Manufacturing Archives - Page 180 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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Falken Launches ZE 912

January saw the launch of Falken’s new ZE 912, which is exclusively distributed by Micheldever Tyres in the UK. In addition to the performance benefits that the new asymmetrical tread pattern has to offer, the Falken ZE 912 also includes a new tread wear indicator and is said to be “proving a great success with the Falken dealer network.” Bob Thomas from Grove Street Tyres Wantage commented: “The new 912 has proved very popular with our customers,” adding: “The new asymmetric pattern is really eye catching and combined with the FK452, Falkens UHP offering makes it an easy brand to retail”.

7th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho’s Vietnam Plant Officially Opens

Kumho’s new tyre manufacturing plant in Vietnam’s Binh Duong province was inaugurated on March 5, reports the Vietnam Economic Times. Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung and South Korea’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Lim Hong-che, were present at the ceremony, during which a memorandum of understanding regarding investing a further US$300 million in stage two of the facility was signed.

6th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Asian Manufacturers Could Hold 8% of CV Tyre Market in Next 5 years

Herbert Mensching, Continental’s manager Sales and Marketing Commercial Vehicle Tires Europe has predicted that Chinese and other Asian manufacturers could occupy between 6-8 per cent of the European truck and bus replacement market in 5 – 10 years time. Speaking at the recent re-launch of the ContiNetwork group in the UK, Herbert Mensching told Tyres & Accessories that his company was prepared for the “further complications” this may bring to markets like the UK.

Mensching also pointed out that while the numbers of cheap budget products sold in the roughly 1.3 million unit UK CV replacement tyre market has doubled in the last five years (from 100,000 to 200,000 units), these products don’t have the same retreadability properties or whole-life sales and marketing support as premium brands like Continental. With 70 per cent of UK CV casings currently re-used as retreads, this remains a key market factor, he continued.

4th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

European Tyre Manufacturer to Trial Pneu-Logic Technology

Advanced ID subsidiary Pneu-Logic is reported to have sold a number of tyre maintenance systems to a European tyre manufacturer for evaluation purposes. The identity of the purchaser has not been disclosed, but the company apparently intends to hold a three-month long commercial vehicle tyre trial in Germany, Italy and the UK.

Pneu-Logic anticipates a major order from the manufacturer following the trial’s successful conclusion. “This is of vital importance to tyre owners and fleet managers as theft of bus, truck and off-the-road/earth mover tyres is common in many markets around the world,” commented Pneu-Logic managing director Laren Yeomans. “Tracking of tyres also enables us to document the entire life of the tyre – from point of origin through service repairs.

3rd March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Competing on the Premium Level

As a leading independent retread operation, Bandvulc Tyres has learnt to adapt its business model to the various market conditions it has encountered over the years. However, the Ivybridge, Devon-based family business remains unwilling to compromise on either quality or the ambitious targets it sets itself. With production expected to be around 200,000 units this year and having attained IS0 14001 in 2007, the company now aims to set the pace in terms of environmental tyre production.

One of managing director Patrick O’Connell’s targets for 2008 is to increase international sales. Bandvulc’s
number one target market is Germany, something that is evidenced by the fact that the company appointed a German speaking salesperson to cater specifically for this market at the end of last year. Bandvulc currently exports a total of around 5 per cent of production and has been selling tyres in Germany via the well-known, Conti-owned retail chain Vergoelst for four years now. O’Connell is very
positive about progress in the market: “Germany has a lot of potential,” he commented.

Bandvulc punches above its weight in terms of tyreproduction and development too. Speaking to Tyres & Accessories in late February, managing director, Patrick O’Connell revealed that Bandvulc re-invests £1 million a year into its manufacturing process alone.

As far as product development is concerned, the fact that Bandvulc does all its own compounding through its Devon Rubber division means the company is well-positioned to develop the new low rolling resistance compounds fleets now demand. In order to fulfil these demands Devon Rubber recently started using a specialist carbon black in its tread compounds and, as a result, all Bandvulc tyres are expected to benefit from the wear characteristics it provides.

Bandvulc is also using some of the latest digitised tyre footprint analysis systems and as a result will soon launch a number of updated products which have been optimised to improve mileage and handling characteristics. This range of tyres is known as the Plus range.

Equipment investments

The latest machinery update at Bandvulc is the addition of a new high speed shearography machine from Steinbichler in Germany. According to the company, casing shearography has been shown to save on inprocess rejects due to casing failures which would otherwise not be detected until each tyre is finally inspected before leaving the factory.

Following its installation, this £150,000 machine is now handling 250 (mainly 385 width) casings daily. Through further automation and potentially extending the period of operation, this will increase the quantity processed close to 80 per cent of total volume through the manufacturing facility.

However, the machinery upgrades don’t end there. During Tyres & Accessories’ factory tour, O’Connell revealed that Bandvulc is currently upgrading its entire collection of curing presses (42 in all). So far, the company has already installed and is running five bagomatic presses which are monitored in great detail by a bespoke-designed piece of computer software.

In addition to the sheer scale of curing presses that are installed, the fact that the Ivybridge plant is the only retread production site in Britain that uses three Marangoni Alpha Twin tyre building machines demonstrates Bandvulc’s quality orientated production philosophy.

Casing the joint

All retreaders need a steady supply of quality casings. That’s why at any given point Bandvulc has a stock of around 20,000 casings in its yard pre inspected. During the checking procedure, detailed notes of damage, husbandry and usage are stored in the company’s unique CCC (centralized database) system. To date this system has logged 10 years worth of inspections, relating to literally millions of casings. And all this gives Bandvulc a deep insight into the manufacturing consistency of various tyremakers’ overseas operations. It also enables the retreader to select from a wider range of casings than some retread producers. This gives the company the flexibility of reusing the range of tyres that may be fitted to a fleet’s vehicles.

Following inspection all tyres are barcoded using Bandvulc’s unique ‘Merlin’ product tracking system, which was installed last April. Next, approved tyres are conveyed to an adjoining building where casings are buffed down on 4 TRM computer automated machines (after inspection all casings are transported around the factory on an overhead monorail system). Following repair in one of Bandvulc’s eight “knights of the round table” themed repair bays, tyres are once again checked for defects including nail holes, using Hawkinson machinery.

After curing, the newly reborn tyres go through a post production test procedure that includes visual test, inflation test and the less common sonic testing. The latter sees the newly cured and trimmed tyre submerged in water and then showered with ultrasonic frequencies in a process not dissimilar to the ultrasound scans expectant mothers have. According to O’Connell, this technique is more effective than any other at detecting porosity. Again the software was designed by Bandvulc and custom produced for the independent retreader.

Greener than green

At the beginning of last year Bandvulc began an 11-month long project to obtain ISO 14001 certification. This was headed up by Matteo Littera, the company’s then Knowledge Transfer Partnership graduate. According to Bandvulc every single one of the 250+ workforce in Ivybridge was involved in its implementation.

While many manufacturing companies have achieved ISO 14001, what is unusual about Bandvulc is its whiter than white transparency about the details of its green policy, and the company’s attention to detail in this respect. How many other companies volunteer the information that switching the company boiler system to automatic start will save 443,136kWh per year (83 tons of CO2)?

Bandvulc’s Green thinking approach stretches as far as the boardroom, with company management keen to highlight the fact that its retreads have saved (at the time of going to press) 2 million litres of oil and 1.3 million kilos of rubber this year alone. Outside of the boardroom, Tyres & Accessories heard that certain senior managers’ company car choice is now heavily influenced by the amount of CO2 vehicles emit. Even company literature is printed on recycled carbon neutral paper!

29th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian Tyre Companies to Cut Prices from 1 March

Some of India’s leading tyre manufacturers including MRF and Ceat will cut prices by between 1 and 2 per cent. According to local news sources, the news follows a proposal from India’s finance minister to introduce a two percentage point cut in duty as part of the 2008/09 budget in order to boost manufacturing. As a result, Indian manufacturers are queuing up to be seen to pass on the benefit to their customers.

“We will be passing on the entire duty cut,” K.J. Rao Chief Financial Officer at Ceat was quoted as saying. Koshy Verghese, MRF’s executive vice president commented also gave details of a 1 per cent-plus price cut on its truck products. In 2007 MRF Ltd. was reportedly the Indian market leader (22% market share;) followed closely by Apollo Tyres Ltd. (21%); JK Tyre & Industries Ltd (18%); and Ceat Ltd. (13%).

29th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Stamford Tyres India Launches New HP Tyres

Stamford Tyres Distributors India Pvt Ltd has launched the Falken ZIEX ZE912 radial across its distribution network in India. Working in partnership with Sumitomo Rubber Industries – the Japanese designer and manufacturer of Falken and Dunlop tyres – Stamford Tyres will market the ZE912 tyre to owners of passenger cars, wagons and mini-vans.

Mr. Wee Kok Wah, President of Stamford Tyres said: “The ZE912 will become the core product of the Falken range that we sell. It sits in the middle (of the Falken range) between its top Ultra-High Performance tyres and its entry-level line. The ZE912 is a high-performance tyre with broad market appeal with sizes that can fit at least 80 per cent of the mid to upper segment passenger cars and MPVs now used on Indian roads. This means if a driver pulls up at one of our dealer outlets, we will have a ZE912 tyre that will be just right for his car.”

28th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Bulldog Held 7.5% UK Retread Market Share in 2007

Bridgestone first started working with Bulldog remoulds as its preferred retreading partner in the 1990’s Everything changed in April 2005 when Bridgestone bought the Bourne, Lincolnshire-based retreader, bringing with it plans to more than double the site’s previous annual output and radically overhaul the operation. Tyres & Accessories gained an exclusive insight into what has happened at Bulldog during a recent visit to Bridgestone UK’s newly updated retread production headquarters.

28th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Invest $1 Billion Dalian, China Tyre Plant

Goodyear is reportedly close to investing over $1 billion in the construction of a tyre manufacturing facility near Dalian. The mayor of Dalian, Xia Deren, told the Reuters news agency that the city’s government had finalised an investment plan and would sign an agreement shortly.

According to the report, Goodyear is planning to build a plant in the Beishan area and hire more than 2,000 employees for a factory that would sell both domestically and for export. Goodyear representatives told Tyres & Accessories that they were aware of the reports, but didn’t give any further details.

28th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Poland Expansion to Create 400 New Jobs

As reported on February 26, Goodyear has requested that Poland’s TC Debica, in which it holds the major shareholding, triple its production of commercial vehicle tyres from 1,700 to 5,000 units a day. This increase output is needed, says Goodyear, to meet European demand for high quality truck tyres.

Goodyear has had a majority ownership interest in TC Debica, Poland’s largest tyremaker, since 1995, and the Polish company’s management board will decide whether to go ahead with making the necessary investment to expand production there. Goodyear estimates the expansion will require an investment of more than US$200 million. Such an investment, which would likely involve assistance from Polish national and regional authorities, would create 350 to 400 new jobs at TC Debica.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Chinese Court Enforces Bridgestone Patent Infringement Ruling

On February 27 Bridgestone publicly released details of a recent patent infringement case in China. A Beijing court has ruled in favour of Bridgestone Corporation in a patent infringement case against Chaoyang Long March Tyre Co., Ltd, the Liaoning Province based manufacturer of the Long March brand of truck tyres.

After it came to Bridgestone’s attention that the design of certain Long March truck and bus radials may infringe the tyre major’s patented intellectual property, the company commenced legal action against Long March in December 2006. The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court presided over the proceedings, and upon deliberation, ruled in favour of Bridgestone in March 2007. Long March Tyre was ordered to stop manufacturing and selling the infringing products, and to pay damages to Bridgestone. As Long March Tyre did not file an appeal, the ruling became effective.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bandvulc Invests In Shearography Machine

Bandvulc Tyres Ltd recently took delivery of a new high speed shearography machine from Steinbichler in Germany. Assembly and installation was completed within three days and all went without a hitch.

The machine is now being used to inspect casings entering the retread manufacturing process. After extensive testing, casing shearography has shown to save on in-process rejects due to casing failures which would otherwise not be detected until each tyre is finally inspected before leaving the factory.

27th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Signs Research Agreement

On February 22 the Pirelli Group signed an agreement to collaborate with Italy’s Piedmont Region, Turin Province, the Municipality of Settimo Torinese and the Politecnico di Torino University in the development of programmes for research and innovation; specifically, the agreement covered the building of a new Pirelli industrial complex in the territory of Settimo Torinese.

The agreement includes the introduction of cutting edge technologies in Pirelli’s industrial facilities in Settimo Torinese, where the company’s tyre sector research is focused. These technologies include: next generation MIRS, which Pirelli refers to as “a significant evolution” in the automated process of tyre manufacturing and guarantees product quality and uniformity; the Cyber Tyre, an “intelligent” tyre containing sensors that will be able to transmit information pertinent to driving and control of the vehicle; and TSM, a new process for mixing materials that offers high levels of quality and reliability.

25th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

GPX To Close Canada Factory

OTR, industrial and specialty tyre manufacturer GPX International Tire Corporation has disclosed its intention to cease operations at its solid tyre production facility in Mississauga, Canada and “consolidate its solid tyre manufacturing operations in Gorham, Maine and Xingtai, China.” This planned closure and consolidation is part of the company’s overall plan to rationalise its wholly owned manufacturing facilities, said GPX in a statement. These plans will see North American operations focusing on specialty products whilst the plant in China will produce the “longer run commodity type” products.

22nd February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

CTNA on the Move in 2009

Continental Tire North America is moving its corporate headquarters – but not very far. In 2009 the company will relocate about 40 miles south, from Charlotte, North Carolina, to northern Lancaster County, South Carolina, into a US$11 million 7,000 square metre office facility currently under construction. The site will house more than 300 employees.

This announcement was made on February 20, and is a decision that was facilitated by incentives from the state of South Carolina and Lancaster County Council. Continental spokesman Rick Holcomb also referred to South Carolina’s “very proactive business climate” as a reason for the company’s decision.

21st February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors