purchase Archives - Page 28 of 55 - Tyrepress

Posts

Schaeffler Appeals for Investment

Schaeffler Group is reportedly fighting against the possibility of a company breakup, as the automotive supplier struggles under the weight of 11 billion euros of debt it acquired when buying Continental AG. Over the weekend the owners of the Schaeffler Group, Maria-Elisabeth Schaeffler and her son Georg Schaeffler, commented on the situation in a public statement which saw them deny the company gambled on the purchase of Continental AG and appeal for outside support.

“…Schaeffler Group requires support for a limited period of time. Our talks with politicians are about securing interim financial aid in a special exceptional situation for a company that is sound at the core,” the statement read, adding: “The Schaeffler Group will present a viable concept to the federal government and the states. We are well aware that the viability of this concept will be scrutinized by the responsible public authorities to ensure that an interim financial aid package will not burden the taxpayers, and we realize that the Schaeffler Group must pay the statutory interest and fees incurred due to the bridgeover.”

9th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

E and H Ramps up Shred Speed with Evashred

Having made the purchase of an Evashred EV60E dual shaft tyre shredding machine complete with force feed hopper from Ecosystem Limited, Northampton’s E and H Tyres is looking, in the words of manager, Rob Holloway, “both [to] increase the number of tyres shredded per hour and save ourselves money on repairs on our existing equipment”. E and H Tyres currently process an average of 3000 tyres per day through the machine.

The Evashred EV60E tyre shredder will slot into the company’s existing system in front of the main shredder, preparing the tyres for the machine to more efficiently process them. The machine can process 2 tonnes, or around 250 car, van, 4×4 and light commercial tyres per hour. Its force feed hopper eliminates blocking and bridging on the shredder.

6th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Downtime Costs “Disappear” With Michelin Policy: Fleet Operator

Michelin UK says specialist chilled food distributor FreshLinc is expecting to see a dramatic increase in tyre life and fewer tyre-related breakdowns following a company-wide switch to its tyres and the commencement of a pence per kilometre (PPK) contract. The new agreement sees the Lincolnshire based operator fit a range of Michelin ‘E’ segment regional tyres, with XZE2+ being fitted to the 140 DAF and Scania maximum weight tractor units and new XTE2 and XTE3 tyres across the 160-strong trailer parc as wear dictates. The nature of the PPK structure, comments Michelin, also allows FreshLinc to own the tyres, without the up-front cost of outright purchase.

4th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Delticom Stores Granted TÜV Shopping Seal of Approval

European online tyre retailer Delticom has expressed ‘delight’ that its online shops have been given the seal of approval by German certifier TÜV. Starting with the company’s German ReifenDirekt.de site, fifteen of Delticom’s shopping websites have been awarded TÜV S@fer Shopping status, and the company hopes this distinction will signal to customers a safer and comfortable online purchase.

There are strict requirements for the TÜV award, which is renewed every year in extensive tests. The certification focuses on a number of areas, including user-friendliness and transparency. Amongst other site qualities, TÜV requires that online customers find a clear menu navigation that allows them to complete the purchase process easily. Whether or not a site assures the protection of consumer data is another important factor taken into account.

2nd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni MiTo Goes Flat Out

Just a couple of months after its debut at November’s Essen Motor Show, Tyres & Accessories has heard that Marangoni’s souped-up 233 bhp Alfa Romeo MiTo project car recently encountered an altogether more normal problem. Yes, you guessed it, the MiTo’s specialist Mythos tyres decided to suck up a nail. However, all was not lost as company representatives decided to practice what they preach and make use of their own lifetime warranty.

The rogue nail attacked the MiTo’s special “fire red” 18-inch Marangoni Mythos tyres during a recent test drive by a leading consumer press title at Bruntingthorpe Test Ground. Unbeknown to the test drivers, the puncture occurred just one week and only 1,000 miles after this set of tyres had been fitted. The puncture only became apparent when preparing the car for a special press photo shoot.

30th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin & Renault Crossing World Together in 2009 Cape-to-Cape

Michelin has been selected by Renault Trucks as exclusive tyre supplier for the upcoming Cape-to-Cape rally. This is the second occasion on which the two companies have together embarked on such an undertaking – in 2005 Michelin and Renault jointly participated in the Silk Road event. The new adventure, which gets underway on 1 March, 2009, will see six Renault Kerax and six Renault Sherpa trucks drive the length of the planet, north to south, on Michelin XZL tyres. The vehicles (and their tyres) will cross 21 countries, covering a total of 30,000 kilometres in extremely challenging conditions, ranging from the icy cold of northern climates to the oppressive heat of the desert and from harsh, rugged terrain to soft, loose ground.

30th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Buying in Bulk Enables Star-Tyre to Pass Savings Onto Customers

Over the past several years, tyre distributor Star Group Shanghai Co. Ltd. (Star-Tyre) has experienced rapid growth. The company’s inventory encompasses over twenty-three different popular brands of Chinese tyres, and the company reports it has strategically aligned itself with a number of China’s leading tyre manufacturers – a move Star-Tyre believes has brought about one of its greatest advantages.

The Shanghai headquartered firm operates distribution warehouses in China’s Qingdao, Shanghai, Dalian and Tianjin regions, and keeps considerable stock in its premises, which are located near major international seaports. This gives, says Star-Tyre, the company the opportunity to provide faster and more effective delivery to its clientele in any world destination. The distributor adds that its ability to purchase products in volume affords it a price advantage over competitors – an advantage Star-Tyre says it passes onto its customers in the form of a better purchase price.

30th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Cut Fleet Costs With Our Tyres, Says Continental

Although 2009 promises to be a challenging time for UK truck fleet operators, Continental is convinced that possibilities remain for fleets to counteract rising financial pressures. The company comments that the selection of the right tyres from the outset. for instance, has been proven to have a considerable influence on operator running costs.

“Our new HTR 2 trailer tyre or HTL 1 Ecoplus make an important contribution to reducing costs in the transport sector,” states Geert Roik, senior vice president Research & Development, OE Truck Tyres at Continental in Hanover, Germany. The economy achieved by vehicles and fleets is influenced heavily by tyre rolling resistance, but as each fleet operator knows from experience it is difficult to determine the influence of tyres on fuel consumption – many external factors, such as the weather, driving styles and different loads play a part.

27th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Reports: Schaeffler Wants Conti Chairman Out or New Board

The ongoing struggle between Continental AG and its major shareholder, Schaeffler Group, took a new twist yesterday when the Financial Times (FT) reported that Schaeffler wanted to force our Conti’s supervisory board chairman, Hubertus von Grünberg. According to FT, Schaeffler executives have fallen out with von Grünberg over his “systematic sabotage” of their plans.

FT reported that von Grünberg was told he should resign and make way for Schaeffler to be given four board seats, or the ball bearing maker would force an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting to replace all 10 members. Neither side has commented publicly about the reports.

21st January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Aiming to Half its Tyre Fuel Consumption by 2030

The US market is a significant one for the automotive industry, and therefore annual the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit remains an important date in the motoring calendar. Prominently exhibiting at this year’s show is Michelin, and the president of the company’s worldwide passenger car and light truck tyre business, Florent Menegaux, has taken hold of the opportunity afforded by the Detroit show to discuss Michelin’s technological direction.

“Michelin’s approach to technology is to drive improvements in different areas of performance sometimes seen as incompatible,” said Menegaux during a NAIAS press conference. “The strength of Michelin’s capacity for innovation lies in the ability to produce tyres that deliver not only energy savings but also enhanced safety and long-lasting tread life, ensuring the consumer does not have to sacrifice key performance features for energy-efficiency.

16th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Chinese Car Sales Slowest in a Decade

Having heard about the rough ride Western car markets had in 2008, spare a thought for the booming Chinese market. In 2008 5,326,308 cars were sold into the Chinese market, up 6.7 per cent year-on-year. While carmakers selling into European markets would be over the moon with full-year growth of 6.7 per cent, this the lowest year-on-year growth reported in China for a decade. And what’s more in the month of December passenger sales actually fell 5.7 per cent year-on-year to 545,179 units in December.

According to Morgan Stanley’s Chinese automotive market analyst, this is mainly due to production cuts at the key OEMs. It could also signal that the emerging market’s rapid growth rate has peaked: “Although more supportive policy from the government may be implemented soon, such as purchase tax and consumption tax cut, weak car demand sentiment and consumer confidence are not easy to revive amid a slowing economy, in our view,” Morgan Stanley’s Kate Zhu said in an investor’s note.

16th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Mexico’s Bienes Turgon Acquires Delphi’s Global Exhaust Business

Bienes Turgon, S.A., a Mexican holding company with interests in the automotive industry through its subsidiary Katcon, S.A., has announced the acquisition of Delphi Corporation’s global exhaust system business in its entirety. The transaction, covered by a Master Sale and Purchase Agreement and financed with an equity increase and existing cash reserves, is expected to be closed during the first half of 2009.

15th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Australia Finalises Purchase of Jobson’s Outlets

Following the signing of an agreement on January 5, Bridgestone Australia will be working more closely with Sydney based retail tyre network Jobson’s Discount Tyre and Mechanical. The agreement finalises Bridgestone’s purchase of JLK Holdings, which owns and operates seven Bridgestone Tyre Centre outlets across the metropolitan Sydney region.

Phil Jobson, co-owner and founder of Jobson’s Discount Tyre and Mechanical, said the agreement represented “an exciting new phase” for both businesses. “We have been planning a move such as this for a number of years, so I am delighted to be joining forces with Bridgestone as it allows me to stay very much at the helm of the business while also ensuring its long-term future,” he said.

9th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Nigerian Motorcyclists Wearing Scrap Tyres to Avoid Helmet Law

Nigerian motorcyclists have stumbled upon a novel new use for discarded tyres. These end of life rubber items join dried fruit shells, saucepans and paint pots as a handy substitute for those wishing to dodge a new law in Nigeria that makes the wearing of helmets compulsory. Tyre scraps, affixed to the skull with a piece of string, are proving popular with bikers who find helmets too expensive and with passengers who, to quote a Reuters news article, fear they “will catch skin disease (from the helmet) or be put under a black magic spell.”

8th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

RAC Ranked Top Roadside Service Provider in J.D. Power Study

It’s a hat-trick – the results of the latest J.D. Power and Associates UK Roadside Assistance Study are out, and the RAC has, for a third consecutive year, ranked highest in satisfying UK motorists requiring emergency roadside assistance. The study, now in its eleventh year, measures customer satisfaction with roadside assistance services by examining three factors: timing (the time taken for help to arrive and time taken at the scene); mechanic/vehicle driver (which includes items such as appearance, courtesy and ability to do what was needed); and operator/call centre (including friendliness, reassurance and time taken to answer the phone).

8th January 2009/by Tyrepress Editors