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.
Attendees at the Michelin 2018 General Annual Meeting of Shareholders last Friday elected Florent Menegaux to the position of general managing partner and Yves Chapot as non-general managing partner. In each case, more than 99 per cent of voting shareholders voted in favour of the appointments.
Michelin’s CargoXBib High Flotation tyres will be fitted to a further two Stewart trailers run by York crop farmer Wharram and Kay, following a trial which pitted them against the standard technology CargoXBib 560/60 R22.5 fitments previously favoured. The 650/55R26.5 tyre, which features Michelin’s patented Ultraflex technology, was credited by the prominent farmer and contractor with vastly improving the efficiency of its operation. Roger Kay, co-owner of Wharram and Kay, noticed that the High Flotation tyres provided a reduced rut depth, greater load-carrying capacity at higher speeds and improved contact with the ground.
UK technology company Wheely-Safe has released a new easy-to-fit tyre pressure management system (TPMS) for car, van, minibus, plant and trailer operators. This new product, it says, is designed to make it simple for both drivers and fleet managers to keep on top of tyre pressures.
The Michelin Tweel, available as of this year in the UK and Europe for industrial applications, is now also offered as a UTV fitment. Michelin Tweel Technologies, a division of Michelin North America, Inc., is introducing a new 26-inch airless radial UTV tyre with a four-bolt wheel-pattern. Originally designed for military special operations use on light-tactical vehicles, the Michelin X Tweel UTV 26x9N14 unit replaces pneumatic tyre/wheel/valve assemblies and to start with will be sold as a replacement market fitment.
Michelin has appointed Andrew French, 38, as director of services and solutions for the UK, Ireland and Nordics. In the new role, French will have direct responsibility for Michelin solutions, which manages the tyres on more than 80,000 buses, coaches and trucks in these markets.
A change at the top has been announced at A.T.U., the European automotive services provider that Michelin acquired a 20 per cent share in earlier this year. After serving as chief executive officer for the past three years, Jörn Werner is stepping out of the company’s operative business and has become chairman of the company’s Supervisory Board. He succeeds Fabien Derville, who is president of majority shareholder, Mobivia Groupe.
Michelin has announced the full programme for this year’s Movin’On sustainable mobility summit. More than 90 influencers, inventors, government representatives and opinion leaders will take to the stage at the three-day event in Montreal, which begins on 30 May. The event programme can be read here, while the full list of speakers is available here.
Europe’s leading cardboard and paper recycler, DS Smith, has turned to Michelin solutions to supply, fit and manage the tyres across its 191-strong commercial vehicle recycling fleet, on a three-year contract. The new Effitires agreement sees Michelin solutions expand its remit with DS Smith to include 100 per cent of its vehicle parc, adding the recycling fleet to the 378 trucks and trailers already under contract from the firm’s logistics and corrugated packaging operations.
Bridgestone UK has secured the company’s biggest ever commercial fleet partnership across Europe, after putting pen to paper on a five-year agreement with Stagecoach. The deal with the prestigious bus and coach operator, which serves more than 100 communities in the UK and up to three-million-passengers each day, encompasses 9,500 vehicles in total.
In the US, Vans has team up with Michelin to produce a limited-edition range of the shoemaker’s Sk8-Hi and Old Skool models. Both boast a blue and white checkerboard print upper featuring Bibendum’s face in the white cells, as well as “bright yellow accents at the tongue tab, inner lining and foxing”.
The Michelin Group already uses a solution from global spend management cloud provider Ivalua for the global management of its 5,000 contracts and 5 million invoices a year across 55 countries. The success of those projects has led Michelin to expand the relationship with Ivalua to cover the provision of a fully integrated source-contract process. Ivalua will provide a global sourcing solution that will automate and streamline sourcing processes across Michelin’s buyer teams in Europe, North America, South America and Asia.
Michelin North America has been ranked America’s best large employer by Forbes magazine. Naming the tyre maker the top company in its America’s Best Employers 2018 survey, Forbes commented that “Michelin may not be the first organisation that comes to mind when you think about corporate social responsibility, but its business model centres on sustainability.” The publication also noted that Michelin is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and acts as corporate partner to numerous good causes, also offering its employees the opportunity to participate in volunteering efforts.
Andy Aylward has been appointed Michelin’s Retail Programme Manager for the UK and Ireland, overseeing its network of more than 80 accredited car and motorcycle Michelin Certified Centres.
General Motors recognized its most innovative partners at its 26th Supplier of the Year awards ceremony on 20 April in Orlando, Florida. Recipients of the Supplier of the Year award include 125 suppliers from 17 countries, with 16 first-time winners, as well as 11 companies who earned GM’s Innovation Award, Overdrive Award and Customer of the Year award.
Production at the Michelin tyre plant in Ballymena, Northern Ireland came to an end last week. Although the facility won’t officially close until 30 June, The Belfast Telegraph writes that production ended last Wednesday, with the final tyre finished the following day.
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