Manufacturing Archives - Page 203 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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Superior Industries Report Q4 and Annual Results

Superior Industries International, one of the world’s largest suppliers of OE aluminium wheels, announced on March 21 the company’s financial results for the fourth quarter and the 2006 year.

For the three months to December 31, 2006, revenue increased 3.0 per cent to US$212,169,000 compared with $205,901,000 for the fourth quarter of 2005. Results during the quarter were, however, affected – to the tune of $3,256,000 – by start-up costs for the company’s new facility in Mexico, and restructuring expenses placed a further $964,000 strain on the quarter’s figure. Superior’s share of profits from its joint venture aluminium wheel manufacturing operation in Hungary were almost double that of a year earlier, at $2,198,000.

Net loss for the fourth quarter of 2006, taking the above factors into account, came to $4,827,000, or $0.18 per diluted share. In the fourth quarter of 2005 the company recorded a loss of $19,943,000, or $0.75 per diluted share.

21st March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Topy to Close Aluminium Wheel Plant

Japanese wheel manufacturer Topy Corporation recently announced it would close its aluminium wheel production operations in the US state of Kentucky by the end of September. Approximately 250 jobs will be lost as a result of the closure, with some jobs going to other plants, both in the US and Mexico. The company’s steel wheel manufacturing division and the 350 workers it employs at the Frankfort, Kentucky facility will not be affected by this closure.

According to company director Tom Trzazkus, there is no chance for the 250 jobs to remain. He said the closure is an exit strategy for the unprofitable aluminium plant division, and that high manufacturing costs in comparison with competitors, especially those with production facilities in China, was the main cause for the decision to close the division.

20th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Goodyear Machinery Commences Production Ahead of Schedule

Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK Limited has announced that new machinery, designed to improve the productivity and efficiency at their famous Bushbury, Wolverhampton plant, has commenced production ahead of schedule today. On 8 December Goodyear Dunlop announced the investment in new compounding equipment. After an intensive three months of teamwork, the new machinery, known in the industry as a ‘Banbury’ mixer, was unveiled today.

The announcement of the multi-million pound investment in this new machinery gave the team at Wolverhampton the challenge of installation, training and re-engineering to commence its use before the end of March.

15th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hayes Lemmerz Subsidiary Expanding in India

Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. has strengthened its market position in India and bolstered export capabilities following the completion of expansion work on its Indian subsidiary’s steel wheel production facility. The Kalyani Lemmerz Limited factory is located in the city of Pune, approximately 100 miles from Mumbai, and following recent expansion work it possesses an annual capacity of 800,000 units. Kalyani Lemmerz intends to add a further 200,000 units of capacity during 2007 through an additional US$10 million investment.

14th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rolling Strong

(Akron/Tire Review) As the old saying goes, “Things will get worse before they get better.” That’s the operative statement for the North American commercial tyre industry in 2007.

In a proverbial nutshell, the OE forecast for 2007 looks down, while the replacement market will rebound from 2006.

13th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

One-On-One With Michelin SA’s MD Gilles Boudou

(Douglasdale, South Africa/S.A. Treads) A man who first started his tyre career with Michelin 19 years ago as a sales representative and went on to become familiar with every aspect of the business, from the tyre manufacturing process to servicing the commercial sector, marketing and communications, now heads up Michelin Tyres SA.

9th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Canada produces First X One

Just over a year after Michelin North America announced it would invest $92 million setting up production facilities for its X One wide single tyre in Canada, employees at the Waterville, Nova Scotia plant have produced the factory’s first X One tyre ahead of schedule.

2nd March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

RMA Honors 61 With SHIP Awards

(Akron/Tire Review) The RMA honored 61 tyre and rubber manufacturing plants for their improvements in worker health and safety. The annual SHIP (safety and Health Improvement Program) awards were presented during RMA’s recent annual meeting in Tucson, Ariz.

1st March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Watts Industrial Polymers – Expanding into New Markets

Gloucestershire based Watts Industrial Polymers is a leading producer of tyre and retread compounds and related materials both at home in the UK and in numerous export markets. From their manufacturing facilities in Lydney, where the company’s headquarters is also located, Watts supplies polymer compounds in strip, slab and camelback form as well as sidewall veneers and ancillary materials.

28th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Federal Tyres Supports new Lotus Race Series.

Taiwan’s Federal Tyres have been named sponsor and official tyre supplier to the Australia 2007 X Challenge one make series for Lotus cars. Federal Corporation’s CEO, Jamie Ma, announced that the competition’s debut series would be also backed by Federal Tyres, and all competing vehicles will run on Federal’s new 595RS X Challenge Special Edition Tyres.

28th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Back to School with Firestone

American tyre plant employees at factories struggling to remain globally competitive are finding themselves back in the classroom. The Bridgestone Firestone tyre facility in Wilson, North Carolina is requiring potential and some existing employees to participate in “Introduction to Tire Manufacturing” classes at a nearby technical college.

27th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Scorpion – On and Off Road Luxury

With growth in the UK 4×4 market continuing, particularly at the high-end of the sector, Pirelli’s Scorpion range of high performance SUV tyres have no shortage of potential customers. Featuring tyres aimed at a the full spectrum of driving conditions, the Scorpion range, designed for luxury off-road vehicles such as the Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover and BMW X3, offers something for virtually everyone.

27th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Tire to Spend £130 Million on New Factory

Hankook Tire Co., South Korea’s largest tiremaker, announced on February 23 its intention to spend 235 billion won (£130 million) building a new South Korean factory. The new tyre plant will be located at Geumsan, 198 kilometres south of Seoul, where the company has an existing plant with an annual capacity of 15 million units.

At present Hankook operates four tyre manufacturing facilities, two in South Korea and two in China. A fifth factory in Hungary is scheduled to enter production this spring.

23rd February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Shareholders Support Nigerian Plant Closure

Michelin Group shareholders have expressed their support for the company’s decision to end the production of tyres at its factory in Portharcourt, Nigeria. This decision has been one that has attracted much questioning from manufacturing sector stakeholders, as the reasons behind Michelin’s withdrawal have been shrouded in uncertainty and rumours have abounded that it must in some way be liked to existing security risks for French personnel at the plant. A recent rumour alleges that a French national employed by Michelin was kidnapped and a ransom of an undisclosed amount was required before his release.

21st February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear’s Polish Affiliate to Branch into UHP Tyres

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has stated that its affiliate company in Poland plans to invest more than US$100 million to expand production of high-value tyres. The investment, which will be implemented during the next four years, will be made at Goodyear’s TC Debica plant, one of the company’s lowest cost facilities. The investment is consistent with Goodyear’s current strategy of upgrading and expanding existing capacity to produce HP and UHP tyres.

21st February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors