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Bringing OEM Standards into the Workshop

Bus and Commercial vehicle maintenance facilities around the country are facing increased demand to follow the manufacturers’ recommended specifications on a wide range of bus and chassis components and sub systems. In response to a number of potentially catastrophic events, proper wheel tightening has become a critical procedure. Thanks to Chicago Pneumatic and its BlueTork range of tools – the name comes from ‘Blueprint’ and ‘Torque’ – workshops can now service vehicles back to their original, blueprint torque specification.

According to the company, the BlueTork range is the most advanced family of fastening tools in the industry and takes over where standard impacts and ratchets stop. The range offers torque-limiting (shut-off) impact tools, vibration-free, low-noise pneumatic and electric nut runners as well as wheel assembly machines. It also includes torque and angle measuring equipment, computer controlled tightening wrenches and precision measuring tools.

18th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Double Coin Tyres ‘Have Plenty More Potential’

In the last year, Kirkby Tyres & Wheels has experienced a near 20 per cent increase in truck tyre sales. Speaking to managing director, Dave Dorrity, Tyres & Accessories learnt that the company’s Chinese-produced Double Coin truck products are at the forefront of company growth, with fleet deals, OE business and increased tyre and wheel assembly business all either underway or on the horizon.

In fact business is going so well that Kirkby recently took the step of extending its own office in China, with an extra two mother tongue Chinese speaking employees committed to securing continuous stock levels and obtaining new product lines. Currently the company brings in six containers a day (across all product lines), with business growth reported in every sector.

While the majority of Kirkby’s truck tyre sales are in the replacement market, the company is also involved in various OE and fleet operations. These centre on Kirkby’s growing tyre and wheel assembly business which sees the company supply complete tyre/wheel packages to various trailer-makers. “The OE side of the business has really been customer led,” Dave Dorrity explained.

20th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

OEM Wheel Maker Names New President

Asahi Tec, manufacturer or OEM aluminium wheels and other automotive parts and systems, has appointed a new president and co-CEO. Hideo Ishii takes on these roles, as well as that of director and representative executive officer, following the company’s general shareholders meeting on June 28.

Mr. Ishii will be responsible for Asahi Tec’s Metal Forming Group and Diversified Business Group, and will act as co-CEO alongside Timothy D. Leuliette, who also serves as co-chairman of the company with Shoichiro Irimajiri. Mr. Irimajiri had been serving as president, co-CEO and representative executive officer, and is resigning from these posts to focus on the role of director and co-chairman of the company.

“Asahi Tec’s goal is to create a strong, globally competitive company that understands and supports global markets, cultures and customers to deliver leading-edge products worldwide,” said Irimajiri. “In his role as president and co-CEO, Hideo Ishii will play a key role in developing and executing the initiatives and strategies that will help realise that goal.”

26th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Update: Kumho to Supply Mercedes Benz

Kumho Tires has announced that it has been selected by DaimlerChrysler AG to supply tyres for the second generation of the Mercedes Benz A-Class model. Kumho will supply its Solus KH15 in size 185/65R15 for the new hatchback which is manufactured at DaimlerChrysler’s Rastatt plant in South West Germany.

16th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

1012 bhp Bristol Fighter-T Runs on Michelin Tyres

International News, Product News, UK News

Kensington-based luxury carmaker, Bristol, has announced that it has produced a record braking variation of its Bristol Fighter model. Seen as something of a Bugati (Veyron) beater, the Fighter T’s twin turbocharged and intercooled 8-litre V10 engine is capable of producing 1012 bhp and a top speed of 270 mph, which has been electronically limited to 225 mph.

13th November 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Adds to OTR Sales Team

(Akron/Tire Review) US-based Yokohama Tire Corp. has hired former Bridgestone/Firestone executive Michael Baggett as its eastern region OTR sales manager, and promoted Tim Easter to national OTR fleet and OEM manager. According to Gary Nash, Yokohama’s director of OTR sales, Baggett will be responsible for OTR sales across states along the Atlantic Ocean, spanning from Florida to Maine, and Easter will focus on national account and OE business. Previously, Baggett also served as senior vice president for Cobre Tire and as national OTR director for Michelin’s Tire Centers Inc. unit.

4th October 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Achieves Profit Growth Through Price Rises

Michelin has reported an operating income of 1,368 million euros for 2005, up 5.1 per cent on a year earlier. According to Financial Times Deutschland, this is well above financial analysts’ estimates and reflects the higher prices that Michelin has been able to achieve, more than compensating for raw material cost increases.

17th February 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Bullish About 2006

While Continental remains bullish about its prospects in 2006, some analysts are questioning how long the company’s strong run of results can last. Needless to say, the Deutsche Bank market watchers are not complaining about the German business’ financial strength. As one report says “Continental’s CFO was bullish 12 months ago. And he was right.” As far as they are concerned its more a question of “how long can the company continue to grow at this pace?” rather than “when will the bubble burst?”

9th December 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Daum Named Carefree OEM Sales Manager

(Akron/Tire Review) Arnco has appointed Chris Daum to the new position of OEM sales manager for its Carefree Tires business. Daum joins Arnco after serving two years as OEM sales manager for Sommer Metalcraft Corp. He previously worked for Hoosier Stamping & Wheel Manufacturing Inc, joining the firm as plant supervisor and leaving as vice president of sales.

12th September 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Gains OE Strength

Continental has strengthened its position as one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of original equipment tyres for passenger cars, claiming that one in four new cars leave the factory on Continental rubber. The international vehicle industry supplier can now boast a market share of 26 per cent.

The company ranks number four worldwide in the tyre business with vehicle manufacturers, says Conti, holding a 20 per cent market share in the NAFTA countries alone. In 2004 the manufacturer boosted volume sales to the global automobile industry by 12 per cent, and posted another five per cent gain in the first six months of 2005.

25th August 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Gains Saturn OE Spot

(Akron/Tire Review) Hankook Tire Corp. has earned an optional equipment position on the 2006 Saturn Ion. The South Korea tyre manufacturer will supply Hankook H725A tyres in size P205/55R16H to GM for the vehicle. Hankook CEO Choong-hwan Cho said the new OE contract “has not only brought recognition of Hankook Tire’s technology within the advanced auto market, but will also result in a significant boost to exports and overseas brand recognition.”

The new deal with GM pushes Hankook’s non-domestic OE business past $100 million annually, the company said. Hankook currently supplies tyres to Ford, Volkswagen, Renault, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi, among others. Hankook’s overseas OE business will rise to 10 per cent of its total exports, the company said.

16th August 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Wheel Manufacturing in the UK

International News, News, Product News, UK News

It would be something of an understatement to say that high raw material costs, the weak dollar and unprecedented competition from the Far East is affecting UK alloy wheel manufacturing. But, in the cases of the selection of companies that Tyres & Accessories spoke to, it is more a question of ingenuity triumphing over adversity. So, in the face of such pressing circumstances, how are UK manufacturers holding firm? Work smarter, not necessarily harder, they say.

25th April 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Appoints New Vice President

Bridgestone Europe (BSEU) has promoted Gunter Unterhauser to the position of vice president, sales and marketing. In his new position Mr Unterhauser will be responsible for pan-European aftermarket sales, while maintaining responsibility for the German market. Minekazu Fujimura, BSEU chairman, CEO and president, will continue to be responsible for the company’s OE business. Mr Unterhauser was previously managing director of Bridgeston Firestone Germany.

9th December 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Supply World’s Largest Pickup

International News, Product News

Goodyear is to supply tyres for the new International pickup truck. At nine feet tall, the new vehicle will be two feet taller than the Ford F-350 or Humvee.

The International CXT, Commercial Extreme Truck, will be the world’s largest production pickup truck, according to the company. Every large vehicle needs large tyres in this case 22.5 inch tyres. Chuck Yurkovich, general manager of Goodyear original equipment commercial, said the tyres will provide some “serious traction.” The 14 ply tyres will have to support the seven-ton pickup as well as the six tons of payload it can carry. In the front the truck will use Unisteel G159A radial tyres and G167A high-mileage drive axle tyres in the rear.

15th September 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Maxxis Joins General Motors as OEM Supplier

International News, News

Following year-long negotiations Maxxis International has won an OE contract to supply General Motors. A new multi-year contract specifies that Maxxis will supply its brand of light truck tyre, LT225/75R16, to a General Motors ‘vehicle programme’ in the third quarter of 2006.

6th August 2004/by Tyrepress Editors