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25 Years and Still Fitting In

In July, Simon Pardoe of Chemix Autocentres in Stourbridge, West Midlands, celebrated 25 years with the company. Pardoe, now the senior technician at Chemix, helps mentor the younger fitters as well as championing the specialist four-wheel alignment equipment. Simon comments “the technology in tyres and alignment has advanced so much over the years, there is always something new to learn. I can’t believe it’s been 25 years. But the job is interesting and it keeps me fit – and I’m looking forward to the next 25!”

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Recyclers Get New Wheels

Credential Environmental has invested over £400,000 in a new fleet of eight Volvo FE and FL trucks to keep pace with its increasing share of the tyre recycling market. Credential director Steve Patterson, said: “Apart from being exceptionally well-built, we’re aware that Volvo trucks are designed to create minimal environmental impact and that’s very much in line with our own ethos. The new fleet is being deployed across our operations on Tees-side, North Yorkshire and the Midlands.”

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Suckling Transport Signs 3-Year Deal with Michelin

Independent petrol haulage contractor Suckling Transport has signed a three-year PPK (pence per kilometre) contract with Michelin and ATS Euromaster. The deal sees all of Suckling’s 86 vehicles and 96 petroleum tanker trailers adopt a 100 per cent Michelin Group tyre policy.

West Thurrock-based Suckling Transport worked with Michelin for many years before awarding a three-year contract to another manufacturer in 2005. According to the French manufacturer, the decision to reappoint Michelin followed a national tyre audit which highlighted key areas of improvement.

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Ainscough Renews Bridgestone Crane Tyre Deal

The UK’s largest crane operator (Ainscough Crane Hire) has selected Bridgestone UK to supply and service its nationwide 630+ crane network. Under the terms of a recent contract renewal arrangement Bridgestone will supply its VHS crane products through its nationwide Truck Point network.

Steve Cooke Ainscough Engineering director, said: “We are very happy to have renewed our tyre contract with Bridgestone, we have enjoyed a good partnership with them on all fronts [and] Bridgestone’s Truck Point network has the expertise to proactively manage our large fleet.”

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bafin Approves Schaeffler’s Bid for Continental

The German federal financial supervisory authority (BaFin) has given the go-ahead for Schaeffler Group’s 70.12 euro per share cash bid to take over Continental AG. According to an official statement on the subject, the acceptance period for the offer begins today and ends at midnight on 27 August 2008.

Dr Juergen Geissinger, Schaeffler Group president and CEO, made it clear that Schaeffler wants to wrap up proceedings as soon as possible, pointing to recent comments made by vehicle manufacturers including Volkswagen, GM and Porsche: “Public statements of customers of both companies from the automotive industry show that they view a possible alliance between Schaeffler and Continental as positive…We remain determined to come to a rapid agreement with Continental AG’s management that is in the interests of all parties involved. Regardless of the previous rejection of our offer, we can see a great opportunity for this, because we remain prepared to continue Continental AG’s existing strategy, which we explicitly support, together with the management.”

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone & Firestone Celebrate 20th Anniversary

More than 1,600 employees and family members joined Bridgestone Americas chairman and CEO Mark Emkes and state and local dignitaries in Akron, Ohio on July 29 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the alliance between The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company and Bridgestone Corporation, a pairing that transformed Bridgestone into the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.

“This celebration of ‘A Team For 20 Years’ is a chance to reflect on our accomplishments together and to set our sights on continuous improvement and growth for the future,” said Emkes. “We are one team with one goal: to continue to build on the success of the past 20 years through our two strong brands and our ongoing investment in technology that fosters a culture of innovation and quality. And we will continue the traditions established by our two founders — Shojiro Ishibashi and Harvey Firestone — to give back to the communities we call home. When it comes to the alliance of the Bridgestone and Firestone brands, the best is yet to come.”

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

More Guilty Pleas in Marine Hose Price Fixing Case

A Milan, Italy-based marine hose manufacturer and the former president of its former US subsidiary have agreed to plead guilty and pay more than US$2 million in criminal fines for participating in a global price fixing conspiracy. The former subsidiary president had also agreed to serve time in prison. Furthermore, an Italian executive of another marine hose manufacturer located in Veniano, Italy has also agreed to plead guilty for participating in the same conspiracy.

A one-count felony charge was filed today in US District Court in West Palm Beach, Florida against Manuli Rubber Industries SpA (Manuli) and Robert L. Furness, the former president of Manuli’s former Florida based subsidiary. Under the terms of the plea agreements, which are subject to court approval, Manuli has agreed to pay a criminal fine of $2 million, and Furness has agreed to serve 14 months in prison and pay a $75,000 criminal fine. Both Manuli and Furness have also agreed to cooperate fully in the Department’s ongoing antitrust investigation. Manuli is the first corporation to be charged in the investigation.

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Sales, Profits Down in 1st Half 2008

In its first half 2008 results, Michelin has reported sales and net income slightly down on the same period last year. Net sales of 8.239 billion euros in the six months to June 30 represent a decrease of 1.9 per cent, however Michelin calculates that, at constant scope and exchange rates, this figure actually indicates a 4.2 per cent rise over last year. The company’s operating income of 708 million euros in the half-year was 11.3 per cent less than that in the corresponding period last year, and the operating margin of 8.6 per cent was down 0.9 pt. Net income, at 430 million euros, is 1.4 per cent lower than in 2007.

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

NASCAR Blame Game Inconclusive

Was it the track, the cars or the tyres that did it? The Indianapolis Brickyard on Sunday saw a bizarre NASCAR event unfold, as drivers were unable to keep their tyres fit for more than ten laps at a time.

The catastrophically low durability of the Goodyear tyres harks back to the US Grand Prix of 2005, where the Michelin-shod teams did not race because the tyres could not last the pace. This year, the NASCAR debacle has been played out on Goodyear rubbers, which appears initially to have let the French manufacturer off the hook for the previous flop.

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Titan Reports Record Sales, Increased Profits in Q2

Titan International has once again reported all time record sales, this time for the second quarter of 2008. In the three months ending June 30, Titan recorded sales of US$269.1 million, 28 per cent higher than the second quarter 2007 sales of $210.3 million. Net sales were also up for the half-year period; sales of $522.6 million reflected a 20 per cent increase on the $436.6 million recorded in the first half of 200. According to Titan, the record sales levels for the second quarter and first half of 2008 can be attributed to exceptionally strong demand in the company’s agricultural market, which reported higher sales of 50 per cent for the second quarter of 2008 and 38 per cent for the first half of 2008 as compared to the respective 2007 periods.

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Says It Has Share Buyer

Kumho Asiana Group claims it has found an investor to buy out Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.’s share in Kumho Tire Co. The unnamed buyer would take over Cooper’s 11% stake in the South Korean tiremaker, shares valued at around $110 million.

“We have found an investor to take over the Kumho Tire stake and we are at the final stage of closing the deal,” said a Kumho Asiana official in news reports. “We should be able to announce the details soon, on around August 1. The investor is foreign.” (Tire Review/Akron)

30th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

CSEasy Wins Another Innovation Award

The CSEasy industrial tyre system developed by Continental has won the silver ‘IQ Innovation Prize Central Germany 2008’. Judges met three times to establish the winner of the Chemicals/Plastics sector.

Hans-Jürgen Sauerwald, inventor of the CSEasy, said: “We were confident and optimistic about our chances when we took part in this competition and we are also in the running for the next contest, the ‘Innovation Prize Thuringia’. It is great for the CSEasy to be so widely recognised”.

29th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Mytyres.co.uk Updates Site Design

Leading online tyre retailer, mytyres.co.uk, has refreshed the design and layout of its UK site. Describing the redesign as “putting customer service at the forefront” mytyres’ newsletter explained that the redesign focuses on a brand new shop layout, which is “even easier to use – and much more customer-friendly.” The mytyres e-tail portal is the UK branch German online tyre retail and wholesale company Delticom AG.

29th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

British Drifter Says Marangoni Mythos Tyres are ‘Truly Awesome’

British Drift Championship driver, Chris Bradbury is now sponsored by Marangoni for 2008. Recently the driver lauded the Italian manufacturer’s Mythos line of high performance tyres. “The Mythos is an unbelievably good drift/grip tyre and in five years of drifting it’s the only tyre I have ever run on that gives consistent, high levels of linear grip at any temperature, without delamination, chunking or any other malfunction to the tyre. They will run evenly, right down to the core. Truly awesome.”

“We have been extremely pleased, not only with the performance of the tyres, but with the opportunity to show our brand to a new and enthusiastic audience. Brand recognition and consumer awareness can only be enhanced by our participation in this fast growing field of motorsport,” said Derek Carruthers, Marangoni (Car Tyre Division) Global Sales & Marketing Director.

29th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Car Makers Back Schaeffer’s Conti Bid

This week Porsche and GM executives have added their names to the list of car makers calling for a swift conclusion to merger talks between Continental AG and takeover bidder, Schaeffler Group.

Porsche AG chief financial officer Holger Haerter was the first to come out and join Volkswagen in favour the deal, telling Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung he would back Schaeffler Group’s takeover bid. Haerter said the product portfolio of both companies complement each other and set out to allay fears that employees of Continental would face jobs risks as a result of the deal.

29th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors