North America
Accuride Corporation’s Gunite and Accuride Wheels brands have received Silver Supplier Awards for 2009 from Daimler Trucks North America division Thomas Built Buses. This award is given to Thomas Built Buses suppliers whose “supplier report cards” exceed a 90 per cent standard of excellence for the year. Suppliers are graded on their performance in specified criteria surrounding quality, delivery, cost, warranty, and technical support.
As of December 1 prices for Goodyear consumer replacement tyres will go up by as much as six per cent in North America. The company announced these increases are being made in order to offset higher raw materials costs. This is the first Goodyear price increase for this segment since September 2008, when a 10 per cent increase was implemented.
Michelin’s North American retreading operation, Michelin Retread Technologies, has expanded its offering for the company’s X One wide single truck tyre through the introduction of the Michelin X One XZU S Pre-Mold retread. The new retreaded tyre, says Michelin North American, will enable refuse fleets and other urban, high-scrub or regional application vehicles to realise the benefits of both a retread and a wide single tyre.
Giti Tire (USA) Ltd. announced that Vic Delorio, its executive vice president since 2005, has retired.
The 28-year tyre industry veteran had been on the forefront of the recent battle over higher import tariffs on China-made passenger tyres. “Giti Tire is a remarkable company with a strong presence, the right market approach and is poised for successful growth, not only in North America, but worldwide,” Delorio said.
Each year the US based Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) awards a company or site its Corporate Habitat of the Year Award for its efforts towards habitat enhancement and restoration. This year’s award, announced at the WHC annual national symposium, has gone to the Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations plant in Warren County, Tennessee. The award recognises the plant’s wildlife habitat, which was certified as a WHC Wildlife at Work location in 2004, and the Bridgestone Environmental Education Classroom & Habitat (BEECH), which was established in 2008 and certified as a WHC Corporate Lands for Learning site in 2009.
A number of new sizes have been added to Continental’s low steer and drive tyre line-up in North America to cater to large capacity and car-carrier truck operators. Sales of the new low profile HSL2 Eco Plus (Heavy Steer Long-Haul) and HDL2 Eco Plus (Heavy Drive Long-Haul) tyre in size 295/60R22.5 begin in November, Continental Tire North America reports. This particular size, the company adds, is a full three inches shorter than the 275/80R22.5 size product, but each has 1,215 more lbs. additional carrying capacity in a single fitment for load range G.
In the third quarter of 2009 Lanxess AG reports delivering a “strong operating performance”, with EBITDA pre exceptionals of 143 million euros. The specialty chemicals company had expected third quarter operating earnings in the vicinity of the 112 million euros earned in the second quarter. EBITDA pre exceptionals were down 26 per cent year-on-year but rose 28 per cent from the second quarter due to an improved macroeconomic environment worldwide, driven by China, as well as savings yielded by the company’s “Challenge09-12” package of measures, which are expected to cut Lanxess’s costs worldwide by about 360 million euros by 2012. Another key performance metric – EBITDA pre exceptionals margin – was 10.4 per cent; higher than the previous quarter and nearly reaching last year’s level.
Hankook Tire has given word that, as of December 1, Soo Il Lee will take over from H. Y. (Greg) Pae as president of Hankook Tire America Corp. In addition to his new role, Lee will also serve as COO for the company’s business operations throughout the Americas, and in this capacity will be responsible for the overall growth and marketing strategies for the US, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. Following several years in the US, Pae will return to the company’s global headquarters in Seoul.
Continental Tire North America has extended its partnership with GGI European Tuning, and will be the sole tyre supplier for all Carlsson Mercedes-Benz tuning packages sold in the United States. The exclusive use of Continental brand tyres extends Conti’s ongoing relationship with GGI – Hartge BMW and Sportec Porsche tuning packages that GGI sells in the United States are already fitted with Continental tyres as standard.
Industry veteran John Hagan has been named senior director of sales operations for Toyo Tire USA Corp.
Replacing Armand Allaire, who left Toyo for a similar post with Kumho Tire USA Inc., Hagan will be responsible for all of Toyo’s sales operations and will report directly to president and CEO Yasushi Takagi.
Hagan’s past experience serving as vice president of OE sales for Pirelli Tire North America, and as vice president of sales and marketing for companies in the chemical and import/export industries. (Tire Review)
Solideal USA has acquired SPW Industries Inc. SPW is an Atlanta-based service provider and distributor of construction and industrial tyres, wheels and rubber tracks. Solideal said SPW’s 13 locations throughout the Southeast will compliment its own service network.
Toyo Tire & Rubber remained in the red during the first half of the current financial year, recording a net loss of 1,976 million yen (£13.24 million). Sales during the six months to September 30 dropped 25.0 per cent year-on-year to 129,609 million yen (£868.25 million), and operating loss amounted to 1,300 million yen (£8.71 million), compared with an operating income of 1,177 million yen in the first half of the 2008 financial year. The company’s tyre business unit generated 74.0 per cent of the company’s entire sales and posted a first-half net turnover of 96,001 million yen (£643.11 million) – a 21.6 per cent decrease from a year earlier.
The US based Rubber Manufacturers Association has announced the dates for its ninth annual National Tire Safety Week. In 2010 the event, an initiative of the RMA's "Be Tire Smart – Play Your PART" programme, will be held between June 6 and 12.
Thailand-based Vee Rubber launched three new tyres at the SEMA Show: Vitron, an all-season high performance tyre; Winter Season III, a studdable snow tyre; and Taiga Ice Axe, a studdable light truck snow tyre. The new lines are part of the company’s growing presence in North America. Sold through regional wholesalers and large tyre dealerships – those with 20-plus locations – Vee estimates it will sell six times as many tyres as in 2008, said Patrick Hyland, the company’s sales and marketing manager.
Next January Goodyear Tire & Rubber will cease offering its “Republic” associate tyre brand in North America. In hand with the dropping of Republic, the US tyre major will increase the profile of its Kelly brand through new products and making the range available to all dealers in its distribution network. Ditching the Republic brand also will reduce manufacturing complexity, Goodyear reports.
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