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.
Alcoa, the global leader in forged aluminium wheel technology, has announced plan to invest US$13 million expanding its wheel manufacturing plant in Europe. According to the company, this means doubling production of its increasing popular lightweight, durable, low-maintenance aluminium truck wheels. Work is expected to be completed by early 2015
Yokohama HPT Ltd, the UK distributor of TSW and Victor Equipment wheels announced that the two wheels brands have added nine new wheel styles. All are available in the UK now.
Mitas is celebrating a decade of manufacturing Continental agricultural tyres under licence. Following the signing of the the licence agreement in 2004, Mitas has produced more than 300,000 tonnes of Continental tyres. Currently, Mitas offers more than 200 variations of agricultural Continental tyres. Mitas recently extended its Trademark License Agreement with Continental Tyres through to 2019.
The project to expand Evonik Industries’ production of precipitated silica at its facility in Thailand is complete and officially opened on 14 March. The company says it invested a ‘lower double-digit’ figure in the expansion project, and while it hasn’t indicated the new capacity at the Maptaphut (Rayong Province) site, Evonik’s global capacity for precipitated silica, fumed silica, and matting agents now stands at around 500,000 tonnes. As well as supplying the tyre and automotive industries, Evonik will ship its precipitated silica to customers in the food, animal feed and paint and coatings sectors.
Less than two weeks after releasing overdue third quarter 2013 results that reflected the disruptions experienced at Cooper Chengshan in China – a situation that cost the company US$56 million in negative impact, including $47 million in lower volumes and $9 million in manufacturing inefficiencies – Cooper Tire & Rubber has published its fourth quarter and full year 2013 figures. Sales, operating profit and net profit are all lower than in 2012.
According to local body the Clarksville-Montgomery County Industrial Development Board, the site of Hankook Tire America’s future 140,000 square metre (1.5 million square foot) factory in the US state of Tennessee will be ready by 31 August. Board executive director Mike Evans said “we’re going to do everything we can to get the site ready to turn over to them by that time.” Evans told the full board that a contractor to handle the site work is expected to be selected shortly after a meeting on 17 March.
The European Commission has authorised €57.9 million of regional investment aid for Hankook Tire Hungary Manufacturing and Trading Ltd. This will be used to erect a second greenfield facility alongside Hankook’s plant in Rácalmás, which entered production in 2007. The new consumer tyre facility will produce ultra-high performance tyres, sealant and run-flat tyres, and these products will be sold globally.
Goodyear Dunlop has appointed Alexander Bleider to the management of its German operation. Bleider has taken on this new role at Goodyear Dunlop Tires Germany GmbH in addition to his current position of director of manufacturing within Goodyear Dunlop’s European consumer products business, which he has held since 2008.
US industry magazine Tire Review reports that workers at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co plant in Fayetteville, North Carolina were forced to evacuate the building early morning on Monday, 10 March. According to company officials, employees were evacuated at the plant around 2am after someone called in a threat. No one was injured, and […]
The new solution styrene-butadiene rubber (S-SBR) manufacturing facility built by Sumitomo Chemical subsidiary Sumitomo Chemical Asia Pte Ltd in Singapore officially opened on 7 March. The 40,000 ton per annum plant will primarily supply the tyre industry and complements the company’s existing 10,000 ton facility in Japan.
Five weeks after its first high performance tyre was produced at the facility, Shandong Linglong Tyre Co. Ltd has inaugurated the initial phase of its ‘LLIT (Thailand) consumer tyre plant. The Chinese tyre maker’s first overseas project was opened on 22 February in the presence of approximately 500 guests from 180 countries. Upon the pressing of a ‘starting ball’ by Linglong Tyre president Wang Feng and six guests of honour, including Chinese ambassador to China Ning Fukui and Surender Singh Kandahari, president of the Al Dobowi Group, the production line stirred to life, marking the plant’s official entry into service.
Production and workforce numbers at Michelin’s Granton plant in Nova Scotia, Canada will decrease between now and July 2015, the tyre maker shares. On 3 March the company announced plans to reduce passenger car and light truck tyre output there in response to declining demand for small-size car tyres.
Cooper Tire has released its 2013 third quarter financial report, carrying with it the scars of the failed Apollo Tyre deal and the linked issues with the Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Company (CCT) joint venture. Cooper could not report before now as a result of unrest and lack of cooperation at CCT’s Rongcheng facility in reaction to Apollo’s attempted acquisition. The company said that it will produce Q4 and full 2013 financial reports later in March.
Yesterday, Apollo Vredestein introduced an addition to its Enschede factory that will save energy and costs and at the same time enable the company to manufacture the products it plans to introduce in coming years. The new ‘Mixer 8’ tandem mixer was officially brought into operation by Apollo Tyres’ chairman Onkar Kanwar together with Drs Theo W. Rietkerk, who is responsible for economy, energy and innovation within the government of Overijssel Province in The Netherlands.
Pirelli & C. SpA has signed an agreement with Bekaert to sell 100 per cent of its steel cord activities to the Belgium-based steel wire company for an enterprise value of €255 million. At the same time, the two firms have entered into a long-term agreement for Bekaert to supply Pirelli with tyre cord. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second half of the year.
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