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New Dunlop Race Academy Format Revealed

ITV has Simon Cowell and the X Factor, but Dunlop has the Dunlop Race Academy, and the motorsport equivalent of the popular talent show has announced a number of changes for 2009. This year the Dunlop Race Academy will focus on developing drivers aged between 16 and 30 who have already made a start in their race careers. The competition has also introduces a new geographical element, dividing the UK into six regions, pitting drivers from each region against each other.

6th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

MTNA Produces 1,000,000th Ringtread

Last December, Marangoni management and employees celebrated the production of the millionth Ringtread in the United States. The seven-digit number was reached on December 12, four and a half years after the first tyre was retreaded with Marangoni’s Alpha-Ring system in the US.

During a staff celebration to mark the occasion, company CEO and president Bill Sweatman said “Today, we manufactured our one millionth Ringtread here in the United States. We are proud and thankful that we have been able to achieve this important milestone. This is the icing on the cake in a year full of successes! Our unit sales have increased more than 10 per cent this year and along with other improvements we’ve made we have gained in both market share and market strength.

6th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US Tyre Firms Announce Layoffs

The US tyre industry announced over 100 job losses today in both the manufacturing and retail segments. News reports suggest that Titan is to cut 80 jobs from its Freeport, Illinois plant in addition to taking on a six-weeks-on/two-weeks-off schedule, while Les Schwab Tire Centers’ distribution centre in Prineville, Oregon is set to shed 27 employees.

“There’s certainly a level of tentativeness about what the future holds in the short-term,” USW Local 745 President Steve Vanderheyden told Rockford’s WIFR-TV. “There’s been less construction companies willing to buy large mining rigs for example that would have our tires on them.”

6th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Operating Profit Anticipated to Drop 15%

According to Japan’s Nikkei financial daily, Bridgestone expects its operating profit to decrease by 15 per cent to 100 billion yen (£742.7 million) in the 2009 calendar year. The Japanese tyre major anticipates sales will fall about 10 per cent from their 2008 level, to around 2.85 trillion yen (£21.2 billion), reported the newspaper.

On December 22 the company reported an expected 2008 operating profit of 118 billion yen (£876.4 million), significantly down on the 249.96 billion achieved in 2007.

6th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TRIB Welcomes Nine New Members

A number of companies from around the globe have joined the ranks of the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB). The newest members are Akar Makina Sanayi Ltd (Turkey), Marangoni Tread (Italy), Salvadori S.R.L. (Italy), Tire Lyna (Canada), Consolidated Tires, Inc, (USA), Sun Rubber Industry Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia), Tony Pneus S.R.L. (Italy), Phoenix Tire (USA) and Santarosa Holdings (USA).

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Receives Two Wheel Top Ranking

Dunlop’s Sportmax Roadsmart Motorcycle tyre has been ranked in first position in a Two Wheels Only Magazine tyre test. The tyre was tested in the wet and dry against the latest offerings from Pirelli, Bridgestone, Michelin, and Metzeler at the Millbrook Testing Facility in Bedfordshire.

James Whitham, top tyre tester for TWO and Isle of Man TT, World Supersport and World Superbikes champion shod a Ducati 848 to find the tyre that gave the best feedback and feel, as well as the best performance. “Straight away when you get on these you know that they are good” said James Whitham. “To get confident you need that feeling from a tyre that lets you know you can push all the way to the limit and beyond if you want to, but in complete safety. This is what the Dunlops do.”

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cambrian Tyres, the ‘Big Seven’ Distributor

Cambrian Tyres, said to be the UK’s largest motorcycle tyre distributor, continues to offer its dealers exclusive special offers and strong customer service. The ability to do this, says Cambrian, is down to the company’s bulk buying power capabilities and a dealer-centred philosophy. The distributor’s target of being a ‘one stop tyre shop’ for dealers has been realised since its early days, and today Cambrian reports it is the leading UK customer to each of the big seven tyre manufacturers.

Customer sales and technical enquiries are handled by Cambrian’s knowledgeable telesales team, a team that between them holds years of motorcycling and industry experience, enabling them to give customers what Cambrian Tyres calls the best, unbiased advice – advice that ensures the correct tyres are chosen. 2009 sees the company launch its B2B website where account holders can order tyres or view stock availability online, making ordering, whether within or outside business hours, even easier.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Announces Snow Tyre for WRC Ireland

The opening round of this year’s World Rally Championship kicks off in Ireland at the end of January and Pirelli – the competition’s control tyre supplier – is taking no chances when it comes to selecting the best rubber for climatic conditions. The Italian manufacturer has announced that it will be adding three 40ft truckloads of its Monte Carlo Snow tyre to its usual offering, allowing competitors to find additional grip in the ice – a major problem at 2008’s concluding Welsh rally.

Gordon Noble, the course clerk for Rally Ireland, said that while challenging conditions are a necessity for any world class rallying event, the additional safety offered by the tyre shows that competitors’ wellbeing has been taken into consideration: “Many competitors at Wales Rally GB struggled for grip on the icy roads so it is great that we have this option in place for all entrants in Rally Ireland ’09. The conditions, as in 2007, will be testing for all the drivers but at all times safety must be to the fore. With these provisions in place we will get to see the best of what the world’s top drivers have to offer.”

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Lower Exports May Lead to Further Solideal Job Losses

Plans are reportedly underway to eliminate jobs at Solideal’s Sri Lanka and China factories in response to declining exports. The manufacturer of industrial tyres recently laid off around 1,100 workers, however company founder and president Philippe Daneels indicated that a five per cent contraction in global exports is anticipated in 2009 and thus further redundancies may take place. Before the initial downsizing measures began Solideal had 8,100 employees at its production facilities.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Names Three US Promotions

Toyo Tire & Rubber has promoted three members of its US corporate team, effective January 1. New in the position of chairman at Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc. is Carlos Kibata, who has worked for Toyo for more than 37 years. Before accepting this latest post, Kibata served as president of subsidiary Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corporation, president of Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc. and most recently, president and CEO of Toyo Tire Holdings.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Race Academy on New Track

Launched in 2004, the Dunlop Race Academy has processed over 17,000 hopefuls to produce five competition winners, each of them with no previous motorsport experience. The 2005 winner, Simon Shaw, has gone on to make a professional career in motorsport. In 2009 the Academy is set to return, albeit with some significant changes to its format. The competition will switch its focus from attracting talented drivers and newcomers into the sport to developing drivers who have already made a start in their racing career.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Sport SUV Range From Interstate

Interstate Tires has introduced a new line of tyres, called Sport SUV GT, which comprises a number of popular replacement sizes for small and full size SUVs. The tyres are being marketed as Interstate’s first low rolling resistance SUV tyres, with consequent fuel saving benefits, but without sacrificing tread life or traction.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Amtel-Vredestein Announces Submission of FY2007 Annual Report

Amtel-Vredestein N.V. has announced the submission of its unaudited annual accounts and annual report for the 2007 financial year to the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in accordance with article 2:394 of the Dutch Civil Code. The annual accounts have not been adopted by the company’s general meeting and have not been audited by Amtel-Vredestein’s auditor. The financial year 2007 unaudited annual accounts and annual report, says the company, have been merely made public to fulfil the obligations of article 2:394 of the Dutch Civil Code. Amtel-Vredestein adds in a statement that, in this respect, it should also be noted that the Dutch Ministry of Economics has denied the company’s request for an exemption from the obligation to draw up, present and adopt its audited financial statements for the financial year that ended on 31 December 2007.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Schaeffler Sells 5.5% of its Conti Shares to Sal. Oppenheim

Schaeffler Group has reportedly transferred 5.5 per cent of the shares it holds in Continental AG to Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie. Stock tendered by Continental investors gave Schaeffler direct and indirect control of 90 per cent of the company, almost doubling an agreed limit of 49.99 per cent. Schaeffler Group spokesperson, Detlef Sieverdingbeck, told Tyres & Accessories that the transfer of shares to Sal. Oppenheim was the first such move and that more will follow.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Tire Delays Bonus Payments

The payment of bonuses to approximately 3,000 Kumho Tire employees in South Korea have been delayed due to, according to a company official, the “company’s liquidity problem.” South Korean vehicle manufacturers are currently experiencing a sharp decline in sales, the affects of which have been passed onto tyre makers.

The annual bonus payment, said the official, has been indefinitely postponed, however the company “will make its utmost efforts” to pay the bonus of 2.5 million won (£1,350) per worker.

5th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors