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Continental AG Posts Half-Year Profit

Based upon preliminary figures for the second quarter of 2009, Continental AG is reporting a “clear profit” for the three-month period, with an adjusted EBIT of 283.0 million euros. Reported EBIT for the quarter was 38.8 million euros, compared with a loss of 34.3 million in the first quarter. These results, says Continental, demonstrate the company’s “unwavering operational strength in the midst of the ongoing crisis in the automotive sector.”

“In an extremely difficult business environment and despite the current paralysis due to its uncertain future, Continental still achieved its operating goals,” said Continental Executive Board chairman Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann on July 20.

20th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

First Commercial Implementation of Tirex TCS System a Step Closer

US based tyre recycling solutions developer the Tirex Corporation announced on July 14 that Italian company Simpro S.p.A., who is licensed by Tirex to manufacture, install, commission and warrant turnkey its TCS tyre recycling facilities, recently signed a US$20.8 million Memorandum of Understanding with Enchantex Solutions of Malaysia for such a system.

“This is a major milestone for Tirex and our TCS technology as it begins the production of the first commercial tyre recycling system to freeze tyre rubber with cold air as opposed to using expensive liquid nitrogen,” stated Tirex CEO John L. Threshie Jr.

20th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Double Coin to Sell Shanghai Michelin Warrior Tire Shares

Double Coin Holdings Ltd. announced on July 17 the intention to sell its 28.5 per cent shares in Shanghai Michelin Warrior Tire Co. Ltd (SMWT); the company says it believes this transaction is in the best interest of SMWT’s shareholders. The share sale will follow the applicable process and rules that apply under Chinese laws and regulations. At the same time a second shareholder, Shanghai Minhang United Development Co., Ltd, will also sell its 1.5 per cent share.

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

UK Launch for Michelin Earthmover Tyre Repair Programme

Michelin claims another industry first with the launch of its accredited earthmover tyre repairs programme, which is designed to raise the standard of repairs and ensure increased safety, performance and value for operators. Launched in partnership with Rema Tip-Top, this UK initiative has been developed by Michelin as a worldwide pilot ahead of its possible introduction in other countries.

“There are national standards in place for the repair of road tyres but currently no legislation which sets a standard for off-road tyre repairs,” explained Chris Logan, commercial director of Michelin Earthmover and Industrial Operations.

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Cutting Philippines Tyre Jobs

Goodyear has announced that it is to close its Philippines tyre plant, cutting 83 per cent of its staff within the country in the process, reports The Wall Street Journal. The reduced demand and the high costs of running the facility mean that the Las Pinas plants products “are not competitive in the marketplace,” according to Pierre Cohade, Goodyear Asia-Pacific regional president.

The closure will happen at the end of the current quarter, with 500 out of the 600 Philippines workers laid off. According to reports, the company’s sales and marketing departments will remain unaffected. As previously noted on Tyrepress.com, Goodyear plans to cut much of its worldwide capacity over the next two years, and this latest closure will account for 2 million of the 15 million units of annual production due to be shed. The Wall Street Journal report concludes that Goodyear will record approximately $20 million in charges as a consequence of the closure.

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Autocar Survey: Tailgaters Most Irritating

A survey involving 14,500 AA members has indicated that the most irritating habit of road users is that of tailgating. 36 per cent of the sample group told Populus, in conjunction with the AA, that “close following” was the worst of the idiotic pieces of driving seen on Britain’s roads. The survey heralds the arrival of the latest drive to improve the standard of driving in the UK, the Autocar/AA Drive Better Campaign.

The AA’s president told Autocar that tailgating was also a very dangerous bad habit: “Survey respondents were spot on to highlight their irritation with tailgaters. Data reveals that leaving pure human error aside tailgaters fall just behind ‘loss of control’ as the major cause of crashes. It’s a problem not only on motorways but also on dual carriageways, country lanes and in road works. Some tailgate to bully drivers out of the way, others because they just don’t think of the potentially tragic consequences of their actions.”

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New Sizes, Website For Nitto Touring Line

Nitto Tire U.S.A. has added six new sizes for its luxury-touring tyre, the NT850 Premium. Among the new sizes, Nitto said, are OE replacement sizes for popular sedans, including the Acura TL, BMW 3-Series, Ford Fusion and Infiniti G35.

Sold exclusively through American Tire Distributors, the NT850 is backed by a national marketing campaign that includes in-store displays, print and online advertisements, and a newly launched website – www.NT850.com.

The six new sizes – all extra load – include 205/55R16 94V, 235/50R17 100V, 225/45ZR18 95W, 225/60R18 104V, 235/50ZR18 101W and 245/45ZR18 100W. All of the new sizes have a UTQG of 500AAA, and are backed by a 30-day consumer satisfaction guarantee and a 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty. (Tire Review/Akron)

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Falken Tyre Promotes Key Executive

Falken Tire Corp. has promoted Ron Papcun to vice president of operations. Papcun joined Falken Tire in October 2002 as director of operations, and will now be responsible for managing the company’s distribution centers, logistics, facilities management, customer service and supply chain functions. (Tire Review/Akron)

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Extends Current USW Contract

Following a contract extension between Goodyear and the United Steelworkers union, Michelin North America has also agreed with the USW to an extension of the labour agreement with company employees. The two parties, currently in negations over a new master agreement, have given their consent to a four-week extension, which expires on August 15.

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Extends Corvette Fitment Portfolio

The Corvette has been ‘king of the hill’ in the American performance car word for more than half a century, and the latest incarnation of the fibreglass bodied Chevrolet comes with a range of engine options delivering up to 638hp. A car so well endowed in the motor department obviously needs a tyre up to the job, and Michelin now has a product for the entire model range. The manufacturer has announced that its Pilot Sport PS2 ZP (zero pressure), already supplied for the Corvette C5, C6, and ZR1 models, will as of August 1 become available on the Corvette C6 Z06. The addition of tyre sizes for the C6 Z06, says Michelin, completes the transformation of its UHP portfolio that began in December 2007 with Michelin’s very first original equipment fitment for the Corvette ZR1.

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Clairoix Workers Face Property Damage Charges

Several hundred employees from Continental AG’s Clairoix facility in France assembled outside a courthouse on July 17 during the appearance of seven of their colleagues. The seven workers were answering charges related to property damage at a regional government office in April. If found guilty, the accused face up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to 75,000 euros.

The seven are accused of stormed the office in April following the Clairoix factory’s announced closure. Furniture and computers were thrown from windows and files were removed from cabinets and strewn about. Authorities estimate that around 40,000 euros worth of damage occurred.

17th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Campaigns Net Thousands of Unsafe Tyres in UAE

According to the Khaleej Times, the use tyre market is alive and kicking in some parts of Abu Dhabi. Healthy demand exists for larger size commercial vehicle tyres, with examples changing hands from between Dh 200 and 700. However the country’s authorities are increasingly voicing their concern over the practice of fitting used tyres to vehicles: According to Colonel Hamad Adeel Al Shamsi, director of the Abu Dhabi Police’s Department of Traffic and Patrols, used tyres were responsible for the death of 13 persons and severe injuries of 16 persons last year. For this reason the department has intensified its inspection of substandard and worn out tyres and launched campaigns to educate motorists about the importance of safety of tyres.

16th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

ATS Euromaster Opens Galashiels Centre

ATS Euromaster opened a new “flagship fast-fit centre” in Huddersfield Street, Galashiels, following investment of more than £800,000. The new centre, which opened in May, is located 200 yards from the previous site, which is being demolished to make way for the A7 trunk road extension.

Situated directly opposite the Gala Water Retail Park, the new facility boasts five vehicle work bays, including one dedicated to commercial vehicles, and is equipped to provide a complete range of fast-fit services for motorists including tyres, brakes, batteries, shock absorbers, exhausts and oil. Open six days a week, it is manned by a team of six highly skilled technicians.

16th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bosch Extends its ‘ESPerience’ Website

Bosch has enhanced and extended its Electronic Stability Program (ESP) consumer website. Introduced by Bosch in 1995, ESP is a vehicle active chassis braking safety system that can prevent a vehicle going into a potential skidding situation. ESP is, comments Bosch, three chassis system technologies in one – Antilock Braking (ABS), Traction Control (TCS) and ESP. Visitors to www.bosch-esperience.co.uk can gain access to all the information on this proven life-saving vehicle technology and view on-track driving demonstrations and animations of how the technology works.

16th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Report Shows Real Cost of Scrappage Schemes

With our own scrappage scheme now underway, it is perhaps timely to look at the experiences of our European neighbours. It is estimated that some 3.6 million new cars will be sold in Germany this year, around 800,000 more that would have been the case without the country’s 2,500 euro scrapping incentive, which owners of vehicles more than nine years old are eligible to take advantage of. However a report from the German website ‘Kfz-Betrieb Online’, based on a study conducted by automotive industry business intelligence provider Eurotax-Schwacke indicates that government incentives to scrap old cars are no silver bullet. “The premium doesn’t rescue the [automotive] sector, it only defers the problem,” stated Eurotax Schwacke managing director Michael Bergmann.

16th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors