Michelin and wheel manufacturers Hayes Lemmerz and Ronal are three of 13 new companies the Ford Motor Company has added to its Aligned Business Framework (ABF). The presence of the tyre and wheel manufacturers within Ford’s ABF brings the number of key component and service suppliers Ford has chosen for long-term relationships and closer collaboration to 90.
HydraLoad ApS has announced that it will be presenting “ergonomic and cost-effective equipment for the transport industry” at Reifen 2010. According to the Danish company, HydraLoads’ two types of loaders enable customers to move large tyres quickly and easily without putting any strain on employees. The machines are said to help reduce handling time up to eight times over.
In April, Goodyear is launching the first size in its new “RM” range of haulage tyres for off-the-road applications – a product line-up that will ultimately include two 63-inch fitments. The RM name stands for “rock mining”, and with this in mind an extra deep tread has been utilised in order to provide extend tread life in harsh operating conditions. Furthermore, says Goodyear, the presence of interlocking stability blading is intended to promote a solid footprint, and high angle grooves promote traction and cleaning.
Techking Tires says it intends to place a focus on tyre management systems in 2010. During an interview, company president Sheng Rongsheng said “this year, Techking is going to invest on the research of the total tyre management system. We hope the system would help our customers to manage and use their tyres more efficiently.” To help deliver tyre management solutions, during 2010 Techking is establishing six new Techking Service Centers within China and more than 20 will be built up in overseas markets.
Avon rubber is once again the tyre of choice for Isle of Man sidecar legend, Dave Molyneux. Last year, Molyneux took his victory tally on the Island to 14, thanks in part to the Avon Tyres on his outfit. This year, it is all changed as Molyneux has a new passenger – Patrick Farrance – and now has Kawasaki power for the coming road-race season.
The strike that had frozen production at Pakistan’s General Tyre and Rubber Company (Gentipak) for a month has come to an end. The industrial dispute at the country’s largest tyre manufacturer, of which Continental is a minority shareholder, began on March 16 after management refused to a accept charter of demands put forward by the workers’ labour union. These demands included wage increases and the appointment of workers to permanent positions.
South Korea’s JoongAng Daily reports the production line at Kumho Tire’s Gwangju factory has stood idle since last week due to the unavailability of rubber. The company planned to secure emergency funding from its creditor to purchase additional supplies of the commodity, however this action has been delayed due to disagreements with the union representing Kumho Tire employees.
Dunlop’s activities in the MSA British Touring Car Championship are not limited to being the title sponsor and tyre-supplier. The company is engaged in the hunt to find the Championship’s future stars with its Race Academy – dubbed by the manufacturer “the X-Factor of Motorsport”. The Academy will run a series of track-based events in which drivers new to racing will be able to show what they can do on the track. Playing Simon Cowell and his minions will be Evo Magazine, a BTCC driver and a Dunlop representative.
The prices of certain Lanxess plastic and rubber chemicals, including some used in the tyre manufacturing process, are increasing at of April 1, 2010. The company’s Rubber Chemicals business unit will raise prices for its Vulkanox, Vulkacit and Renacit products by up to 20 euro cents per kilogram, depending on product and region. Vulkanox is used as an antioxidant, Vulkacit as an accelerator and Renacit as a peptizer, and are used in the production of various rubber products, including tyres, hoses and driving belts.
Car production in the UK increased 62.7 per cent year-on-year in February, with a total of 97,255 vehicles produced. This means that, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, year-to-date car production has reached 198,445 units, an increase of 63.8 per cent over the same period last year. Commercial vehicle production in February increased 74.2 per cent year-on-year to 10,226 units, while the 19,382 commercial vehicles manufactured in the first two months of 2010 represent a 36.3 per cent increase on January and February 2009.
A run-down of Michelin’s North American operations has been made available through the release of the subsidiary’s ‘Fact Sheet 2010’. According to Michelin North America’s figures, its sales to North American customers amounted to US$7.0 billion in 2009, a hefty chunk of Michelin’s 14.8 billion euro global sales during the year. The operation employed 16,640 staff in North America, 3,550 in Canada and 710 in Mexico. During 2009 Michelin operated 18 major plants in 16 locations. Total unit tyre production or year-on-year change is not stated in the fact sheet.
Suitability for high load applications is a favoured quality for industrial tyres, and Continental Industrial Tyres is now in a strong position to brag about the load capability of its IC 40 Extra Deep pneumatic crossply range. The Conti tyre plus corresponding Continental-supplied wheel units were called into service to aid Kamag and Scheuerle Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) move a load weighing more than 15,000 tonnes. This impressive piece of haulage work took place at Norway’s largest shipyard, Aker Stord, and involved the transportation of an oil separation plant. The plant was built in three sections, the middle of these sections alone weighing 12,750 tonnes, and its movement from the production site to a pontoon required an accuracy level of just two millimetres.
Bandvulc has reported that its BIG range (retreaded tyres for quarry and heavy application) expanded sharply in 2009, despite difficult recessionary times. According to Bandvulc, the company saw sales in this market increase by over 50 per cent. Bandvulc representatives commented that this because “customers are still looking for value for money and tangible longevity, not short term benefits.”
In 2008 Dortmund, Germany-based Rösler Group finalized a deal with one of the world’s largest copper mining companies, Kazakhmys to install a turnkey retreading facility for Kazakhmys’ underground and open pit operations in Kazakhstan. 18 months later Rösler and Kazakhmys have announced that that they have completed construction of the new retreading facility in Zhezkazgan, near Kazakhmys’ operations. The plant has reportedly been in full production since December last year, retreading tyres in 25 inch to 33.00R51 sizes, with the option for 57-inch products. In order to secure quality, Rösler keeps a team of three retreading specialists based in Kazakhstan on a continuous basis to supervise production.Tyres retreaded in the Zhezkazgan facility are now in operation in copper mines.
Tyre production in India increased 16 per cent during the first ten months of the current financial year, the Hindu Business Line reports. Quoting figures released by the national Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), the financial daily said 79.2 million tyres were produced during the period, up from 68.4 million during the April to January period of the previous financial year. In the truck and bus segments, a growth of 14 per cent occurred in the period between April and January, up to a total of 12.25 million units. Passenger car tyre production increased 17 per cent during the period, to 16.3 million units, while production in the scooter and three-wheeler tyre segment grew 18 per cent to 10.7 million units. Information about the remaining 40 million tyres said to have been produced was not given.
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