Manufacturing Archives - Page 172 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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Goodyear to Boost Chinese, Brazilian Investment

American news sources have reported that following its closure of a tyre plant in Australia, Goodyear intends to refurbish four plants in the USA, while making further investments in China and Brazil.

Chief Executive Officer Robert Keegan is quoted as saying “We anticipate capital investments totalling between $1 billion and $1.3 billion per year from 2008 to 2010.” While the US manufacturing plants due for refurbishment were not yet specified, it is reported that the company will look to invest around $700 million over five years in an effort to modernise the facilities.

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Close Australian Factory by End of Year

Goodyear’s sole new tyre manufacturing facility in Australia is to close, announced Goodyear Tire & Rubber on June 25. The company states the closure of the Somerton plant in the North of Melbourne, Victoria will take place before the end of the year and is occurring as part of Goodyear’s global strategy to reduce high-cost manufacturing capacity and replace this with a more cost-effective supply of products. The elimination of Somerton’s output will reduce this high-cost capacity by approximately 3 million units per annum, with annual cost savings of around US$35 million. Up to 587 workers will be made redundant.

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Avex: Number One In Storage

Based in Otrokovice in the Czech Republic, Avex claims to be the world’s number one tyre storage rack manufacturer, as well as manufacturing racks and containers for the chemical, automotive and nuclear industries.

The company was founded in 1994 and currently employs some 245 staff. The production facility covers around 10,000 square metres and 75 – 90 tons of raw materials are used daily, giving a monthly output of between 10,000 and 20,000 racks, depending on the size and complexity of the products.

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

30 Years of Turbocharger Production in Bradford

BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems has just celebrated the 30th anniversary of the opening of its commercial vehicle turbocharger factory in the city of Bradford. Only recently, the plant underwent extensive modernisation to ensure that it can optimally meet the ever-increasing demand for turbocharged commercial vehicle engines. In the past ten years alone, output in Bradford has more than doubled to over 400,000 units a year. The main customers include Renault/Volvo, Daimler and above all Deutz, who equips all engines with turbochargers from BorgWarner.
The commercial vehicle industry has been booming for years and new markets in Eastern Europe and Asia promise further growth. Environmentally friendly technologies are required to ensure that manufacturers continue to benefit from the current positive situation. As the market leader in the commercial vehicle sector and with many years of experience, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems makes a major contribution to guaranteeing that even the strictest emissions standards can be met without any loss of driving performance.

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Techking Tires: New Products, Technology and Services in 2008

OTR tyre specialist Techking Tires came to the Reifen Essen show armed not only with new products, such as the 335/80R20 MPT (Multiple Purpose Tire) – the Chinese company brought news of impressive growth and numerous new programmes it is introducing. Techking marketing specialist Benjamin Zhang reported the latest developments to T&A.

“We have set up six private meeting rooms for existing and new customers at our stand,” he said. “For the whole week they are always busy.” This is hardly surprising considering Techking’s explosive growth during the past few years. Evidence of this can be seen from the fact that in 2006 Techking had 5 tyre specifications. Today it has 140, in 20 individual patterns. All tyres are manufactured at the company’s 35,000 square metre Dongying, Shandong Province factory, which was built in 1994.

Amongst Techking’s new offerings for 2008 are combined tyre and rim combination packages. “This has come as a result of customer feedback,” explains Mr. Zhang. “Customers asked for a tyre/rim package. It is easier for us to choose the right rim for a particular tyre.” The Techking marketing specialist reported that the building of a new 330,000 square metre factory for manufacturing OTR and TBR rims is currently in progress, The facility is due to be completed at the start of 2009 and within three years a capacity of 50,000 to 70,000 pieces per annum is planned.

Also new is Tire Watch, Techking’s TPMS project initiated last year. Testing for the Tire Watch project will continue until July and its market introduction is not far off. Tire Watch, Mr. Zhang explains, offers real time monitoring of tyre pressure. A third new product from Techking, introduced this year, is Tire Armor, protective chains for loader tyres, that can be easily damaged on rocks. “New items such as Tire Armor show we not only provide products; we also provide solutions,” said Mr. Zhang.

Yet another significant development for Techking is the introduction of the TSC – the Techking Service Center – Techking is building showrooms in conjunction with local partners in key markets and will provide training to local dealers. The TSCs will offer maintenance services and advice on correct tyre choice, while enhancing the Techking brand image in various local markets. “We have chosen Europe, Africa and Australia as the markets in which to begin rolling out the TSC concept, as in these regions we have stronger partnerships with local dealers,” Mr. Zhang added. The first TSC is scheduled to open in July 2008, and in addition to these centres the company continues to visit its global partners on site. In 2007 Techking representatives visited 50 such partners in various countries.

Techking tyres are sold in approximately 55 markets around the world, with Europe, South Africa and Australia the strongest. European sales account for 25 per cent of the total, Mr. Zhang comments, and currently South Africa is the market undergoing the fastest growth. A new market for Techking is Russia, and it is one that, says Mr. Zhang, presents its own challenges: “It is a different situation from our traditional key customers. The market in Russia is mostly for bias tyres, radials are only being introduced. In Russia we provide potential customers with our ‘Fuel Save Technology’ programme, which includes statistics on the fuel saving benefits of radial tyres.”

On the topic of world markets, much has been said recently about the US decision to impose duties upon Chinese manufactured OTR tyres. While Mr. Zhang confirms the duties charged on Techking products are not as high as for some other Chinese based manufacturers, he admits the US remains a smaller market for the company.

After conquering numerous world markets, Techking is now making itself at home, in its home market. In a situation that is completely in reverse to most Chinese manufacturers, Techking, a traditionally strong exporter of radial products, has only very recently launched its products onto the domestic Chinese market. “Most Chinese mining companies still use bias tyres,” Benjamin Zhang explains. “Most sales in China are for overseas brand equipment. We hope this situation will change soon but realise it takes time to adopt radial technology.” Even more amazingly, in April 2008 the company that has for so long embraced radial technology launched a range of bias OTR tyres. “The first tyres produced after heavy involvement from Techking will serve OE manufacturers in the domestic market,” stated company president Tech Wang in a Techking newsletter. A company representative further comments on the decision to introduce this older technology. “We are not in pursuit of high volume. We feel that giant bias OTR is a necessary supplement to the market at the moment.”

The testing of such new giant OTR tyres, like all the Techking range, can be performed on the company’s drum test machine, which can test up to 63-inch tyres; Techking is the only Chinese manufacturer to have such a machine. And in terms of tyre development, the process at Techking is very customer centred, adds Mr. Zhang: “Techking collects research and development feedback from different markets, and develops custom products for key markets, such as the 29.5R29 ETNT for Canada or 35/65R33 ETNT for Australia.”

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess Appoints Front End Loading Provider for Singapore Facility

The Jacobs Engineering Group announced on June 24 that it has received a contract from Lanxess to provide Front End Loading services for a butyl rubber manufacturing plant project located on Singapore’s Jurong Island. Jacobs will provide the services from its Singapore office.

In making the announcement, Jacobs group vice president Chris Nagel stated, “We are excited that Lanxess has involved us in this project to support their growth in Asia. We are fully committed to delivering a safe, environmentally friendly plant.” Officials estimate the project’s total installed cost will amount to approximately US$700 million. Construction is expected to start early next year and be completed by the end of 2010.

25th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Travelling the Road to Off-Road Success

In the last decade or so the off-road tyre market has seen a name appear, seemingly out of nowhere, and grow to become a significant player in many markets, particularly in Europe. That name is BKT, or Balkrishna Tyres. The Indian company, flagship business of the large Siyaram Poddar Group, has only been producing tyres for two decades and exporting them for little more than one decade. Yet in a short span of time – between the 2000/01 and 2007/08 financial years, BKT’s annual sales have rocketed from US$8 million to more than $250 million. These are results many competitors can only dream of, but the company still holds even greater ambitions.

“Our vision is to obtain global leadership in off highway tyre solutions,” stated Arvind Poddar – vice chairman and managing director, Siyaram Poddar Group, at the Reifen Essen Exhibition. “I’m sure we will make it possible in the shortest possible time.” To achieve this, explains Mr. Poddar, the company has set itself the goal of maintaining its current growth rate of 30 to 35 per cent. This means sales of $325 million in financial year 2008/09.

25th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Uni Bull Celebrates 20-Year Anniversary

Banner Batteries (GB) is celebrating two decades’ manufacturing of its Uni Bull range of vehicle batteries. The battery, compatible with more than 900 vehicle models, boasts universality and versatility having become the first ever to possess two terminals – one for each side.

On release in 1988, the Uni Turbo range (as was the line’s initial name) offered what Banner call, “four post versatility”, meaning that the battery could be utilised in cars with right+/left- or left+/right- layouts. The battery was also suitable for standard fitting and bolt connections. 1997 saw Uni Turbo renamed Uni Bull, and was relaunched with patented Gortex leak protection. This trend of technical innovation continued in 2002, when the BannerAccusafe leak-proof system was introduced with an upgraded design, making the battery compatible with 900 DIN numbers. The Uni Bull secured a marketing coup with its new red casing, becoming known as “The Red One” on many an auto-parts retail outlet’s shelves.

24th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Aeolus Placing a Focus upon Quality

International News

Originally established by the Chinese government as an OTR manufacturer, Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd. has, in its 43 years, become one of China’s top ten tyre producers. The company currently specialises in truck and earthmover tyres, manufactured at its 640,000 square metre factory in central China. Soon a second facility will also enter service. At the Reifen exhibition T&A spoke with company Europe Division Manager Mr. Cuiqiang Fu and vice general manager and chief engineer Mr. Yaoling Feng about the direction Aeolus is taking as a company and as a brand.

“Of greatest importance for Aeolus is an emphasis on quality, we always lay an emphasis on quality and technology,” states Mr. Feng. He notes that this focus lies at the heart of the company’s success. “The most important thing for management level at Aeolus is quality and improving the mindset of employees. All Aeolus employees know this brand and the factory would not exist without the quality of our product; all that Aeolus is today is due to that.”

24th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Romania 2007 Turnover up 10.8%

Michelin Romania has posted a 2007 turnover of 340 million euros, a 10.8 per cent increase over the sales of 306.8 million euros reported a year earlier. This growth rate is, however, lower than in previous years – at its peak Michelin Romania’s annual turnover surged by around 35 to 40 per cent.

24th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

ITS an Intelligent Tyre System

Continental AG has unveiled a new prototype cyber tyre technology, designed to demystify the tyre management process. The battery-less Intelligent Tyre System (ITS) fuses a range of existing TPMS functions with an RFID-like wireless communication facility that will enable the sensors in each tyre to communicate with a central processor inside the vehicle. The system’s tyre ID technology, coupled with a tyre age function is designed to advise motorists of their tyre’s suitability.

According to Continental representatives, the sensors will be installed into truck tyres initially, with the first Continental-produced cyber tyres rolling off the production line around 2010. Continental was exhibiting this and related technologies as part of a ContiSafetyExperience event, which the company held at the OAMTC (Austrian AA equivalent) centre in Teesdorf, Austria. ITS had its first outing as part of the Continental Truck Tyre Roadshow exhibit that visited the CV Show earlier this year.

24th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Announces Increased Environmental Technology Spending

Korea’s Hankook Tire has released details of its plans for an annual total of “at least 12.5 million euros” research and development spending on eco-friendly technology in the coming years. The company noted the industry trend towards decreased rolling resistance and fuel consumption as key concepts to be investigated using the money, while ensuring the sustainability of the manufacturing operation will also take up a key position in the ongoing research.

The announcement, prompted by the current climate of environmental awareness, is set to more than treble Hankook’s current fund for eco-conscious research, with the figure boosted to 0.5 per cent of the manufacturer’s global annual revenue – an increase of 350 per cent. Reportedly the world’s “fastest growing tyre manufacturer”, the firm’s commitment to R&D in this sector is designed to meet the growing demand of the market for ever-greater levels of environmental friendliness.

23rd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin North America to Invest $90M in Lexington Facility

A US$90 million investment is planned for Michelin North America’s facility in Lexington, South Carolina. The additional capital will be used to upgrade plant equipment and expand capacity at the site’s passenger car and OTR tyre factories. The news was announced by the company during a ceremony held in the region on June 19, at which it thanked local public officials and development agencies for their support of Michelin’s continued growth in Lexington.

“Lexington has been a great place for Michelin to produce some of the best tyres in the world,” said Jim Micali, chairman and president, Michelin North America, Inc. “And, we hope that Michelin has been equally good for Lexington County. We especially thank the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the chairman and members of the Lexington County Council, without whose support this investment would not be possible. Their efforts directly impact Michelin’s ability to expand manufacturing at this site and to continue to provide quality jobs in Lexington.”

20th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Belshina to Increase Output by 7%

A more efficient use of production capacity should see tyre output increase by 7 per cent this year at Belshina. The Belarus based company is reported to be planning an upgrade of its existing processing lines and the introduction of a new tyre assembly system. Its output of OTR tyres is also set to expand following the commissioning of an OTR radial assembly system supplied by the VMI Group. The system can accommodate tyres between sizes 17.5 R25 and 24.0 R35, although it will be principally used for manufacturing 21.0 R35 and 24.0 R35 size tyres suitable for rigid dumper applications. Belshina will reportedly increase output to just under 28,500 units per year, with 37 new sizes and types introduced by 2010.

20th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Report: Retreads are Greener than New Tyres

An independent analysis carried out to compare the relative carbon footprints of new tyres and retreaded tyres has concluded that the process required to manufacture and distribute a retreaded tyre produces significantly less carbon emissions than that required to produce a new tyre. The report, commissioned for the Centre for Remanufacturing and Reuse (embedded within Oakdene Hollins Ltd) and carried out by carbon footprint specialists Best Foot Forward, compares the carbon footprint of a new and a retread 17.5” tyre for use by light commercial vehicles.

This study showed that the manufacture of a 17.5” new tyre produces 86.9 kg CO2 emissions compared to 60.5 kg CO2 for an equivalent retread tyre, a saving of 26.4 kg. This equates to a reduction of emissions by 30 per cent.

20th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors