Manufacturing Archives - Page 247 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.

Posts

Michelin keeps the splash on the road

Every professional truck driver or motorist knows about the problem arising from wet roads. Especially overtaking a truck in the wet, which can be compared to a leap in the dark with a high level of risk when the rainwater is being splashed aside by the steer axle tyres. It’s this dangerous splash Michelin aims to counteract with a world-first: the patented Anti-Splash tread pattern. With the introduction of a deflector into the tyre’s design, comprising a small horizontal rib on the shoulder between the sidewall and the tread of the tyre, the splash will be deflected back down towards the road surface. The bow wave effect, which is responsible for the visibility, and thus the safety, of the truck and the car drivers, will be minimised.

8th May 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Good Quarter For Nokian

Nokian Tyres has released its figures for the first quarter of the year. Turnover rose 13.2 per cent to 95.7 million Euros (1Q 2002: 84.5 m). Group operating profit was 3.2 million Euros (1Q 2002: – 1.0 m) and the manufacturing operating profit was 11 million Euros, with the Vianor tyre chain making a loss of 5.2 million Euros. This latter figure was an improvement of 1.5 million Euros over 1Q 2002. Group profit before taxes was 1.6 million Euros, compared with a deficit of 4 million Euros for the same period last year.

6th May 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama To Boost Philippines Production Capacity

Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc. (YTP), a car tyre manufacturing and marketing subsidiary of Yokohama Rubber, is to upgrade its facilities to boost production by 25 per cent by the end of the year. The upgrade, which will cost around two billion Yen (15.1 million Euros), will boost annual capacity from two million tyres to 2.5 million. Most of the increase will be in 16 inch and larger sizes and, by the year end, it is anticipated that these sizes will account for 30 per cent of production. YTP began produc tion in 1998 and has been profitable since year one. 90 per cent of production is exported to Europe, the Middle East and ASEAN countries.

2nd May 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Dunlop UK Announces Intention To Restructure

Goodyear Dunlop UK Limited has begun a consultation process with the unions and public authorities regarding the restructuring of its UK Sales Operations at Tyrefort, Birmingham. Andreas Niegsch, General Manager, said the move was necessary “to become a more flexible, dynamic and responsive organisation in a highly competitive marketplace.” He added that the restructuring would mean job losses, with up to 116 associates affected at Tyrefort and 100 in field operations. The consultation process is scheduled to run for 90 days.

22nd April 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

China To Deflate Rubber

Chinese government departments plan to curb the rising price of rubber on the domestic market in an effort to ease the pressure on manufacturing enterprises. The measures include proposed include; directly selling large quantities of the country’s natural rubber reserve to tyre producers, seeking possible increase of the import quota of natural rubber and avoiding the possibility of an increased import quota entering the futures market for speculation.

12th March 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Collaboration Between Goodyear And TRW Automotive

Goodyear and TRW Automotive have signed a five-year agreement for a joint study of tyres, braking, suspension and steering systems. Goodyear will share its design and manufacturing expertise in conventional and EMT run-flat tyres, while TRW is a leader in the design of braking, steering and suspension systems. Both companies said they were excited about the potential for product improvement and development which the agreement would bring.

7th March 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Tiger Wheels Realign Investments

South African Tiger Wheels is planning to realign its investments in wheel manufacturing, which might lead ultimately to an overseas listing for the company. This was announced by CO, Eddie Keizan, as he unveiled an impressive set of financial results for the six months to December.

6th March 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Profits Doubled In 2002

Japanese tyre giant Bridgestone Corporation has reported a strong rise in net profit for the year ended December 31, 2002, and predicts a gain for 2003 as well, even though it warns that business conditions are getting tougher. Bridgestone’s group net profit more than doubled to US$378 million, from US$145 million, on brisk overseas sales. Group sales climbed 5.3 per cent to US$18,700 million, with pre-tax profit jumping 99 per cent to US$1,233 million. For the year to December 2003, the company said it expects group net profit to come to US$584 million, the same mark it initially set for 2002. It forecasts pre-tax profit to shrink to US$1,042 million and sales to slip to US$18,682 million. Bridgestone is boosting its capital spending in 2003 by more than 60 per cent to US$1.6 billion. The company’s president, Shigeo Watanabe, said the investment is aimed at boosting output capacity in Thailand and Poland, as well as upgrading each plant in Japan.

25th February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Sales And Profits Rise For Nokian

Good 4Q sales have helped Nokian to increase turnover and profits for last year. Sales rose 13.2 per cent to 479.2 million Euros (2001: 423.4 m). Operating profit was up at 60.1 million Euros (2001: 50.1 m) and profit before taxes rose 29.5 per cent to 48 million Euros (2001: 37 m). Sales from car tyres were up 17.5 per cent to 242.8 million Euros (2001: 206.6 m) and operating profit rose 10 million to 51.4 million Euros. Much of the tyre sales (73 per cent) came from winter tyres. There were increases too in sales of heavy tyres and bicycle tyres, but sales of retreading materials slipped slightly. The Vianor chain also showed an increase in turnover and profit.

19th February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

French manufacturer takes 10% stake in Hankook (Update)

Towards the end of January, news broke of a partnership agreement between Michelin and Hankook Tire, whereby the French manufacturer took a 10 per cent stake in the Korean company. The deal was signed in Seoul by Hankook Tire president Choong Hwan Cho and Michelin Asia-Pacific president Jean-Marc François and, according to the official communiqué, the purpose was to allow the companies to exploit synergies in a search for common opportunities to develop their respective positions in the tyre market.

18th February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Sherbrook Wheels: Turkish Delight In Lichfield

Lichfield-based Sherbrook International Ltd is entering the alloy wheel market and aims to hit the big time. It may be a new name in the wheel sector but the company has a long-standing heritage in the automotive industry and, for a newcomer to the wheels’ market, has an excellent record for getting things right. This could be just another player trying to make a few extra pennies from selling wheels while the market lasts but nothing could be further from the truth.The company has grown to a staff of 25, sourced from the automotive industry, each an expert in his or her field, carrying out negotiations between both ends of the supply chain. The company offers a 24/7/365 office service to the trade with constant monitoring of schedule performance and awareness of in-transit goods. This is built on effective customer communication and enables stock to be ordered from across the continent, or around the globe to meet Just In Time production processes. Rapid reaction to customer demands and a local technical support team result in quick problem solving which, with an agreed stock buffering system, eliminates supply chain down time from the manufacturing process.Now the company has a turnover in excess of 30 million Pounds and the financial backing of a large Turkish commercial organisation. Koç, this Turkish conglomerate, took over Sherbrook in 1998 giving the company a secure financial future and access to an even wider market and production base. Koç operates in Turkey on many levels, and its company logo of a Ram’s head in red outline is visible everywhere, especially in the Izmir area. In 2000 the Koç group had 9.2 billion Dollars of consolidated sales from 92 group companies employing 35,500 people. Core businesses cross many sectors, including automotive, banking, construction, household appliances, IT, and food and tourism. In the automotive sector the company has strong links with Land Rover, Ford, Iveco, Fiat and in components covers almost all areas. However, it is the Döktas foundry business which has led the company into wheel distribution in the UK.

10th February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

What Is The Future For Goodyear?

Four years ago: In an interview at the Geneva Autoshow, Goodyear CEO Sam Gibara put forward his views. Goodyear had, according to him, the best people, the best distribution, the most cost-effective plants, the best products and – with its innovative EMT tyres – a three-year lead over its competitors. Within three years, he predicted, 75% of Goodyear tyres produced would be EMT tyres (in 2002, the actual figure was one million tyres). The IMPACT production process (Integrated Manufacturing Precision Assembled Cellular Technology) was held up as a revolutionary advance, guaranteeing predominance over the competition and an example of Goodyear’s technical leadership.The reality is that there have been no significant profits for years and Goodyear is still in third place. It made a loss of $203 million in 2001 and might not have been able to avoid another loss last year. Goodyear needs a turnaround in its loss-making home market, costs are too high, selling prices are too low and the once-proud corporation is fighting for nothing less than its survival, however unpalatable this might sound to company managers.In the first two years under Gibara’s leadership, Goodyear enjoyed very good results, but these have since declined to today’s levels and the “Mission into the 21st century” has been a flop. The group is overloaded with a mountain of debt, has big problems with its underfunded pension fund and the credit rating was reduced to junk bond status.All this means no picnic for Gibara’s successor Keegan, who knows that his assignment is a difficult one but who believes that the problems are manageable. What he does not know for sure is whether he will have time enough to make the turnaround happen.

10th February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Weaker 2003 For Bridgestone Australia

Raw material price uncertainty is likely to pull down Bridgestone Australia’s profits for 2003. This follows significant rises in the prices of natural and synthetic rubber. The company reported a profit of 12.6 million Australian Dollars for 2002, a 41.2 per cent rise on the previous year. Total revenue rose from 513 million dollars to 517 million dollars. The improvements in profitability came from non-tyre related business and reduced borrowing costs. A company spokesman said that the tyre business in Australia remained marginal and directors are concerned that significant improvements in productivity and reduction in manufacturing costs will be required to sustain this business into the future.

3rd February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Scottish Plant To Manufacture New Michelin Tyre

Michelin’s Dundee plant is to manufacture the new Michelin Energy 3 tyre being launched this week. This is good news for the workers at the Baldovie plant. The future of the plant had recently been the subject of speculation as Michelin moved production to cheaper labour cost centres in Eastern Europe. However the announcement of the selection of Dundee to manufacture the new tyre brings a boost in confidence. Plant manager, Trish Bailey said, ” This is a very positive signal for the Dundee factory going into the future. The new tyre is at the very heart of the Michelin range and we are going to play a very important role at the centre of its production. This will contribute to job security for the workers in Dundee.”

3rd February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

What Is The Future For Goodyear?

Company News, International News

Four years ago: In an interview at the Geneva Autoshow, Sam Gibara put forward his views. Goodyear had, according to him, the best people, the best distribution, the most cost-effective plants, the best products and – with its innovative EMT tyres – a three-year lead over its competitors. Within three years, he predicted, 75% of Goodyear tyres produced would be EMT tyres (in 2002, the actual figure was one million tyres). The IMPACT production process (Integrated Manufacturing Precision Assembled Cellular Technology) was held up as a revolutionary advance, guaranteeing predominance over the competition and an example of Goodyear’s technical leadership.

31st January 2003/by Klaus