Manufacturing Archives - Page 140 of 257 - Tyrepress

Whether its raw materials, machinery, research and development or the latest manufacturing trends, this tag provides up-to-the-minute insights into the upstream part of the tyre industry.

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Emilio Bolla Takes Over at Marangoni China.

Emilio Bolla has been appointed general manager of Marangoni Group’s Shanghai branch. Marcello Gambarini, who held this position throughout the company’s initial exploration, will now return to Italy, where he will continue to supervise activities in China and follow the group’s development in Asia. According to a company statement, Bolla previously worked as a project product manager, a sales & marketing manager and as a general manager, acquiring “profound knowledge of the Chinese market.”

8th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Debica Increases Truck Tyre Production 17%

In the midst of a downturn that has hit the European truck tyre segment as hard as any market in the world, Goodyear’s TC Debica S.A. has announced that it is re-starting truck tyre production by increasing output 17 per centfrom its current position. According to local news sources, the company is reducing passenger car and light-commercial tyre production by 8 per cent at the same time, with agricultural tyre output being reduced 7 per cent. Polskie Radio Rzeszow reported that the move is due to "The effect of the situation in the automotive market and reduced demand for certain products.”

8th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Increase India Plant Production 40%

Bridgestone Corp. is reportedly going to increase production at its Pithampur, Indore Madhya Pradesh factory by 40 per cent. WheelsUnplugged.com reported that Bridgestone has invested 2.59 billion rupees (£32.32 million; 37 million; US$53.48 million) in the project, which will create an additional 300 jobs. Bridgestone India started its operations in 1996, by March 1998, it had set up its manufacturing facility in Kheda, Madhya Pradesh.

8th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Labour Problems Solved

The recent labour dispute Kumho Tire in South Korea ended peacefully after “marathon” talks concluded peacefully on Saturday 5 September at 21:00. At the conclusion of the negotiations, local newspapers report that union workers agreed not to receive 2008 bonuses and to negotiate 2009 bonuses in the first quarter of 2010. As a result of the mutual agreement, Jooang Daily reported that Kumho management’s called off previously announced layoffs – a fact emphasized union sources. It is not clear if this means all 733 workers who were to be laid off on 24 August will now be able to work again.

Jooang quoted Kumho Tire as saying that the average annual salary of the 4,200 employees who work the company’s production line is 70 million won ($56,600). The company also said more than 30 per cent of workers receive an annual paycheck of more than 80 million won.

7th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Issues Global PZero Corsa Recall

Pirelli has initiated a recall of any 285/35 ZR19 PZero Corsa tyres manufactured from May 2007 to July 2009. The tyres in question equip the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and 430 Scuderia Spider 16M. Company representatives explained that owners of these cars have been contacted any that have rear tyres marked with the "XB" identification mark are advised that these may need substituting. Only the rear tyres on these specified models are affected.

4th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho May Sell Vietnam Plant

Kumho is in negotiations with Bridgestone to sell its recently finished tyre manufacturing plant in Vietnam, according to a report issued by Jaccar, a global investment firm. Kumho invested $155 million in the plant, which was completed in 2008 and has an annual production capacity of 3.15 million tyres. The tyre-maker has said it planned to export tyres manufactured in the Vietnam plant to southeast Asia, Europe and the US. Jaccar reported Kumho is negotiating the plant’s sale due to liquidity crunches resulting from the current “global financial turmoil.” (Tire Review)

3rd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Euro Car Parts Launches Battery Application Guide, Promo

Euro Car Parts has launched a new battery catalogue and announced a buy now and pay later promotion. According to the aftermarket parts supplier, one of the largest independent distributors of batteries in the UK, customer demand has led Euro Car Parts to produce its own 40-page ‘Battery Application Guide 2009/2010’. The guide covers all car marquee applications, from Alfa Romeo to Volvo, including all the technical specifications one would expect, covering brands by Bosch, Exide and Lion. Also included are sections delivering comprehensive safety advice and regulations for lead-acid batteries as well and instructions for using starter batteries.

ECP has also launched a customer buy now and pay later battery promotion, offering the customer the chance to bulk buy on batteries from leading worldwide brands. Customers signing up for the promotion have the chance to receive a free battery stand, point of sale items, and an advanced battery tester.

3rd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper to Supply 2 Lines to US Sears Auto Centers

In the US, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co has announced that it has finalised an agreement with Sears Holdings to supply Sears Auto Center facilities nationwide with two full lines of passenger tyres. The agreement will entail the manufacturing and sale of the Sears Guardsman Plus and the Cooper Response Touring passenger tyre lines.

3rd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Transense Signs MOU With Mesnac

International News, News

Transense has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Qingdao Mesnac Co. Ltd, the parent company of the Sailun brand’s tyre manufacturing division. According to an official statement, Transense and Mesnac have entered into an agreement to combine their individual areas of expertise, for the purpose of developing Transense's patented tyre pressure monitoring sensor technology for the attachment or embedding of these sensors into tyres. Under the terms of the agreement Mesnac have agreed to an initial upfront payment and will pay additional sums for technology transfer/engineering support on an as required basis. Transense shares rose 17 per cent following the news.

3rd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Manufacturing Ringtreads for the World

In its Ringtread treads the Marangoni Group has a product that has been effectively developed since its introduction in the 1970s. When the Italian tread manufacturer and retreader took over Germany’s Ellerbrock GmbH in 1990, the share of total production dedicated to Ringtread production was no more than 20 per cent. Today global share has grown to around 50 per cent; Ringtreads are manufactured in Ferentino, Italy, at Ellerbrock in Germany, in Nashville, USA, and in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Presently in Europe around 55 per cent of treads sold by the Marangoni Group are Ringtreads. And, according to Guiseppe Ferrari, managing director of Marangoni’s Retreading Systems business unit, a still higher European market share is possible.

3rd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Rubber Prices No Longer a ‘Tailwind’ for Tyre Makers

The fact that natural rubber prices have rebounded 25 per cent to US$2.1/kg for RSS3 in the last month means raw material prices that had been assisting tyre manufacturers are no longer a “tailwind.” The news is forcing analysts such as Deutsche Bank revise their earnings estimates as they had mostly factored in the possibility that that tyre companies would pass a portion of this raw material price benefit onto their vehicle making customers. However, with the current boost in rubber prices behind them the 33 – 50 per cent of the so-called rubber tailwind they may have pencilled to share with the OEMs is not likely to be erased.

28th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

WRAP to Launch Tyre Crumb Quality Protocol

According to Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the publication of a new Quality Protocol (QP) and certification scheme will help to drive the market for rubber crumb and shred derived from used tyres. Mervyn Jones, joint project executive and head of manufacturing at WRAP told Tyres & Accessories the Quality Protocol will assure material quality and encourage sector growth. However, the practical basis for this expansion is not clear and there are question marks over how much this will cost businesses and ultimately end users. Transport Research Laboratory will operate the tyres QP certification process.

Mervyn Jones believes this growth will be driven by the introduction of a new voluntary QP and certification scheme planned for November 2009, by the Waste Protocols project – a joint WRAP and Environment Agency initiative. The QP follows on from a publicly available specification document (PAS 107) published in 2007. Developed by WRAP and the British Standards Institute (BSI), PAS 107 helps manufacturers of tyre-derived rubber crumb and shred to ensure their products adhere to specified quality standards.

28th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Mountain to Topple

The Eastern Daily Press describes it as "infamous", but despite its local notoriety days may be numbered for the tyre mountain on the Tattersett Business Park, near Fakenham. The newspaper reports that work is "underway" towards a planning application for the creation of a £1 million re-cycling facility.

28th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Green Shoots or a False Dawn?

Recent positive economic indicators coming out of Europe, Asia and the US have given analysts reason to forecast a recovery in the global logistics industry. However for global freight and parcel volumes and revenues to rebound significantly – and therefore the tyre sales which rely on logistics firms’ prosperity – analysts at Datamonitor suggest there will need to be “major improvements in consumer confidence, industrial output and subsequent international trade volumes.”

27th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

BFGoodrich Contract Overwhelmingly Approved, says USW

The three-year contract BFGoodrich signed with the United Steelworkers for its Tuscaloosa, US plant is said to have had one of the lowest number of ‘no’ votes ever experienced by the local union chapter. "'We are pleased with the contract. We are pleased with the vote," USW Local 351 president Jimmy Price told local media. Price, who was on the union's bargaining committee, added that he felt BFGoodrich was "very responsible to give a fair contract."

27th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors