Xenos Technologies, part of the Pricol gorup, has launched a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), suitable for passenger cars, sports utility vehicles and light motor vehicles. The Xenos TPMS consists of two units, a display and sensor. The sensors are fitted to car tyres. In case of low pressure, high temperature or rapid deflation these sensors alert the driver. The display unit is stuck below the rear view mirror and is priced at 12,500 rupees (£145).
Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic and Omsk region Governor Leonid Polezhayev commissioned a new tyre production line at the Matador-Omskshina joint venture on Wednesday 8 November. JV Director General Stefan Prokop told the Itar-Tass news agency that in 2005 the main shareholders, Matador and Sibur-Russian Tyres (50:50 partners), approved the joint development and modernisation of the enterprise and envisaged more than 1.5 billion roubles in investment.
Kwik-Way Products Inc. is seeking US state assistance to establish a joint venture with a Chinese company. The company is seeking a “$135,000 forgivable loan” from Iowa’s Economic Development Set-Aside Program administered by the Iowa Department of Economic Development. David Parks, president of Kwik-Way Products, told online news sources his company is forming a venture with Launch Tech Company Ltd. of Chenzhen, China.
In anticipation of future growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles, Varta’s parent company JCI and French battery manufacturer SAFT have embarked on a joint venture, setting up an Advanced Power Solutions development centre at the HQ of Varta Batteries in Germany. The aim of the enterprise is to bring viable solutions for future hybrid vehicle development to market within the next year.
Car output in Russia rose 9.5 per cent year on year to 646,000 units in January-June, the industry and energy ministry reported. The ministry attributed the growth to an increase in car output by Avtoframos, a joint venture between the Moscow city government and Renault; Ford; the GM-AvtoVAZ JV; IzhAvto, TagAZ, and Severstal-Auto; and Russian car assembly plant Avtotor, a Prime-Tass report said. Truck output in Russia rose 18.4 per cent in the first half of the year, said the ministry, but did not provide any detailed data. The ministry attributed the growth to an increase in light commercial vehicle output by Russian automakers GAZ, UAZ and TagAZ.
GPX International Tire Corporation has named Gustavo Lima as president – Latin America Division. In this position he will lead GPX’s establishment of bonded warehouses in strategic countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to support just in time delivery of GPX product to the OE and dealer channels.
(Akron/Tire Review) According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, exports of auto parts last year – including tyres – reached $8.9 billion, up almost 23 per cent from 2004. Exports, according to the Ministry of Commerce, account for 82 per cent of China’s total volume of auto products. Foreign-founded and joint venture companies account for 56 per cent of the auto part exports, said the ministry.
Together with joint venture partner Inci (40 per cent of the shares), in June Hayes Lemmerz inaugurated a new aluminium wheel casting plant in Manisa (in the Izmir region of Turkey). Production is based on the low-pressure process and operates at the same standard as at all the original equipment manufacturer’s other facilities. 400,000 wheels will be manufactured this year, with some 17-inch products being sold to Toyota. In the next year production will increase to approximately 1 million units with further expansion plans in the offing dependent on the order situation.
Ford’s Volvo Car Corporation has said it will begin making cars in China this year, at an existing Ford joint venture plant. The initial target is for 10,000 cars a year to be produced in 2007.
Jay H Lutz has been named vice president and chief operating officer of Smithers Scientific Services Inc., responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s independent testing, research and consulting activities. He replaces Raymond B Farmer, who has left the company.
Mr Lutz brings to Smithers 30 years of experience in operations management, R&D and engineering. He has held management positions with Kelsey Hayes and Allied Signal and most recently was director of research and development at Raybestos Products Co. in Crawfordsville, Ind. Prior to that, he served as vice president of operations and general manager within a unit of Kett Engineering in Brighton, Michigan.
EnTire Solutions, LLC has named Bianchi Public Relations, Inc as its public relations agency of record. The announcement was made by Richard Wolfe CEO of EnTire Solutions, and James A Bianchi, president of the public relations firm.
Bianchi Public Relations will provide strategic public relations counsel, media relations and promotional assistance to EnTire Solutions, which develops, markets and sells direct, driver-oriented tyre pressure monitoring (TPM) systems and related tools and services to vehicle manufacturers. The firm has been assisting EnTire Solutions on a project basis.
(Akron/Tire Review) Fred Heigold has been named vice president of business operations and integration for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s North American Consumer Tire Business unit. Heigold will report to Larry Mason, president of the unit. Most recently, Heigold was CEO of Phogenix Imaging, a joint venture of Eastman Kodak and Hewlett Packard. He began his career with Eastman Kodak in 1971, and served in various research and development, manufacturing and general management positions, including several international assignments.
Superior Industries International, Inc has announced operating results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2005 in-line with management’s prior guidance and analysts’ expectations. For the three months ended 30 September 2005, revenue decreased 5.9 per cent to $187,618,000 from $199,328,000 for the third quarter of 2004. Wheel revenue declined 7.2 per cent to $178,288,000 from $192,164,000, as unit wheel shipments declined 7.8 per cent. Components revenue increased 30.2 per cent to $9,330,000 from $7,164,000.
Performance Fibers today announced that its Asian subsidiary has signed an agreement that will give it full ownership of the company’s operations in Kaiping, China. The subsidiary, Performance Fibers Asia, LLC (PFA), has signed an agreement with Guangdong Kaiping Chunhui Co Ltd (Chunhui) to acquire Chunhui’s 30 per cent equity share in Performance Fibers Kaiping Company Limited (PFK).
Bosch, in collaboration with Michelin, has enhanced some of the traditional functions of its Electronic Stability Program, adapting them to work in conjunction with run-flat tyre technologies. The new cluster of enhanced ESP functions is called “Run-Flat Stability Control” (RFS). RFS contributes to maintaining the maximum level of driving safety and mobility even after a loss of tyre pressure.
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