Titan Wheel Corporation has introduced its Accelerated Change Technology (ACT) wheel, a design it says allows a service technician to change or rotate the rear tyres on a mine haul truck in a fraction of the time. The system, the manufacturer adds, also enhances safety, reduces service technician fatigue and increases profitability by reducing tyre maintenance downtime.
Leading exhaust and catalytic converter distributor CES (UK) Ltd kicked off 2010 with the opening of its 17th branch in Cannock, Staffordshire. According to the company, CES “raised subzero temperatures with a warming welcome to our Cannock customers” at the branch opening on 2 January 2010. The new 10,000 square foot space is said to be “packed with our renowned car parts”.
Goodyear has announced plans to close its Taoyuan factory near Taipei, Taiwan. The passenger car tyre plant will cease operations on July 31, 2010, a decision the tyre maker says it made in line with its global strategy of transferring production to lower-cost countries. Despite the ending of production, Goodyear states its commitment to Taiwan “remains unchanged”.
Every year PACCAR Inc., the parent company of truck manufacturer DAF, acknowledges suppliers meeting specific quality requirements with a “PACCAR 50PPM Quality Achievement Award”. The ‘50PPM’ refers to 50 parts per million, the maximum proportion of non-conforming parts PACCAR allows for from its suppliers, and Bridgestone has received a 50PPM Quality Achievement Award for its performance as a tyre supplier in Europe during 2009. This is the first time Bridgestone has received such an award from DAF’s parent company.
Representatives of Euro Car Parts, a leading British aftermarket distributor, have rebutted reports over the weekend that the business is up for sale. According to reports posted on thisismoney.co.uk, the founder of Euro Car Parts, Sukhpal Singh had appointed adviser Robert W Baird to conclude a sale could see him receive “more than £200 million” from a total price of up to £250 million. This report pointed out that Sukhpal Singh started the company with £5,000 in an outlet in north London and has recently seen profits triple to £17 million compared with £6.6 million the year before on sales that increased from £145.1 million to £186.9 million.
However, the company’s press representatives said the report’s conclusions “couldn’t be further from the truth” and even questioned the above sales and profit figures. They confirmed that the company has “definitely not been put up for sale and is currently experiencing record trading.” On the subject of Robert W Baird’s involvement the added: “Robert W Baird is an investment company, which has been working with Euro Car Parts for almost 18 months now, exploring ways of expanding the business organically.”
Leading aftermarket parts supplier, Euro Car Parts (ECP), has reported that it stocks “the largest range of Cats and front pipes with over 500 front pipes and over 1,500 Cats from in the React Brand. According to the company, Euro Car Parts works closely with React to offer a direct technical help line and dedicated React account managers are also “on hand for assistance to both ECP branches and customers.” An additional Express Pattern service is also offered on vehicles that are registered before 1March 2001 at what are said to be extremely competitive prices.
Two years after the company launched its flagship range of off-road orientated retreads, Devon-based Bandvulc is highlighting the recent rapid growth of its range of “BIG” tyres in a bid replicate the success of its larger than life products.
According to the company, Bandvulc’s BIG range is manufactured in all of the key sizes for this specialist market. The range features extra deep tread, sidewall protection and a compound especially suited to reduce penetrations and punctures. All this, say company representatives, combines to provide a robust, long lasting product in what is normally a high usage environment. The result? Despite difficult recessionary times, sales of the BIG range continued to expand in 2009 achieving an increase of over 50 per cent.
Michelin and wheel manufacturers Hayes Lemmerz and Ronal are three of 13 new companies the Ford Motor Company has added to its Aligned Business Framework (ABF). The presence of the tyre and wheel manufacturers within Ford’s ABF brings the number of key component and service suppliers Ford has chosen for long-term relationships and closer collaboration to 90.
A new commercial vehicle dealer programme with Isuzu Commercial Vehicle Truck of America gives Yokohama Tire access to Isuzu truck dealerships across the US. Yokohama will supply its full range of commercial vehicle tyres through participating dealers and provide point of sale information for on-site display.
Toyo Tire & Rubber states its Board of Directors has approved the company’s decision to waive a US$35.8 million inter-company debt owed by Toyo Automotive Parts. By writing-off this debt, Toyo says it seeks to enable this wholly-owned North American automotive parts manufacturing subsidiary to proceed with the restructuring of its business operations.
Dexel Tyres has been appointed as a partner in Continental Tyres’ national dealer network, ContiNetwork. Director Glyn Cainey says that he is delighted to be representing Continental Tyres in the area: “Continental is a highly regarded brand with excellent products at competitive prices which are becoming increasingly in demand from discerning operators keen to cut their annual tyre bill. When these high mileage tyres are managed using the ContiLifecycle five-stage process, costs can be cut by as much as 25 per cent over the lifetime of a tyre.”
Vehicle production in China is said to have exceeded an estimated 13.5 million units last year, with 2010 production expected to grow to around 14 million units. Alongside this growth, demand for tyres in this market has also risen sharply, and during the course of the coming year China is anticipated to surpass the US as the world’s largest tyre market. In a “strategic response” to moves by global tyre makers to enter the Chinese market, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has taken the decision to manufacture tyre production machinery there through its wholly owned Changshu Ryoju Machinery Co., Ltd subsidiary. The Jiangsu Province based operation is now in the final stages of readying its plant, and this preparation should be complete by the end of February in time for a March commencement of production.
After owners of troubled Kumho Asiana Group rejected a demand by creditors that they offer their stockholdings and assets as collateral for fresh loans, creditors have said all restructuring steps would be put on hold, with some floating the idea that key parts of the group would be put under court receivership, reported the Korea Times.
When Tyres & Accessories was invited to attend TIF’s Electronic Data Interchange Wheel (EDIWheel for short) seminar in December, the magazine was pleased to attend and report on the discussions that took place for the benefit of the wider tyre industry. Following our report in the January issue of the magazine, it appears that our coverage has been something of a catalyst to the discussion of this issue within the various parts of the industry.
Hofmann, a brand within Snap-on Equipment, has introduced a new design for the geodyna ‘off-the-vehicle’ 980L and 4800L truck, bus and coach wheel balancers. Both machines now feature a reinforced cabinet, which is, Hofmann claims, stronger yet 30 per cent lighter than before. Other enhancements include a redesigned wheel guard support that enables the guard to be handled more smoothly and conveniently.
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