Manufacturing Archives - Page 173 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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Brembo Expands in US

Brembo will consolidate its corporate and technical groups from Northville, Farmington Hills and Costa Mesa, California at a new headquarters to be built in Novi, Michigan. The subsidiary of Bergamo, Italy-based Brembo S.p.A. will also expand capacity at its manufacturing facility in Homer (Calhoun County). The combined project is expected to retain and create 325 jobs for a total of 1,049 Michigan jobs for Brembo.

“The consolidation and expansion of our operations in Michigan, building on the skills of our workforce and competitiveness of our manufacturing facilities, create great opportunities for sustained growth in North America,” said Brembo North America general manager Adrian Smith.

19th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper to Invest in Mexican Tyremaking JV

In an effort to boost cost competitiveness Cooper Tire & Rubber is investing in a tyre manufacturing facility in Guadalajara, Mexico. According to an agreement announced June 18 Cooper will have 38 per cent ownership in the facility, jointly owned with Mexican holding corporation IBSA and Cooperativa TRADOC S.R.L. Cooper’s investment in the factory is to be US$31 million. Cooper tyres have been produced at the Guadalajara site since the company’s entry into an agreement with Corporación de Occidente, which was finalised late September 2007.

19th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Industry Response to REACH Legislation

Due to be phased in over the next 10 years, the European Union’s chemical usage legislation REACH – dealing with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances – holds implications for many at all levels of the tyre industry. Most specifically, the legislation’s requirement of businesses to register chemicals they produce or use has obvious repercussions for raw material suppliers and manufacturers. Recognising this, the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) – which represents the EU’s 11 top tyre manufacturers, namely Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper Tires, Goodyear Dunlop, Marangoni, Michelin, Mitas, Nokian, Pirelli, Trelleborg Wheel Systems and Vredestein – discussed the progress of researchers over the past 16 months at the international Tyre Industry CEO Meeting in Tokyo on 12 June alongside representatives of the US, Korean and Japanese industries.

18th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Australia Prices to Rise August 1

Price increases of up to 5 per cent have been announced by Bridgestone Australia Ltd. The new pricing will be implemented on August 1 and includes most Bridgestone tyres, tubes, retreads and services.

Mac Ohashi, Bridgestone Australia chairman and CEO, commented that the company had absorbed the effect of rising raw material costs for as long as possible. “We have seen very significant continued upward price pressure on raw materials such as oil, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, steel and carbon black in combination with increased energy and transportation costs.

17th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

14-Day Turkish Tyre Strike Ends

A two week tyre strike by 4,000 members of International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) Turkish affiliate Lastik-İş ended on 13 June, and workers from three tyre manufacturers resumed work the following day. The strike ended when a two-year accord was reached between the union and three global companies, Goodyear, Bridgestone and Pirelli, who jointly represented the tyre industry in talks.

The negotiations on 13 June were the first since the strike began on 31 May. Talks first began on a 2008-2009 labour agreement, covering four tyre factories, in September 2007. The two parties agreed to a 14 per cent pay increase for 2008, and an increase equalling the Turkish rate of inflation for 2009. In 2007, the Turkish rate of inflation was 8.39 per cent and is expected to rise above that this year. Lastik-İş had sought a 12 per cent wage rise for the first six months of 2008, with increases matching the inflation rate in each six-month period through 2009.

17th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Introduces Eco-Friendly Tyres at Essen

Amongst the 30 products Kumho displayed at the Reifen Essen show was the company’s new eco-friendly tyre, the Solus KH19. This flagship environmental product is based on proprietary technologies including KADAS (tyre structure simulation technology), ESCOT (tyre contour optimisation technology) and TTIA (tyre-terrain interaction analysis). The Solus KH19 boasts a 35 per cent improvement in rolling resistance and a six per cent decrease in CO2 emissions. Its construction is of eco-friendly materials, including low PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) oils and non-petroleum fillers, and a tread pattern that Kumho refers to as ‘nature based’. This pattern, says the South Korean manufacturer, is not only intended only to reinforce the tyre’s green image; it also provides a smoother ride. The Solus KH19 will be available from this autumn.

“This is a milestone year for Kumho as we strengthen our focus on making ‘greener’ products,” said Sae-chul Oh, CEO and president of Kumho Tires. “These new tyres improve fuel efficiency, lower CO2 emissions and run more quietly. We have also re-engineered our manufacturing process to make it more environmentally friendly. Kumho has taken this leading role in environmental issues because it allows us to provide tangible benefits to our customers, while simultaneously helping the planet.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Taiwan Manufacturers Expanding Tyre Production in China

Taiwan`s three-largest tyre manufacturers, including Cheng Shin Rubber Industry Co., Hwa Fong Rubber Industry Co. and Kenda Rubber Industrial Co., are reported to be planning to increase investment in their facilities in mainland China.

Cheng Shin will invest between US$50 million and US$60 million to expand the production capacity of its Kunshan, Jiangsu province plant between now and the end of June 2009. Once completed, the expansion will see daily production capacity at the plant rise to 54,000 passenger car tyres from the present level of 45,000, making the facility the largest tyre plant in China. The company also noted it would invest between US$60 million and US$70 million to expand production capacity at its plant in Haiyen plant in Xiamen, Fujian Province. Daily output would be boosted from the current level of 4,000 passenger car and truck tyres up to 6,000. Expansion in production at these two facilities is anticipated to help Cheng Shin increase its annual sales by a total of NT$15 billion (US$496 million).

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

NGK Adds Spark Plug Plant in US

NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.) Inc. opened its third U.S. manufacturing facility, located on located near Charleston, West Virginia. The 85,000-square-foot plant has a total capacity of 20 million spark plugs per year for the US OE and replacement markets. NGK also has plants in Chicago and Irvine, California.

Shinichi Odo, president and CEO of NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.), said the plant will further strengthen NGK’s global network and better position the company to service its North American manufacturing customers. (Tire Review/Akron)

12th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Tyres Appoints Chief of Research & Technology

Peter Becker, former senior manager at Goodyear Dunlop Germany, has been appointed Chief, Research and Technology at Apollo Tyres Ltd. He has formally joined the company this month and will be leading Apollo Tyres’ initiatives in tyre technology, research and new product development, especially with regard to European market needs. Mr Becker will be based in Germany, where he will be responsible for establishing an R&D facility for Apollo Tyres. He will be working with Apollo’s research, technology and design teams across geographical locations in India, South Africa and Europe. The company has previously announced plans for a 200 million euro passenger car radial tyre manufacturing facility in Hungary.

According to a company statement, the appointment forms part of Apollo Tyres Ltd’s ongoing plans for the European market. Peter Becker commented: “I am excited by this opportunity and impressed by the possibilities the future holds with Apollo Tyres. I am positive that we will be able to bring out competitive products which address customer needs.”

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Advanced ID Applauds NHTSA’s Tyre Ageing Advice

RFID developer Advanced ID Corporation has published a statement supporting the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recent Consumer Advisory on the dangers of aged tyres. On 2 June NHTSA kicked off the summer driving season with a warning to motorists to check their tyres – including the spare – for signs of wear, under-inflation and age. The season’s heat, especially in hot climates, can take its toll on worn, old or improperly inflated tyres leading to tread separations, crashes and rollovers, the advisory said.

“We believe that NHTSA’s consumer advisory on tire safety is going to have a significant effect on the rubber manufacturers – this is the first time the US government has taken a public position on the issue,” said Dan Finch, President and CEO of Advanced ID. “Our global partners around the world are poised to begin implementation of tire tags for its many benefits, including the means to identify tyres in case of failure. All the tyre tag tests being conducted in numerous markets around the world – from Asia to Europe to Latin America – have been concluded or are near conclusion and, hopefully, the US will follow suit quickly before failures result in loss of life.”

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

India’s Tyre Output Growth Falls Short of Forecasts

Growth in India’s tyre production is likely to fall short of forecast results, with output levels hampered by dumped Chinese tyres and high manufacturing costs. According to Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA) director general Rajiv Budhraja, in an interview with Reuters, these factors mean domestic manufacturers will remain under pressure in the short term.

The ATMA previously forecasted growth in 2008 to increase by 2 to 3 percentage points to about 12 or 13 per cent. According to Budhraja, however, “a steady, subdued growth” is now expected in place of this. “Fuel price is going to be a major dampener,” he added, referring to a recent state-ordained 10 per cent increase in the cost of fuel, the greatest price rise in more than a decade. He added that a drop in mileage covered by private vehicles would lead to a fall in demand for tyres in both the OE and replacement markets.

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Wolverhampton’s Iconic Goodyear Chimney Set to Tumble

The days of an iconic Wolverhampton landmark are drawing to a close. Preparation work has already begun for the demolition of the Goodyear chimney that for decades towered over a once bustling tyre manufacturing plant, and by late June or early July the imposing 150 foot high blue and yellow brick structure will exist only as a memory.

At its peak the Goodyear facility in Wolverhampton employed 7,000 people, but today this number has shrunk to 450, the remaining workers engaged in the production of retreads and compounds for use in other European Goodyear factories. The bulk of the factory site will be redeveloped into a residential area with 700 houses, shops, a park and a school. The first houses will be built in 2010.

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sino-Indian Trade Increase Leads to Tyre Plant Possibility

Spurred on by the sharp increase in trade between China and India, Chinese Consul General in Kolkata Mao Siwei has told news sources about the attractiveness of a joint venture to set up a tyre plant in West Bengal.

Trade between the countries has reached $38.7 billion in 2007, representing a rapid increase from the 1999 figure of $2 billion, leaving Siwei keen to continue the development with collaborative manufacturing ventures.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, the Consul General suggested that the Bengalese tyre unit would be a joint venture between a China-based and a Dubai-based company.

10th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Establishes Thailand Sales Office

Only weeks after announcing the start of operations at its new Yokohama Asia facility in Thailand, the Japanese tyremaker has announced the establishment in May of Yokohama Tire Sales (Thailand) Co., Ltd. This new tyre sales company, also based in Bangkok, will begin trading in July 2008 and has been fully capitalised by Yokohama Rubber at a cost of 200 million baht (£3 million).

Yokohama reports that sales of its branded tyres, particularly in the high performance passenger car tyre segment, are rapidly increasing. Previously Yokohama Rubber sold its tyres nationwide through local tyre distributors. The company says, however, it has become necessary to establish its own tyre sales company so as to further expand sales of passenger car tyres and also strengthen sales of truck/bus tyres and light truck tyres that are manufactured by Yokohama Tire Manufacturing (Thailand).

10th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Klarius’ ‘Cat’ Development Centre ‘on the Fast Track’

Klarius has reported that it has strengthened the range of services it offers with the introduction of a Fast Track Cat cell to its industry renowned development centre. The new five-strong team is reportedly able to rapidly develop high quality Catalytic Converters, built to On Board Diagnostic (OBD) compliance within a week, due to a range of well designed, bespoke production methods.

Klarius has been developing and manufacturing catalytic converters since 1993, but since last summer, the company has been overhauling its development processes in order to increase efficiency and productivity by introducing new equipment at its workshop and shortening production process lead-time. According to the company, the end result for its nationwide customer base, is the ability to add a new specification of catalytic converter, from client brief, to design and development, and finally production, ready for supply within a week from request.

6th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors