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Truck Orders See a Rebound

FTR Associates said that preliminary data shows Class 8 truck orders for June increased 9.7 per cent from the month prior. All told, FTR said, 8,101 units were ordered in June, the first improvement in three months. The figure includes orders for the US, Canada, Mexico and exports.

At the same time, June 2009 orders were down 52.7 per cent compared to the same month in 2008. Orders were placed at an annualized rate of 97,212, an improvement over the past three-month annualized rate of 94,872 units, FTR said. (Tire Review/Akron)

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

SEMA Chairman-Elect Tapped

Paul ‘Scooter’ Brothers of Comp Performance Group will serve as chairman-elect of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) beginning 1 August. Members voted Brothers to fill the position that was held for the past two years by Rick Rollins of Rollins Performance Marketing/Consulting. Rollins takes over as SEMA chairman on 1 August.

“Rick and Scooter are both industry veterans who have proven track records for knowing and understanding what’s important and relevant to the industry,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers leading the association during these challenging times.”

Dan Gresham of Coutant Capital will serve as the new secretary/treasurer for the board, while Russ Deane of Trainum, Snowdon & Deane continues as general counsel. (Tire Review/Akron)

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TIA Announces Candidates for 2009 Board Election

The Maryland, US based Tire Industry Association (TIA) has announced the slate of candidates for its 2009 Board of Directors election. TIA members will vote in open elections to place ten individuals onto the board for three-year terms. Members will receive ballots in the mail before the end of July, and can also download a ballot from the ‘members only’ section of the TIA website (www.tireindustry.org).

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Tyres Hands Out Monsoon Driving Advice

London may have suffered enough torrential rain to close a couple of tube stations, but that nothing to the monsoon downpours experienced in countries like India. That’s why leading Indian tyre manufacturer, Apollo Tyres has kicked off a “Safe Drive” public awareness itiniative.

With heavy rains crippling normal life of Mumbai citizens, employees of Apollo Tyres drenched in rainwater, were busy at the Juhu and Andheri areas of Western Mumbai handing out the Safe Drive Handbook on Disaster Management, containing safety tips and useful numbers, to assist citizens of Mumbai in taking precautions to ensure a safe monsoon. This activity will continue till 14 July2009, at various traffic intersections and other important locations.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Police Set-Up Nets Serial Tyre Thief

A serial tyre thief in the US has been called to account for his deeds after walking into a police trap. Surveillance video released to Florida television station WFTV 9 shows a man, identified as Phu Tran, entering the car dealership where he was previously employed and rolling tyres out the door, unaware that law enforcement officers were waiting to strike. And police knew Tran would, sooner or later, be tempted to help himself to the rubbery circles – tyres and rims had been mysteriously disappearing from the Ford dealer for the last three months.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Maxxis Supports Grass Roots Football

Following on the from the company’s three-year deal with Liverpool FC, sponsorship of the 2009 Isle of Man TT Races, ongoing role as title sponsor of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship and increased involvement in professional drifting tend to make the biggest headlines, Maxxis has reiterated grass roots sport.

At the end of June the company announced it has sponsored two Kenilworth Wardens youth teams, which play matches every Sunday in the Mid-Warwickshire Football Leagues. Last season the Under-9s were among 66 teams competing in the Mid-Warwickshire Junior Football League and they finished fourth in Division 1 and made the quarter final stage of the League Cup.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Closes Mexico Tread Pressing Plant

Overcapacity in Michelin’s North American retreading operations led the company to close its truck tread pressing plant in Querétaro, Mexico on July 7. Production from the Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) plant, which employs approximately 80 people, will be relocated to the company’s retreading facility in the United States. Michelin states that the decision to stop production of this particular product line has no impact on the continuing operations of its passenger car and light truck tyre plant in Querétaro.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

The 2 Minute Alloy Wheel Curing Oven

Yorkshire-based manufacturer and supplier of SMART Repair Systems, Ayce Systems, has introduced what it calls “The Cure Rite Curing Oven,” which reportedly cures a Solaq UV lacquered alloy wheel in just two minutes. According to Ayce, this is the fastest process available for fully curing lacquer on alloy wheels. Conventional lacquers take at least 15 to 30 minutes with infra red.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

In Tyres & Accessories, August 2009:
Winter Tyres
TAFF Awards
Brakes

Safeguard Yourself From the Chill

We don’t want to ruin your summer, but we have it on good authority that these balmy months aren’t going to last. Despite a proposed Met Office climatic rescue package, analysts forecast that thermometers will soon begin dipping, and this climatic downturn will most likely show no sign of abating until early next year. But while there seems no way of halting or reversing this slide into single and minus figures, British motorists are again being offered the opportunity to protect themselves from the worst climatic recession experienced since late 2008. Turn to our August winter tyres feature to find out more.

TAFF Awards

Brityrex has been postponed until 2010 but our industry’s annual award ceremony is still going ahead as planned – as National Tyre Distributors Association director Richard Edy comments, “the dinner and awards evening are a major industry attraction in their own right and will continue to work well for our members.” Arrangements for the 2009 TAFF Awards are in hand and nominations for the September 23 event have been finalised. In August we will review the contenders for TAFF honours in readiness for the annual ceremony. Don’t miss next month’s coverage.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Schaeffler Taps Houlihan Lokey to Advise on Restructuring

Schaeffler Group, which holds a 90 per cent shareholding in Continental AG, has recruited investment bank Houlihan Lokey to advise it on restructuring its finances. “To restructure its finances along with finding a long-term overall solution the Schaeffler group is seeking the advice of a number of experts and has appointed investment bank Houlihan Lokey,” a company spokesman told Financial Times Deutschland.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Ruia to Resign from Role with Group Companies

According to Indian media sources, Pawan K Ruia has voiced the intention of stepping down as executive chairman of his group companies. According to a report in the Business Standard financial newspaper, Ruia may relinquish his position and appoint separate professional management to the firms. The Ruia Group, of which PK Ruia is chairman, will remain the enterprises’ holding company.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

First Stop Gives Away Free Fuel

In an effort to brighten the lives of the nation’s cash-strapped drivers, the First Stop network of tyre dealerships has chosen to pay for a number of lucky drivers’ fuel. Lisa Chatfield of Stoke-on-Trent was the first prize winner of a year’s supply of free fuel. The second entry to be drawn was Clive Moles of Lincolnshire, who has won enough fuel to keep him motoring for a month.

Chatfield was delighted and commented: “I had just been to replace two of my tyres when I entered the competition and was absolutely delighted to find out that I’d won. I’m a busy mum and use my car a lot during the week, as well as getting out and about at the weekend. I had totally forgotten about entering this competition so it was a wonderful surprise to hear that I had won. Combined with the fact that my fiancé has just been made redundant from JCB this prize will be a great financial help.”

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Schaeffler Mechatronics Head Awarded for Innovations

A cause for celebration within the Schaeffler Group came on July 8 when the company’s head of Mechatronics, Bernd Gombert, was awarded the Federal Republic of Germany’s Federal Cross of Merit with Ribbon. Gombert earned this impressive sounding award for being, as the Bavarian State Ministry of Sciences, Research and the Arts, Martin, Zeil noted, amongst the “recognised top performers of our country and [is] among those who set a standard in terms of enthusiasm, motivation and cooperativeness.”

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bandvulc Retreader Best in the Country

A Bandvulc employee has scored the highest mark in the country for Retread Process Workship Practice. Justin Holloway was one of eight from the Ivybridge-based company that successfully completed the City & Guilds course. The eight employees started the course in September 2008 with weekly in-house tuition and self study covering all 12 sections of the syllabus. The course ran until April 2009 and included all areas within the retread process from initial inspection to final inspection, quality, health & safety and rubber technology.

Participants in these courses, which Bandvulc has run for the last 15 years, include employees from all areas of the company. As well as classroom tuition time is also spent on factory floor where they get ‘hands on’ experience in activities such as patch repairing a tyre. They also gain a greater understanding of damaged tyres, reasons for removal and load and speed ratings, to name but a few. Even those not directly involved in the retreading process benefit greatly from the course. For example, staff in Bandvulc Tyre Contracts find the knowledge they acquire about narratives and terminology enables them to converse more fully with service providers.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Autopromotec Review: FASEP Celebrates 40th Anniversary

FASEP has been one of Autopromotec’s most loyal supporters, having participated in the show every time since its first back in 1981. At what the company considers to be the largest garage equipment exhibition, FASEP went to the show with a number of new products designed to help customers increase and develop their business, despite current general economy conditions, by investing in technological improvements and showing that this can be achieved with reasonably priced quality products. During the show, the company also celebrated its 40th anniversary with a gala dinner, at which distributors from all over the world – from Japan to Australia, from Egypt to Sweden, says FASEP – gathered and enjoyed the party in a very friendly atmosphere.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors