Production at Michelin Polska’s Olsztyn facility has resumed after a six-week pause. Lower demand for truck tyres led to the plant in northeast Poland halting production in April; initially a one-month stoppage was planed, however management decided to extend this by two additional weeks. Although production has now recommenced at Olsztyn, Michelin says it cannot rule out further short-term stoppages.
While Continental and the German IG BCE union arrived at a compromise regarding the company’s Hanover-Stöcken truck tyre factory, Germany’s Bild-Zeitung reports the decision to suspend production has far from won the universal admiration of employees. The paper records “indifference, anger and disappointment” amongst the affected employees – close to 430 of whom will be let go by next year at the latest.
“We have been taken for a ride,” one employee was quoted as saying. “As ‘little people’ we can not at all appreciate what this compromise brings.” Another said: “Unions and works councils are so weak, we feel betrayed. I have worked my fingers to the bone for 20 years – all for nothing.”
Australia’s government-run national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), reports it is working with Australian tyre recycling technologies company VR TEK Operations on the design and development of a new and improved method of recycling waste rubber for further use in the production of new tyres and a number of other products. The end goal of the project is to produce a devulcansied and activated high quality rubber powder suitable to be used in the manufacture of new rubber products.
Indian news sources report production at Birla Tyres’ stoppage-riddled facility in Orissa State has returned to normal, an event accompanied by a rise in the number of permanent employees at the plant. Management is said to have decided upon the resumption of “full production” and the induction of 280 of the factory’s casual workers as permanent employees, boosting permanent payroll numbers to 2,110. The plant’s 450 contractual workers have been upgraded to casual status.
Revolution Motorstore has added another retro-flavoured rim to its portfolio. The Cades Eros, says Revolution, mixes old-school cool with the latest production methods. The rim is available in either black, gold or silver and in 15 or 16-inch fitments – sizes that make Revolution confident the wheel will be a hit with the Classic, Retro, Euro and Jap tuning fraternities.
Provided the supply of electricity is restored, Dunlop India will most likely recommence the manufacture of tyres at its Sahaganj facility during May. The supply was cut following the suspension of production last November; the Press Trust of India quotes company chairman P K Ruia as recently saying “the Sahaganj plant is waiting for electricity connection to restart production.”
The facility partially re-opened on March 6, with 200 of the plant’s 1147 employees returning to carry out maintenance work.
Toyo Tire & Rubber has made several revisions to its consolidated and non-consolidated performance forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. The company’s previous forecasts were announced on February 9, 2009. Consolidated forecast net sales for the year have dropped four billion yen to 328 billion (£2.3 billion), while operating income has been downwardly adjusted by a billion yen to minus three billion (-£21.2 million). Net income, now forecast to be minus 10.8 billion yen (-£76.4), is up from February’s estimate of minus 12.7 billion.
General Motors announced yesterday that it would idle 13 of its North American plants this summer for stretches lasting as long as 11 weeks. The troubled automaker is cutting production in an effort to burn off existing inventory, some 767,000 cars and light trucks currently sitting in dealer and GM plant lots. The shutdowns, running between three and 11 weeks, will have an impact upon more than 26,000 workers.
GM is still facing the prospects of bankruptcy, which may come prior to 1 June when it supposed to make a $1 billion payment against its current debt. The US government has been working with GM officials to detail out a favorable pre-planned bankruptcy that will see certain GM brands cease to exist. (Tire Review/Akron)
The new “green” concept vehicle from Bright Automotive will come equipped with Bridgestone brand tyres. The Bright Idea, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that the producer claims will reach 100 mpg, will feature Bridgestone Turanza tyres. Once in production in 2013, Bright Automotive plans to produce 50,000 of the cars, which will roll on Bridgestone Ecopia radials. (Tire Review/Akron)
European heavy truck deliveries may have fallen by as much as 50 per cent in the first quarter of 2009, “the steepest fall for many decades,” according to Deutsche Bank. Citing anecdotal evidence, the market watchers suggest that demand may be stabilizing at the current level, which could lead to a 50 per cent fall in full-year 2009 totals. This would reportedly return demand to 1995 levels. “There are some signs that European industrial production may trough as soon as Q3, also at 1995 levels. We do not expect truck sales to recover until late 2010/early 2011,” the analysts commented. In the meantime truck stocks are said to be up 23-35 per cent over the last month.
Norbar Torque Tools Ltd. has introduced a bench-top Power Tool Test Fixture for testing a range of pneumatic torque wrenches such as Norbar’s Pneutorque range, allowing users to bring torque testing in-house and significantly reduce costs.
Russian tyre producer Nizhnekamskshina has reported that its first quarter 2009 tyre production was 48.5 per cent lower than during same period the year before. In the first quarter of 2009 the tyre manufacturer reportedly produced 1.505 million tyres. Nizhnekamskshina is one of the Russian market’s two most dominant truck tyre players, along with Sibur-Russian Tyres. Between them the two companies control approximately 80 per cent of domestic truck market sales.
Production has officially commenced at Kenda Rubber’s new facility in Tianjin, China. Approximately US$23 million has been invested in this first phase of the project – a total of $200 million has been set aside for work at Tianjin. The second phase is set to be launched in July.
It appears as if Pirelli is seeking further voluntary redundancies amongst it production staff in Carlisle. The company has confirmed this in a statement, however at this stage it is not clear how many positions will be cut.
Pirelli says it has informed senior trade union officials at both its Burton on Trent and Carlisle plants that it is willing to consider voluntary redundancy applications from production workers and supporting services. Information about the cutbacks was given as a second five-day shutdown, the result of falling demand, began on April 8.
Klarius Group recently published its biggest ever catalogue of Timax branded exhaust products. Timax, the only UK replacement exhaust manufacturer to gain type approval for all it’s exhaust products sold in the UK and abroad, says the new brochure shows the thousands of items available, including hundreds of new systems for this year.
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