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The German Schaeffler Group, which currently owns 90 per cent of Continental AG, may sell up to a quarter of the tyre and automotive supplier to investors in order to lift the financial burden of its so-called stealth takeover. Quoting unnamed bankers, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that the Schaeffler family is facing “increasing pressure from six banks” to change the terms of the company’s funding after Conti shares fell to less than 40 euros.
Pirelli reports that everything is now ready in Freistadt, close to the Austrian city of Linz, for the pan-European Pirelli Star Driver selection process. This will decide who gets two of the five Group N or Super 2000 cars available for six European rounds of the World Rally Championship next year (in the Portugal, Italy, Greece, Finland, Spain and Great Britain WRC events).
A panel of experts will have the responsibility of selecting the drivers who will go through. These people are Walter Rohrl and Michele Mouton (both former stars of the World Rally Championship), David Evans (journalist), Mario Isola (Pirelli’s rally manager), Joao Passos (rally organiser) and Kevin Morris (team manager, Tommi Makinen Racing).
When it comes to sourcing forged aluminium wheels, you can count the number of suppliers on one hand. Apart from one or two other suppliers like Motor Wheel Service Group (MWS), which launched a reportedly Indian-sourced 17.5 – 22.5-inch commercial vehicle wheel range in 2005, the market is dominated by multinational aluminium giant Alcoa. One company that has so far kept under the radar, however, is Chinese manufacturer Zhejiang Hongxin Technology Co., Ltd.
Located in Huangyan, Taizhou City in China’s Eastern Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Hongxin says that it is the only forged alloy wheel maker currently producing in mainland China (there are others close-by in places such as Taiwan). But this claim is in itself a relatively recent development.
An opening ceremony was held on October 24 to commemorate the completion of Yokohama Rubber’s new truck and bus radial factory in China. Approximately 280 invited guests attended the ceremony at the Suzhou Yokohama Tire factory in Suzhou city, including provincial tyre distributors, city administrators, along with Yokohama Rubber president Tadanobu Nagumo and managing corporate officer Seiji Takai.
Manbat Batteries Ltd has announced a major restructuring of its Shrewsbury based senior management team. As a planned action during the second of Manbat’s five year rolling business planning, long-term managing director Roger Pemberton has moved to become the executive chairman, making way for Steve Sheppard to move from his position of sales director and take the reins as Manbat’s managing director.
News of further shutdowns at Goodyear truck tyre division factories is circulating in the US media. The latest, reported by the Topeka Capital Journal and local television stations, concerns the company’s Topeka, Kansas factory, most recently closed for the week starting October 13. Goodyear says that two further week-long closures await the plant this year.
According to Goodyear spokeswoman Amy Brei, the shutdowns are to take place the weeks of November 3 and December 1. Goodyear officials blame the shutdown on Hurricane Ike and reduced demand for truck tyres. Raw material and fuel costs, along with a flaccid economy were also factors, said Brei.
German tuning specialist Brabus has launched a range of monoblock light-alloy wheels for the latest Mercedes S-Class and CL-Class models. Customers can choose from three Brabus designs – the six double spoke Brabus Monoblock; the sporty- looking Monoblock S wheel with its five polished double spokes; and a 22-inch version of the Monoblock E wheel family, which features nine strikingly styled spokes and a polished drop centre.
The new 22-inch Monoblock wheels can be mounted in size 10Jx22 front and back, and the German Technical Agency (TÜV) has approved them for use with 275/25 ZR 22 (front) and 295/25 ZR 22 (rear) tyres.
Insurance firm RIAS has given its “full backing and support” to Tyre Safety Month, the insurance firm has announced. “Any initiative that helps improve driver safety and reduce the number of accidents on our roads has our full backing and support,” said Janet Connor, managing director at the over 50s insurance services specialist, adding: “It’s vitally important, especially in winter when conditions are worse, to encourage drivers to think more carefully about those small and inexpensive checks that could help save lives.”
There will be significantly fewer car retailers operating in the UK in the years to come, as a result of vehicle manufacturers tightening control over dealership standards, according to analysts PricewaterhouseCoopers. Chris Kent, a director in the automotive team at PricewaterhouseCoopers, will be presenting at the forthcoming EurotaxGlass’s conference entitled ‘Driving Business – opportunities for profit and growth in an uncertain market’.
Speaking ahead of the event, he said that many more dealers are expected to follow those that have already closed their doors this year. The theme will be explored in greater detail at the event, being staged on 13 November at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham.
Universal Tyres Autocentres Ltd has opened a new retail branch in Thurrock (680 London Road, West Thurrock, RM20 3LX) and redeveloped its Greenwich outlet on Blackwall Lane, Greenwich. The new Thurrock store is directly opposite West Thurrock’s famous QEII bridge and is a purpose built autocare facility, employing three fitters.
Store manager Kevin McGill, revealed the secret to the company’s success: “We are a small, but highly skilled team here at universal. Between us we have over 35 years experience in the automotive trade. We have built up an exhaustive knowledge of autocare and in addition we each have a number of specialist skills which means we can provide a fully comprehensive service to all our customers – whatever their requirements.”
According to Washington, US based local newspaper the Columbia Basin Herald, the Port of Ephrata – the region’s largest landowner – is waiting to receive a site plan from American Tire Corporation (ATC), who is said to have recently signed a purchase and sale agreement for 96 acres of port land. Port manager Mike Read said the means that American Tire Corporation, which will do business as Washington Tire Corporation, has 60 days to change its mind.
Looking back on its year in motorsport, Marangoni reflects that racing has oftentimes given the company opportunities to push forward commercial and technological developments in a competitive forum. From the toughest of endurance racing, through specialist events and one-make championships, to the mountain hill climbs of Italy, Marangoni rubber has again taken a number of podiums.
However Derek Carruthers, global sales and marketing director believes that race victories are only one form of success: “Again this season, Marangoni has been performing in various motorsport disciplines and helping drivers to achieve impressive results. Motorsport remains our mobile laboratory, with tyre development opportunities through competitive use translating into tangible technical advances in our road tyres. Our communication strategy to the consumer is that your tyres have been developed and continue to be proven in some of the toughest motorsport disciplines, delivering total performance whatever the drive and whatever the conditions. This is a substantiated claim that our Team Marangoni colleagues can communicate with total confidence.”
If white is now the new black, then Revolution Motorstore says matt is most definitely the new gloss. Celebrating this new trend in some considerable style, Revolution presents its latest visual feast, the Mak XLR Ice Black. This lightweight multispoke design wheel marries ultra light weight with strength and design integrity. As with most Mak wheels, the XLR is available in a wide range of stud patterns to suit the vast majority of European, Japanese and Tuner cars. Initial sizes will be 17 and 18-inch, with 16-inch to follow soon.
HiQ has named the franchisees it has appointed to the tyre retail chain has appointed to its Suffolk, Essex and South Wales business zones. Phil Cowell and Robert Brown – with more than 70 years combined experience in the industry – have purchased the Essex and Suffolk zone of HiQ centres and now own outlets in Chingford, Grays, Ipswich, Wood Green and Bury St. Edmunds.
And Darren Haszczyn is the owner of the company’s South Wales zone, which incorporates centres in Llanelli, Cardiff, Chepstow, Hereford and Ludlow. Haszczyn, who has 22 years of experience in the trade, will run the centres with business partner Stefan Quinn, who boasts 30 years of tyre trade knowledge.
The sales team at Manbat Batteries has been further strengthened with the appointment Martin McGreevy as the national sales manager for UK and Eire. Coming to Manbat after two years with Jiffy Packaging, where he was the national accounts manager for packaging and packaging systems, McGreevy brings with him 20 years of aftermarket experience – 15 years of which have been in senior sales management positions.
Heading up the entire sales team, the new national sales manager’s role will include guiding the team and helping Manbat customers increase battery sales, handling the key national accounts and developing the business into new markets, something Manbat views as an existing core strength.
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