PERSONNEL
Tire Group International has hired Bill Hirst its new vice-president of program sales for its domestic division. Hirst, who has been in the tyre industry for more than 33 years, has a background in the passenger, light truck, truck, industrial, agricultural and OTR tyre segments. He most recently served as executive vice president of sales at TBC Corp. Prior to that position, Hirst was vice-president of sales and marketing for Treadways Corp.
Guglielmo Fiocchi has left Pirelli for another Italian automotive supplier, Sogefi SpA, which has appointed him as general manager of the company. Fiocchi, who is 49, graduated in aeronautical engineering from the Milan Politecnico and brings long term experience in the automotive component sector.
Following news of his departure from South Korean manufacturer Kumho yesterday, Falken has appointed Matt Smith to lead its activities in the UK and Ireland. Smith brings with him over 15 years’ experience working in the UK tyre industry. Smith is tasked with building sales of Falken’s fresh tyre range that includes five new launches since the start of the year.
Kumho Tyre UK is set to appoint a new sales director for the UK and Ireland, following the departure of Matt Smith. According to the company, members of senior management team will take over his responsibilities until a successor is in place.
Benoit Raulin has taken on responsibility for Bridgestone Europe’s French and Benelux markets after his appointment as managing director of the company’s Western region. He succeeds Eric Gaétan in the role following the latter’s appointment as managing director of Bridgestone Europe’s Consumer business unit in Brussels.
The inaugural plant manager of Continental’s still under construction Sumter plant in the US has been named. South African Craig Baartman, a 18-year Conti veteran, will be responsible for the factory’s overall leadership of the facility which, according to Continental Tire the Americas’ CEO Jochen Etzel, is scheduled to open in late 2013.
On 31 August, Roger Stansbie, currently director of truck tyre technologies for Continental Tire the Americas’ Commercial Vehicle Tire business unit, will retire. Stansbie intends to return to the UK following his retirement and will be succeeded in his US-based role by Czech Republic national Libor Heger, who has been employed by Continental AG and its associated companies for the last 13 years.
With more than 400 tyre testing systems delivered in the last decade or so, SDS Systemtechnik has become closely associated with non-destructive tyre testing. While new testing technologies are being developed and try to establish themselves on the market, according to the company, shearography has proven to be something of a gold standard in the retreading and the new tyre industries.
Wheel alignment specialist Pro-Align says it is enjoying one of its most successful years ever, and to accommodate this it is expanding its administration and sales departments. Five new employees have joined the team at Pro-Align’s Towcester head-office which serves as a hub for its UK operations. They are; aftersales administrator Sophie Yeates, sales administrator Claire Simpson, accounts assistant Beverley Shepherd, marketing assistant Alastair King, while regional sales support is boosted by Stacey Hawkes.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe Ltd. has appointed Jeff Schumaker as sales and marketing director. Schumaker will be based in Melksham, UK, and will report to Cooper Tire Europe vice president and general manager Julian Baldwin.
GiTi Tire has appointed Gillian MacRae as finance controller – Europe. The company says that the McRae’s appointment will strengthen its management team. She will be responsible for the planning, monitoring and management of company business plans, with an initial focus on UK and German markets, across all four main brands: GT Radial, Primewell, Runway and Dextero.
SD International used the platform of Reifen 2012 to launch its new winter patterns in both its Pace and Zeta brands, along with the European introduction of the company's PCR range in the Briland brand. The company also communicated with customers about tyre labelling.
Continental has appointed ex-Bridgestone Europe communications vice-president Des Collins head of its new Liaison Office for Public Affairs in Brussels, Belgium. This new office in the European Union’s political capital opened on 1 August, and Collins takes responsibility for representing the legislative and regulatory interests of both Continental’s Rubber and Automotive Groups.
Continental has announced the appointment earlier this year of Thomas Recke to the newly-created position of communications manager for global media relations and internal communications within the company’s Commercial Vehicle Tires business unit. In this role, Recke takes responsibility for issues monitoring and political communications for the business unit; he reports to Dr. Christiane Pfeiffer, who is in charge of global communications for Commercial Vehicle Tires.
Roderick A. Palmore, executive vice president, general counsel, chief compliance and risk management officer, and secretary for food multinational General Mills, Inc., has been elected to Goodyear Tire & Rubber’s Board of Directors.
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