The organiser of the Dubai International Motor Show has announced the signing on as Continental Tyres as “official tyre” for this November’s show. This is the first time the Middle East’s largest motoring event has had an official tyre sponsor.
Yokohama Tire Corporation’s sponsorship contract with three high-profile American football teams has been renewed for a further year. The 2011 season is now getting underway and the tyre maker is back as sponsor to the National Football League’s (NFL) Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens. To kick off its return for the new season, Yokohama is holding a “Home Team Pride” programme between September 26 and November 6. During this time consumers can receive a free official replica Cowboys, Broncos or Raven jersey with the purchase of four Yokohama tyres from participating local dealers.
Production at Michelin’s new factory in Chennai, India should be underway by November 2012. B Kumar, national sales manager for Michelin India’s truck and bus division, confirmed this date to the Press Trust of India, adding the tyre maker has already employed some 500 plant workers and “plans to hire more soon.” According to PTI, a workforce of around 1,500 is planned for the facility’s initial phase.
Prices for Continental’s passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres in the US are scheduled to increase by up to 8.5 per cent on November 1. Continental Tire The Americas says this price rise, which applies to its Continental, General and proprietary brand tyres, is being implemented as “a response to the continuing rise in raw material cost.” Exact price increases will vary according to product line and size, and Continental adds that some in-line adjustments will occur.
Several reports of inner tube failure during cold weather operations have prompted the Federal Aviation Administration in the US to issue a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin warning of possible failures involving butyl rubber inner tubes manufactured by Goodyear Aviation Tires. The bulletin has been issued as a recommendation and the FAA states that at present the inner tube failure in question does not constitute a safety issue that would warrant airworthiness directive action.
The plant manager of Michelin’s Homburg truck tyre factory in Germany is to take on responsibility for all 18 of the manufacturer’s European truck tyre plants; as of November, Jürgen John will transfer to the French manufacturer’s head office in Clermont-Ferrand to assume this new role.
On July 13 the General Court of the European Union reduced the fines imposed on a number of companies involved in a synthetic rubber price fixing cartel. The 13 companies participating in the butadiene rubber and emulsion styrene butadiene rubber (substances primarily used in tyre production) cartel between 1996 and 2002 were given fines totalling more than 519 million euros by the European Commission in November 2006. The companies appealed this decision; all, excepting Shell group companies, succeeded in gaining an annulment or reduction in their fines from Europe’s second highest court.
Nexen Tire has become the first South Korean tyre manufacturer to be issued with an AEO (Authorized Economic Operator) certificate by the Korea Customs Service. AEO certification, the tyre maker explained, allows for faster and more secure customs checks. This document complements the FTA certificate, which documents the place of origin of exported products, received last November. “Through the two certificates Nexen anticipates increasing its export competiveness as the simplified customs procedure will save both time and money,” commented Nexen Tire Europe.”
More than a third of the world’s natural rubber supplies go to meeting demand in China, so it is perhaps fitting that the fourth annual Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) conference is being held there. The one-day conference will take place on November 2 in Haikou City, Hainan Province and will be co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and the China Natural Rubber Association.
Ben Butlin has joined research firm JATO Dynamics as global research director. Prior to JATO, Butlin’s career included 17 years at Ford where he began as a professional mechanical engineer. His role developed into overseeing quality, product planning and project management with international assignments in Belgium, USA and Japan. His most recent role at Ford was global CV product planning manager where he was responsible for the alignment of LCV product planning across all regions.
Dunlop India has reversed a previous decision to lay off more than 900 workers at its Sahagunj facility. Company management initially took the decision on April 2 and it immediately drew flak from trade union and state government representatives. Three days later Pawan K Ruia, chairman of parent company the Ruia Group, advised management to reopen the plant.
HiQ has announced the winner of its free fuel promotion, designed as an incentive to fill in customer satisfaction surveys. The network says the “Mirror Hanger” campaign – so called because the surveys are left on the rear-view mirrors of customers’ vehicles – should help improve customer service levels across its 150 UK centres. It awarded Kevin Whittle, of Deeside £1,500 worth of free fuel, having completed a survey at his nearby HiQ Queensferry centre before Christmas.
Congratulations are in order for Serbian player Novak Djokovic, yet Maxxis International comments that a win for Britain’s Andy Murray would have been the icing on the cake for the tyre maker following a successful Australian Open. The tyre maker is an Official Sponsor of what has been dubbed ‘Australia’s greatest global sporting event’, and as part of a two-year deal will continue in this role during the 2012 tournament. The deal, signed last November, entitles Maxxis to courtside branding in the Rod Laver Arena and to use the Australian Open logo in its marketing materials and promotional activities.
Trelleborg has announced that its acquisition of Lydney-based Watts Tyre Group was officially finalised on 4 February 2011. Watts has annual sales of approximately equivalent 300 million Swedish krone and about 210 employees. According to the company, the acquisition “strengthens Trelleborg’s world-leading position in industrial tyres, through geographic expansion and an increased presence in the aftermarket.” The operation will be integrated into Trelleborg Wheel Systems business area.
Formula One’s teams have got their hands on the latest specification Pirelli PZero tyre in Valencia today, where the 2011 cars have seen their first action. Arriving on 31 January ahead of testing from 1-3 February, Paul Hembery Pirelli’s motorsport director stated: “We arrive in Valencia with all our compounds defined and ready to offer the teams different tyre solutions, having enjoyed an intense and fruitful collaboration so far. This test will provide us with some useful feedback and a valuable taste of the season to come.”
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