Manufacturing Archives - Page 89 of 258 - 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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Starco celebrates half a century of growth

In recent times the Starco name has been no stranger to the pages of Tyres & Accessories and tyrepress.com; much has been happening within the Danish company. Indeed, in the last few years we have witnessed Starco’s development from a Europe-focused small wheel specialist into a wheel and tyre manufacturer with global ambitions. Yet this transformation is just the latest chapter in the history of a company that, as of 11 December, has been in business for fifty years. To mark the company’s golden anniversary, Tyres & Accessories recently spoke with Starco chief executive officer Peer Ejlersgaard, who gave an insight into where the company has been and where it plans to go.

9th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Findlay dispute – a return to a more combative tone?

In the last couple of weeks the tyrepress.com website has published a number of texts updating the progress, or lack thereof, of negotiations between Cooper Tire & Rubber and the United Steelworkers towards a new contract for Cooper’s Findlay, Ohio plant. The current standoff between union and tyre maker is not the first Tyres & Accessories has reported, and is certain not to be the last. Yet some think what is happening in Findlay shows the direction US labour relations are taking; the Wall Street Journal, for example, opines that “the clash between Cooper and its 1,050 union workers may signal a return to a more combative tone in the America's industrial heartland.”

8th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Carbon Australia to close

US-based company Koppers Holdings Inc. has announced the end of manufacturing at its Continental Carbon Australia plant in Kurnell, just south of Sydney. The carbon black facility is scheduled to end operations during the week of 5 December 2011 and preparations for closing the plant will be made over the coming four months. Koppers says the decision, which will affect approximately 65 employees, was taken as a result of an analysis of its manufacturing facilities; this highlighted a number of negative factors working against the Continental Carbon Australia plant, including the strong Australian dollar and raw material availability and cost.

7th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Quarter profit plummets at Stamford Tyres

Stamford Tyres has reported its unaudited quarter earnings for the period between 1 August and 31 October 2011, a quarter in which its after-tax profit dropped 80.5 per cent. The Singapore-based company’s after-tax profit amounted to S$330,000 (£149,500) in the second quarter of the 2012 financial year, as opposed to $1.69 million a year earlier.

7th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Yxlon supplies CT scanner for tyre R&D centre

Hamburg based Yxlon International, a leading supplier of industrial X-ray inspection and computed tomography (CT) solutions, is to build a high-energy CT system for a leading tyremaker’s development centre in the US.

In addition to X-ray inspection for final checks in tyre production, there is now also increasing use being made of CT in tyre development. The non-destructive, three-dimensional analysis of the tyre enables a wealth of detailed information to be gained about its inner structures. In order to realistically reproduce the tyre’s behaviour on the road, a special tyre-loading unit forms part of the CT system.

6th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli reorganises its Driver retail scheme

Pirelli UK Ltd is to rename its current Driver retail scheme as Pirelli Key Point, in order to bring it in line with Pirelli Europe’s retail strategy. The news, announced at the company’s annual UK retail conference, means each of the already recognised dealerships will receive new signage and improved point of sale and benefit from a consumer awareness campaign. It also follows on from the announcement of the wider company’s five-year plans, which sees Pirelli position itself for further ‘premiumisation’ of both products and retail distribution, specifically the establishment of another layer of hard and soft franchised retail. The current UK Pirelli Driver network will be known as Pirelli Key Point from January 2012. All existing Driver dealerships will automatically be offered the opportunity to become Pirelli Key Point and will receive new branding in due course.

6th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Temporary workers operating Cooper Findlay plant

US news sources report Cooper Tire & Rubber has brought in temporary workers to operate its Findlay, Ohio factory. Union member employees have been locked out of the plant since 29 November and local television station WTOL says temporary factory workers were driven in vans into the plant past picketing union workers on 5 December.

6th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

MESNAC buys Wyko Tire Technology

International News, News

Qingdao, China based tyre manufacturing equipment maker MESNAC Co. has taken a 100 per cent equity position in US firm Wyko Tire Technology. In its relatively short history MESNAC has rapidly grown to the number four position in its field and speaking to Tyres & Accessories in China at the end of November, company executives hinted that the next phase of growth would be both outside its native China and would include acquisitions such as the latest Wyko purchase. MESNAC has indicated it will retain the Wyko brand and continue to provide normal service and support to customers, with no disruption in business.

5th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Research into China tyre label underway

At the Lanxess Rubber Day China, held in Beijing on 2 December, Jiang Jian from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology informed delegates that preparations for a Chinese tyre label are already underway. “With regard to potential guidelines for tyre labelling in China, we are comparing the stipulated standards with the present conditions. We have already made a start with research in this area.”

5th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Mitsubishi to establish new subsidiary for tyre machinery

Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has announced plans to establish a new subsidiary that will take care of its industrial machinery business, including rubber and tyre machinery. This new, wholly MHI-owned company will come into being on 1 April, 2012 and be created by integrating MHI’s industrial machinery business, which is currently operated by the company’s Industrial Machinery Business, Technology & Solutions Division, and three existing MHI group companies, including MEC Engineering Service Co., Ltd. (MEC).

5th December 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Sibur gets go ahead for Matador-Omskshina acquisition

Russia’s Government Commission on Monitoring Foreign Investment has given the green light for Sibur-Russian Tyres to acquire a 100 per cent interest in the Matador-Omskshina joint-venture, which it previously operated 50/50 with Continental AG. Following the acquisition, the joint venture operation has been renamed Cordiant-Vostok. Sibur-Russian Tyres says the 100 per cent acquisition will enable it to increase manufacturing capacity in order to meet growing demand for passenger car tyres.

29th November 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Lockout announced at Cooper’s Findlay plant

Following the failure of Cooper Tire and the United Steelworkers to reach an agreement on a new long-term contract for unionised workers at Cooper’s Findlay, Ohio factory, the tyre maker announced on 28 November an immediate lockout of USW members at the facility.

29th November 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

HRE rounds out Vredestein’s ‘Premium Styling’ portfolio

US-company HRE Performance Wheels is the latest rim manufacturer to team up with Vredestein’s Premium Styling label. The tyre maker says it and HRE decided to join forces as both companies “serve the same high end target group.” This new partnership will have its public debut at Vredestein’s stand during the Essen Motor Show.

24th November 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone announces North American off-road, retread price rises

Base prices for Bridgestone, Firestone and Continuum off-road tyres and Continuum pre-cure tread rubber and retreading materials are to increase by 15 per cent in the United States and ten per cent in Canada. Announcing the new pricing, which takes effect 1 January 2012, Bridgestone Americas Commercial Solutions president Kurt Danielson commented: “We are committed to providing our customers with products of the highest possible quality and value. While we make every effort to absorb rising costs, increases related to market conditions, supply pressures, global competition and manufacturing expenses have made these adjustments necessary at this time.”

23rd November 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Updated Bridgestone Europe environmental report now available

The 2011 edition of Bridgestone Europe’s “Environmental Commitment and Performance” report has been released, and in addition to updating consumption and emissions data for European manufacturing operations, the company has introduced this latest report with an overview of its environmental strategies. These, according to the report, centre on three main objectives – being in harmony with nature, valuing natural resources and reducing CO2 emissions. The report also explains that Bridgestone Europe intends to implement its environmental mission through two core strategies, namely a commitment to open environmental communication and the implementation of TEAMS, a Total Environmental Advanced Management System.

23rd November 2011/by Tyrepress Editors