November Archives - Page 15 of 34 - Tyrepress

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Michelin’s Ardmore Plant Returning to Full Work Schedule Mid-April

Workers at Michelin North America’s Ardmore, Oklahoma passenger and light truck tyre facility will return to a full work schedule in mid-April, says company spokeswoman Lynn Mann. The factory has been operating at reduced capacity since last November, when approximately 240 employees were placed on eight-week furloughs. In February, Michelin announced plans to reduce production at the plant.

The reduced work period ends on April 13, said Mann. Following this date, employees will return to normal work schedules.

26th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Trelleborg Schedules Hartville, OH Plant Closure for May

Trelleborg Wheel Systems has revealed that it plans to close its Hartville, Ohio plant on or within two weeks of 10 May. According to local business news sources, the wheel systems manufacturer filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with state authorities on 12 March, confirming that operations at the site would cease and that its 90 employees will be made redundant.

16th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop India Shahgunj Facility Re-Opening

Dunlop India’s factory in Shahgunj will re-open on March 6 after sitting idle for three months. On March 3 the company released a statement saying the plant’s maintenance and engineering division would be the first back on the job, with 229 workers undertaking the task of repairing the factory and making it production ready.

The suspension of operations at the plant was announced on November 30, 2008, and company management says it now hopes to resolve all outstanding issues with labour unions one the repair work is under way. Dunlop India has also indicated that assurances have been received from banks regarding the disbursement of working capital as required for the plant’s sustained operation.

4th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Buyers Express Early Interest in TyreGenics

The administrator for TyreGenics appears confident that a buyer for the cryogenic tyre recycling operation could be found within a matter of months. The administrator said it has been encouraged by initial interest from potential buyers, and believe a sale could take place before the six-month administration period is complete should the Baglan site be purchased as a going concern.

TyreGenics went into administration on January 15 following what administrator Begbies Traynor has described as a “sudden contraction” in the market for rubber sports surfaces, the primary end-market for the rubber crumb processed at the facility.

23rd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Silverstone Releases New Track Layout Plans

Silverstone Circuits Ltd has unveiled provisional plans for a number of modifications to the track and spectator viewing areas at its Northamptonshire base. The most significant addition to the circuit will be a new section of track running from the approach at Abbey corner to an ‘Arrowhead’ at the inside of Becketts. The Arrowhead will then join up with the existing National Straight. Additional sections of track will also be laid at Chapel and Club in anticipation of the MotoGP World Championship rounds between 2010 and 2014 (following the signing of an agreement with Dorna to take the series to Silverstone).

18th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Technology Developers Rhodia & Dow Corning to Exhibit at Expo

Rhodia and Dow Corning Corporation are to exhibit together at Tire Technology Expo, which is being held in Hamburg, Germany, between February 17 and 19. The two companies can be found in Hall 1, at Stand 4140.

The companies’ joint appearance at the exhibition follows last November’s announced agreement to develop and market new tyre industry silica/silane products. The aim of the agreement, according to Rhodia, is to develop and commercialise innovative silica/silane combinations, principally for the tyre industry where the association of precipitated silica and silane is used in low-energy tyres to help reduce rolling resistance. Silane is the component that enhances the interaction between polymer and silica.

10th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli US Recalling Motorcycle Tyres

Pirelli Tire is recalling certain Metzeler ME880 Marathon motorcycle tyres, sizes 13/90B6 M/C TL 73H and 140/90B16 M/C TL 77H. The tyres were manufactured between 22 June and 13 September, 2008, and were stamped with incorrect load range and inflation pressure information.

Pirelli said it will notify owners and replace the tyres free of charge. The recall began on 18 November, 2008, but was only made pubic by NHTSA on 10 February. (Tire Review/Akron)

10th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

China Expresses Concern Over India Investigations

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has voiced “deep concern” over the Indian government’s trade investigations into and import restrictions upon Chinese products. On February 9 Ministry spokesman Yao Jian stated that vice commerce minister Zhong Shan had expressed China’s concern to India’s Ambassador to China, Nirupama Rao, during a recent meeting held at China’s request. Mr. Zhong told Ms Rao that China hopes to bring the trade disputes to an end through government and industry level communication and exchange between the two countries.

9th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Carlisle Annual Figures Reflect Difficult Times for Industry

Carlisle Companies Incorporated has reported net sales from continuing operations of US$623.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, a 1 per cent decline in net sales from continuing operations of $631.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2007. The company says that a downturn sales in its Transportation Products segment, which includes Carlisle Wheel and Tire, along with its Construction Materials segment offset growth in other areas of the company’s business. For the full-year ended December 31, 2008, net sales from continuing operations were $2.97 billion, an 11 per cent increase over net sales from continuing operations of $2.68 billion in 2007. Sales increased in all segments, says Carlisle and organic sales growth was 3 per cent.

6th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kenda Supplying Iran’s Largest Carmaker

Kenda has reported the commencement of an OE agreement with Iran’s largest car producer, the Saipa group. Since November 2008, the Taiwanese manufacturer’s tyres have been fitted as original equipment on Kia Pride models built by Saipa under licence. The vehicle, fitted with Kenda’s KR23-Komet Plus tyre in size 165/65R13, is sold in a number of export markets, including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Venezuela, Yemen, Uzbekistan.

3rd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Performance Fibers Reduces Salisbury Workforce by 20%

During the last week of January, US based fibre producer Performance Fibers announced it had laid off a fifth of the workforce at its Salisbury, North Carolina facility. The plant, which includes HMSL tyre yarn in its production portfolio, is one of the local area’s ten largest employers – although the precise number of employees affected by the layoffs is not known as Performance Fibers holds the size of its workforce at Salisbury confidential for competitive reasons.

“This reduction in the workforce is part of a year-long effort at Performance Fibers to right-size our manufacturing footprint to better align with the needs of our customers’ demands for our products,” said company spokesman Jay Pomeroy. “While some of these reductions were due to the economy, they are more tied to the long-term strategy of serving our customers and keeping our business profitable.”

2nd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

December Figures Show Marked Drop in UK Vehicle Production

December vehicle production figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT) show a sharp drop in UK production of both passenger and commercial vehicles. During the month a total of 58,823 passenger cars were produced in the UK, a 47.5 per cent decrease on the previous year’s December production. Just 6,290 commercial vehicles were manufactured in the UK during December, representing a drop of 56.7 per cent.

23rd January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Rubber Lowers Sales and Earnings Projections

Yokohama Rubber has downwardly revised its sales and earnings projections for the fiscal year to March 31, 2009. Company management now projects consolidated net sales of 523.0 billion yen (£4.2 billion), down 5.2 per cent from the previous fiscal year; consolidated operating income of 14.0 billion yen (£113 million), down 57.7 per cent; and a consolidated net loss of 7.0 billion yen (£56.5 million), down from a consolidated net profit of 21.1 billion yen in the previous fiscal year. The revised projection for net sales is 6.1 per cent lower than the projection Yokohama announced on November 12, 2008; the projection for operating income 46.2 per cent lower; and the projection for net income 16.5 billion yen (£133.2 million) lower. Management is reconsidering the year-end dividend of 7 yen that it had planned to recommend.

22nd January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Redundancy Period Continues for Outsourced Michelin Workers

While the 240 Michelin North America employees temporarily laid off from the company’s Ardmore, Oklahoma factory have returned to their jobs, a further 110 workers, employed by a manufacturing outsourcing company, will not be returning to the Michelin factory any time soon.

19th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Reduced Production Continues at Goodyear’s Luxembourg Factory

The shorter working week implemented at Goodyear’s truck tyre factory in Luxembourg is being extended beyond the time originally specified. Between February and April production will only take place four days a week, commented a company spokesman.

14th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors