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Ellerbrock after the fire: We are still alive

After the fire that completely destroyed the production plant at Marangoni’s German subsidiary Ellerbrock, North of Hamburg three weeks ago, the well known retread technology producer has stopped worrying about the past. Rather, Ellerbrock is occupied with plans for the future. The immediate goal is to reconstruct the plant by the end of next year, company officials told T&A. They didn’t reveal the total investment but will ensure that the new plant will process at least as much rubber as the old one, i.e. 15,000 tons per year. According to the plans, Ellerbrock’s new plant will become the most modern in Europe. In the meantime, 20 employees have been posted to two Marangoni plants in Italy in order to prevent the company from encountering delivery difficulties. For the first few weeks after the fire, Ellerbrock has been doing business from the stock.

1st December 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Tire on target for Q3

Hankook Tire has announced its third quarter results, which prove its strong earnings growth stories. Its net profit was improved by 91.6 per cent YTD. A slight slowdown of its 3Q numbers came mainly from fewer working days. Hankook exhibited another good profitability growth again. Despite its YTD sales growth being at only 9.1 per cent, its operating profit was enhanced by 108.2 per cent YTD and its net profit improved by 91.6 per cent. Meanwhile, there was a slight slowdown of numbers on a QoQ basis, down 7.3 per cent in sales growth and down 0.7 per cent in operating profit. Such a decline was partially due to no sales contribution from apartment sales. But the bigger reason comes from fewer working days in 3Q03 (minus 10 days in YoY). As the company has three-shift production and its fixed cost burden amounts to 55 per cent (largely from depreciation, salaries and others), the fewer number of working days enlarged fixed cost burden and its operating profit was slightly decreased by 0.7 per cent QoQ.

14th November 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Stability control programs launched

Continental Teves is launching production of six new electronic stability control programs in North America for model year 2004 vehicles. Continental expects to supply more than 3.6 million stability control units to automakers in North America, Europe and Asia in the 2004 model year, a 7 per cent increase on 2003.

13th November 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental to expand production in Romania

Continental has laid the foundation stone for a new plant at Sibiu, Romania, for its subsidiary Continental Temic, part of Continental Automotive Systems. The site will also include an R&D department, employing 170 staff, and the total investment is 20 million Euro. Production of vehicle electronics components will start in summer 2004.

4th November 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

ALPS begins mass production of batteryless TPMS

Back in May, Japanese company ALPS Electric and German firm IQ-Mobil signed an exclusive worldwide licensing contract, whereby ALPS will develop and produce a batteryless tyre pressure monitoring system. Mass production of such a system is about to start. Batteries, says ALPS, have a finite life, plus there are possible environmental and weight problems. The new batteryless TPMS replaces the central receiver with a transceiver, which transmits and receives signals and a transponder, which replaces the transmitter in the pressure sensor and uses the energy of the signals received to send a return signal.

30th October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Final stage of tyre-burning enquiry opens

The Environment Agency has opened the final stage of public consultation on Castle Cement’s application to build a new cement kiln at its Padeswood site near Mold, north Wales, which will burn solvents and scrap tyres. The new kiln will replace the existing facility and production will be increased by 50 per cent.

29th October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear shuts down belt manufacture

Goodyear is to discontinue operations at its conveyor belt factory in Bowmanville, Ontario next April. The move, says Jim Pecorelli, director of global manufacturing for Goodyear’s Engineered Products division, is to “consolidate production to reduce our cost base and maintain an industry leading role.” The phasing out begins immediately and will eventually affect 160 associates. The Bowmanville plant has been part of Goodyear’s operations since 1910.

17th October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental buys wheel sensor business

Continental has bought a wheel sensor business with operations in Japan and China. Continental and its Japanese partner Nisshinbo Industries bought Nagano Japan Radio Co.’s wheel sensor unit as well as its Chinese subsidiary. Nagano Japan Radio Co. produces sensors used in anti-lock braking systems, with much of its production at its Chinese plant. The unit employs around 1,350 people and had sales of around 65 million US Dollars in 2002.

15th October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Now Ford looks at Philippines

Following the news yesterday that Ford was to increase production in Thailand, the company has announced that it will be investing $50 million to ramp up production at its factory in the Philippines. Output will rise from 15,000 vehicles to 40,000 by 2006 and employment will double to 1,250.

15th October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Ford and Mazda to expand capacity in Thailand

Ford and Mazda are to invest $500 million in their joint venture in Thailand; a country that Bill Ford says “will spearhead Ford’s Asian growth strategy”. The investment will increase annual production from 135,000 vehicles to 200,000, plus Ford plans to set up a regional headquarters in Thailand.

14th October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear announces Huntsville closure plans

Goodyear has announced plans to close its factory at Huntsville, Alabama, by December 5th, affecting around 1,100 associates. The closure of Huntsville was widely expected, following the recently-ratified labour agreement with unions. Meanwhile, union representatives at the Kelly-Springfield plant in Tyler, Texas, say that tyre production has been cut by 11,000 units a day and up to 200 workers could be laid off by mid-November, hopefully only temporarily, says the union.

7th October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Metro Tyres Predicts Turnover Growth

Indian two-wheeler tyre producer Metro Tyres predicts a 10 per cent growth in turnover this fiscal year to 3.3 billion Rupees (US$72 million) and five billion Rupees ($109.9 m) in the next three years, on the back of its technical alliance with Continental AG. Metro will also invest 200 million Rupees (44.4 m) to double production at its factory in Ludhiana to a monthly capacity of 100,000 tyres and tubes. The Indian domestic two-wheeler tyre market is estimated to be worth 10 billion Rupees ($219.5 million) annually.

2nd October 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental To Cut Jobs In USA

Continental Tire North America is to cut production at its plant in Mayfield, Kentucky, by 22 per cent, resulting in the loss of 200 jobs; around 15 per cent of the total workforce. Rising costs, especially so-called “legacy” costs were blamed for the move.

30th September 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Amcast Refinances Casting Technology Company

Amcast Industrial Corporation has announced that its wholly-owned Casting Technology Company signed a credit agreement with The Provident Bank. This agreement provides for a three-year revolving line of credit of up to 5 million dollars and a five-year term loan of 3 million dollars.
Joseph R. Grewe, President and CEO of Amcast, said, “We are extremely pleased with this new credit facility for CTC. This demonstrates the confidence that The Provident Bank has in CTC’s continuing improved performance. CTC has implemented a number of initiatives under the Amcast Production System which has resulted in improved quality and delivery to our customers as well as improved profitability for our shareholders. We look forward to a lasting relationship with Provident.”

22nd September 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Hyosung to invest 110 million US dollars in China

The Hyosung Corporation has announced that it plans to invest 110 million US dollars in building a steel cord plant with annual production capacity of 33,600 tons in Qingdao, China. The joint venture with the Qingdao administration will be named Hyosung Steel Cord Qingdao.

The company is planning to inject an initial 50 million US dollars by September next year to produce 16,800 tons of steel cord annually. The investment is being driven by the growing demand by Chinese tyre manufacturers and the country’s expanding auto market.
“When the new plant is completed, Hyosung’s steel cord business will expand to make up 7 percent of the global market and 10 percent of the mainland Chinese market,” the company explained.

17th September 2003/by Tyrepress Editors