North America
Michelin North America has announced that it will construct a new radial OTR tyre plant in Anderson County, South Caroline, and expand its existing OTR plant in nearby Lexington, S.C. The company estimates that the two projects would result in 500 new jobs, and will take an investment of $750 million.
Nexen Tire has announced that it has been selected as original equipment (OE) manufacturer by Fiat. Under the agreement, Nexen will supply tyres for Fiat's Multipla model range, scheduled for production from March 2013, as well as Fiat's Doblo light commercial vehicle (from 2014).
Last year Michelin introduced a new motorcycle tyre – and it has now launched a dedicated Facebook application to go with it. The tyre part of the package is called the Commander II, a product designed for cruisers in the over-650cc category. The Commander II Facebook platform, on the other hand, is available at http://michelin-commander-2.com and enables users to share views, technical information and interests. Michelin describes the platform as a social networking tool that brings the riding community together, in the same way that associations, clubs and recreational events do. The tyre maker notes that one of the application’s most entertaining features allows users to star in a customisable animated film using their picture and other details from their Facebook profile.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations has combined its current Affiliated Dealer, TireStarz and Family Retail Dealer programmes under one umbrella for the United States market. This new independent retail dealer programme has been named the Bridgestone Affiliated Retailer Nationwide Network and will encompass over 2,500 points of sale nationwide.
There are probably not too many experts on Greek mythology working in the tyre industry, but most people in the business are nevertheless familiar with the name Aeolus. This particular personage was revered by the ancient Greeks as ruler of the winds; more recently, the name has been adopted by a tyre maker whose profile in Europe is growing. First established in the mid-1960s, Chinese manufacturer Aeolus Tyre Co. Ltd. is today an important company within the government-owned conglomerate ChemChina (China National Chemical Corporation). In recent months the company has also merged with another tyre maker from within the ChemChina portfolio, Yellow Sea Rubber.
Under a newly-announced original equipment supply agreement, Hankook Tire will supply Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) with tyres for its Freightliner Cascadia and Coronado models, starting in May 2012. The two flagship Freightliner trucks will be equipped with Hankook Tire’s AL11 steer and DL11 drive tyres, the tyre maker stated during the 2012 Mid-America Trucking Show.
Ex-Bridgestone research scientist Xiaorong Wang has been indicted on charges of stealing trade secrets from the tyre maker and providing investigators with false information. Before his dismissal on 14 April 2010, Wang worked at the Bridgestone Americas Center for Research and Technology in Akron, Ohio; it is alleged that after being fired, Wang downloaded proprietary information and removed it from Bridgestone premises.
Michelin North America is using this week’s Mid-America Trucking Show to debut the new Michelin X Multi Energy D drive tyre for regional and emerging super regional applications. The SmartWay-verified tyre delivers enhanced fuel efficiency, optimised traction and long tread life to provide significant value and performance, the tyre maker said.
Schaeffler Group has reported record 2011 sales of 10.7 billion euros and a 12 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to 1.7 billion euros. It is the first time in the company’s history that sales topped the 10 billion euro mark. Schaeffler Group directly owns a 49.9 per cent stake in Continental AG.
Commenting at the press conference where the news was announced, Schaeffler AG CEO Dr Juergen Geissinger said: “Following our success in 2010, we were able to further improve our earnings across the board in 2011. That demonstrates the dedicated commitment of our employees around the world. Our wide range of components and systems for the automotive and the industrial sectors puts us in a very good strategic position as a globally oriented company.”
Yokohama Tire Corporation will debut its new drive tyre for North America, the 709ZL at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) today. The 709ZL is available in 295/75R22.5 and 11R22.5 sizes and according to Rick Phillips, Yokohama’s director of commercial sales, the new tyre employs Yokohama’s ‘Zenvironment’ technology, which combines the latest breakthroughs in casing design, rubber compounding and tread design.
Frost & Sullivan has announced the recipients of its 2012 Excellence in Best Practices Awards, and Michelin North America is amongst the 47 companies honoured this year. The tyre maker received a Product Line Strategy award for its X One tyre range of wide-base truck tyres.
Pneumatic Components Limited, better known as PCL, has appointed David Fred the company’s new national sales manager for North America. Fred’s appointment reflects growing demand in that region; the Sheffield-based company comments that his role was crated “following a sharp rise in demand for PCL's products due to a strong market shift towards quality and accuracy.”
On 12 March Indian tyre maker Ceat Limited announced the appointment of incumbent deputy managing director Anant Goenka as its new managing director following the retirement of Paras K. Chowdhary from this position; Goenka will start in this new role on 1 April. Chowdhary will continue with Ceat as a full-time director.
US-based company TBC Corporation, which calls itself the country’s largest marketer of tyres for the automotive replacement market, has acquired automotive service provider Midas for approximately US$310 million. The all-cash transaction will see Midas shares change hands for $11.50 each, a price that represents a 75 per cent premium over Midas’ closing price of $6.58 on 11 August 2011, when Midas announced it would conduct a strategic review process, and a 28 per cent premium over the closing share price as of 12 March 2012. The proposed transaction has been unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors. In addition, Midas chairman, president and CEO Alan Feldman has signed a tender and voting agreement in support of the offer.
Television viewers in the US, should they so wish, can enjoy weather-related information and entertainment around the clock courtesy of The Weather Channel. This themed content is naturally interspersed with spells of advertising, and Cooper Tire & Rubber will soon become a familiar name to those chomping on their breakfast toast and cereal after entering into a partnership with the broadcaster.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
