a Qantas spokeswoman.

16th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Canada Fined for Worker Injury

Goodyear Canada was fined CA$55,000 on April 11 after pleading guilty in connection with a workplace injury that occurred in 2006. Justice Katrina Mulligan heard in the Ontario Court of Justice that the injured employee was working at Goodyear’s Bowmanville facility on November 8, 2006, when the incident occurred. The employee was working on a machine making conveyor belts when he walked into the path of an electronic beam guard that stops the machine’s operation. However, the electronic beam guard failed to prevent the machine from being restarted by an automatic start button. The worker pressed the button and the worker’s arm was drawn into the machine at a pinch point and broken.

17th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Tyres International – ‘Investigation Good for Consumers’

CEO of South Africa’s Dunlop Tyres International, Dr Luis Ceneviz, has responded positively to the actions carried out by the country’s Competition Commission to ensure anti-competitive behaviour is regulated. A statement from Dr Ceneviz was released after police and investigators from the commission raided Dunlop Tyres International’s head office in the city of Durban on April 4.

“During the raid, Dunlop remained fully co-operative and complied with any request made by investigators for any hard copy or electronic documentation,” said Cenevis. “At this point we are not able to give any further comment on the issue and have instructed our attorneys, who will be dealing with the matter.

11th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Egypt Drops “Anti Dumping” Tax On Indonesian Tyres

After an 18-month-long investigation, Egypt has announced it will drop a 40 per cent anti-dumping tax applied to Indonesian tyre products and said dumping allegations were cleared.

17th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors