personnel Archives - Page 65 of 93 - Tyrepress

PERSONNEL

Posts

Peter McMartin 1932 – 2011

With great sadness Maxxis International (UK) PLC has announced the loss of Peter McMartin the company’s founder and chairman. Peter McMartin passed away peacefully with family at his side, late in the evening of Monday 14 February, following a short battle with cancer.

Born in Falkirk, in 1932, Peter McMartin’s entrepreneurial career took off in the early 1970s when he began importing car and motorcycle parts from Japan. He then went on to focus exclusively on motorcycle parts before merging his company with distributor Bickers Anglia (Accessories) Limited in 1986. In 1998 Peter successfully completed the purchase of the company and went on to develop the business with the support of his directors and committed, loyal workforce. The company converted into PLC status for a short time before a new joint venture company was formed in March 2005, Maxxis International UK plc. Maxxis still uses the Bickers name to continue trading in the motorcycle industry, while using the Maxxis brand to trade in the automotive tyre sector. Peter had remained active as chairman until just a few weeks prior to his death, always maintaining a positive hands-on approach to the company he loved.

17th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Rubber announces senior management promotions

On 14 February 2011, the board of directors of Yokohama Rubber decided the following management changes in board membership and corporate officers, which take effective on 1 April 2011. The changes include the promotion of Hikomitsu Noji to director and senior managing corporate officer, president of Tire Group. He is currently director and managing corporate officer, president of the Tire Group, general manager of Tire Global Production Division.

16th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Valeo appoints former Michelin press director de Brebisson

Fabienne de Brebisson, press relations director for the Michelin group since 2001, has taken on a new position with automotive components and systems manufacturer Valeo. Upon announcing de Brebisson’s appointment as corporate communications vice-president, Valeo group CEO Jacques Aschenbroich declared "I am pleased to welcome Fabienne de Brebisson to Valeo. Her rich professional experience and her knowledge of communications within major corporations will enable her to develop an ambitious communications project aimed at reinforcing Valeo's image both internally and externally, in line with the Group's strategy.”

14th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti sensor helps EV users avoid a shocking experience

Many batteries in electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles generate some 400 volts, almost twice the voltage employed in standard domestic plug sockets and enough to give a potentially fatal jolt. Vehicle occupants risk exposure to this electric charge in the event of an accident, and US legislators have already stipulated that vehicle power supply voltage must drop to below 60 volts within five seconds of an accident occurring. No comparable laws yet exist in European markets, yet Germany’s Continental is switched onto the challenge of reducing electric vehicle battery voltage to safer levels following a collision. The automotive supplier has now come up with the evSAT, a sensor that will immediately shut off high-voltage batteries in the event of a collision while the vehicle is in charge mode, enabling emergency service personnel to recover the vehicle without the risk of receiving an electric shock.

10th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook appoints new managing director for UK market

Hankook Tyre UK Ltd has appointed Gang Seung Lee (Tony) to head up its Daventry based operations. He takes over the role from Richard Page who will continue to work for Hankook for the next 12 months during the handover period ahead of his retirement.

Lee is no stranger to Hankook in the UK having worked closely with Richard Page for four years before working in Hankook’s European head office in Neu-Isenburg, Germany for two years where he worked in both sales and marketing together with distribution channel planning.

9th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess appoints new CFO following Zachert’s resignation

At its February 3 extraordinary meeting, the Lanxess AG Supervisory Board agreed to revoke the contract of chief financial officer and Board of Management member Matthias Zachert. This measure was taken at Zachert’s request, Lanxess reports. The 43-year old has served on the Lanxess Board of Management since 2004.

3rd February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Hendon Tyres' Eddie Haynes passes away

It is with great sadness that Tyres & Accessories learnt of the death of long-time reader and 48-year veteran of the tyre industry Eddie Haynes on Friday 14 January. Haynes was the director of Hendon Tyres in north-west London, an independent dubbed “one of the best known tyre centres across the capital” by the local newspaper the Haringey Independent, and which celebrated its golden anniversary in 2009. Haynes will be “sadly missed”, the company told T&A.

2nd February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Tire USA appoints new COO

Toyo Tire USA (TTC) has hired former Pentel of America chief operating officer Marty Furman as the company’s new COO. In his new role, Furman will manage all functional departments at TTC, including Technical Services, Sales, Marketing, and Pricing. He will report directly to company president and CEO Yasushi Takagi.

1st February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Bailey, Völmicke join new Goodyear Dunlop communications team

Goodyear Dunlop’s James Bailey is joining a new Brussels based team headed up by the company’s EMEA communications director Tom Delforge after accepting a promotion to the newly-formed role of director, brand PR for the company’s Europe, the Middle East and Africa region. In his new position, Bailey will promote the Goodyear and Dunlop brands throughout the various EMEA markets; his brand-focused position complements that of fellow team member Jens Völmicke, previously brand and product PR manager at Goodyear Dunlop Europe. In the new role of EMEA region Corporate Communications director Völmicke will be involved with communications involving Goodyear Dunlop as a company, covering a range of subject areas including corporate responsibility and sustainability.

31st January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Aircraft Tyres appoints former Cooper man technical director

Birmingham-based Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has appointed Marcus Hancock as technical director. Hancock has 21 years’ experience in the tyre industry and joins Dunlop from Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe, where he was general manager for the company’s European Technical Centre with responsibility for overseeing all product development for the region. The company’s former technical director Martin Pye has moved into a new role as head of original equipment sales. He will seek to strengthen Dunlop’s relationship with, and secure new business from customers, including airframers and landing gear manufacturers.

31st January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Riccardo Cichi Becomes President of Pirelli Canada

Riccardo Cichi has been named president of Pirelli Canada. Hired at Pirelli Canada in 1989 as market analyst, Cichi moved to Pirelli Tire North America in 1992 as operations director. He was later promoted to marketing director and then vice president of sales and marketing for the US and Canada. Departing Pirelli Canada president Marco Zambiachi has taken on new executive responsibilities with PTNA at its New York City offices. (Tire Review)

25th January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

New Marketing Director Brings Global Branding Expertise to Klarius

Annette Forster has recently taken on the role of group marketing Ddrector at the Klarius Group. Formerly of £104 million turnover polymer specialist Victrex Plc, Annette has global experience of marketing to the automotive industry. Her previous employer reportedly had double digit growth year on year since she joined as global marketing communications manager in 2003.

21st January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Industrial Tyre Expert Thomas Philip Buckley Dies

Thomas Philip Buckley, founder and owner of Industrial Tires Ltd (ITL) in Mississauga, Canda, died on 14 January. "It was with sad hearts that we learned of Tom's passing," said John Ryder, a vice president with prominent materials handling equipment dealership JH Ryder Machinery Ltd in Mississauga. "Our relationship with Tom and the ITL organisation spanned four decades. His unique blend of a colourful personality, visionary leadership and intuitive business savvy will leave a significant legacy in the materials handling industry."

20th January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Wegmann Names Thorsten Thom New MD

Wegmann Automotive has named Thorsten Thom as its new managing director. The 40 year-old industrial engineering graduate ascended to the position on 1 January 2011. He joins Felix Bode and Markus Vogler on the Group's board of directors.

19th January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Australia Extends Helping Hand to Flood Victims

In response to flooding that has affected an area large enough to swallow up a good-sized European country, Bridgestone Australia Ltd has announced a donation of AU$100,000 (₤62,000) to the Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. In addition, the company will also be holding the Bridgestone Flood Appeal across its retail network from Friday, January 21, where participating Bridgestone stores will conduct fundraising activities.

18th January 2011/by Tyrepress Editors