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‘Awesome Foursome’ Celebrate Training Success

Technicians at a First Stop dealership in Cornwall have earned a new nickname – the ‘awesome foursome’ – after their noteworthy performance on a tough training course. The quartet, from the St Austell and Bodmin branches of Steve Andrews Tyres, have each attained the Institute of Motor Industry (IMI) Level 4 Certificate in Management in partnership with Bridgestone UK. More than 30 people took the course, but the four men, plus just one other person, were the only ones to pass.

Thus, as well as being dab hands at carrying out a comprehensive range of repairs, the technicians have shown themselves to be equally adept at running the show behind the scenes as qualified managers. “The fact only five people passed the IMI certificate tells you what a demanding course it was, so to have all four of our guys amongst the successful candidates is quite an achievement,” said boss Steve Andrews. “The guys have proved themselves excellent ambassadors for the business, and the additional skills they have gained in completing the course will strengthen the team as we take things forward.”

17th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama HPT Partners With MK Dons Football Team

The UK distributor for Yokohama tyres and TSW, MAK plus a range of marque-specific replacement alloy wheels, Yokohama HPT Ltd, has become a partner to the Milton Keynes-based football team, the MK Dons. The partnership will see Yokohama logos displayed at the MK Dons’ brand new 31,000-seat stadium in Milton Keynes and will allow Yokohama HPT to support the team from its own box at the stadium during home games.

The MK Dons are eagerly anticipating the start of the new football season this weekend and with it, the commissioning of the brand-new multi-million pound StadiumMK. Situated within strolling distance of the Yokohama HPT offices, thus the relationship between the team and the company is a logical one, and reflects Yokohama HPT’s commitment to the local community.

The MK Dons are currently situated in the Second Division but a series of high-profile additions to the team structure over the winter have strengthened its chances of gaining promotion this season. The former Manchester United and Liverpool player and England captain, Paul Ince, has joined as Manager and brings with him a wealth of experience of top level football, both in the UK and abroad.

13th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Automechanika Shanghai – December 2007

Automechanika Shanghai has gained a reputation as one of China’s most valuable professional forums for the automotive parts, components and aftermarket industry. The Automechanika show to take place in China’s largest city is scheduled for 5 – 7 December and will house a complete range of products for the automotive original equipment and aftermarket, including parts and systems, accessories and tuning, repair and maintenance, and service station and car wash. Over 700 exhibitors have already confirmed their attendance, necessitating a doubling of the size of the fair to over 46,000sqm.

When Automechanika Shanghai was last held, in December 2006, more than 12,000 visitors from 97 countries & regions attended, 38 per cent more than attended the previous show in 2004. An onsite survey revealed that around 90 per cent of visitors were people involved in purchasing decisions for their company. Of this figure 25 per cent were attendees from overseas.

10th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Chosen as ‘Technical Partner’ For Eibach Springs UK

Toyo Tyre UK has announced that the company has been chosen as an official ‘Technical Partner’ of Eibach UK, the leading suspension manufacturer. Eibach are well known in the Tuning, OE and Motorsports markets as brand leaders and are in the enviable position of being approved suppliers to many of the World’s leading automotive brands.

Having assessed and tested many other leading tyre brands, Eibach UK chose Toyo for it’s “superior balance, performance and predictability on the limit,” according to a company statement.

With immediate effect, the deal will see all Eibach UK demo and project cars rolling on a range of Toyo products including the Proxes T1-R and Proxes R888. Naturally, many Toyo project and staff cars will also run a range of Eibach products to improve their handling and appearance.

8th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Carlyle Group Closes Purchase of Goodyear Division

On 1 August global private equity firm The Carlyle Group announced it has closed its purchase of Goodyear’s Engineered Products Division. The transaction, valued at US$1.475 billion, was announced on March 23, 2007. Through a long-term license agreement, products will continue to carry the “Goodyear” brand, while the legal name of the company has been changed to “Veyance Technologies, Inc.”

Veyance Chief Executive Officer Timothy R. Toppen said, “We are excited about this new chapter in our history and we look forward to a strong and fruitful partnership with The Carlyle Group.”

Toppen said customers will continue to see the Goodyear Engineered Products brand they have known since 1898. “In addition, we have adopted a new corporate name – Veyance Technologies, Inc. It combines two critical components of our daily operations. Our products convey materials, fluids or power from one location to another and are designed to optimise performance for customers and end users.

2nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

ArvinMeritor and Chery Form China Joint Venture

(Akron/Tire Review) ArvinMeritor and Chinese carmaker Chery have entered into a joint venture partnership to design and manufacture chassis systems and components. The new joint venture, ArvinMeritor Chassis Systems Wuhu Co., will become a $150-million full-systems chassis supplier by 2010. Production of shocks and struts will begin as early as 2008.

According to Rakesh Sachdev, president of ArvinMeritor’s Asia Pacific operation, the new chassis systems joint venture plant in Wuhu will be one of several China-based facilities ArvinMeritor will add to its network over the next 18 months in support of new business with customers in the region.

“ArvinMeritor’s alliance with Chery is a great example of the company attaining strategic growth from three key focus areas; increasing business with Asian customers, expanding in emerging markets and growing our light vehicle chassis business,” said Phil Martens, president of ArvinMeritor’s Light Vehicle Systems business group. “This new business, which is quickly ramping up, comes on the heels of several other new Chery contracts with ArvinMeritor for its door systems technologies.”

27th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

A ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Opportunity

Having just been given the nod to proceed with the largest acquisition in its 136 year history, Continental AG is set to become one of the top five worldwide automotive suppliers. Following the July 25 granting of consent from the supervisory boards of both Continental and Siemens, the 11.4 billion euro purchase of the latter’s VDO Automotive division was approved subject to permission from antitrust authorities.

Based on 2006 figures, the combined annual sales of Continental and Siemens VDO Automotive AG will reach around 25 billion euros, and the resulting company will boast a global workforce of close to 140,000 employees. “Together Continental and Siemens VDO Automotive AG, two companies rich in tradition and endowed with an enormous performance capability, have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to forge a global frontrunner in the automotive supplier sector,” said Continental Executive Board chairman Manfred Wennemer. “By joining forces, pooling our innovative prowess and allying our leading positions worldwide in key market segments like safety, chassis, powertrain systems and telematics/infotainment, we are extremely well placed to take on the global competition and to profit from all mega-trends in our branch of industry.

27th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Ryder Awards Bridgestone UK & Truck Point network 3 year Contract

Ryder has awarded Bridgestone UK and its Truck Point network partners a new three-year contract. Under the arrangement, Bridgestone UK will supply new replacement and original equipment tyres, Qualitread retread truck tyres and tyre services though its national Truck Point service network.

Greg Ward, Bridgestone UK Commercial Director, said: “We are delighted that Ryder have awarded Bridgestone and Truck Point a new three year contract. We have been in partnership for over ten years and the new contract extends this even further. We share the same beliefs and hold the same values, the new contract is a great vote of confidence in our products and services.”

24th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Enviro-mentality Central to Kwik-Fit Winning Grosvenor Leasing Deal

A significant environmental focus contributed to Kwik-Fit Fleet winning a new contract to supply a range of fast-fit services to Grosvenor Contracts Leasing. The new preferred supplier agreement builds on a business partnership between the two organisations stretching back almost 25 years and will run until December 31, 2008. Kettering-based Grosvenor Contracts Leasing is the UK’s largest independent contract hire and fleet management provider with 8,500 cars and light commercials on its books. The company has recently achieved ISO14001 accreditation – the international environmental management standard.

16th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Keeping Swimmers Safe with Goodyear

Motorists who buy Goodyear tyres will be helping to keep the Royal National Lifeboat Institute’s (RNLI) fundraising efforts afloat. Goodyear has joined forces with the prominent UK safety charity to help fund the RNLI’s vital lifesaving training, and every purchase of a set of Goodyear HydraGrip rain tyres – a product that independent tests have shown can reduce stopping distances in wet conditions – will see a donation of £2 go to the RNLI’s innovative training programme.

Goodyear brand manager Ben Crawley is delighted to be supporting the cause. “The RNLI is a fantastic example of an organisation with an innovative approach to safety and we are working with the charity to help fund and highlight its state-of-the-art training programme to ensure that volunteers get the best possible support…….we will also be looking to support the charity in many other ways.”

13th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Portuguese Retreader Invests in New Buffers and Builders

Portuguese retreader, Recauchutagem São Mamede, recently invested in new equipment including a buffing machine and tyre builder. “With this new equipment we have increased our productivity and quality to attend the needs of the competitive European market” said company owner Jorge Pereira. “Our clients are really satisfied with Vipal products and we wish to continue growing with the partnership,” Mr Eugenio Pereira added.

São Mamede was founded in 1998, located in Guimarães, North of Portugal, and has grown successfully since then by supplying high quality retreads to the market. Owned by the Pereira Family; each part of the company is co-ordinated by a family member. Mr. Joao Pereira; comments that “the company is well established and managed because of the commitment to quality from all employees.”

12th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Energy Saver OE for New Peugeot

When the all-new Peugeot 308 begins to arrive at dealerships it will most likely be wearing tyres from Michelin’s new Energy Saver range. Energy Saver tyres will be fitted to versions of the Peugeot 308 1.6 HDi 66 & 80 kW (90 & 110 hp) sold in Europe and equipped with 15 or 16-inch wheels. The French tyremaker has for some time worked with Peugeot in developing innovations for the new model, a partnership Michelin believes has made a significant contribution to the car’s energy balance.

The Energy Saver, according to tests conducted this year by TÜV SÜD Automotive on 195/65R15 size tyres, has a rolling resistance of 20 per cent, reducing the amount of energy required for traction. As the test results bear out, the Michelin tyre thus delivers above market average fuel efficiency. Results showed savings of almost 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres in combined cycle driving, providing for CO2 emission reductions of close to 4 grams per kilometre. Over the average life of a vehicle this represents about one tonne of CO2 not released into the atmosphere – Michelin claim this is the same amount absorbed by 40 trees in a year.

10th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo International Gains WEF Membership

Apollo Group export company Apollo International Ltd. (AIL), sister company to Apollo Tyres, has been inducted into the World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies. AIL was selected after meeting the World Economic Forum’s stringent parameters and the company has stated its initial involvement will be participation in the inaugural annual meeting of the ‘New Champions’ to be held in China’s Dalian from 6 to 8 September.

“We feel privileged to have been identified as a Global Growth Company by the World Economic Forum,” said AIL managing director Raaja Kanwar. “The Forum will provide us with the platform for interaction and collaboration with other members companies and sharing of ideas of business opportunities. This will also help us in furthering our vision of nurturing entrepreneurs through partnership.”

Apollo International exports tyres through its Tyre Tech Global division, which is also the technology transfer of tyre manufacturing capabilities to other countries. Tyre Tech Global is headquartered in Gurgaon, India and has offices in Hong Kong, China (Qingdao), Dubai and Canada.

6th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

GKN Wheels Partners With John Deere

Off-highway wheel producer, GKN wheels, which makes 350,000 wheels a year at its Telford plant, has become the only wheel maker to be awarded partnership status with agricultural products maker, John Deere. According to a The Manufacturer report, the relationship between the two companies spans 12 years.

21st June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Celebrates 10th Consecutive Le Mans Victory

The 75th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been dominated by Audi Sport and Michelin, with the pair storming to victory in the Sarthe, the 10th such straight win for the French tyremaker. And Michelin also proved up to the task in other categories.

In the LMP2 category, Michelin vehicles finished second with Team Barazi Epsilon-Michelin (A.Fernandez/H.Kurosawa/R.Kerr), and first place was secured in GT1 with the victory of Aston Martin Racing-Michelin (D.Brabham/ R.Rydell/ D.Turner) – Michelin shod vehicles also took out the next four top spots. In GT2 Team Imsa Performance-Michelin (R.Narac / R.Lietz / P.Long) who proved victorious over Risi Competizione – Michelin. Michelin also took the 3 first places of the general results 24 Hours of Le Mans, continuing a winning streak that started back in 1998.

18th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors