Manufacturing Archives - Page 194 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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Second-Hand Tyres Costing More Than New as OTR Shortage Bites

(Akron/Tire Review – Mining Weekly South Africa) Second-hand tyres for large off-road trucks were costing more than new ones because of the biting tyre shortage, Kumba Iron Ore CEO Ras Myburgh told Mining Weekly Online on Tuesday. Myburgh said that the shortage of tyres was at one stage so acute that trucks were grounded for months.

Second-hand tyres were selling in the region of R250,000 each and trucks costing as much as $5-million dollars were being delivered without tyres because of the acute shortage. He said that the JSE-listed Kumba bought tyres separately. “Currently you can get trucks, but you can’t get tyres,” he said. “If you don’t have a long-term supply agreement, you can end up buying brand-new tyres that last only a fraction of what you get from normal suppliers.

8th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Reports Strong Growth, Especially in Key Markets

Nokian Tyres’ interim report for the period between January and June 2007 was released on August 8, and the figures contained within show sales and profits heading in a welcome direction. In contrast with the figures recorded during the January-June 2006 period, sales increased by 23.8 per cent during the recent half year and totalled 432.5 million euros. Operating profit was 89.2 million euros, up from 48.6 million a year earlier. Net profit, which in January-June 2006 was 31.8 million euros, more than doubled to reach 70.1 million euros. Also more than doubled was earnings per share, which jumped from 0.26 euros to 0.57 euros.

“Nokian Tyres had a clearly better second quarter and first half of the year in 2007 compared to the previous year,” said Nokian president and CEO Kim Gran. “Net sales increased and operating profit improved in all profit centres in the company’s core markets. While most of the increase in sales came from Russia, steep year-over-year sales growth was also recorded in Eastern Europe and the Nordic countries. Passenger car tyre sales mainly consisted of winter tyres, but summer tyres also sold well. The latter were boosted by the Nokian Hakka summer tyre family, which saw its first season in consumer sales. Average tyre prices rose as a result of the improved sales mix, price increases and new products. The benefits gained from manufacturing operations in Russia improved profitability. The outlook for the rest of the year is good and the order book is strong, but sales growth and profit improvement will be more moderate than in the first part of the year.”

8th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin North America Plans Major Plant Expansion Project

(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America announced plans to spend as much as $350 million on improvements and expansion projects at all of its “major manufacturing facilities” in South Carolina. The four-year project will add some 100 jobs, the company said.

While MNA didn’t give plant-by-plant specifics, the company did say that the project includes capacity boosts for its OTR and X One super wide tyres. Other aspects of the project will boost production of tyre components at its semi-finished goods plants, and general improvements.

The company said its investment and job growth is based on finalising agreements with state and county governments.

“With increasing competition from Asian imports and high raw material costs, Michelin will remain competitive in North America by continuing to manufacture tyres in more efficient operations with skilled professional employees,” said Jim Micali, MNA chairman and president.

7th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rubber King Tyres India: King Of The Road

Rubber King manufactures and markets a range of inner tubes, curing air bags and rubber flaps under the brand name “Rubber King”. The company has two factories and manufacturing capacities of 150,000 tubes per month and 75,000 flaps per month.
Rubber King inner tubes are made from high quality butyl rubber for better air retention and resistance to degradation from ozone. The size range is very comprehensive, with tubes available for truck and bus, light truck, agricultural, OTR and passenger vehicles for both bias ply and radial tyres and also for industrial vehicles and implements. Butyl curing bags and flaps are produced in a large number of sizes.
As well as these products, Rubber King offers the “Tire King” brand of tyres for vehicles from motorcycles through agricultural, industrial and OTR tyres.

The company exports products all over the world to more than 33 countries; not only in Asia, but to Europe, the USA, Africa and the Middle East. The quality of Rubber King inner tubes is demonstrated by the fact that many of the company’s customers are OEM tyre companies and the tubes carry a two-year warranty.

6th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Balkrishna Tyres: World’s Widest Off-Highway Range

Founded in 1995, Balkrishna Tyres (BKT) claims to have the world’s widest product range of off-highway tyres, with more than 1,700 stock units of designs, patterns and sizes. This extensive range has seen BKT’s global market share expand rapidly in a short time and BKT tyres are available for agricultural, construction, industrial, earthmover, ATV and turf care applications.
BKT has three tyre factories and one mould-manufacturing plant and the company has the capability to develop 150 new sizes a year, with an extremely fast product development time of eight to 10 weeks. India is renowned for having a qualified and technically expert workforce at a low cost and BKT has the capacity to change 25 moulds a day, which the company says is five times that of its competitors, allowing it to make 150 different types of tyre. Precise and complex planning is the key here. BKT spends between five and six per cent of its revenue on research and development and developed its own radial tyre technology in-house.

Around 65 per cent of BKT’s products are sold in Europe, with other major markets being the USA, Middle and South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Agricultural tyres constitute the largest chunk of production at BKT and the company has recently entered the tractor radial segment, with its new ‘Agrimax’ range, available in 85, 70 and 65 series aspect ratios and 95 series row crop tyres.

6th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Manufacturer to Show Apollo and Regal Brands in Singapore

Apollo Tyres has described plans to showcase about 21 products from the product ranges of its leading Apollo and Regal brands. Within the Apollo passenger car range, the company is we are considering showing its W-speed rated, directional, 100 per cent silica compound Aspire. This will be supported by the V-rated asymmetrical Acelere Sportz; the H-speed rated Acelere; and the Amazer XL. The company’s range of Hawkz 4×4 tyres Hawkz HT, HL, AT and RT meant for differing SUV road applications will also be on show.

In the commercial segment Apollo will exhibit four of its leading cross-ply tyres – Amar Gold, XT-7, XT-9 Gold and Duramile. The radial agriculture tyre Farm King and three patterns from the company’s pre-cured tread rubber range DuraTreads will also be exhibited.

As far as the Regal brand is concerned, the Regal Racer and Sportz for passenger cars; and Transport RS, Transport RD and the Regal super single for commercial vehicles, will be displayed.

3rd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni US Facility now Company Owned

Marangoni Tread North America has finalised purchase of its current manufacturing facility premises in Madison, Tennessee. This transaction concludes a process of expansion and development at the facility as part of the company’s declared aim of further strengthening its presence in the North American market.

The purchase of the 80,000 m2 (including a covered surface area of 14,000 m2) premises required an investment in the region of US$5,000,000. As a result of the purchase, the warehouse, which was previously contracted out, can now be managed directly. Marangoni hopes efficiency in the clearance of customer orders can thus be improved.

Recent expansions to the facility that saw its surface area triple will lead to an increase in production output and double production capacity over the next two years. “Now, approximately 75 per cent of the North American demand can be met locally”, said Bill Sweatman, chairman of Marangoni Tread North America. “This expansion will help us to further improve our response to customer service requirements.”

3rd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Welsh JV Liquid Nitrogen Facility Opens

TyreGenics’ new £4 million recycling facility in Baglan, South Wales is now open and operational. The facility, which uses liquid nitrogen to freeze shreds of tyres to below –80C before pulverising them into tiny crumbs, is the first facility of its type in northern Europe. The new plant is said to have a capacity of 80 tonnes per day and will create more than 30 jobs now that it is open. The ground breaking collaboration by majority shareholder Credential Environmental and BOC, Field Turf and RTI was backed by £1.4 million of European development funding. Crucially, like the announcement that its cement works plans are going ahead, the Welsh TyreGenics plant opening provides a new and disposal route for reprocessed ELTs.

The TyreGenics process uses liquid nitrogen to freeze shreds of tyre to below -80˚C, at which point they become brittle, then mechanical ‘hammers’ to smash the rubber into ‘crumb’. The product has a number of uses, including the production of artificial sports pitches, insulation products and rubber flooring. And it is here that the project can be distinguished from previous efforts to use cryogenic technology. This North American connection with Canadian companies Field Turf and Cryogenic systems maker, RTI, provides both the means to produce the technology and a secure sales route. According to the company, 70 per cent of production for the next three years has already been bought by Field Turf.

2nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Official Ceremony Marks Opening of Yokohama India

International News

The Yokohama Rubber Co. took a further step into the Indian market on July 27 when it officially marked the opening of its new subsidiary, Yokohama India. Company, industry, governmental and media representatives assembled at a hotel in New Delhi commemorate the occasion. Yokohama Rubber board director and senior managing corporate officer Takashi Sugimoto and board director and corporate officer Tooru Kobayashi represented the parent company at the ceremony.

Prior to this year Yokohama Rubber marketed passenger car tyres in India through its Singapore based tyre distributor. The transition to an India based operation began with the founding of Yokohama India in April 2007, and from now onwards the company plans to transfer sales activities to the new subsidiary, from where it will implement its own independent sales strategy. The company reports that Yokohama India will kick things off with an emphasis on the high performance passenger car market, an area in which the company believes to be a particular area of strength. This initial activity will include the Indian launch of the company’s premium ADVAN brand and other high-performance tyres and an intense supporting advertising campaign through car magazines and other media. From here Yokohama India will broaden its focus to the wider market.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Buys Oliver Rubber for $69 million

Michelin North America, Inc. has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Oliver Rubber Company, the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company tread rubber and retreading equipment subsidiary, for $69 million. The acquisition is subject to final due diligence as well as Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice approval. Following the acquisition, Oliver will operate as a subsidiary of Michelin North America, Inc.

According to an official statement on the subject: “This acquisition will complement the manufacturing capability and service network of Oliver with that of the Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) network, enabling Michelin to extend its reach in the growing commercial retreading market. In 2005 Michelin announced a major expansion of its tread manufacturing facility in Covington, Ga. and, earlier this month, the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Mexico.”

31st July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Manufacturer Leads Chase for National Tyres

A ‘big manufacturer’ has teamed up with Robson Asset Management (RAM), a private equity company established by former Royal Bank of Scotland finance chief Jeremy Robson, to bid for National Tyres and Autocare. According to the The Times, RAM is leading in the £100 million auction. However, Reuters has reported that there was interest in the auction from Phoenix Equity Partners-backed Nationwide Autos, PAI Partners-controlled Kwik-Fit and Graphite Capital-supported Micheldever Tyre Services.

Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone narrowly missed out on a bid to purchase Kwik-Fit two years ago. Bridgestone representatives continue to be silent on the deal, explaining that their policy is not to comment on speculation. However, Michelin already owns the UK’s largest tyre retail equity, Goodyear Dunlop has put all its efforts into developing its HiQ franchise and Continental is unlikely to about face and re-buy the company it sold as a loss-making business in 2002 – leaving only Bridgestone as a likely contender.

Earlier reports had suggested that Nationwide Autos had already made a bid for National. When news of the National sale broke earlier in July, Micheldever executives flatly denied they were bidding for the company. Kwik-Fit representatives refused to comment in relation to the auction.

30th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conditional Grants Would Help Goodyear Plant

(Akron/Tire Review – Fayetteville Observer) The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Fayetteville could receive US$40 million in state grants if it spends at least $200 million on improvements and keeps a minimum of 2,400 workers. A bill approved 105-5 by the North Carolina House on July 26 creates a fund designed to help the tyremaker, which closed two plants last year. The Fayetteville site, which has been on Ramsey Street for 38 years, was among those considered for closing.

The bill now goes to the state Senate. It would give as much as $4 million yearly for 10 years to as many as five companies meeting the investment and employment requirements. Fayetteville’s Goodyear plant is the only one that qualifies. “This is huge for all of the communities,” said Rep. Margaret Dickson, a Fayetteville Democrat who worked on the bill.

30th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rich Heritage

Snap-on Equipment Ltd., the new name for the company that distributes two long-established names in the garage equipment industry – Hoffman and John Bean – is no newcomer to the business. Hofmann produced their first balancer way back in 1932, and at the same time across the Atlantic John Bean began marketing their first wheel alignment machine. These two Snap-on Equipment mainstays have focused upon manufacturing premium level equipment for the industry ever since. In the UK Snap-on Limited call the Thames Valley their home, and recently Tyres & Accessories travelled to the company’s Reading headquarters to meet with new general manager Chris Behan and UK sales manager, Chris Pleass.

By the time T&A met Chris Behan in mid-July he’d already spent four months in the hot seat at Snap-on Equipment, and was drawing on his considerable management experience – Behan has worked with A&M Electric, Atlas Copco and AEG and, most recently as general manager for Tornado Fixings – to head up the company’s ambitious short and medium term plans. “The wheel service market – balancers, changers, aligners, is worth £170 million in total,” he said. “So there’s plenty of room to grow.”

30th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Tyre Applications Director for Cooper in China

Cooper Tire & Rubber has announced the appointment of a new senior employee at their operations in China. P. Glenn Arbaugh is taking up the post of director, Tire Applications Development, at Cooper’s Asia Technical Center. This facility is temporarily located in Rongchen, Shandong Province. Reporting to Ray Mares, general manager of the Asia Technical Center, Arbaugh will oversee development of new tyre products for Asian markets.

Arbaugh joined Cooper in 1990 as a mould design drafter and has held positions of increasing responsibility until most recently serving as manager of product design. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from Ohio Northern University and is currently undertaking a master’s degree in manufacturing operations from Kettering University, Flint, Michigan. He and his family will be moving to China.

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

An “Exciting Year”

The 34th Apollo Tyres Annual General Meeting, held in the Indian state of Kerala on July 26, was more than merely an occasion on which to report the company’s latest financial results. For chairman Onkar S Kanwar it was an opportunity to take stock of where the company has been and where it is headed. These thoughts were reflected in his address to company shareholders.

“The India we live in has changed dramatically over the last 34 years, he said in opening. “And especially so in the last ten. Today we stand at the threshold of great opportunity as a nation, for tomorrow will be India’s century.” He added that if India takes on the attitude of “being a winner”, as he believes Apollo has, the nation will continue to grow and “claim our rightful place in the pantheon of leading nations of the world.”

26th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors