Japan Archives - Page 38 of 57 - Tyrepress

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Grand Prix Commission Opts For MotoGP Single Tyre Rule

In a meeting at Japan’s Motegi circuit on September 28 the Grand Prix Commission decided unanimously in favour of a single tyre supplier in the MotoGP class, starting in 2009. The Commission states that it reached this decision on the bases of “safety and cost reasons”, and proposals from tyre manufacturers regarding supply must be handed to the FIM and Dorna by 3rd October at the latest. The final decision will be announced by the Commission at the latest by 18th October.

29th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Monza Presents a Tough Tyre Challenge for Yokohama’s Advan

As the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) heads to Monza, Italy, for its last European rounds, official sole tyre supplier Yokohama is prepared for its Advan tyres to face a tough challenge due to the circuit’s long straights and slow corners. The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza’s design is such, says Yokohama, that both WTCC cars and single-seaters from the championship’s Formula Master partner series will rely heavily on their Advans for grip and traction.

“In order to be competitive on the long straights, single-seaters rely on a low downforce set-up,” explains Yokohama tyre engineer, Mr. S. Watanabe. “This means that in slow corners the tyres have to work harder than usual to generate grip as they are receiving less help from the car’s aerodynamics.

26th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Australia Lights up for Leukaemia

Bridgestone Australia has underlined its long-standing support for the Leukaemia Foundation with Bridgestone Australia employees and their families taking part in the inaugural ‘Light the Night’ celebrations. ‘Light the Night’ events were held in Brisbane, Cairns, Perth and Adelaide, with the colourful processions raising awareness and funds for the Leukaemia Foundation.

A 60-strong Bridgestone team joined around a crowd of more than two thousand to walk along the banks of the River Torrens in Adelaide, carrying gold balloons to remember loved ones, white balloons to celebrate surviving a blood cancer and blue balloons to give hope to patients living with leukaemia. One of those carrying a gold balloon was Bridgestone Australia’s Andrew Moffatt. “My father-in-law passed away from Leukaemia a few years ago, so my wife Norma and I can understand what the families go through under such circumstances,” said Moffatt. “We believe it’s very important for companies like ours to show support for the Leukaemia Foundation. We believe we can make a difference by giving such support, so that’s what we’re doing.”

25th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sumitomo to Push Fuel Efficient Line in U.S., Europe

Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. said it would launch fuel-efficient passenger tyres in the U.S. and European markets. The low rolling resistance tyres will reach those markets be 2010. Sumitomo has been selling the line in Japan. (Tire Review/Akron)

19th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tree-Planting Ceremony Held at Yokohama Tire Philippines

Yokohama Rubber’s commitment to all things environmental continued on August 23 with another tree planting ceremony, part of its “Yokohama Forever Forest” project at Yokohama Tire Philippines. The August ceremony was the first staged by the company outside of Japan, and will be followed by further such events in China (Hangzhou Yokohama Tire) in November and Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand) in December. In Japan, the entire initial phase of tree planting has been completed except for at Yokohama’s Shinshiro facility, which will host a tree planting ceremony in May 2009.

16th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Charity Event Raises WWF Funds

Yokohama employees staged a charity fundraiser for the benefit of WWF-Japan, raising 1,334,850 yen (7,060 pounds sterling) for the ecological cause. “LIVE ecoMOTION” in Shibuya Tokyo – the second such event in two years – provided admission fees totalling 934,000 yen (500 yen per ticket), while a further 400,850 yen was collected at the event site. The proceeds and contributions will be used by WWF Japan for activities aimed at combating global warming, including reducing CO2 emissions.

The theme of the event, at which four musical acts performed without being paid, was – in the company’s own words – “Let’s enjoy ourselves and think together about eco-friendly activities.” About 40 employees of Yokohama worked as volunteers, picking up litter around the hall, staffing the reception desk, seeking and collecting additional monetary contributions, and passing out flower seeds as mementos.

15th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyremakers Lead Rising TSE

Sumitomo, Yokohama, Toyo and Bridgestone have excelled on the Tokyo Stock Exchange today, leading general gains in other sectors. The results are based on the decreasing price of oil, down 24 per cent from its record 147.27 US dollars a barrel on July 11. Also contributing to the gains was an analyst report from Nikko Citigroup upgrading Sumitomo to “buy” and Bridgestone to “neutral” from “sell”.

Sumitomo – Japan’s third-largest manufacturer of tyres – had a particularly good day, rising by the widest margin in three weeks to 927 yen (5.9 per cent, 52 yen). Analysts are predicting further gains for the Kobe firm, as it looks to boost earnings with increased sales in Russia. Toyo rose 2.6 per cent to 277 yen, Bridgestone 1.7 per cent to 1,848 yen and Yokohama 0.4 per cent to 563 yen.

2nd September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Australia Appoints New Chair and CEO

Shojiro Hara has been named the new chairman and chief executive officer of Bridgestone Australia. Currently the managing director of Bridgestone Asia Pacific in Singapore, Hara will take up the new role in October.

2nd September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Aircraft Tyre Production Begins at Bridgestone’s Tokyo Plant

Production of new aircraft radial tyres has begun at Bridgestone’s Tokyo Plant in August, reports the company following the completion of the facility’s initial phase. Once the Tokyo Plant is fully completed, which will likely occur by the end of 2011, Bridgestone estimates the factory’s overall production capacity of new aircraft tyres will be approximately 2.5 times the current level.

26th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Recalls Tyres in US

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT) has announced the start of a recall campaign in the US involving approximately 2,100 SUV and 4,200 motorcycle tyres. These tyres, says the company, do not have any structural or performance safety issues, and the recall is related to incorrect or absent sidewall markings.

26th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Expecting Deflated PCR Sales in North America

Declining sales of new cars in North America is expected to be reflected in lower passenger car tyre sales, says Bridgestone. The tyre major expects North America sales in this segment to fall 5 per cent this year. Company CFO Koki Takahashi added that the company expects OE tyre sales in North America to fall 14 per cent in 2008 and those in Europe to fall 3 per cent.

12th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

More Guilty Pleas in Marine Hose Price Fixing Case

A Milan, Italy-based marine hose manufacturer and the former president of its former US subsidiary have agreed to plead guilty and pay more than US$2 million in criminal fines for participating in a global price fixing conspiracy. The former subsidiary president had also agreed to serve time in prison. Furthermore, an Italian executive of another marine hose manufacturer located in Veniano, Italy has also agreed to plead guilty for participating in the same conspiracy.

A one-count felony charge was filed today in US District Court in West Palm Beach, Florida against Manuli Rubber Industries SpA (Manuli) and Robert L. Furness, the former president of Manuli’s former Florida based subsidiary. Under the terms of the plea agreements, which are subject to court approval, Manuli has agreed to pay a criminal fine of $2 million, and Furness has agreed to serve 14 months in prison and pay a $75,000 criminal fine. Both Manuli and Furness have also agreed to cooperate fully in the Department’s ongoing antitrust investigation. Manuli is the first corporation to be charged in the investigation.

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Calls for Winter Tyre Restrictions in New Zealand Renewed

Pressure is mounting in New Zealand for the government to legislate against the importation of used cold weather tyres. These tyres, known as snow tyres in New Zealand, are regularly entering the country fitted to used vehicles imported from Japan – the most common source of second hand cars in this country – or loose in containers. While the tread depth on these tyres exceeds the 1.5mm minimum required in New Zealand, they are often fitted to vehicles also fitted with summer tyres and used in conditions they were not intended for. The inappropriate use of these tyres has been linked to several fatal accidents.

28th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin To Increase Replacement Tyre Prices in Japan

In the second half of 2008 Nihon Michelin Tire Co., Ltd will raise the delivery prices for its replacement market products in Japan. Michelin states this series of price increases is unavoidable: “In the last year or so the industry has registered a continued escalation in the prices of raw materials. Continued efforts to internally compensate for this situation are not enough, obliging us to partially reflect this state of affairs in our prices,” the company said in a press release.

24th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNAT Tech Centre Location to be Decided Soon

The final location of Bridgestone’s new Tech Centre – which will cost around US$100 million – is to be confirmed in “the next several weeks”, a company spokesman has told a real estate news website. The Japan-headquartered manufacturer is to decide between moving the facility, along with its 600 jobs, to office space in Tennessee near Nashville that possesses the 600,000 sq ft required, or to remain in Akron, Ohio, which would require the building of a new facility.

The state of Ohio has provided an incentive package worth $68 million to remain in the area, where the company currently inhabits a century-old office block – dating back to the company’s beginnings in Akron – unfit for the purposes of the new Centre. Staying in the area would mean building anew. The company wishes to begin work at the proposed research building in 2010.

16th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors