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Synthesis between Tradition and Modernity – Pirelli’s P6 and P7

Pirelli launches with the P6 and P7 world wide two new tyres in the high performance segment, utilising the most advanced materials and technology. Designed to equip a wide range of cars, from high class saloons to the latest generation sports cars as well as MPVs, Pirelli P6 and P7 are available in a total of 40 sizes from 185/65 R 14 to 225/45 R 17 covering 70 percent of the European car market. Produced in Pirelli’s factories in Italy, Spain, UK and Germany, using the most sophisticated process and control technology currently available to the tyre industry, P6 and P7 are to be widely distributed an will go on sale immediately in southern European markets. They will be sold throughout Europe and in Japan by the end of may. Sales are expected to reach 1.5 million units by the end of 2001 and stabilise at a regular of 10 million tyres a year. P6 and P7 will be sold five percents more expensive than their predecessor, the P6000 family. A large proportion of P6/P7 will be assigned to Original Equipment sales, underlining how closely the tyres’ development has been integrated with that of the car manufacturers. The new products have already been approved or are in the process of approval for key models of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Fiat, Jaguar, Peugeot and Ford. The internet addresses, www.pirellip6.com and www.pirellip7.com, are for the first time part of the respective sidewall inscriptions. The web sites provide on-line information about the new tyres as well as a dealer locator.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Contract Between Nissan and Hayes Lemmerz

Hayes Lemmerz International has been awarded a contract from Nissan Japan for cast aluminum wheels. The wheels are currently being produced at the Hayes Lemmerz’ Antwerp, Belgium manufacturing facility for export shipment to Nissan Motor, in Japan. The contract is valued at an estimated $11 million.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

“Sam” Gibara Joins SRI Board

Company News, International News, Product News

Samir G. Gibara (61), chairman and chief executive officer of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, has been elected to the board of directors of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. in Kobe, Japan. Gibara’s election is in conjunction with Goodyear’s 10 percent ownership of SRI, following the companies’ global alliance, completed in September 1999. This ownership makes Goodyear SRI’s second-largest shareholder. SRI holds 1.4 percent of Goodyear’s common stock.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

50 Years of Eibach

In Mid-September, the Spring-, Suspension- and Chassis-specialist celebrated its 50th anniversary in Finnentrop, with the slogan: “50 years of experience – Ready for the future.” More than 400 guests accepted the invitation for the central celebration event, approximately 50 percent of them being customers, coming from 40 countries. The terror attacks in the USA had their effect on this event too: is it possible to celebrate an anniversary thinking about thousands of victims in the States and the pain of their families? “The main impact has come from our colleagues in the United States, who wanted us to continue with the programme. We also want to give a example of multinational understanding and positive relations”, declared a visibly-moved Wilfried Eibach, head of the family owned company. The success story started in 1951 with the production of industry springs. In the Seventies the department for automotive springs was founded. Nowadays the name Eibach is known world-wide as a synonym for leading chassis technology. For some years the programme has gone far beyond the pure spring. The construction process has been supported by “CAD”-applications and it has carried out pioneer work in the field of new methods of corrosion-protection. Also the chassis system harmonisation is a huge field of activities in the year 2001. Today Eibach AG stands as a family holding on top of the German company group, consisting of four daughter companies. Abroad, Eibach is represented with production, engineering and/or distribution facilities in Irvine (California, USA), Broughton Astley (Leicestershire, GB), Tokyo (Japan) and Warriewood (New South Wales, Australia) and through more than 50 exclusive distributors. In Germany the 250 employees have achieved a turnover of 25.2 million Euro. The world-wide turnover in 2000 of the 400 employees amounted to 48 million Euro. During the celebration guests had practical experience of the secret of Eibach’s success: the fact that – beyond the many technological qualifications – the family owners have never neglected the human dimension, and they have always been aware of their social responsibilities.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Asian Auto Sector – Outlook Not Too Bad

At a time when vehicle markets in the US and Europe are set to fall sharply, the outlook for most of Asia is not too bad, says a report from industry strategists Autopolis. It predicts a downturn in the region for this year and next, but, as 2000 saw record car sales (excluding Japan), the drop should be manageable. This year, only China and Malaysia are forecast to see sales of vehicles rise. The Japanese market is predicted to fall this year by 4.3 per cent and 2.4 next. For Asia outside Japan, the figures are minus 5.5 per cent (2001) and minus 3.3 per cent (2002). 2003 should see an upturn both inside and outside Japan, says Autopolis.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Different Tyre Pressure Controlling Systems Are Causing Confusion

More and more tyre dealers ask for the tyre pressure control systems with which the newest car models are fitted as original equipment. They are annoyed at getting no satisfactory answer, even from the car dealers selling these cars. One of the problems is that there is no standardised system. Most European car manufacturers are using as a basic a system from supplier Beru, for example with valves from Alligator. But the French car makers went down different development paths with other suppliers, for example Valeo and valve-sub supplier Schrader. The systems are completely different! If it is not possible for the Europeans to find a common level of tyre wheel systems with tyre pressure monitoring sub systems how difficult might it be to find harmony with the car makers from Japan/Korea and North America? The tyre pressure controlling systems situation is constantly changing, but we are painting a picture of the situation today. For example to secure the function of the newest Renault Laguna II the car maker explains that you must use only original parts – for example only Renault wheels. Using different wheels makes it impossible to fix the sensors and the function of the system is interrupted. If this were to become typical the free workshops (car repair stations, fast fitters or tyre dealers) will be unable to take part in the new technologies and the only workshops working with the systems, repairing details and replacing parts, will be the workshops of the car manufacturers.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

New OTR Tyres From Bridgestone To Be Shown At Intermat

Bridgestone/Firestone is displaying its new generation of off-the-road tyres at Intermat 2000, one of a series of exhibitions for the construction and civil engineering industries, to be held in Paris from 16-21 May. Bridgestone claims a global OTR tyre market share in excess of 40% and in the past three years, has invested US$ 100 million in this product sector.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Figures Rise For Pirelli Germany

Pirelli Germany’s year end figures show an increase of 33 p.c. compared to the previous year. The consolidated turnover was 626.3 million Euro; slightly higher level than last year. The earnings of the ordinary company activities amount to 21.7 million Euro. The strongest subsidiary, “Pirelli Reifenwerke”, grew five p.c. to 442.2 million Euro. The deliveries in the original equipment market increased 34 p.c and sales of passenger car and commercial vehicle tyres increased 4.8 p.c. to 9.1 million tyres.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Concentration In Japan: SRI Raises Stake In Ohtsu To 51 Per Cent

Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has raised its 41% stake in Ohtsu to 51% and will pay about 30 million Euro. This transaction makes SRI the second biggest tyre manufacturer in Japan after Bridgestone.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Global Car or Not?

Opinions differ: In many of their components American and European cars – as can be seen at the Detroit Motor Show – seem to be becoming more like each other. The advance in pick-ups and vans in the USA and the boom in the small(est) cars in Europe, but much more in Japan, however, leaves room for doubt that the recurring theme of the “global car” is a real possibility mid-term.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Opens Fourth Japanese Plant For Diversified Products

On February 15th, Bridgestone opened its fourth plant in Japan devoted to the production of diversified products such as high performance functional films and precision components of rubber and plastic. The factory, sited in Iwata, covers an area of 17.3 hectares, of which 2.3 hectares are under cover, and employs 130. It is Bridgestone’s 15th factory in Japan.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Results 1999

Consolidated net sales of the Michelin group climbed to EUR 13.763 million in 1999. Successful areas were North America (+12%), Asia-Pacific, with the exception of Japan, (nearly +9%) and, despite economic problems, South America (+6%). Europe (+1%) remained stable.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama To Phase Out Truck & Bus Production At Hiratsuka Plant

As part of a policy to consolidate truck tyre production under one roof, Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd has announced it will phase out production of truck and bus tyres at its Hiratsuka, Japan plant by the beginning of 2002. All radial truck and bus tyre will then be produced at the company’s larger plant in Mie, Japan and the Hiratsuka plant will concentrate on the production of non-tyre products.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Pneumant Production Base Fürstenwalde in Danger

The Fürstenwalde production base of Pneumant Reifen GmbH is under threat in the long term, Dr. Rainer Schieben, Commercial Managing Director, announced at the Pneumant head office in Fürstenwalde at the beginning of September. As early as this autumn the company will draw winter tyres from the Japanese production for cost reasons, and part of the summer tyre production will also be transferred to Japan. And, according to Schieben, the new owner, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, has already cut the production planning for the year 2000 by 200,000 tyres, which cannot be without repercussions on investment and employment. Schieben gave too high energy costs at Fürstenwalde as the reason for the problems. The current price per megawatt hour for the process temperature is roughly three times higher than in similar factories of the Dunlop parent company in Germany. By international comparison within the Goodyear group the high energy price has become even less justifiable. Pneumant employs a workforce of 550 plus 40 apprentices at the Fürstenwalde production base. 325 people are employed at the company’s second factory in Riesa. The tyre manufacturer is one of the few former GDR companies to have survived successfully. Thanks to an investment volume of 250 million marks since 1996 by the Dunlop parent company Pneumant possesses the most modern production facilities in Europe. In the car tyre replacement market the company is the clear market leader in the new federal states.

7th December 1999/by Tyrepress Editors

Nissan Plans To Close Four Factories in Japan

Nissan has confirmed that it is currently producing 1.35 million cars, which is 10 per cent less than last year. This amounts to the company’s seventh recorded loss in the past eight years. C.O.E. Carlos Ghosn, who engineered the turnaround for Michelin in North America, is currently preparing a restructuring plan which will entail the loss of 21,000 jobs, or 14% of its worldwide workforce, by the year 2003. In the US, 1,000 jobs (10%) will go by March 2001, while in Japan, there are plans to close four factories.

7th December 1999/by Tyrepress Editors