North America
The Chief Executives from leading tyre companies in North America, Japan, Korea and Europe met on 9th February in Los Angeles, to review progress and set a forward-looking agenda for their global research program dealing with potential environmental and health impacts of their products.
(Akron/Tire Review) New television ads supporting the recently launched consumer campaign for Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) were revealed at the Chicago Auto Show this week.
Produced by Dallas-based The Richards Group, the commercials will air this year on national TV networks and more than 15,000 movie screens across the country. BFNAT said it will also conduct an extensive print and online ad campaign to complement the broadcast message. In addition, “Bridgestone or Nothing” ads will be displayed on the tyremaker’s fleet of customer delivery service vehicles.
Continental Automotive Systems have shown off their smart technologies in an interactive display at this year’s Chicago Auto Show. The display exhibits the company’s efforts to integrate active and passive safety systems, wireless and other “smart” technologies that make driving safer, more comfortable and fun.
(Akron/Tire Review) Effective February 8, Vredestein Tyres North America will increase tyre prices in the U.S. up to 4%.
The increase applies to all tyre lines, including all-season, summer and winter, and is due to the continuing escalation of raw material prices over the last year, according to Michiel Kramer, market development manager.
US based RubberNetwork, a consortium of the companies participating in the global tyre and rubber industry, and Brazil based Webb Negocios, a company specialising in consulting, ebusiness and outsourcing Company, announce the formation of a jointly owned enterprise, RubberNetwork-Webb. The newly constituted company builds on a five-year commercial relationship between RubberNetwork and Webb and draws on the strengths of both companies. The venture will offer a range of Supply Chain services aimed at reducing costs and improving efficiency to companies in the community of the tyre and rubber industry.
The Harley-Davidson Motor Company will add Michelin as an official supplier of replacement tyres for its motorcycles. From the middle of the year Michelin motorcycle tyres will be available at Harley-Davidson dealerships across North America.
On January 26 Michelin renewed a long-term global contract with the Volvo Group. The initial contract was signed in December 2003, and under the terms of the new contract Michelin will offer truck tyres as OE for vehicles assembled by Volvo in Europe, North America and South America under the brand names Volvo Trucks, Volvo Buses, Renault Trucks and Mack Trucks.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Charles “Chuck” Mick to the newly created position of vice president and general manager, North American holdings and integration. Prior to taking on this position Mick had served since 2003 as vice president and general manager of the company’s Global Off-Highway tyre business.
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire
has added two new sizes to its North American Firestone Firehawk™ Wide Oval™ tyre range– P245/40R18 88Y RFT and P285/35R19 90Y RFT. These tyres are designed to fit Chevrolet’s sixth generation of Corvette.
(Akron/Tire Review) Industrial and OTR tiremaker Denman Tire Corp. has appointed Bob Harnar as its new vice president sales. Harnar comes to Denman from Continental Tire North America, where he was director of sales for its OTR tire group.
“I am excited about joining the Denman team,” Harnar said. “Denman has a long history in the tyre industry and I look forward to assisting in helping the company reach new levels of sales growth.”
Titan Internatinal Inc has announced that the company successfully secured a $200 million senior unsecured five-year bond on 28 December 2006 that allowed it to pay off its revolving credit facility. However the manufacturer also warned that its farm business was down at least $75 million in 2006 and that it may report a negative gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2006.
Continental Tire North America Inc. has released the first of an all-new winter tyre range under its General Tire brand. The range is known as Altimax and the initial tyre on offer, the Altimax Arctic, is being promoted as General Tire’s first true winter tyre.
As reported at the start of January, Kumho Tire North America has a new CEO and president. Following this appointment, Kumho Tire Co., Inc., has announced that a second executive has been promoted to a senior position in North America. The new CEO and president of Kumho Tire North America is B.K. Kim, and Don Hun (D.H.) Ham has been named president of Kumho Tire USA., Inc.
Amerityre Corporation, a developer of polyurethane elastomer tyre technologies, has announced it has successfully completed significant portions of the pending FMVSS 139 safety standard testing on its Arcus® run-flat tyre design. FMVSS 139, the NHTSA testing standard for high speed and endurance, will come into effect this July.
The rising demand for winter tyres across Europe has been reflected in sales figures released by Continental AG. Worldwide sales of Conti’s winter tyres reached 19.1 million in last year, an 8 per cent increase on 2005 sales and 41 per cent more than in 2002.
According to research conducted by Continental, this increasing demand has been primarily fuelled by the public becoming more widely aware of the safety issues related to winter driving. Changes to German road traffic regulations have also had an influence on sales.
In the words of Continental AG Chairman of the Board (and head of Passenger and Light Truck Tire division) Manfred Wennemer “This fifth consecutive record result confirms the correctness of our approach in this attractive segment and is reassuring for the coming years, since it can be attributed to growth in several markets. In Europe these are predominantly Germany, Russia and Eastern Europe as a whole, but they also include Italy, Holland and Belgium.“ Mr. Wennemer added that Continental is also pleased with market developments in North America.
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