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Hankook Tire Doubles Quarterly Operating Profits

Hankook Tire has reported strong second quarter sales of 1,257.3 billion won (£613.945 million; 715.822 million euros; 1.009 billion), up 10.3 per cent from 1,111.7 billion won (£545.693 million; 637.191 million euros; $893.855 million) in the second quarter of 2008. However, the company also recorded a 239.6 per cent increase in quarterly operating profits, which grew from 79.0 billion won to 144.8 billion won (£71.098 million; 82.944 million; $116.456 million) in the second quarters of 2008 and 2009 respectively.

The Hankook Tire China and Hungary operation saw record-high growth that led to a triple-digit percentage increase in its operating profit figures. In particular, the China operation reportedly recorded a 34.8 per cent sales increase quarter-on-quarter due to an increase in consumer demands and OE supplies, in line with the growing Chinese automotive industry. The Hungary operation showed a 44.6% sales increase year-on-year and resulted in operating profits following growth in the European market and cost efficient production.

29th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop India May Close Factory if Power Not Reconnected

The supply of electricity to Dunlop India’s factory in Sahaganj is still disconnected, and company chairman Pawan Kumar Ruia has threatened to close the plant if the power is not restored during the first half of August. The chairman indicates that Dunlop India is ready to resolve the matter with the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company out of court.

The factory’s electricity supply was severed earlier in the year due to the non-payment of dues amounting to Rs 130 million (£1.66 million), and the company claims responsibility for this lies with the previous owner. “The electricity dues got accumulated much before we took over the company. We do not know why the electricity connection was not disconnected when the dues remained unpaid for five years before we took-over. We heard lot of people ran business taking illegal connection from Sahaganj unit,” Ruia stated.

27th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Korean Production Resumes

Production at Kumho Tire’s three South Korean factories resumed on July 27 following a three-day strike. Unionised employees took this action after the tyre maker said it would fire 706 workers – some 18 per cent of its workforce – if the labour union did not agree to proposals to freeze wages and reduce fringe benefits. The union has demanded a 7.48 per cent increase in wages and bonus payments.

While the dispute has not yet been resolved, union and management representatives have agreed to meet again.

27th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Workers Strike at Kumho’s Korean Plants

On July 24 Kumho announced that its three South Korean factories will remained closed until July 26 due to strike action. Unionised employees went on strike earlier that day after talks with management on pay increases and further incentives ended in failure. In a regulatory filing Kumho said that its Gwangju, Gooksung and Pyungtaek plants will resume production on Monday July 27.

24th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Appoints New Operations VP, Plant Manager

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. appointed John Bodart as vice president of its North American tyre manufacturing operations and Alex Perry as plant manager at the Texarkana, Arkansas, manufacturing facility. Bodart will oversee North American tyre plant managers, operations excellence, reliability engineering and lean engineering. A 20-year Cooper employee with experience in plant management, quality assurance, mold operations, tyre testing and product development, he most recently worked as plant manager in Texarkana, Cooper said.

Perry will relocate from Cooper’s manufacturing facility in Melksham, England. Perry previously served in manufacturing operations, assembly operations and production roles in Melksham and Texarkana. Before joining Cooper in 2001, he spent several years in the British Army as a bomb disposal officer, reaching the rank of captain prior to his retirement. He also has prior experience with two other companies in management roles. Perry is the first Cooper employee to become certified as a black belt under the Cooper Tire Lean Six Sigma program, the company said. (Tire Review/Akron)

23rd July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Idled Dunlop India Workers Declare Hunger Strike

Operations at Dunlop India’s Sahagunj facility have remained idle since last November, and in an attempt to coerce company management to resume production some fifty employees and their families commenced a hunger strike on July 16.

“Fifty workers will continue the relay hunger strike till July 20. From July 22 the workers, accompanied by their family members, will go on a fast unto death. Our demand is that the plant has to be opened and production started immediately,” spokesperson Bidyut Raut said.

16th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Century Textiles Resumes Rayon Tyre Yarn Production

Following a half-year pause, India’s Century Textiles & Industries Ltd has resumed the production of rayon tyre yarn at its factory in Kalyan, Maharashtra state. Production had been suspended in February due to market conditions, and the decision to resume production on July 1 means that overall annual production capacity will fall about 12 per cent, as opposed to the previously estimated 25 per cent. The company states, however, that ongoing market conditions may necessitate further decisions being taken.

14th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Apollo Oragadam Greenfield Facility in Operation by November

Indian media sources reports production at Apollo Tyres Oragadam Greenfield facility near Chennai will enter production by November 2009. The plant, which will produce both passenger car and commercial vehicle radials, will have an 8,000 tyres per day capacity.

13th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli to Release Microchipped “Intelligent” Tyre

The Energy Harvesting Journal has reported that Pirelli is close to releasing its latest innovative tyre technology – a microchip to supply tyre and road condition information to the car’s electronic control system. It is designed to increase safety. The new product is expected to become available in the company’s Cyber Tyre Lean and Cyber Tyre in early 2010.

The Cyber Lean will register tyre pressure and temperature data, noting too the average load of the vehicle. It is attached to the inner lining and can store information such as the tyre’s production date and site. It derives the energy necessary to work from vibrations, further enhancing its environmentally friendly credentials.

The Cyber Tyre, which will be released later, will have the electronic sensor inserted directly into the tyre structure. A triaxial accelerometer will, according to the Journal, “give data on the actual and potential friction coefficients, the force of the contact between tyre and road, and on the load, instantaneously.” It supersedes current tyre sensor technology by being able to “correct wrong behaviour in advance.”

9th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Alabama Health Department Fines BFGoodrich

BFGoodrich Tire Manufacturing in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is to be fined $650 civil after violating state environmental health rules. According to local newspaper reports, Alabama Department of Public Health official identified the violation when BFGoodrich reported in May that “two devices containing radioactive sources were missing from the Tuscaloosa plant site.” WHNT news explained that they were discovered missing in April and were last accounted for in October 2008 and report suggests the devices might have left the site when “the production line they were on was dismantled and removed as scrap.” Such devices are used in gauges that measure the thickness of rubber during production.

9th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Closes Mexico Tread Pressing Plant

Overcapacity in Michelin’s North American retreading operations led the company to close its truck tread pressing plant in Querétaro, Mexico on July 7. Production from the Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) plant, which employs approximately 80 people, will be relocated to the company’s retreading facility in the United States. Michelin states that the decision to stop production of this particular product line has no impact on the continuing operations of its passenger car and light truck tyre plant in Querétaro.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Autopromotec Review: HPA-Faip Displays Fully Operational Prato Plant

HPA-Faip, a company of Nexion Group, operating in the international market of fitting centres and workshops for over 45 years, displayed its complete range of products alongside news of its new production plant in Prato, Italy. The company’s product display included the B 225 / B 215, a compact wheel balancer; the evolution of the lever-less M 928 Royal tyre changer; a WDK type-approved product as well as the models M 522 and M 624 from the range of products based on what the company terms classic technology. HPA-Faip says that the area of vehicle diagnostics is particularly important for the domestic market, and sees itself with a growing European and international role too.

8th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Releases Renewed Environmental Mission Statement

On behalf of its worldwide subsidiaries, Bridgestone Corporation has launched its renewed Bridgestone Group “Environmental Mission Statement”. This document refines and further develops the “Environmental Policy Statement” formally issued in 2002 and is intended to reaffirm Bridgestone’s commitment to environmental stewardship as stated in the Company’s Environmental Philosophy: “To help ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations.”

The renewed Environmental Mission Statement is comprised of two intertwined areas of focus – “Three Areas of Environmental Progress” and “Two Core Strategies for Growth” – that guide the Bridgestone Group’s environmental management activities.

2nd July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

FR380 Tyres Recalled by Bridgestone/Firestone in US

Bridgestone/Firestone has recalled 127,000 Firestone FR380 tyres manufactured between 9 September 2007 and 2 July 2008 in the size P235/75R15. Continued use could lead to vibration and groove cracking. The company will notify buyers and replace the products free of charge, including mounting and balancing.

Tire Review adds that the recall will encompass 127,183 tyres manufactured with insufficient tread base gauge, which could lead to tread distortion or separation. The tyres were produced at the Bridgestone de Costa Rica S.A. plant in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The US journal reports that Bridgestone Americas said that it was possible that a small number of these tyres from the additional production weeks may have been sold in the Canadian replacement market. The recalled tires carry DOT numbers starting with WBHL 380 3607 through and including WBHL 380 3008.

1st July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Fulda Factory Receives Second Bomb Threat

Production at Goodyear Dunlop’s Fulda factory in central Germany had barely began to return to half-normal on Tuesday June 30 when the plant received a second bomb threat. The police was called and again the site was sealed off to minimise danger to employees and suppliers. Whether the caller is the same man alleged to have called a day earlier, causing production to stop for twelve hours, is not clear.

30th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors