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European, American Tyre Markets Softer in December – Michelin

Figures released by Michelin have confirmed what we already knew – these are not happy times for the tyre industry. Between January and December 2008 the passenger car tyre segment in Europe (including the CIS) shrank for both the OE and replacement markets. The OE market dropped 7.2 per cent during the year, while replacement market sales declined 4.0 per cent. During the month of December 2008, OE sales plummeted 39.1 per cent year-on-year, while aftermarket sales grew by 7.6 per cent.

The European OE truck tyre market declined by 0.9 per cent between January and December 2008, and the replacement tyre market by 9.7 per cent. During December 2008 OE sales dropped 40.7 per cent year-on-year, and replacement market sales 31.0 per cent.

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Related news:

  1. Michelin Renews International Contract
  2. Continued OE Sales Growth in Europe
  3. Michelin North America Announces Price Increases
  4. Michelin Announces a Series of Price Hikes
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Bosch Appoints New Asia/Pacific Regional President

Automotive technology and services supplier the Bosch Group has announced that former vice president of Sales for the Bosch Independent Aftermarket West Europe & Mediterranean, Ken Ford, has been appointed to a new role as regional president for Asia/Pacific. Ford begins in his new position on April 1, 2009 and will be based in Singapore.

The new Asia/Pacific regional president began his career with Bosch in 2004 as the divisional director for Automotive Aftermarket Bosch UK and Ireland. His other previous roles have included general manager for the Aftermarket Western Europe and, most recently, vice president of Sales Western Europe & Mediterranean.

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  1. ESP “Could Halve Accident Rates” – Bosch
  2. Bosch Worldwide Chief Visits Euro Car Parts
  3. ‘Automechanika Thailand’ to be Launched in May 2006
  4. New European Head for Hankook
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Michelin, Valeo Partner on Hybrid Systems

Valeo and Groupe Michelin are combing efforts to develop electric and rechargeable hybrid vehicle systems. The pair will work on such systems as drive train, engine and battery cooling management, climate control, lighting, energy management and tyres.

“Michelin and Valeo are convinced that by joining forces they will help to accelerate the emergence of electric vehicles in France and worldwide,” the companies said in a statement. (Tire Review/Akron)

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  1. EU Appeals Court To Rule On Michelin Case
  2. Bridgestone To Build Tech Centre Alongside Wuxi Plant
  3. Michelin Introduces ‘Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge’
  4. Michelin Tables Plant Re-Organisations & Closures for France, Spain
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Reports: Schaeffler Could Now Get State Aid

According to Reuters, Conti shares grew 6.7 per cent on Friday (13 February 2009) after Renate Schmidt, member for the SPD in the German Bundestag, reportedly declared that state aid for Schaeffler may be possible under certain conditions. The news follows potential investor Abu Dhabi-owned IPIC denying it was interested. Pirelli also ruled itself out of any possible deal earlier in the week.

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  1. Pirelli Parent Posts 3Q Loss
  2. Pirelli Share Capital Reduction Concluded
  3. Pirelli Complete Speed Acquisition
  4. Schaeffler May Sell a Quarter of Conti
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Michelin Net Income Falls 53.8%

Michelin has reported that group sales fell 2.9 per cent in 2008, and 16 per cent in the final quarter. Net income fell 53.8 per cent, to 357 million euros in 2008 compared with 774 million euros in 2007. The financial come against a backdrop of spiralling tyre unit sales volumes (down 2.9 per cent for the year, falling a huge 16 per cent in the fourth quarter). However, when calculated at constant exchange rates, net sales reportedly grew 1.1 per cent in 2008. Either way, operating margin took a real beating falling 4.2 percentage points to 5.6 per cent in 2008.

In response to the figures, Forbes reported “investors sent shares of Michelin up 0.7 per cent, or 20 euro cents to 31.16 euros. Like Pirelli just a few days earlier, Michelin announced that it will work on enhancing plant flexibility, with an emphasis on driving further expansion in the new, high growth potential markets. In order to face the challenges that the “difficult” market is presenting, the company will cut capital expenditure to around 700 million euros.

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Related news:

  1. Niznekamskshina Looks to Global Cooperation
  2. Analysts Upgrade Michelin
  3. Pirelli Buys Back 38.9% Share in Tyre Division
  4. Michelin Halts Silvania Zalau Production
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Michelin May Still Be Interested in Conti

Michelin joint-head Michel Rollier, may have said that the company is facing market challenges head-on by cutting capital expenditure to 700 million euros, but that doesn’t mean it has ruled itself out of buying economically priced competitors. Speaking at a press conference on Friday 13 February, Rollier said the French tyre manufacturer would consider Continental AG again, if the company ever comes back on the market. Coming just days after Continental AG’s major shareholder appealed for investors and state support, commentators are speculating that Michelin has an acquisition strategy.

Asked what Michelin would do if Schaeffler were to look for a buyer for Continental, Rollier told journalists: “Obviously Michelin wouldn’t be absent. I can’t tell you more than that.” Rollier’s interest appears to stretch beyond Continental alone to any other strategic advantageous tyre marker: “There are many smaller tyre companies in the world, and it’s not impossible that the crisis can lead to mergers. Here too, we certainly won’t absent.”

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Related news:

  1. Will Credit Crunch Affect Conti/Schaeffler Deal?
  2. Reports: Continental Looking For a Tyre Business Partner
  3. Schaeffler: Conti Share Sale ‘Cannot be Ruled Out’
  4. Schaeffler Confident of EU Merger Approval in 25 Days
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First Stop Launches Consumer-Facing Website

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First Stop has launched a brand new website (www.firststop4tyres.co.uk) designed to help customers get more from their local tyre dealership.
The website features a UK-wide dealer locator as well as detailed information on Bridgestone’s tyre range and – currently – details of the network’s free fuel competition.

In parallel with the launch of the updated web site, a brand new dealer locator text service and phone-line is also running. To be put in touch with their nearest dealer, customers simply need to text or call the dedicated number which will be featured in a First Stop advertising campaign being rolled out across the UK.

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Related news:

  1. Goodyear and Agricultural University Create Innovation Award
  2. First Stop Branch in Pole Position at ‘Think You Can Drive’ Event
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  4. CES releases Engine Management Guide
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IPIC Refutes Schaeffler/Conti Acquisition News

The Abu Dhabi government-owned International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) denied on February 12 it was negotiating to acquire a share in Schaeffler or its 49.9 per cent owned subsidiary Continental. In a statement, IPIC managing director Khadem al-Qubaisi said “this speculation has surfaced recently in the German media. We are quite surprised that this has arisen at all.”

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Related news:

  1. Schaeffler Walks Away Without State Aid After Initial Talks
  2. Merkel: Loan Guarantees are ‘Right Tool’ for Schaeffler
  3. Conti to Buy Parts of Schaeffler?
  4. Continental, Schaeffler to Avoid State Assistance?
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Apollo to Lay Off 1,500

The downturn in the automotive industry has seen Apollo Tyre’s OEM demand drop 43 percent in terms of value during the last financial quarter, and according to company chairman and managing director Onkar S Kanwar, “car sales have plummeted [and] tyre sales have also gone down proportionally.” During the last quarter commercial vehicle tyre sales have also experienced “a serious drop”, he added. In light of this decreased demand for the company’s products, the Hindu Business Line reports that Apollo is considering laying off 1,500 workers.

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  1. Delphi to Cut up to 6000 Jobs
  2. Beru Expands Ludwigsburg Development Facility
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  4. Conti May Eliminate 2,000 VDO Jobs
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Rösler Software Prevents Over or Under-Vulcanisation

Temperature and time are both crucial factors for the vulcanisation of rubber during both the mould and pre-cure retreading processes. For this reason, in October 2008 Germany’s Rösler Group founded an R&D department to work on developing specific software for accurately determining these two factors during vulcanisation. Rösler reports that its software has helped improve the quality and consistency of the products made by its two major retreading brands, Rodos and Schelkmann.

The mould cure process used by Rodos in the retreading of OTR tyres takes several hours to complete, and it is particularly important to precisely determine the curing time in connection with the curing temperature, as any unnecessary prolongation of the time will result in the rubber becoming over-vulcanised.

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  1. Laser Transport Claims it Gets More Miles With Michelin
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“Export Markets an Integral Part of Our Business” – Apollo’s Kanwar

In these froward economic times, it is difficult to make plans. Apollo Tyres, however, appears to be pressing ahead with its inroads into European markets. The company’s chairman and managing director Onkar Singh Kanwar recently spoke to India’s largest financial daily, The Economic Times, and explained why exports are so important for Apollo at present.

“The passenger car segment (in India) has been badly impacted,” related Kanwar. “As car sales have plummeted, tyre sales have also gone down proportionally. Apollo Tyres however has managed to maintain a growth of 22 per cent despite the overall scenario, as exports have helped in tiding over this period so far.” He added that, in this most recent financial quarter, exports grew by 37 per cent year-on-year.

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Related news:

  1. SEBI Directs Ruias to Make Open Offer
  2. Apollo a Recommended Buy – Broker
  3. Kanwar Reiterates Apollo Plans
  4. Ruia Group to Acquire TCI?
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Champion Drifter Joins Team Toyo

Toyo Tire USA announced today that Drifting World Champion Rhys Millen has become the newest member of Team Toyo. Millen will compete for the Formula Drift championship in a 550-horsepower, 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe equipped with extreme performance Toyo Proxes R1 tyres. In addition to the Formula Drift series, Millen plans to compete with the car in the Pikes Peak Hillclimb as well as Redline Time Attack events.

Since its release in 2007, the Proxes R1R has won two Formula Drift championships, the D1 GP championship and the Street Touring S class championship during the 2008 SCCA Solo National Championships as well as many time attack competitions.

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  1. Dunlop Takes 15th Consecutive 250cc World Championship Title
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  3. No Control Tyre for Australian Rally Championship
  4. Toyo Driver Gordon Wins Baja 500
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Bridgestone: ‘Think Before You Drive’

Bridgestone Americas has officially unveiled its new online driver safety program at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. With the launch of the new website, all of Bridgestone Americas’ consumer road safety programs are unified under a single banner — Think Before You Drive — a driver education initiative of the global Bridgestone Group. While the site is designed to educate all passenger vehicle drivers, it has a special focus on younger drivers, incorporating all of Bridgestone’s consumer safety and education programs under one comprehensive umbrella to further reinforce the importance of smart driving, the company said.

The company said that ThinkBeforeYouDrive.org provides tyre safety lessons and driving skills to help reduce preventable tragedies on the road. The site highlights the variety of consumer safety and education programs the company runs or sponsors, such as SafetyScholars.com, Mario Andretti’s Real Information On Safety, Driver’s Edge, Car Care Academies and TireSafety.com. The site offers visitors a variety of interactive services including video games, quizzes, videos, vehicle maintenance tips and more, according to the company. (Tire Review/Akron)

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  1. Bridgestone After Michelin Teams
  2. Kwik-Fit Shows Support to Bridgestone Safety Campaign
  3. The Art of Safety
  4. Safety Scholar Video Contest Winners Named
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TyrFil Maker Adds Staff, Facility

Despite the current economic situation, Pathway Polymers, marketers of TyrFil Recycling Systems, claims that it has expanded its sales force and opened a new facility.The new 6,000 sq ft development, processor training and machine demo area is at Pathway Polymer’s production facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The development, processor training, and machine demo area is fully equipped with TrioFil, AutoFil, Graco, Electric TyrFil, and LiteFil tire fill systems for use by Pathway’s development staff and customer processors.

The three new territory managers include Kevin Carr, based in Henderson, Nevada, who covers the western US; Ben Parish, from Chicago, who covers the Midwest; and Pat McKinney in San Antonio, who is responsible for the southwest. (Tire Review/Akron)

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  1. Town Welcomes Recycling Plant
  2. TIA to Organise Retreading Conference
  3. Toyota Decreases UK Plant Production
  4. Moving On
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Goodyear Dunlop Nears £50,000 Charity Goal

While economic pressures can result in people rethinking their spending, they have not prevented Goodyear Dunlop’s friends and associates homing in on the company’s target of donating £50,000 in a year and a half to help build a playground for the Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health Service ward at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Since April 2008 fundraisers have been working hard, with a range of activities taking place including a charity ball, dress down days, truck tyre rolls and a bicycle ride from the company’s head office in Birmingham to Paris. In total £48,000 has been donated to the charity, almost reaching the total in ten months.

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  1. Goodyear Dunlop Overhauls Charity Target Early
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  3. Director Makes Marathon Effort for Charity
  4. Goodyear Dunlop Makes Big Push for Birmingham Children’s Hospital
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