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Young people considering their future career options are to get an insight into manufacturing as Michelin hosts two tours of its Stoke factory as part of a national Government apprenticeship drive. The site tour is part of a Government initiative called See Inside Manufacturing. Originally launched last year by Business Secretary, Dr Vince Cable, the initiative is designed to deliver an additional 250,000 apprenticeships in the UK.
According to Brisa UK brand manager Vicki Tillson, at this year’s Reifen exhibition Lassa focused not just on presenting its current product line-up, but also on showcasing things planned for the future. Most notably, the Turkish tyre maker displayed its first eco-friendly tyre, Greenways, at the trade show. This new range, which Tillson says will enter the market in early 2014, represents Lassa’s attempt to get in line and meet compliance standards for EU regulations coming into effect at the end of this year.
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Media reports from New Zealand indicate Goodyear Dunlop intends to close 24 fast fit outlets in the country – almost a third of its national ‘Beaurepaires’ commercial network. According to Marty Dinniss, a public relations consultant who acts as the tyre company’s spokesman in New Zealand, the closures will be focused on the commercial vehicle sector, and Beaurepaires' consumer and agricultural-focused businesses will not be affected. Up to 219 employees may lose their jobs, however Dinniss comments that the company is currently engaged in a consultancy period with workers and their representative union.
Korea’s longest-established tyre maker, Nexen Tire, recently opened its latest factory, a highly automated plant that will help the tyre maker reach its goal of almost tripling output by the end of the decade. The Changnyeong plant entered production in April and this year it will turn out some three million passenger car, 4×4 and light commercial vehicle tyres. This figure will then rise significantly over the next few years, reaching 21 million – 60,000 tyres a day – by 2018. By that date, Nexen says it will have invested a total of 1,200 billion won (£650 million) in the plant.
UK automotive manufacturers have set their sights on breaking all-time manufacturing records by the end of 2015. The confidence is fuelled by multi-billion pound investments committed to the country over the past 18 months that will see production expanded, new models introduced and thousands more people employed.
Following Micheldever Tyres Services’ recent announcement that its branches are implementing a scrapping policy on all removed passenger car tyres, the Retread Manufacturers Association (RMA) has signalled its disappointment with this approach.
Production at Nokian’s new factory in Vsevolozhsk, built alongside the company’s existing plant, will begin in June 2012. Two production lines are scheduled to enter service this year and a further two are to begin production in 2013 and 2014. At this time, the plant’s annual capacity will be six million tyres and the two Russian factories will have a combined annual capacity of approximately 17 million tyres.
Vauxhall has confirmed that production of its new Astra model will take place at its Ellesmere Port, Cheshire manufacturing plant – the lead plant of two in Europe building the model. The decision was made after Vauxhall’s workforce signed a new labour agreement, commencing in 2013, on Wednesday 16 May. The facility agreed to implement a number of creative operating solutions to improve flexibility and reduce fixed costs, making it one of the most competitive in the Vauxhall/Opel manufacturing network. The agreement will run into early next decade, through the projected lifespan of the next-generation Astra.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it is to spend an additional £1 billion with UK suppliers over the next four years amid continued global demand for the Range Rover Evoque.
JLR has increased the value of UK supply contracts by £1 billion, in addition to the £2 billion supply contracts it awarded to more than 40 UK suppliers in March 2011. These suppliers provide components, facilities and services to support the Range Rover Evoque production line at Halewood on Merseyside.
A number of Michelin factories across Europe, including the firm’s Dundee, Scotland plant have opted to reduce output in order to manage “the market requirements and stock conditions.” According to the company, Dundee – the firm’s only British passenger car tyre factory – has been impacted because the issues centre on the car tyre sector. Recently announced investment projects are also being delayed.
After 20 years' working with Michelin, BP Oil UK Limited has switched over to Goodyear Dunlop for the service and maintenance of its fleet of 150 tankers.
In addition to Goodyear Dunlop's easily accessible, web-based systems that allow transparent and up to the minute status of all jobs, the level of service provided by the company's TruckForce UK network played an important role in winning the contract.
A week ago, Continental gave word that its performance in the first quarter of this year was “very good”. The company has now released its full report for the quarter, providing additional details on the three-month period to 31 March.
Work has begun on a US$19.5 million expansion project at Bridgestone America Tire Operations’ Bloomington OTR plant in Illinois, USA, the tyre maker reports. The project is expected to be completed in mid-2013, and most of the investment is being directed towards the purchase and installation of new machinery. Additional capacity realised through the project will primarily go to the production of tyres used in heavy industry, and Bridgestone says at least 40 new jobs are expected to result from the plant expansion.
"Car production held firm in March contributing to 12.3 per cent growth during the first quarter of 2012. Challenging economic conditions in mainland Europe are a concern, but the sector continues to win business in important and faster growing export markets,'' said Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive. "The prospects for the UK motor industry are extremely good with new investment, commitment and jobs being created by global automotive companies.''
Michelin North America officials have shed a little additional light on the tyre-maker’s plans to build a new off the road plant and expand another in South Carolina, Tire Review reports. Both projects were unveiled officially morning during a press conference earlier in the week at MNA headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina. MNA said it would construct an all-new radial OTR tyre plant in Anderson County, SC, and expand its existing OTR plant in nearby Lexington, SC. The company estimates that the two projects would result in 500 new jobs, and will take an investment of $750 million.
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