Manufacturing Archives - Page 148 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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Boto Tyre to Build New Passenger Car Radial Factory

Shandong Wanda Boto Tyre Co., Ltd., has revealed plans to build a passenger car production facility nearby its existing tyre manufacturing complex in China. Speaking to Tyres & Accessories company representatives explained how, despite the ongoing economic downturn, Boto Tyre's board and shareholders are confident that they can sell the up to 15 million passenger car radials the new plant is scheduled to produce. Around 1 billion yuan is believed to have been earmarked for the expansion and building work is set to begin in June, with the construction project expected to conclude by the end of the year. As vice director of international trade development, Rainbow Zhao told T&A “building projects don't take very long in China.”

21st April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Providing Integrated Solutions

During the planning of a factory’s layout and manufacturing processes, the integration of process automation solutions and software at an early stage maximises cost and time savings for the customer. Rockwell Automation, a global leader in the supply of industrial automation power control and information solutions, is collaborating with German company TTC (Technical Tire Consulting) in order to do just that – deliver reduced integration costs, optimised capacity availability, safe product quality and ensured traceability. When Tyres & Accessories met with representatives from both companies during February’s Tire Technology Hamburg exhibition, they explained exactly how tyre industry customers stand to benefit.

21st April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin’s OE Business 40% Down in North America – Wilkerson

Michelin North America’s Dick Wilkerson has engaged in a further tête-à-tête with his local newspaper, and he is clear that the company is “committed to manufacturing our product in North America and selling it in North America.” The regional operation’s chairman and president told The Greenville News that around 90 per cent of the company’s North American sales tonnage is produced on the continent, including at its Mexican and Canadian plants. These four factories complement Michelin’s 11 major US manufacturing facilities.

20th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Is Conti’s Truck Tyre Production Heading East?

Company News, International News, News

Tyres & Accessories sister publication Neue ReifenZeitung recently published reports that Continental has been considering moving its truck tyre production East and linking it with certain Russian tyre makers in the wake of the announced closure of its high tech Hannover-Stoecken truck tyre production plant. For a number of years the Russian tyre manufacturer Nizhnekamskshina has worked together with Continental within the framework of a technical agreement, having previously been involved in a technical partnership with Pirelli. The possibility of forming a 50:50 joint venture has been talked about since 2007, however to date the entire result of this joint effort is that the Russians are building a truck tyre factory and Continental is “only” contributing know-how and organising production processes, as well as delivering all the required equipment. The target is said to be for production capacity to exceed one million all-steel tyres per annum.

20th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Prepared and Ready for Business in China

There is no doubting that the Shanghai representative office opened by Marangoni in the summer of 2007 has developed since its initial establishment. Talking with Tyres & Accessories at the sidelines of Tyrexpo Asia in Singapore, where the Marangoni Group was also exhibiting, office manager Marcello Gambarini stated that the Italian retreading and tyre business already has a seven-strong sales team operating in China and the 30-plus year tyre industry veteran added that Marangoni has now reached “the end of its preparation phase.” This means that Marangoni in China is ready to supply its tread material and retreading products to the industry. Rather than being used in Marangoni-owned factories these products will be used by partners, Gambarini disclosed, also noting that the company’s premium Ringtread products and top of the line machinery do not at present feature on the Chinese market product list; there isn’t as yet a great demand for these items within the country’s growing retreading industry.

17th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Alliance Appoints Trio of VPs

Alliance Tire Group has announced that the Company appointed Jean-Paul Spijker as vice president sales global OEM, B.S. Rama Murthy as group vice president commercial and D. Suresh as vice president of Technology function at the end of February.

17th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

R&D Centre to Help US in Race to Build Better Battery

The race is on to develop more efficient batteries for electric vehicles, and on April 8 the US based National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Battery Cell Manufacture announced the establishment of a research and development centre for this very purpose. The Kentucky-Argonne Battery Manufacturing Research and Development Center in Lexington, Kentucky will house collaborative research by scientists from the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Argonne National Laboratory.

15th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

STL Notes Growing Interest in Rolling Resistance Reduction

Ohio, US based Standards Testing Laboratories (STL), the world’s largest independent testing facility for tyres, wheels and related automotive components, presented an overview on wheel testing during the 2009 Tire Industry Conference, held in South Carolina between April 1 and 3. The company’s director of technology, Guy Edington, examined various types of wheel testing – from rotary and radial fatigue to impact tests – during the conference, focusing on commonly used Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) test methods. He also discussed wheel history and manufacturing methods as well as changing industry standards.

15th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Deestone: A Successful Entry into Radial Production

International News, Product News

Thai based commercial and two-wheel vehicle tyre specialist Deestone, through the founding of the new company Deestone Radial Tire Co. and the establishment of a new factory, has set foot into market territory held by the “Big Three”. The Thai radial tyre market, like almost every other around the world, is dominated by Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear. Yet the decision makers at Deestone Ltd. are losing no sleep over the position their own passenger car and light commercial vehicle radials hold in the domestic market – only two years after the opening of the company’s first radial tyre factory, its Thai market share has grown to five per cent. As Deestone’s business development manager Noppadol Nimdee explained during Tyrexpo Asia, this market share is expected to further increase.

15th April 2009/by Arno

Toyo Launches Proxes Ne Eco Tyre

Toyo Tire Europe GmbH has launched a new low rolling resistance tyre into the market. According to the company, the Proxes Ne features an extremely low rolling resistance to reduce fuel consumption and therefore carbon emissions associated with driving. However, Toyo have taken their efforts to reduce carbon emissions a step further by incorporating a recycled polyester carcass ply as a way of reducing the energy and carbon used in the manufacturing process. The use of “Ecocircle” recycled polyester ply, which was developed by Teijin Fibers Limited, is said to be a world first. This recycled material, along with a 15 per cent reduction in rolling resistance compared to the Proxes CF1, make the Proxes Ne one of the most environmentally friendly products on the road, according to Toyo.

The new tyre is available now in four sizes ultra-mini orientated sizes designed to fit the Smart car and others: 145/65R15 72T, 155/60R15 74T, 175/55R15 72T, 195/50R15 82T.

A further six 15 to 18 inch variations will be made available from October 2009: 185/65R15 88H, 195/65R15 91H, 195/55R16 87V, 205/55R16 94V XL, 215/45R17 87W, 225/45R18 91W.

15th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Lands OE Deal with Military Aircraft Manufacturer

MRF, the first Indian tyre manufacturer to produce aviation tyres for military aircraft, has secured an order from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), one of Asia’s largest aerospace companies. The initial supply contract, reports the Financial Chronicle, is for some 400 to 500 tyres for HAL’s Chetak multi-purpose helicopter. India’s defence authorities have also reportedly asked the company to develop tyres for other types of military aircraft.

14th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Tire Group International Names Delgado Senior Vice President

Tire Group International (TGI) has announced the hiring of Orlando Delgado as senior vice-president of business development. Delgado re-joins TGI with “over 20 years of international market experience with emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean.” Prior to joining TGI, he spent several years as director of logistics for a world leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of toys and family products. According to a company statement, TGI hopes Delgado’s expertise in Latin American and Caribbean markets will allow the tyre wholesaler to reach its strategic objective of continuing to open sales offices throughout the region.

14th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Announces Further Carlisle Redundancies

It appears as if Pirelli is seeking further voluntary redundancies amongst it production staff in Carlisle. The company has confirmed this in a statement, however at this stage it is not clear how many positions will be cut.

Pirelli says it has informed senior trade union officials at both its Burton on Trent and Carlisle plants that it is willing to consider voluntary redundancy applications from production workers and supporting services. Information about the cutbacks was given as a second five-day shutdown, the result of falling demand, began on April 8.

9th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Benefitting From Its Differentiated Structure

Times are hard; for some they are even too hard. During the prevailing financial and economic crisis plenty of steps need to be taken if a company wants to successfully weather the hardships involved. In an exclusive interview with Tyres & Accessories, Massimo De Alessandri, CEO of the Marangoni Group, explains how his company is facing the current situation, why its prospects are quite good, and why there won’t be any long-term damage to the group.

TYRES & ACCESSORIES:
The economic environment in Europe has been difficult in recent months, to say the least. How has the Marangoni Group been affected by this?

9th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Names Commercial OE Account Manager

Continental Tire North America has named Wyatt Hamilton its key account manager for original equipment sales in the commercial vehicle tyre division. Hamilton is based in CTNA’s North American headquarters in Indian Land, South Caroline, and will service truck and trailer manufacturers for the eastern USA and Canada, said Tom Fanning, CTNA’s director of OE sales for the Americas. Hamilton was previously a key account manager for aftermarket tyre sales and has been with Continental for five years.

“Wyatt’s expertise in commercial tyre sales will assist us with increasing our OE sales in these key territories,” said Fanning. “His overall knowledge of the Continental brand will be invaluable in providing excellent service to our existing manufacturing partners, as well as developing new relationships that support our growth strategy.” Hamilton, a native of Charlotte, is a graduate of North Carolina State University and holds a bachelor of science degree in business management. (Tire Review/Akron)

9th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors