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.
Once again, Trelleborg will partner with the Tractor of the Year awards. The latest round of this agricultural sector honour kicked off with an event in France on 6 and 7 May; at the “Tractor of the Year 2015: Let the challenge begin” function in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Swedish tyre maker also launched a new advertising campaign to promote the qualities of its TM1000 High Power agricultural tyre.
In 2012, Sumitomo Rubber Industries announced it had perfected a whole new system for manufacturing tyres. It calls this system NEO-T01 and says it results in lower weight tyres that deform less during high speed driving and have much better high speed uniformity. The latest product to be developed using NEO-T01 production techniques is the Falken Azenis FK453; Tyres & Accessories previewed the new high performance range in April – Falken Tyre Europe now reports the launch of this range.
Gaither Europe will exhibit its latest garage tools from Reifen 2014’s Hall 1 Stand 1C25. While previous years have featured the eye and ear-catching presence of new models of the Bead Bazooka, Gaither will come to Reifen having just launched its latest assistive mounting system.
Shanghai contract tyre manufacturer SD International will exhibit from Hall 9 Stand 9C321 to enhance its presence as a supplier of most tyre market sectors. Four PCR brands – Pace, Zeta, Maxtrek and Autoguard – will be on show, with patterns to suit all road conditions.
Schrader has announced an investment of £56 million-plus, creating 241 new jobs at its Carrickfergus and Antrim TPMS facilities. The major investment will see the company expand its production facilities over the next three years. It is also undertaking five research and development projects, and a major staff training programme to equip its engineers with the latest design and production techniques.
As Cooper Tire & Rubber enters its centennial year, the US tyre maker has reported first quarter operating profit slightly below the record result achieved last year. On the back of net sales of US$796 million, 7.5 per cent lower than a year earlier, Cooper achieved a quarter operating profit of $81 million, 16.5 per cent down on the first quarter 2013 operating profit, which was the highest ever in the company’s 100-year history. Operating profit was 10.2 per cent of net sales. The company reported net income attributable to Cooper Tire & Rubber Company of $0.71 per share, or $45 million, in the first quarter. This compares with $56 million, or $0.87 per share, for the same period last year.
Reifen 2014 organiser Messe Essen says preparations for this month’s trade fair are in “full swing” ahead of the show’s opening on 27 May. As of the start of May, 660 exhibitors from 44 countries have signed up for Reifen 2014, with oversees exhibitors accounting for around 70 per cent of the companies with a presence at the Essen show. Messe Essen says than China is the best-represented country in terms of exhibitor numbers, followed by Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the USA. In regards to visitors, Messe Essen is expecting members of the tyre and related trades from some 130 countries to visit Reifen 2014.
On 18 April The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. announced that as of 1 April 2014, its two US industrial product manufacturing and sales subsidiaries are merged into the newly established Yokohama Industries Americas Inc. The merged former subsidiaries are YH America Inc. and SAS Rubber Company. YH America is engaged in the assembly and sale of non-tyre products including: automotive hoses, the production and sale of automotive windshield sealants, and the sale of other industrial products. SAS Rubber is engaged in the production and sale of automotive hoses and other industrial-use rubber products. The newly unified subsidiary’s head office is located in Versailles, Kentucky, with production sites in Kentucky, South Carolina, and Ohio. The two merged subsidies had combined sales of 22.0 billion yen in fiscal 2013 and employ about 1,200 people.
British parts supplier Ricardo has announced a multi-year deal as the sole source of racing transmissions for the Japanese Super Formula series. Mark Barge, managing director, Ricardo Performance Products comments: “Ricardo has a long standing relationship within Japanese motorsport further underpinning our reputation for designing, manufacturing and assembling high performance racing transmissions, combining technology and quality to provide highly competitive and highly durable transmission solutions to our partners around the world.”
Michelin has reinvigorated plans to invest more than 410 million zloty (almost 100 million euros) in the modernisation of its Olsztyn agricultural tyre plant in northern Poland, first mooted in August 2013.
Styron, the rubber material supplier, is to convert its Nickel Butadiene Rubber (Ni-BR) production line in Schkopau, Germany, to Neodymium Butadiene Rubber (Nd-BR) manufacturing. Coupled with Styron’s existing technology in Solution Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SSBR), the company believes the Nd-BR offering will allow Styron to help customers around the world meet the increasing demand for green and ultra-high performance tyres.
With UK roads are continuing to deteriorate, an estimated 200,000 potholes have resulted in 10 per cent of the 30 million road users’ cars being damaged, according to Chemix Autocentres.
Not many companies operating in the OTR tyre business either locally or further afield are very happy at the moment. While the manufacturers of new tyres in particular must contend with substantial losses and respond to the weak market with discounts, retreaders – as is often the case – occasionally benefit from the situation. The global mining sector has especially suffered as a result of sinking raw material prices, a phenomenon that in turn has directly influenced the production of and consequently the demand for tyres; in contrast, the construction sector has lately shown signs of stability in Europe. Nevertheless, it is important for companies within this market segment to adapt to conditions. With this in mind, in recent months Rösler Tyre Innovators has made several important decisions.
During the financial year before last, the Brazilian Iochpe-Maxion Group (the parent company of Maxion wheels) bought Hayes Lemmerz for approximately US$725 million. The acquisition came after the world’s largest wheel manufacturer put down two bankruptcies during the first part of the new millennium, and thus had large amounts of debt to contend with. Eventually the company’s investors finally ran out of patience leaving the obvious question – what has happened to the car aluminium wheel division since then?
Bridgestone has been looking to increase its truck and bus tyre market position via strategic retreading acquisitions in this part of the European market for around a decade now. One such acquisition was the targeted purchase of Lincolnshire-based Bulldog remoulds back in 2005. A little more than a year later this key part of the UK market which specialised in mould-cure retreads was joined by the entire global Bandag operation, which of course specialises in pre-cure franchising around the world. The two operations couldn’t be more different aspects of retreading, however while the acquisitions came in quick succession and the benefits of both are obvious, Bridgestone has now spent years working through the integration of both into its wider business model.
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