Defence Logistics magazine honoured Michelin North America’s aircraft tyre group in its Defense Logistics Award competition. Michelin Aircraft Tire Co. won the category “Performance-Based Logistics Implementation of the Year” for its supply of military tyres to all branches of the US military.
Goodyear has been supplying US military vehicles’ rubber for a century, and that trend looks as though it will march on, as the company announced that it has won the approval of BAE Tactical Vehicle Systems as the standard tyre supplier for a widely used military transport vehicle.
BAE, based in Sealy, Texas, has selected the Goodyear 395/85R20 MV/T tyre as the exclusive fitment for the company’s FMTV (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles), the US Army’s vehicle of choice in the 2.5- to 10-tonne capacity. The contract calls for supply of approximately 100,000 tyres to be delivered through 2010. Goodyear manufactures the tyres at its Danville, Virginia factory.
The commercial truck tyre production unit at Goodyear’s Topeka, Kansas plant will shut for a week on Monday 22 September. A spokesman reported that the reason for the closure is that the supply of raw materials had been affected by Hurricaine Ike. The plant will continue to manufacture OTR and military tyres, while Truck staff members have the option of using a weeks’ holiday allowance or taking a week of voluntary layoff.
The US House of Representatives approved a military spending bill that, amongst numerous projects, earmarks US$1.2 million for Goodyear’s production facility in Topeka, Kansas for the production of tyres for the military. The Defense Appropriations bill was approved by 400 votes to 15 on November 8, and now proceeds to the US Senate for a second vote.
Upon final approval of the bill Goodyear will be commissioned to manufacture tyres for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, a unit designed to replace the military’s Humvee. This new vehicle – intended to provide greater versatility and survivability in the event of an attack than existing designs – is still currently at the prototype stage, with military officials considering various options from 18 different manufacturers. The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is not expected to enter production until 2012, at which stage up to 160,000 of the vehicles will most likely be produced.
Vintage Tyres, has announced that from March the company intends to expand its delivery service and offer free delivery on all their products to any UK mainland destination. “Free delivery is the final stage in keeping with our total customer support ideals, orders taken before 3pm will be despatched on the same day and should arrive within 48 hours,” said managing director, Chris Marchant.
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