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.
Run-flat tyres are becoming increasingly commonplace on the roads of the UK as more car manufacturers fit these advanced tyres as standard equipment or as an optional extra. However, there are still some misconceptions surrounding the fitment and use of this new type of tyre and the Tyre Industry Council has issued the following guidelines.
(Akron/Tire Review) Fred Heigold has been named vice president of business operations and integration for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s North American Consumer Tire Business unit. Heigold will report to Larry Mason, president of the unit. Most recently, Heigold was CEO of Phogenix Imaging, a joint venture of Eastman Kodak and Hewlett Packard. He began his career with Eastman Kodak in 1971, and served in various research and development, manufacturing and general management positions, including several international assignments.
On 12 May this year, an exclusive gala dinner was held at Forbes House in London, commemorating 100 years of Michelin in the UK. Special guest at the event was Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, patron of the Transaid charity, which aims to promote mobility in Africa and of which Michelin is a founder.
(India/Rubber Asia) With annual consumption by the Indian tyre industry of over 400,000 tonnes of natural rubber (NR), “a price increase of just 1 a kilogram, imposes an annual financial burden of over 400 million rupees on us,” says Paras K Chowdhary, CMD of Ceat Tyres and chairman of Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) of India.
The average price of NR has gone up from 39.17 rupees/kilo in 2002-03 to 63 rupees in 2005-06 (October) — an increase of 23 a kilo in about three years. This translates into about 8,800 million rupees annual financial burden on the Indian tyre makers, he said. (1$ = about 44 rupees).
Bernie Ecclestone and German bank BayernLB have sold their controlling stake in Formula One to CVC Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum. The sale gives the investment company 75 per cent control of F1. However Ecclestone will hold onto the chief executive post at Formula One Group as well as retaining a stake in the business.
SmarTire Systems Inc has expanded its manufacturing agreement with Vansco Electronics LP. Under the agreement, Vansco will manufacture key subsystems for SmarTire’s wireless gateway family of products. SmarTire also announced the termination of its contract manufacturing agreement with Hyundai Autonet Company, Ltd (“HACO”) in Korea, which was terminated as a result of HACO’s acquisition by Hyundai.
(Akron/Tire Review) No sooner had the ink dried on the merger of Galaxy Tire & Wheel and Dynamic Tire Corp than the combined company – GPX International Tire Corp. – has sold a share of the company to private equity firm Sterling Investment Partners for a reported $41 million.
Titan Tire Corporation, a subsidiary of Titan International, Inc, has reached a tentative agreement with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 745L on a new contract for workers at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s farm tyre manufacturing facility in Freeport, Illinois. The USW will schedule a ratification vote in the coming weeks. Titan Tire entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Goodyear’s North American farm tyre assets on 28 February 2005.
Shanghai International Exhibition for Auto Parts & Accessories (Auto Parts Shanghai 2005) and Shanghai International Exhibition for Auto Manufacturing (Auto Manufacturing Shanghai 2005) are being held on December 6 – 9, 2005 at the Shanghai International Exhibition Center in China.
In Auto Parts Shanghai 2005 / Auto Manufacturing 2005, 250 local and overseas auto parts manufacturers and suppliers will present their latest auto parts, accessories and technology. There are six international pavilions and over 20 seminars will be given by major auto manufacturers and professionals, running alongside the show. The latest show information can be found on www.2456.com/atop
Ford UK has been named the ‘Best Performing Corporate Organisation’ in the Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code awards, in recognition of Ford’s outstanding contribution to materials recycling.
During 2005 the company has purchased sufficient recycled-content products to stop 21,000 tonnes of materials – the equivalent of nearly 3,000 Double Decker buses – being disposed of in landfill sites.
At the opening of a new development and manufacturing facility in Wuxi, China, Franz Fehrenbach, the Chairman of the Bosch Group Board of Management, announced intentions to significantly expand activities into the region.
The number of Bosch manufacturing facilities in the People’s Republic of China has doubled to 20 in the past five years. At the end of 2004, Bosch had invested some 550 million euros in the establishment and expansion of activities. The company now plans to invest a further 650 million euros during the next two years across the country. “Bosch has a strong focus on China. We see it as a core country for our business in the entire Asia-Pacific region” explained Fehrenbach.
The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company, the first to implement Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology on a production scale, says RFID is the future for tyre identification in manufacturing, supply chain management and tyre/vehicle integration.
In late November, Goodyear’s RFID technology passed its first major real-life test when NASCAR used it for a Craftsman Truck Series race at Homestead – Miami Speedway in Florida.
The recent launch of Tyrexpo Africa 2006 has been met with excellent response from both national and international exhibitors. The show is scheduled to take place from the 12 to 14 September, 2006 at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg and stand bookings are now being confirmed.
South Africa represents the biggest domestic market for vehicles in Africa, accounting for some 80% of the continent’s production and constituting approximately 50% of Africa’s purchasing power. It has the largest economy in Africa and has by far the largest and most dynamic automotive manufacturing, retail and aftermarket business environment on the African continent. South Africa’s population of 45 million and a growing tourism industry still represent the continent’s best growth prospects for increasing vehicle sales and aftermarket revenues.
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(Akron/Tire Review) Struggling General Motors Corp announced this morning that it would close nine North American production and assembly plants and cut 30,000 manufacturing jobs by 2008 as part of an effort to get production in line with demand. Rick Wagoner, chairman and CEO of the world’s largest automaker, announced the closures during a speech to employees from GM’s Detroit headquarters. Wagoner has repeatedly denied that GM would file for bankruptcy.
Alcoa has announced a US $83 million (Euro 70 million) investment in its Hungary based operation. The injection will modernise Alcoa-Kofem Ltd, expanding its products capability and related infrastructure, and adding new aluminum wheel production.
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