Japan Archives - Page 46 of 57 - Tyrepress

Posts

Bridgestone Restructures F1 Group

Hisao Suganuma, the technical manager of Bridgestone’s Formula One tyre group will return to work at the Japanese’ manufacturers motorsport group in Japan in 2007 as part of the company’s staff rotation programme. Suganuma was appointed as F1 technical manager in 2001 and was a key figure in Ferrari’s four F1 world championship victories from 2001-2004. In 2007 Bridgestone will be the sole tyre supplier in Formula One and has appointed Kees van der Grint and Jun Matsuzaki as joint technical managers in view of the increased workload.

26th October 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Increase Prices in Japan

Bridgestone Corporation announced today that it will raise prices on 1 February 2007 for tyres, tubes and flaps sold in the replacement market in Japan. Prices for winter tyres will be increased on 1 April 2007. Specific price increases include 5.5 per cent for passenger car and light truck tyres, 8 per cent for truck and bus tyres, 10 per cent for construction vehicle tyres, 5.5 per cent for motorcycle tyres (excluding certain products) and 8 per cent for other kinds of tyres, and for tubes and flaps (excluding those for motorcycles).

11th October 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Automotive Hall of Fame to Recognize Bridgestone Founder

(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Corp. founder Shojiro Ishibashi will be among seven individuals that will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame on Tuesday, 3 October in Dearborn, Michigan. Ishibashi joins Nuccio Bertone, Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Jr., Wayne Huizenga, Arjay Miller and Bruno Sacco in the hall’s class of 2006. Ishibashi is credited with leading Japan’s tyre industry, and created his country’s first locally developed tyres in 1930. He established Bridgestone Tire Co. in 1931, served as its president and chairman until he retired, and remained active in the company until his death in 1976.

22nd September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Sealent Maker Inovex Receives Virginia Exporter Award

Inovex, the maker of Ride-On Tire Sealants for truck, bus, motorbike, military and private vehicles was recently chosen to participate in the Commonwealth of Virginia’s AIM export Program. In addition to valuable capital funding, market research and strategic counselling, the AIM programme gives Virginia companies the opportunity to leverage private-sector professional service providers and VEDP-developed relationships around the world.

21st September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Believes in Young Managers

At just 34 years old Gianluca Lionetto was appointed as managing director of Pirelli Asia in July, gaining responsibility for Pirelli activities in 14 Asian countries excluding China and Japan. Before taking on this new role Lionetto spent one year as a managing director in South Africa, following two years as marketing director there. His successor as head of Pirelli South Africa is 35 year-old Alessandro Marchi.

18th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Considering Russia Factory

Japan Bridgestone Corp is considering building a new tyre factory in Russia, where car production is up almost 10 per cent in the first half of 2006. Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported that Bridgestone has reserved a 10 hectare plot of land near the new Nissan factory in St. Petersburg, which could cost the Japanese company around $30 million.

11th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Nutahara Takes Second P-WRC Win

Yokohama ADVAN-equipped and supported Japanese driver Fumio Nutahara took his second rally win of the season in the FIA Production car World Rally Championship on Rally Japan in early September. This brings his total to two wins from three events so far and he is now second in the championship with three more scoring opportunities.

5th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Raising Awareness of Road Safety

Bridgestone is stepping up efforts to build support for the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) Foundation’s “Make Roads Safe” campaign, creating public attention and collecting petitions at F1 Grand Prix races and other events. The aim is to keep up the pressure on politicians and get road safety onto the G8 and UN agendas in 2007.

5th September 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Motorcyclist Magazine selects Dunlop Qualifier as Best New Product

Motorcyclist, the US-based magazine for motorbike enthusiasts, has announced that the Dunlop Qualifier, Dunlop’s latest motorcycle tyre designed specifically for supersport and hypersport motorcycles, has been named the Best New Product of 2006. “When we first sampled Dunlop’s excellent new Qualifier sport radials late last year, we figured we might have our Best New Product nailed down early,” said Mitch Boehm, Motorcyclist editor.

4th August 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Schumacher Closes in on Alonso

Michael Schumacher increased his title chances by winning the German Grand Prix this weekend, leaving title rival Fernando Alonso struggling in fifth place after lumps reportedly fell from his tyres. The Hockenheim crown was Bridgestone’s 100th win of the 165 Grand Prix races it has participated in. “We improved the car so it’s a package which is the reason why we can perform as we do perform. Although I have to say it was a bit of a surprise being that much in front,” said Bridgestone-equipped race-winner Michael Schumacher. The Ferrari of Felipe Massa took second place on Bridgestone tyres.

31st July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Diesel Demand Leads to Glow Plug Factory

The rapidly-increasing demand for diesel cars in Europe, and with it the increased demand for glow plugs, has led NGK Spark Plugs to open a new factory on its Komaki site in Japan, dedicated to the production of ceramic and metal glow plugs. The rise in demand has seen a dramatic growth in NGK’s market share – four years ago the company claimed 10 per cent of the UK glow plug market and today the figure is 50 per cent and rising. NGK’s Komaki factory was originally opened in 1962 and the new four-storey building covers some 30,000 square metres. It will manufacture several hundred different types of glow plugs and the annual production capacity is 20 million pieces.

25th July 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Building Carbon Black Plant in Mexico

(Akron/Tire Review) Bridgestone Corp. confirmed May 22 that it would build an $81 million (63 million euros) carbon black plant in Mexico to service its worldwide tyre plants. The new site would be Bridgestone’s third carbon black plant; the others are located in Japan and Thailand. The new facility is scheduled to begin production in June 2008, and will have an initial annual capacity of 35,000 tons.

24th May 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli and Schrader to Develop New Tyre “Check-Up” Sensor

Pirelli and Schrader have agreed to join forces to take “intelligent” tyre production a step further. The new system, based on a mini-sensor capable of generating its own power, can for the first time be located within the tyre itself and allows the tyre identification data and its temperature and pressure to be monitored in real time and transmitted to the car and driver.

Schrader took on 100 new staff at its Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland facility at the beginning of April. This move was supported by £3.5 million of funding from Invest NI and brings the total number of staff at the plant to 160.

9th May 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Mmmmmm Donuts

Cooper Tires has set a new World Donuting record at the Santa Pod Raceway, Northamptonshire. Twenty-two enthusiasts mainly from the online ‘Drift’ community, Driftworks.co.uk, helped Cooper break the previous record for the number of cars simultaneously donuting, which stood at three cars.

8th May 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Quarterly Profits up 4 per cent

Bridgestone Corp. reported first quarter 2006 sales of 704.7 billion yen, up 16.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2005, resulting in a 4 per cent bump in quarterly net profits to $239 million.

The company said that strong global sales helped offset heavy increases in raw material costs. Bridgestone said its tyre sales in Japan rose 10 per cent for the quarter, while sales in the US increased 25 per cent, and sales in Europe increased 13 per cent. Sales elsewhere jumped 37 per cent, Bridgestone said.

2nd May 2006/by Tyrepress Editors