Product News Archives - Page 29 of 260 - Tyrepress

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Pelmar and Cincinnati Retread Systems Partner in Retreading/Recycling Distribution Deal

Pelmar Engineering Ltd. has teamed up with Cincinnati Retread Systems (CRS) to distribution tyre reteading and recycling machinery on a global scale.
The deal sees Pelmar, a leading supplier of pre-owned, reconditioned and new machinery and engineering solutions for the polymer industry, open up its distribution network of 6 subsidiaries and 10 representatives worldwide to CRS in order for both companies to reach further. CRS specializes in manufacturing Tyre Buffers, Expandable Hubs and Rims, Tyre Mulchers, Pollution Controls and Classifiers. Todd Hunsche, CRS president of the machinery division said: “In today’s global marketplace our presence in strategic locations that are beyond our reach, will now be reached thanks to cooperation with Pelmar’s global access. Pelmar and CRS will promote machinery and engineering services that will result in additional customers for both of us.”

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Predicts Breakeven Net Income

Bridgestone, reports Bloomberg, has reduced its full year prediction to breakeven in line with continuing vehicle sales declines. The manufacturer had previously set its net income forecast at 3 billion yen (£19.1 billion), but in a statement delivered to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the company suggested that the global recession has driven down demand for new vehicles and with it the need for OE tyres. Therefore the company went through with its May promise to revise its targets, concluding that it will sell fewer units in Japan, Europe and America.

However, cost reduction programmes and declining raw materials prices mean that, for the first half of the year, Bridgestone now predicts a loss of 46 billion yen, 16 billion less than the original forecast of a 62 billion yen loss.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Announces Repurchase Results

Michelin has published the results of a recent repurchase procedure, however the company states that the information may not be published, distributed or transmitted into the United States of America. So if you are located in this country, do not even think of clicking on the “more” link…

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Vredestein Quatrac 3 Range Extended to Cover SUV Sizes

In the two years since Vredestein released its Quatrac 3, the company reports that the all-season tyre has proven to be “phenomenally successful.” The tyre range has now been extended to include SUV fitments, and these new additions are based upon many of features found in the passenger car range.

The tyre’s extra wide tread, comments Vredestein, ensures an even better road-holding and offers exceptional stability without compromising on comfort.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Federal Tire Well Rated in Japanese Performance Test

Praise for Federal Tire’s 595 RS-R has been handed out by Japan’s Rev Speed magazine. The popular performance and tuning magazine recently described the semi-slick tyre as a “a high-performance offering features a sporty personality, with a genuine bargain of attractively and affordable price.”

In testing the tyre, Rev Speed sent a team of evaluators to the Nikko Circuit in central Japan, where they spent a full track day behind the wheel. The Federal product was pitted against four competitors from the UHP tyre sector. Testing on the 235/40R18 size tyres was carried out using a Subaru Impreza GRB, which performed numerous time attack and drifting manoeuvres.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US Kumho Tyre Plant Gets Tobacco Money

Even though construction of the plant is on hold, Kumho Tire USA Inc. has received a multi-million dollar state grant for the project. The OneGeorgia Authority board awarded Kumho with a $3.8 million grant for its planned tire plant in the city of White, Georgia. The funds are for site preparation and infrastructure improvements.

Earlier this year, Kumho announced that it was postponing construction of the planned tyre plant due to concerns over the economy. The company has not stated when work on the facility will restart. The OneGeorgia Authority is funded by the state’s tobacco settlement. (Tire Review/Akron)

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

May Figures Show Continued European Market Decline

The ETRMA reports that in May the overall European replacement tyre market declined for the 14th consecutive month. In terms of segment demand, truck tyre sales between January and May dropped 32 per cent compared with the same period last year, and the ETRMA notes that May’s 24 per cent decline “confirms the strong deterioration of tyre demand.” According to Europool figures, approximately 600,000 truck tyres were sold Europe-wide during the course of the month.

European passenger car tyre sales decreased eight per cent during the January to May period, and decreased nine per cent in May to around 12 million units. The UK market suffered a much greater drop during the month, declining 26 per cent in May.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

USA Tyre Hall of Fame Nominations Open

Nominations will be accepted until 1 July for the Tire Industry Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is open to individuals in the tyre industry, including manufacturers, inventors, publishers, equipment suppliers, tyre association executives, tyre dealers, tyre and rubber recyclers, and retreaders. In addition, TIA is accepting nominations for its Friend of the Industry Award, which recognizes allies and proven supporters of the tyre industry.

The deadline for nominations for the Tire Industry Hall of Fame and Friend of the Industry Award is 1 July. A nomination form for both awards is available on www.tireindustry.org or by calling TIA at 301-430-7280 ext. 109. (Tire Review/Akron)

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti’s Neumann ‘Ready to Resign’ if Debt Solution Against Company’s Interests

Speaking at a Deutsche Bank conference, Continental AG chief executive, Karl Thomas Neumann has said he is ready to resign if the restructuring solution Conti and 90 per cent shareholder Schaeffler come up with is against Contienental’s best interests. According to Deutsche Bank analysts, Continental is “doing a good job in adapting the company to the current environment, especially in transferring fixed into variable costs (by approximately 50 per cent), mostly concerning labour costs.” However the analysts also point out that a lot of uncertainties remain including: the restructuring of the balance sheet specifically regarding a rights issue to reimburse a 3.5 billion euro debt which expires in August 2010; whether to acquire Schaeffler assets or not, and eventually the disposal of assets to accelerate debt reduction. Continental’s board is expected to present its solution around the end of July.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US ITC Will Recommend Chinese Tyre “Remedy”

In the USA, the International Trade Commission has announced that it will recommend a solution by 29 June to the United Steelworkers’ complaint that there is an overabundance of Chinese-manufactured imported tyres on the domestic market, leading to job losses and plant closures. The ITC has already backed the USW’s complaint, by virtue of a 4-2 split in voting, and will send its recommended course of action to president Obama, who is expected to take action by the end of September.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Launches Truck Tyre Safety Web Pages

TyreSafe has added truck tyre safety information to its website and is promoting a truck tyre safety handout through its online presence. Defective tyres represent a growing number of MoT failures in the HGV sector, with statistics recorded by VOSA showing that an MoT failure rate of 36.5 percent was recorded in 2007/8, with ‘condition of tyres’ ranking as the second most common failure defect.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Where the Rubber Hits the [Off] Road

The word unique is arguably overused in the tyre business, however in the case of Michelin’s Almeria proving ground it is certainly appropriate. Situated in the south of Spain, Almeria is the largest purpose built EM/OTR test facility in the world, which means Michelin has free reign to put products such as the new XHA2 (see textbox) through all manner of torture in the name of product development. It also provides the valuable opportunity for discrete and detailed original equipment testing, something that vehicle manufacturers will clearly appreciate.

Michelin bought the 4,500-hectares of land the Almeria off-road tyre test facility is now built on in 1977. The site was chosen because it is one of the driest places in Europe with the express purpose of developing it into a centre of excellence for earthmover/off-the-road tyre developments. More than three decades after Michelin moved in, the latest generation of OTR tyres are tested on surfaces ranging from thick mud to sharp objects designed to literally stretch the company’s tyre treads to the limit. In total there are over 100 kilometres of track where automated long term testing “robots” circle various courses ad infinitum to measure durability. Throughout the site modern testing equipment is used on some of the newest and largest machines in the business. For example you can’t miss the fact that Michelin’s Almeria centre is home to the only CAT 797 currently operating in Europe.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Konig Wheels Support Largest Middle East’s Modified Car Competition

With modifiers bringing cars to the Barbican Turbo and the Top 100 in Abu Dhabi from as far as Oman and Qatar last year, this time round Konig Wheels wants to get in on the action. Hamid Moaref, manager of Konig Wheels & Accessories division, Varga Trading, in the Middle East stated: “We’ve been strong supporters of Barbican Turbo from day one – it’s important to have a show dedicated purely to customising vehicles in this region…It’s all about finding the most stylish ‘show cars’ in the region and this fits perfectly with the Konig Wheels brand as our motto is ‘style is king’”. All entries to the Top 100 will receive a 20 per cent discount voucher for Konig Wheels from the organisers.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Up to 3,500 Michelin France Jobs to Go by 2011

A Michelin spokeswoman stated on June 25 that the company may cut up to 3,500 jobs from its French workforce over the next couple of years. The spokeswoman, quoted by Reuters, said “when you add up the 700 job cuts already announced when we closed our plant in Toul, the 1,093 job cuts of last week and an estimate of our workforce needs by 2011, which we see down 650 to 1,700 jobs due to productivity gains, we reach that figure of 2,400 to 3,500 jobs.”

The spokeswoman added that union representatives were informed of this estimate during a meeting on June 24.

25th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Snap-on Training Centre Gains Rubber Association Approval

In news out of Germany, Snap-on Equipment has become the first garage equipment manufacturer to have its training centre courses authorised by the country’s rubber industry association, the wdk (Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustrie). The company’s European Competence Centre of Snap-on Equipment, located near Frankfurt am Main, has been authorised to conduct training courses related to the mounting and demounting of UHP and run-flat tyres in line with wdk requirements.

A prerequisite for wdk authorisation, notes Snap-on, was professional training rooms and workshops equipped with at least two wdk-certified turntable and roller-type tyre changers. The European Competence Centre is equipped with several certified tyre changers of these types; tyre/wheel assemblies, tyres and training materials are also available.

24th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors