Manufacturing Archives - Page 242 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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Silverstone Tyres To Be Introduced Into China

Malaysian industrial giant the Lion Group, which owns Silverstone Tyre among its many other interests, is to introduce the brand into China. The group has a factory in China and already produces tyres under the Dong Feng brand name. The introduction of Silverstone marks a policy of expansion in China, with the Lion Group planning to invest US$ 1.5 billion over the next decade. As well as the tyre plant, Lion’s Chinese interests include 37 department stores, three motorcycle plants, a car manufacturing plant and 12 breweries. The Chinese operations account for almost 45 per cent of Lion’s annual turnover and 40 per cent of net earnings.

11th May 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyota Honors Hayes Lemmerz with Supplier Award

Hayes Lemmerz International received three prestigious quality awards at the Toyota Motor Europe Manufacturing supplier awards ceremonies recently held in Brussels, Belgium.

6th May 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian 1Q Sales Increase

Nokian Tyres has released its 1Q figures, which show a 17.8 per cent increase in sales over 1Q 03, from 95.7 million Euros to 112.7 million Euros. Group operating profit was up to 10.7 million Euros (3.2 million). Profit before taxes was 9.6 million Euros (1.6 million) and net profit totalled 6.5 million Euros (0.7 million). Sales of passenger car, heavy tyres and retreading materials rose, but bicycle tyre sales fell.

5th May 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Tread Plant Comes On Stream

Marangoni Tread’s factory at Madison, Tennessee has begun producing Ringtread spliceless precure tread rings. The timing is impeccable, as Marangoni’s business in North America continues to grow, with this year so far 50 per cent higher than 2003. The 50,000 square foot factory is part of a $10 million investment by Marangoni in US manufacturing, supplying the 15 Ringtread dealers currently operating in North America.

30th April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Prices To Rise In North America

Pirelli Tire North America is to increase prices of passenger car and light truck tyres from 1st June. All Pirelli branded tyres will be affected by the increase, which will vary by product offering but will average three per cent. PTNA President and CEO Guy Mannino blamed raw material costs for the increase, but added that they were lower than in other parts of the world because of manufacturing efficiencies made by PTNA.

28th April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Looks Forward To EU Expansion

Continental believes that the company is well-positioned to benefit from the eastward expansion of the EU in May, having pursued a policy of strategic investment in eastern Europe for the past decade. The company has invested upwards of half a billion Euro in the area and now has manufacturing facilities for tyres or automotive components/systems in the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary and Romania (due to join the EU in 2007), employing over 11,000 staff. Continental’s interest in eastern Europe is not restricted to the production advantages, as it views the new member states as potential growth markets for truck and winter tyres as economic growth for 2004 and 2005 in the area is forecast to be four per cent.

23rd April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Increases Stake In Apollo Tyres

Michelin is to raise its stake in Apollo Tyres from 14.9 per cent to 26 per cent over the next 15 months. The investment will happen when Apollo expands its passenger car radial manufacturing capacity. The two companies in the joint venture have also finalised their branding policy – while truck and bus tyres will carry both brand names, individual brands will be used for passenger car tyres. Michelin car radials will be positioned at a premium over Apollo-branded tyres to avoid any cannibalisation.

21st April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

New Mexican Factory For Superior Industries

Superior Industries is to build a new wheel-manufacturing plant in Mexico, with construction starting this year and production beginning in mid-2006. Mexico was chosen because of cheaper labour costs, although the factory is expected to have a high degree of automation. Estimated cost of the plant is $60-80 million and it will have an annual production capacity of 2.5 million wheels.

20th April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Superior Industries First Quarter Results

Wheel manufacturer Superior Industries has released its first quarter 2004 results. Turnover was up 10.7 per cent to an all-time high of $234.19 million. Net income fell to $13.667 million, compared with $22.266 million in 1Q 2003. Superior’s aluminium suspension components business made a loss of $2.9 million, while the company’s share of profits from its wheel manufacturing joint venture SUOFTEC in Hungary was $2.17 million, due largely to the favourable currency exchange rate.

20th April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Titan Europe admitted to trading on London’s AIM Exchange

Titan Europe Plc, previously a wholly-owned subsidiary of Titan International, has been admitted to trading on the AIM market in London. The placing shares have been priced at 125 pence, with 26,775,000 shares offered.

8th April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian manufacturers hike prices

Due to rising natural rubber prices in international markets, tyre makers across India are planning to increase prices in replacement markets. Prices are expected to go up by around 3-5 per cent by April-end. “We have already hiked our prices almost four times in the past 12 months. And the input costs have shown no signs of softening,” says Sunam Sarkar, director of Apollo Tyres. Prices of rubber alone have seen a 30 per cent jump year-on-year.

6th April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Hayes Lemmerz plant closure

Hayes Lemmerz International has announced a manufacturing rationalisation plan for its North American Wheel Group which will significantly lower operating costs and increase efficiency. Hayes Lemmerz is to close its Howell, Michigan manufacturing facility and transfer that plant’s production to other manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

5th April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear achieves further quality certification

IBS America, Inc., one of the world’s leading suppliers of Internet-based software and services for quality and compliance management, has announced that the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s East Europe, Africa and Middle East business unit has gained full regional certification for quality, safety and environmental standards using its QSi System. The global standards organisation Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQi) issued the multi-site certification for Goodyear EEAME’s regional headquarters in Brussels and six manufacturing facilities located in Turkey, Slovenia, Poland, Morocco and South Africa. Each of these locations is fully compliant with critical business standards including ISO/TS 16949:2002, ISO 14001 & OHSAS 18001, Adapazari (Turkey), South Africa, Poland and Slovenia. ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, Izmit (Turkey) and Morocco.

1st April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Metro to supply tubes for Continental

Indian company Metro Tyres will supply 100 per cent of Continental’s four-wheeler tube requirements, said to be around 1,500 tons annually. Metro is to set up a new tube manufacturing facility outside Delhi, capable of producing 3,000 tons a year. The surplus will be sold on the domestic market. Tubes made in India are said to be 20 per cent cheaper than those currently supplied by East European companies.

1st April 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone invests in South Africa

Bridgestone is to invest 700 million Rand (86 million euro) in upgrading and expanding its Brits tyre manufacturing plant, in North West Province, over a five year period. The investment takes Bridgestone’s total investment in its South African operation to 1.5 billion Rand (185 million euro). The plant, which makes steel belt tyres for passenger, light commercial vehicles and trucks for the local market, has already seen some 210 million Rand (26 million euro) in improvements over the past two years. The improvements will increase capacity by 26 per cent and enable the production of run-flat tyres.

9th March 2004/by Tyrepress Editors