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Research Laboratory Dedicated in Honour of Edouard Michelin

It has been a year since the death of then Michelin CEO Edouard Michelin in a tragic boating accident off the coast of France, and Michelin North America has chosen the anniversary to announce the naming of an endowed research laboratory at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in his honour. Plans for the Edouard Michelin Research Laboratory are well under way with completion expected this autumn.

“Mr. Michelin strongly believed that education and technology could make the world a better place,” said Jim Micali, chairman and president of Michelin North America. “His vision remains a guiding force at Michelin today and is evident in the innovations and advancements that Michelin products deliver to the driving public every day. It is only natural that we establish this research laboratory in memory of Mr. Michelin to honour his passion for innovation and his commitment to excellence.”

24th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo to Expand North American Tyre Production

Japan’s Toyo Tire & Rubber Co,. Ltd has announced plans to increase production capacity at its North American manufacturing subsidiary, Toyo Tire North America. The company will inject about 6,000 million yen (£25 million) into the US operations with a view to expanding North American sales of the company’s 16 to 24-inch UHP tyres and meet anticipated future OE demand from local car makers.

Georgia-based Toyo Tire North America was established three years ago and began the volume production of passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres in March 2006, employing a new, proprietary, automated “Advanced Tire Operation Module (A.T.O.M.)” system that facilitates the multi-item small-lot production of products within a much smaller space. The A.T.O.M. will be upgraded as part of the announced capacity expansion so as to help achieve higher product quality while boosting output to approximately 3.3 million units per year by 2009.

23rd May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

CTNA Makes Forklift Tyre Changes CSEasy

(Akron/Tire Review) Continental Tire North America has introduced CSEasy, a solid super-elastic tyre for forklifts. The CSEasy, said CTNA, requires no press, specialist technician or equipment for installation. The solid pneumatic industrial tyre can be fitted at the job site, “ensuring the forklift is back in full operation within mere minutes,” CTNA said. CSEasy features an “innovative reusable adapter between the tyre and rim,” the company said. The conical adaptor, said CTNA place the tyre in the proper position for quick mounting using a torque wrench.

21st May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Beru – Quarter Figures Show Mixed Results

Tire Safety System (TSS) manufacturer Beru AG has posted total sales revenues of 116.8 million euros for the first quarter of the 2007 financial year, nearly equalling the sales revenues (117.4 million euros) of the prior-year period. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) reached 14.8 million euros, slightly down from last year’s 17.3 million euros and equivalent to an operating margin of 12.6 per cent.

The company’s Electronics and Sensor Technology division maintained its status as growth area during the quarter, with first quarter sales revenues of 38.8 million euros recorded during the quarter, an increase of 16.6 per cent over the previous year. Beru report that their TSS system was largely responsible for driving this growth.

15th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dowey Appointed as Rapra Head

James L. Dowey has been appointed as vice president and managing director of Smithers Rapra Technology, the British subsidiary of Akron-based The Smithers Group. Mr. Dowey is currently director of tyre uniformity machinery at Kobelco Stewart Bolling Inc. based in Hudson, Ohio. He replaces Hugh Pace, formerly of Goodyear, who will become chairman and CEO of Pirelli Tire North America. “Jim will be an excellent addition to the company and will provide a seamless transition in managing our business and international growth opportunities,” said Michael Hochschwender, president and CEO of The Smithers Group, parent company.

Hugh D. Pace, the new chairman and CEO of Pirelli North America, has 30 years of experience at the highest levels of the tire industry, comes to Pirelli from Smithers Rapra Ltd, a British subsidiary of The Smithers Group, where he served as Vice President and Managing Director. Pace will assume his duties as Chairman and CEO of Pirelli North America effective 4 June 2007, replacing Kevin Riddett who is leaving Pirelli after 10 years with the Group to embark on new professional challenges. “Mr. Pace’s international experience is a major plus for our company’s growth strategies in North America”, said Francesco Gori, CEO of Pirelli Tyre Spa.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

South Africa May See Tyre Disposal Fees

(Akron/Tire Review) South Africans will likely have to pay a bit more for their tyres as the country is poised to enact a tyre disposal levy on all new tyre purchases.

As with similar taxes in North America, the South Africa levy will go toward the collection and disposal of scrap tyres.

Public comment on the proposed regulations were collected up until March 25, and policymakers reportedly have made minor changes to the original proposed legislation.

Reportedly the South Africa tyre industry is against the planned tax over fears the collected funds would be diverted to the state’s general fund and not to waste collection or recycling efforts.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

EU Tyre Recycling Tests Outline “Best Available Technology”

Estimates put forward during the European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA) Conference 2007 in Brussels suggest that at least 300 million tyres reach their end-of-life each year throughout the EU’s 27 member states, with similar amounts found in North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. Taking all of these regions collectively it is likely that the equivalent of more than one billion passenger car tyres require scrapping each year, and in the past many of these were destined for landfill or otherwise illegally dumped.

With EU directives banning the stockpiling of tyres or their disposal in landfill alternative methods of processing end-of-life tyres have been sought, however ETRA have reported that only a third of these tyres are being recycled into recovered materials, the bulk of them instead burnt as a fuel source. The results of conducting pyrolysis on scrap tyres have not in the past achieved promising results, with the resultant carbon being high in ash content and therefore only suitable for low-grade uses.

8th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Publishes “Very Strong” First Quarter Figures

Continental AG’s consolidated sales for the first quarter of 2007 rose by 9.8 per cent compared with the same period of the previous year to 3.964 billion. At the same time EBIT rose by 24 per cent to 436.8 million euros, up from 352.4 million the previous year. For the first three months of 2007, there was a free cash flow of -119.8 million euros, down from -230.2 million. Net debt was 141.3 million euros higher than at year-end 2006. “This was mainly incurred through the financing of the acquisition of the automotive electronics business of Motorola and the contributions to the Contractual Trust Arrangement (CTA) of 630 million euros,” explained CFO Dr. Alan Hippe.

4th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Turns-Out $21 million Net Income in First Quarter

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has reported net income of $21 million or 33 cents per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2007. The dramatically improved earnings were achieved as total sales increased by 16 per cent to a new first quarter record of $689 million. This compares to a net loss of $5 million generated on sales of $597 million in the first quarter of 2006.

During the quarter the company continued to benefit from the cost reduction and profit improvement initiatives it announced in September 2006 as well as improved price and mix in North America, and increased tyre unit sales in Europe and Asia. As a result, operating profit improved to $30 million in the first quarter of 2007 compared to an operating loss of $4 million in the first quarter of 2006.

4th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

A Different Approach

(Akron/Tire Review) Possibly the quietest, one of the most accomplished and certainly one of the most respected head of a major tyre company, Jim Micali has also had one of the longest careers, having first joined what is now Michelin North America some 30 years ago as a staff attorney. Micali worked his way up through a number of assignments, including two stints in France, before becoming chairman and president in 1996.

In 2001, Micali was appointed to the Groupe Michelin executive council, and served a term as RMA chairman in 2002. He has also served on the boards of Sonoco and Lafarge North America, and was named distinguished senior fellow in political economy and leadership management at Furman University in 2004, where he is still a guest lecturer. Micali also received the Order of Merit from the French government.

This past December, Micali sat down with Tire Review to discuss legacy and raw material costs and their impact on North American tyre manufacturing and competition, and how MNA is tackling these key issues.

27th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Belt Meets Metric Demand

To meet increasing demand for metric industrial replacement parts, Goodyear Engineered Products has introduced a line of metric power transmission v-belts that takes the static zap out of manufacturing operations.

Much of this increased output will go towards meeting the requirements of North America plants, more of which are today using overseas built industrial equipment requiring v-belts that adhere to metric standard unit measurements, according to Michael Lyons, Goodyear marketing manager for industrial power transmission products.

25th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Raybestos Works to Address Tech Needs

(Akron/Tire Review) Raybestos says it has “completely re-engineered” its entire brake component product lines after conducting “months of extensive” research with service technicians across North America. As a result, Raybestos has launched a new strategy that “addresses the proliferation of both parts and vendors, which has become a major problem for distributors,” according to Jeff Stauffer, vice president of global marketing for Affinia, which produces and markets Raybestos products.

Stauffer said the research showed that “techs require a single line of hydraulics, two grades of rotors and three grades of friction.” To address that need, Raybestos launched its 1-2-3 Strategy to deliver the types of brake components techs say they need.

“The studies told us that a single line of hydraulics made to OE specs is all that is needed,” Stauffer said. “With rotors, most situations can be addressed with a basic professional grade of OE-equivalent products, but some applications, especially severe duty or premium vehicles, require an ultra premium product capable of outperforming OE.”

25th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Revenue up 5.5%

Michelin’s revenue during the first quarter of 2007 rose 5.5 per cent thanks to higher prices and demand from commercial vehicle manufacturers. The tyremaker reported that sales during the quarter came to 4.2 billion euros, compared with 3.98 billion euros a year earlier. The company is sticking to its forecast of a “tangible increase” in full-year profit as a proportion of sales.

In February Michelin affirmed its goal of a margin of 10 per cent by 2010 (compared with 8.2 per cent during 2006), and stated it will reduce costs by as much as 1.7 billion euros by 2010. The company plans to cut spending on purchasing and manufacturing.

According to the company, higher prices and changes in the type of tyres purchased added 4.4 per cent to Michelin’s sales in the quarter. The company had been expected to report sales of 4.15 billion euros.

25th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Double Tyre Donations to Emergency Crews

(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America plans to double the number of tyres it will donate to local fire and EMS departments as part of its Driving America’s Safety program. The company has already donated tyres to 25 first-responders this year.

Beginning today, communities and individuals can nominate their local fire and/or EMS teams to receive a set of new Michelin tyres. Nominations will continue through Nov. 23. For 2008, MNA will donate 50 sets of tyres to local first responder units.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Titan Exploring Viability of Increased OTR Production

Titan International’s board of directors has opted to take advice from financial management and advisory company Merrill regarding the financial feasibility of expanding OTR tyre production. Titan is considering investing in the production of 57 and 63-inch OTR radial tyres, sizes that are in short supply in the mining industry.

“Titan has the engineering and technical expertise to offer these additional sizes,” said Titan International chairman and CEO Maurice Taylor Jr. “We can help solve the tyre shortage in these large sizes, but first we need to obtain commitments from mining companies. Tyres are often mistaken as a commodity, but they are engineered products.”

The company has calculated the production costs of manufacturing up to 6,000 63-inch tyres per annum, and could start making these tyres next year. Such an undertaking would, however, require the company to invest in larger manufacturing equipment and moulds.

20th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors