Wiltshire news sources have reported a fire at Cooper Avon’s Melksham facility over the weekend; while crews worked in “difficult conditions” to put the fire out according to the Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service, Cooper Avon stated that the “damage was minimal and because there are no weekend shifts at present, there were no injuries to staff.” Operations at the plant were not affected, according to the company.
A new plant manager has taken charge of Goodyear Dunlop’s factory in Philippsburg, Germany. As of May 1, Klaus Happ has taken over the role from Bruno Kihm, who is now plant manager of the company’s Riesa passenger car tyre factory in the country’s east. Kihm in turn has replaced Dr. Christian Paech, who retired on May 1 after a career with the tyre maker spanning 33 years.
Following an investment of “tens of millions” of euros, Evonik Industries has added a high-purity isobutene plant to its facility in Antwerp, Belgium. The new plant can produce up to 110,000 tonnes of isobutene per annum and forms part of the site’s integrated C4 production platform. The investment has tripled Evonik’s production capacity for isobutene, which is used in butyl rubber of applications such as reducing air permeability in tyres.
Disagreement between members of the Kumho Tyre Workers’ Union (KMWU) and the South Korean tyre maker has led to disruptions in production at factories located in Gwangju and Gyeonggi provinces. Union members set the ball rolling with a one-day strike on March 25. Upon their return, the 3,400 employees at the two plants were apparently asked to sign individual agreements pledging not to strike. A lockout was then announced.
Tyre production at Bridgestone’s Nasu factory in Tochigi Prefecture got underway on March 25, two weeks after the earthquake in Japan. Output at the plant, which holds the capacity to product 2,600 tons of passenger car, motorcycle tyres and other tyres per month, will increase gradually as electricity restrictions are lifted and “other issues” resolved. The Nasu plant’s return to production means that all Bridgestone factories in Japan affected by the earthquake are now back in production.
Leading Chinese tyre manufacturer Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber has confirmed that it is planning to build a tyre factory in the vicinity of Bangkok, Thailand. Speaking to Tyres & Accessories, the executive responsible for the company’s Westlake brand Mr Ge, confirmed that the company had signed a contract with the Thai government to purchase land in the Bangkok development zone.
Vredestein has announced the upcoming release of the Hi-Trac 2. The second-generation tyre is an evolution of its predecessor, however the Dutch tyre maker claims “the number of improvements we have now made for the Hi-Trac is so significant that Vredestein has decided to add the number ‘2’ to its product name.” Named changes are an adapted construction and a new tread compound that is said to reduce rolling resistance and noise production. The sidewall has also been given a “more modern and streamlined design,” Vredestein adds.
Lanxess has announced the temporary closure of its office in Tokyo. For the time being, management from the Tokyo office will be based in Toyohasi, some 250 kilometres southwest of the Japanese capital. The specialty chemicals firm’s Rhein Chemie operates a production facility for rubber chemicals in Toyohashi.
Bridgestone has given further information on restarting production in its factories located in Japan’s Kanto region or north of that region. Production at the company’s Yokohama and Tokyo factories has already recommenced, although electricity supply and other issues are still restricting a return to full production at the Yokohama site. It is anticipated that Bridgestone’s Tochigi, Nasu and Kurioso factories will recommence production on March 16. Deliveries from the Tokyo plant are expected to restart on March 16 and deliveries from Tochigi and Nasu on March 18 or thereafter.
In response to widely circulated fears about the effect the disaster in Japan and subsequent nuclear reactor issues will have on demand for natural rubber, the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries has opined that these events “will not have significant impact on rubber demand from the country.” Supporting this statement, the ANRPC points out that major tyre manufacturers have already confirmed their plants remain largely unscathed and will resume full production upon the restoration of reliable electricity supplies.
US motor industry supplier TRM Automotive Holdings reports its zero initiator tyre pressure monitoring system – a product the company refers to as “its lowest cost auto location system ever” –recently entered mass production and is now under evaluation with global vehicle manufacturers. Announcing the new product’s rollout, Laurent Crosnier, product portfolio director for TRW Radio Frequency Electronics, commented that “TRW seeks to bring cost competitive systems to market in our effort to deliver the safety that everyone deserves, and affirms its TPMS technological leadership with this innovative new product launch.”
Michelin has announced a provisional schedule for the 2011 Michelin Power Cup race series, whose entry list has grown to almost 60 riders following its first UK season last year. The series offers motorcycle racers “unprecedented amounts of track time and prizes, including tyres and sponsors’ products,” says Michelin, with TV coverage courtesy of Motors TV. The season consists of eight rounds with three 12-15 lap sprint races for 600cc and 1000cc classes at each round. The season will run from March to October with provisional stages at Brands Hatch (12-13 March), Mallory Park (16-17 April), Anglesey (28-29 May), Snetterton (18-19 June and 29-30 October), Pembrey (16-17 July), Cadwell Park (20-21 August) and Oulton Park (17 September).
The Budapest Business Journal brings news of a potential wage related strike at Hankook’s plant in Hungary. Production apparently may come to a halt there “within days” following the establishment of a workers’ strike committee; the union representing employees at the South Korean manufacturer’s Rácalmás facility is reported as saying more than 1,700 Hankook workers there are now earning less than last year following the introduction of tax changes in January 2011. Talks with management over a potential pay increase have already begun, however the newspaper shares that Hankook Tire Magyarország Kft said a strike committee has been set up as an agreement over the size of the proposed pay rise “looked distant.”
The China Economic News Service reports that the Taiwan’s based Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) intends to invest US$300 million establishing a synthetic rubber production facility in China’s Zheijiang Province. Construction of the plant Ningbo plant is expected to begin in October 2011 with volume production commencing in two years’ time. Initial output is given at 50,000 tons of IIR (isobutylene-isoprene rubber) per annum, with the tyre industry tipped to be the largest consumer of this. CENS reports that growing domestic demand from Chinese tyre makers has triggered FPG’s entry into the rubber industry. Furthermore, the company is said to be contemplating three other China based projects related to tyre production; these would require a further investment of $200 million.
Three changes within Yokohama Rubber’s senior management were decided upon at the company’s board of directors meeting on February 14. These changes, effective April 1, 2011, include the promotion of Hikomitsu Noji to a director and senior managing corporate officer role. Noji is currently director and managing corporate officer, president of Tire Group and general manager of Tire Global Production Division. As of April Mr. Noji’s more concise job title will be director and senior managing corporate officer and president of Tire Group.
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