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Alliance For The Development Of Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems

Lear Corporation (Southfield, Michigan/USA) and Beru (Ludwigsburg/Germany) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly design and develop Tyre Pressure Monitoring systems for the global automotive market. Under this strategic partnership, the two companies will develop Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems that will relay information to drivers through the electronic architecture used for the Remote Keyless Entry System. The joint venture will combine Lear’s capabilities as the North American leader in Remote Keyless Entry Systems with that of Beru, the market leader in Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems in Europe.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Run-flat Tyres Will Replace Conventional Tyres

For so-called run-flat tyres (meaning tyres that can be driven even at zero air pressure) in Europe and North America huge sales increases are on the horizon. Run-flats will replace conventional tyres now in use. This can happen only step by step because there is a lack of production facilities for a number of years. Another effect: if the new tyres become standard original equipment, the market for tyres will reduce by twenty percent, because a car fitted with run-flat tyres does not need a spare wheel. Is the development of such products an example of the tyre business shooting itself in the foot? Of course not because it is never possible to stop technical developments like these. And it should be noted that run-flat tyres are more sophisticated than conventional tyres, which compensates for the lack of every fifth tyre in oe. Because tyre pressure warning systems will, in the future, become mandatory on new cars, they need suitable tyres. Run-flat tyres without tyre pressure systems are not practical; the driver might not realise that he is driving at zero pressure at high speed. The reverse situation is possible – indeed already a reality in some models – as the car is fitted with a tyre pressure monitoring system but on conventional tyres. Nowadays, run-flat tyres have moved from the arena of the laboratory and testing and are on the way to becoming a growing part of the market. As with other new technologies, if a new standard replaces an old one, the race is on among new systems (for example which tyre pressure monitoring system is the best), materials (for example which reinforcements should be used for the carcasses) and other developments for the transition period (tyre repair sets).

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

Advertising To Be Boosted By Michelin USA And Goodyear

In order to expand its approach to marketing Michelin North America is reviewing its US advertising policy and will be evaluating new agencies after a 17 year relationship with New York agency DBB. At the same time Goodyear are set to increase world-wide advertising spend by 30 per cent. The annual advertising spend for Goodyear is estimated to be $60m.

30th November 2001/by Tyrepress Editors

All-Time Records For Superior

Superior Industries (Van Nuys/California), North America’s Leading oe supplier of aluminium wheels, announced record revenues of more than 331 m US-$ (+13.5%) and record net income to more than 40 m US-$ (+16.3%) after tax.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Automotive Hose Agreement Between Goodyear And Phoenix

Automotive hose manufacturers Phoenix and Goodyear Engineered Products have agreed to use each other’s factories to meet increasing demand on a global basis. Phoenix has six plants in Europe and GEP has six in North America and Mexico. The companies expect to expand the agreement to cover Asia and South America.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Wheel Producer Accuride On The Way To Europe?

North America’s Accuride Corp. (Evansville/Indiana) is an enormously profitable producer of steel and aluminium wheels for trucks and recorded a record jump in sales to more than 500 million US-$ in 1999. Founded by Firestone in 1905, the company was sold in 1986 to Phelps Dodge Corp., cooperated with Goodyear 1992 and was sold again in 1998 to investment group Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts (KKR). Now the automotive supplier has its eyes set on the European market for investments, maybe also in aluminium wheels for cars.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

The Merry-Go-Round At Goodyear North America Goes On Again

Bill Sharp (59) has retired suddenly on July 14th after 36 years of Service for the tyre maker. His successor, John C. Polhemus (56) used to be President of Goodyear’s Latin America region. Marco Molinari, currently Vice President Marketing and Sales North America, becomes Vice President Global Marketing Projects. Jim Vogel, currently Director Corporate Accounts North American Tire, becomes Vice President Marketing and Corporate Accounts for North America.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Reorganisation For Cooper Tire

The Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has reorganised its Tire Group, naming three divisional presidents. Mark Armstrong is president of the North American Tire Division. D. Richard Stephens is president of the International Tire Division and Larry Enders is president, Commercial Products Division.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Truck Tyre Retreading By Michelin

Michelin has long been established as a leader in the European truck tyre retreading market with its famous Remix process, but now the French company has turned its attentions to the US retreading market, where it is causing quite a stir. The size of the market is enormous; according to the Tire Retread Information Bureau, in 1999 there were 18.1 million large truck retreads sold, compared with 15.7 million new truck tyres, and Michelin has announced its intention to double its market share, from 10.2% to 24.6% by the year 2002. The company has done this not through using the Remix process, but by cold cure retreading, forming Michelin Retread Technologies Inc. (MRTI) and signing up licensees. By March, Michelin had 37 such franchisees signed up and expects this figure to increase to fifty by the year end. As a comparison, Goodyear has some 167 truck tyre retreading partners in North America. Michelin’s cold cure retreading process is called Recamic and it uses rubber produced by Michelin. Like Remix, Recamic is promoted as a premium product. For those retreading partners who may be looking for something a little cheaper, Michelin produces Newlife, a less expensive alternative. The article in May’s TYRES & ACCESSORIES examines Michelin’s commitment to retreading, both in Europe and outside, and looks at the retread market itself.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Price Increase For Rubber Blacks From Degussa-Hüls In Europe

Degussa-Hüls AG, the world’s second largest carbon black manufacturer, with production sites in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, has agian announced a price increase of 50 Euro per metric ton for its range of rubber blacks, effective from September 1st, 2000, in Europe. A continuing combination of the weakness of the Euro and unprecedented high prices for crude oil and crude oil products is leading to substantially higher carbon black production costs.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Brazilian Carbon Black Plant For Degussa Hüls

German company Degussa Hüls is building what it says will be one of the most modern industrial carbon black plants in the world at Paulinia, near Sao Paulo, Brazil. Production will begin in early 2002 and initial annual capacity will be 60,000 tonnes. Degussa Hüls says the new site will strengthen its role as a global partner of the rubber industry.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

The DaimlerChrysler PT Cruiser Choose Goodyear

DaimlerChrysler has announced it will be fitting Goodyear Eagle tyres on its new PT Cruiser. The PT Cruiser, which combines the retro styling of the late 1930’s sedan with the versatility of a 2001 minivan, will be shod exclusively with Eagle LS tyres in North America and Eagle NCT5’s in Europe.195/65 15’s will be fitted on the front and 205/55 16’s on the rear. Tyres with European specification will be produced at Fulda and Phillipsburg.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Firestone Recall Hysteria Fuelled By Advocates

Firestone has been forced, for the second time in the company’s history, to recall tyres in North America. 22 years ago, the recall of 14 million “f 500” tyres, almost ruined Firestone. The current situation refers to the recall of 6.5 million SUV tyres, the ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness line in the size P 235/75 R 15. About 2/3 of these tyres are earmarked for Ford’s OE demand for the Ford Explorer and the Ford Ranger. Bridgestone already announced that it would take a one-time $ 350 million charge and informed analysts that earnings estimates, $1 billion before the recall situation, had to be reduced by the amount of the taken charge. Whether this is the only financial impact that BFS will have to encounter is more than doubtful. In the US a horde of consumer advocates stand ready to sue BFS, all in the name of consumer advocacy. The likely cost of litigation is not included in the $ 350 million charge. The extent of the damage to BFS and its Firestone brand cannot be evaluated, it remains to be seen how the entire industry will be affected by this recall. Without any doubt, the Firestone brand has suffered a serious blow despite the fact that up until today it has not been demonstrated that the tyres were the cause of accidents investigated by NHTSA. BFS, so it seems, never really had a chance to manage the ensuing crisis in an optimal way. Although the crisis didn’t hit BFS completely out of the blue, BFS had to take into consideration the interests of its largest OE customer Ford on the one hand, and its own interest to protect the Bridgestone brand from any spill-over effects. One thing became abundantly clear: two kinds of tyre manufacturers currently exist. One the one hand, there are those who have already had to deal with a disastrous recall situation and on the other hand are those that will have to do just that at some uncertain time in the future.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

Strike Ends At General Tire

Employees at Continental General Tire’s plant in Bryan, Ohio USA have signed an agreement ensuring an increase in wages and pensions plus a regulation of working time (a four shift programme, seven days a week) up to the year 2006. The same agreement will apply in Charlotte, General Tire’s largest plant in North America, where employees had been on strike for over a year to achieve these improved conditions. Continental’s workforce has diminished from 1,450 to around 1,300 following the strikes.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors

General Manager For Goodyear US Retreading Operations

Armond Boyes has been appointed general manager of Goodyear’s North American retreading operations. Boyes is responsible for overseeing Goodyear’s Next-Tred retreading program, including the design, development and sales of Next-Tred products and the installation of retread plants throughout North America.

7th December 2000/by Tyrepress Editors