Michelin Archives - Page 227 of 323 - Tyrepress

Tyre industry pioneers, Michelin has a long history. Having begun in 1889, Michelin is now the second-largest tyre manufacturer in the world after Bridgestone and larger than both Goodyear and Contineantal.

Tag Archive for: Michelin

UK Drivers Amongst the Least Attentive to Tyre Pressure – Michelin

Michelin’s year long study into tyre pressure has revealed that the proportion of cars on British roads with tyres at an incorrect pressure could be as high as 80 per cent, and the pressure in the tyres of half of all cars is incorrect to an extent that renders the vehicle dangerous to operate and an accident risk.

The French manufacturer checked the tyre pressure of thousands of vehicles across 27 European Union countries during its ‘Fill up with Air’ campaign, and results indicate that the UK, ranked 25th out of 27, was near the bottom of the pile in terms of ensuring correct tyre pressure – only Greece and Latvia faired worse. And not only is road safety being jeopardised by our sloppy indifference – major cost implications follow incorrect tyre pressure through increased fuel consumption, a factor that also impacts on our environment.

25th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Increase Prices in Europe

Rising raw material costs have prompted Michelin to announce price increases for its passenger car, light commercial vehicle, truck and farm tyres in European markets. Car and light commercial tyre prices will rise by 3.5 per cent in most markets, however in the UK and CIS countries these increases will be 7 and 6 per cent respectively – this greater change, reports Michelin, is necessary to offset the negative impact of the local currencies compared to that of the euro.

22nd February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Analysts: 2008 Will Be ‘Another year of Progress for Michelin’

Michelin’s full year 2007 results were “good,” according to a Deutsch Bank analyst note. Volume growth (up 3.2%) is said to be “back to trend,” with the analysts noting that the company’s true operating margin actually 40 basis points higher than the 9.8 per cent stated. This itself is a 23 per cent increase over the company’s 2006 figure. Looking forward, the Deutsche Bank report said 2008 should be “another year of progress due to: 2 per cent volume growth and raw material price increase being more than offset by increased selling prices.

21st February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Shown the Door at Speedco

US truck fast fit chain Speedco, majority owned by Bridgestone Bandag LLC, announced on February 15 that it would phase out Michelin as the premium tyre brand offered at its outlets, replacing the range with products from Bridgestone and Firestone. The company reports that truck tyres from the Bridgestone family will join Bandag retreads at the 51 Speedco locations throughout the US.

“Our customers appreciate the speed in which we return them to the road, and they come back for the value and the quality,” commented Speedco president Mark Clark. “The addition of the Bridgestone and Firestone brands enhances our offering with best-in-class tyres in the popular sizes our customers are looking for.”

19th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Expresses “Satisfaction” Over Toul Factory Agreement

In a statement dated February 18, Michelin has “expressed its satisfaction” following an agreement reached between the company and labour unions. According to Michelin, this agreement enables the “continued deployment of support measures for employees at the Toul plant in conditions that are conducive to moving the discussions forward.”

19th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin’s Stoke Site Aims to be Cutting Edge Facility

At the end of last year Michelin executives embarked on a three-phase study into modernising the company’s Campbell road, Stoke-on-Trent retread manufacturing site. The plan is to take the UK’s largest commercial vehicle retread production plant to the next level with multi-million pound investment from Michelin headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand and other parties. Tyres & Accessories visited the Campbell road Remix and Encore facilities in mid-February and saw that the site spent £1 million last year gearing for the proposed improvements.

19th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

New Michelin X-Ice Xi2 Launced in North America

Earlier this week, Michelin North America introduced its next generation of winter tyres with Michelin X-Ice Xi2, which promises longer tread life and improved fuel economy without compromising winter traction. The tyre was unveiled during a special media event at Mont-Tremblant in Quebec.

“With this new generation, the Michelin Xi2 tyre, is raising the bar even higher,” said Normand Latremouille, MNA’s winter category manager. “The Michelin X-Ice Xi2 lasts up to 75 per cent longer than its leading competitor. The longer wear life is in addition to maintaining other top tyre performances such as handling and traction.” MNA said it tested the new X-Ice Xi2 against the Bridgestone Blizzak WS60.

18th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Majors Show Interest in India Production

A number of global tyre majors are making their presence felt in India’s tyre market, a market valued by the Business Standard financial newspaper at Rs 190 billion (£2.44 billion). Industry experts report that Michelin, Pirelli and Yokohama have the setting up of local production in their sights, and Bridgestone intends to further its presence in India.

The global number one player already holds the largest share in this market’s PCR segment, and it intends to boost this through a capacity increase at its facility in the central state of Madhya Pradesh to 11,000 units a day. At present Bridgestone supplies the TBR market with tyres manufactured in Thailand, however the company intends to invest around £100 million in a greenfield truck and bus tyre facility somewhere in India.

18th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Managers Released After Three-Day Protest

Workers at Michelin’s manufacturing facility in Toul have released the two plant managers that had remained locked in a room for three days to protest the French factory’s impending closure. The pair were released on February 17, and talks between employee representatives and the company have apparently now resumed.

The ‘lock-in’ began the previous Thursday when talks between management and staff broke down, and two days later France’s Economy Minister Christine Lagarde was appointed to act as a mediator between the two parties. When the managers were finally freed and escorted from the factory, it is said that workers turned their backs on the two men. “We turned our backs on the management because it has been turning its back on us for at least four years,” commented one unnamed worker to Reuters.

18th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Full-Year Sales & Income up in 2007

In its 2007 financial results, published February 15, French tyre major Michelin has reported increased sales and a markedly higher net income than that of the previous year. The company recorded sales of 16.867 billion euros in the year to December 31, 2007, a 3 per cent rise over that of a year earlier. Sales volume increased by 3.2 per cent over the same period.

Prior to taking non-recurring income and expenses into account, operating income for the year was 1.645 billion euros, up 22.9 per cent on the year before. After deducting these factors operating income stood at 1.319 billion euros, an increase of 17.9 per cent. Net income shot up 34.7 per cent during the 2007 year, to 772 million euros. The company’s net debt also decreased by 464 million euros, 11.1 per cent of the total, and now stands at 3.714 billion euros.

15th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin’s Multibib Debuts in North America

Farmers in North America are now able to benefit from a tyre that has seen action across the pond since late 2006. Michelin’s replacement for the popular low profile XM108, the Multibib, debuts across this market in February 2008.

Marketed in North America as a replacement tyre for four-wheel-drive and mechanical-front-wheel-assist tractors and as a dual option for combines, the Multibib offers a tread width 10 per cent greater than that of the XM108. Michelin North America Agricultural Tires segment manager Stan Chandgie comments that a key benefit derived from the Multibib is the ability to deliver a larger footprint without the additional expense of larger wheel rims. With a bigger footprint equalling enhanced flotation and traction and reduced wheel slip, the Multibib enables operators to capitalise on lower inflation pressures – leading to reduced soil compaction.

14th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Gets TWNA Achievement Award

Michelin North America’s “Durable Technologies” was won the Technical Achievement Award presented by the Truck Writers of North America. The award was announced last week at the annual Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) meetings.

The award recognises a product or service that exhibits technical innovation, has a wide applicability to the trucking industry, offers significant benefits to users and is widely available. The selection committee included Paul Abelson (Road King & Land Line); Tom Berg (Heavy Duty Trucking); Eric Berard (Berard Communications); John Baxter (Randall-Reilly Publishing), Tom Gelinas (Fleet Equipment, sister publication of Tire Review); and James Menzies (Truck News and Truck West).

13th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Shoreham Switches to Michelin Pneumatic Forklift Tyres

Shoreham Port Authority, located five miles west of Brighton & Hove, is switching its forklift truck fleet from solid to pneumatic tyres following a competitive trial run in conjunction with tyre solutions provider ATS Euromaster. The trial saw one of the company’s Hyster 5.5 XM trucks fitted with Michelin XZM radial tyres and monitored against the performance of solid tyres across the 20-strong forklift fleet. The Michelin tyres provided over 1,000 hours of safe operation before needing to be replaced by ATS Euromaster – doubling the average life Shoreham Port had become accustomed to from solid tyres.

13th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Open Recycling Plant at Toul Factory Site

Michelin, together with French corporation Suez, intends to establish a recycling facility at the premises of its former factory in Toul in order to fulfil its pledge to maintain activity at the site. Financial details of the project have not as yet been made public.

The closure of the Toul factory in France was announced at the start of October 2007, with an inability to remain competitive cited as the main factor driving closure of the PCR manufacturing plant. A total of about 830 people were employed at the Toul plant, and when making its announcement Michelin stated that the company would provide “all the support necessary to help them find a new job rapidly or start a professional project.”

13th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

One Million KM and Still Rolling with Michelin

How much mileage do you expect from your tyres? 40,000 kilometres? Does 100,000 kilometres sound impressive? That’s chicken feed for Samworth Brothers – a MAN TGA 6×2 tractor unit belonging to the Plymouth based food distribution company has clocked up a cool million on the same set of Michelin XDE2 drive axle tyre casings.

The company achieved this admirable performance by following Michelin’s Four Lives tyre policy and through stringent tyre maintenance managed in-house by its own Michelin-trained technicians. Not wishing to claim all credit for the Methuselah-like longevity of the XDE2 casings, Michelin adds that the high professional standards of the Samworth Brothers company drivers also made a difference.

8th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors