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Tyre Recycling Plant For Brunei

Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) and ACI Corporation Ltd. have announced plans to develop a multi-billion dollar tyre recycling plant in Brunei. It is estimated that 1.82 million US dollars will be invested in the plant that will generate some 1200 jobs locally. ACI Corporation Ltd has developed a process that transforms scrap tyres and other suitable rubber products into valuable raw materials using a worldwide patented and proven cryogenic process. Brunei has been chosen as its Asian location for the processing hub. Apart from Asia, ACI also plans to build processing hubs in the United States and Middle East to ultimately process up to 60 percent daily of the one million tyres currently discarded in each of these regions.

8th July 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Firestone Agricultural Tyre Prices Rise In USA

Firestone Agricultural Tire Division in the USA has announced a price increase of 3 to 5 per cent on all Firestone brand agricultural, industrial and forestry tyres. A significant upward trend in raw materials costs necessitated the price increase, the second announced by Firestone in 2003. The price increase, which varies by product line, will be effective for all orders placed after September 1, 2003.

4th July 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone raises prices in Asia

Bridgestone Corp. has begun raising tyre prices by between 3 and 5 per cent in Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa to cover rising costs of raw materials. The increases will cover Bridgestone and Firestone radial and bias passenger, light truck, truck and bus tyres. Prices in the Japanese market will not be affected. Bridgestone has been implementing the price increases in stages since March 1 to compensate for the rising costs of raw materials, including natural rubber, synthetic rubber, carbon black and some chemical additives.

2nd May 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Full Year Sales Down

Michelin is expected to announce a small drop in sales to 15.54 billion Euro from 15.75 billion Euro. Analysts say this is likely to be due to the weak dollar. They also suggest that Michelin will increase prices to meet growing costs of oil-based raw materials. An announcement from Michelin is expected later today after the close of the stock market. Michelin’s full results are expected in two week’s time.The company’s share prices were pressured last Friday when Standard and Poor’s put the group on negative credit watch over unfunded pension liabilities. However they were given a 4.6 lift on Tuesday by good news from the auto sector suggesting a revival was under way.

12th February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

“Michelin – The BMW Of The Tyre Industry”

Business newspapers in France and England are commenting on a paper from the french analysts Gaetan Toulemonde and Alexis Boyer both from DB Global Equities are recommending Michelin shares as a clear “buy”. The share price – at about 31 Euros at present – has, according to the analysts, the potential to rise to 50 Euros within 12 months. Michelin is seen by them as “the BMW in the tyre industry” with strong brands and an excellent brand strategy. It is expected that Michelin will announce in a press conference at the end of February a turnover for 2002 of about 15.7 bn Euro and an operating profit of 1.1 bn Euro. For this year the company is aiming for a turnover of more than 17 bn Euro and an operating profit of more than 1.2 bn Euro. The stock capitalisation at present is 4.6 bn Euro.Michelin’s strategy has been focused for years on a significantly improved product mix. 5 years ago 60% of all tyres produced were bread and butter tyres, but this proportion has been improved. Today, standard tyres account for about 45% and shortly this will come down to 40%. Under the leadership of Edouard Michelin, in recent years the Group has drafted its profit and loss expectations very precisely and has been able to achieve its goals. It is the declared target of the management to increase the operating profit from the current 7 to 7.5% to 10% from 2005. This is easier said than done and market conditions can change overnight; for example, a possible war with Iraq could lead to much higher oil prices and higher costs for all other raw materials. On the other hand the automotive suppliers are facing in North America extremely fierce competition and the automobile companies General Motors, Ford, and especially Chrysler, are trying to get their suppliers to subsidise them again by forcing them to reduce prices. In this climate it will become very difficult to increase prices, or even to ensure that recent price increases will stick.

10th February 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

What Is The Future For Goodyear?

Company News, International News

Four years ago: In an interview at the Geneva Autoshow, Sam Gibara put forward his views. Goodyear had, according to him, the best people, the best distribution, the most cost-effective plants, the best products and – with its innovative EMT tyres – a three-year lead over its competitors. Within three years, he predicted, 75% of Goodyear tyres produced would be EMT tyres (in 2002, the actual figure was one million tyres). The IMPACT production process (Integrated Manufacturing Precision Assembled Cellular Technology) was held up as a revolutionary advance, guaranteeing predominance over the competition and an example of Goodyear’s technical leadership.

31st January 2003/by Klaus

“Michelin – The BMW In The Tyre Industry”

Business newspapers in France and England are commenting on a paper from the french analysts Gaetan Toulemonde and Alexis Boyer both from DB Global Equities are recommending Michelin shares as a clear “buy”. The share price – at about 31 Euros at present – has, according to the analysts, the potential to rise to 50 Euros within 12 months. Michelin is seen by them as “the BMW in the tyre industry” with strong brands and an excellent brand strategy. It is expected that Michelin will announce in a press conference at the end of February a turnover for 2002 of about 15.7 bn Euro and an operating profit of 1.1 bn Euro. For this year the company is aiming for a turnover of more than 17 bn Euro and an operating profit of more than 1.2 bn Euro. The stock capitalisation at present is 4.6 bn Euro.

21st January 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Gibara Misses Last Opportunity As CEO

Within less than a week our office has obtained eight links giving access to an electronic letter from Sam Gibara to all Goodyear associates. Gibara restated that as from the 1st January, Bob Keegan has taken over as CEO and that he remains as Chairman of the Group. Gibara looked back at the past year which he described as “marked by wins throughout Goodyear’s world” and he speaks of “foundations established for future success” and of “opportunities seized”, none of which would have been possible without the associates’ support. He adds, “You are making a difference and our company will prevail because of you.”With a degree of bitterness some of these associates said that Gibara had ultimately missed the opportunity to explain why the company is in such deep water. They point to the fact that Gibara has never shown any sign of admitting have made mistakes himself. Instead, it was always the economy, the environment, the exchange rate, the high costs of raw materials and so on. However, he has not convinced the associates, many of whom feel that it is a big mistake to play down big problems. The staff is willing to fight, but needs guidance. If indeed the company has the best brands, great distribution and the best people, why then is the company fighting with its back to the wall whilst its big competitors are making money?

2nd January 2003/by Tyrepress Editors

Retreading: Top Of The Recycling Pile?

Retreading appears to generate a dichotomy for U.K Government’s environmental “sustainability programme”. On the one hand, retreading a tyre obviously makes better use of the original materials and extends the life of the new tyre, thus creating a lesser demand on fossil fuels and an ultimately finite supply of some raw materials. On the other hand, like any other consumer product, a retread will still end up needing recycling at some time in its life; some call this deferred disposal, but it seems that not all the environmental lobbyists have recognised the fact that recycling only ever delays the ultimate disposal; it can rarely, if ever, offer a final solution but still plays a vital role in resource management.In the UK we already have a very high percentage of recovery and re-use of tyres, including a significant contribution from retreading. Gary Oliver, Chairman of the RMA Marketing and Communication Committee, explains further why he believes retreads are industry’s leading sustainable option. “The retreaders’ case goes something like this. If the market uses 200,000 tonnes of new tyres per annum, then over five years there will be a demand for 1,000,000 tonnes of new tyres. If 50% of those tyres are retreaded every year, then the demand for new tyres falls to 600,000 tonnes over five years, whilst retreading accounts for the other 400,000 tonnes. The fundamentals to sustainable development are thereby catered for; that waste is minimised from 1,000,000 tonnes to just 600,000 tonnes and scarce natural resources are conserved. The maths are simplistic, of course, but if the primary objective of best environmental practice is to minimise use of raw materials, retreading does this whilst also meeting the second best objective of re-use. It is non-sensical that in its recent Producer Responsibility paper the DTI – with the Environment Agency in support – took retreading out of the reprocessing calculations for waste tyres ignoring a real and positive contribution to sustainable practice and effective waste management. By taking us out of the picture simply because we do not fit the way they wish to work and measure their environment performance indicators, we are effectively excluded from any of the economic considerations and unable to contribute towards waste recovery.”

28th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

New Bridgestone Production System

Bridgestone has unveiled a new tyre production system which automates the entire manufacturing process from initial materials processing to final inspection of finished tyres. Called Bridgestone Innovative and Rational Development (BIRD), the system consists of three elements. First is Bridgestone’s Automated Tyre Manufacturing Synchronised System (ATMSS) technology covering materials processing to vulcanisation. Second is Automated Inspection Modular System (AIMS) for automatic inspection of finished tyres and the third element is the Flow Oriented Approach (FOA) implementation of autonomous information processing for managing the system. Among the advantages claimed for BIRD include flexibility, quality improvements, smaller plants (a unit can produce up to 350,000 car tyres a year), occupying one-third of the space of a conventional plant, smaller lot production and reduced environmental impact.

26th November 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Components Business Boosts Cooper 3Q Results

Cooper Tire & Rubber has published its third quarter figures. Turnover rose 6 per cent to $839 million (3Q 2001: $791 m). For the first nine months, sales have totalled $2.5 billion, with a net income of $88 million, up 87 per cent on the same period last year. Tyre sales were almost static in 3Q at $464 million ($462 m), while auto component sales were up 14 per cent at $381 million. The company’s overall net income for the quarter was $23 million, compared to a loss in 3Q 2001 of $20 million, due largely to charges relating to settlement of class action litigation.

17th October 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Turnover And Profits Up For Nokian

Nokian Tyres has released its figures for the second quarter. Looking at the figures for the first six months, both turnover and operating profit were up on 1H 2001. Turnover rose 12.6 per cent to 193.3 million Euros (1H 2001 171.6 m Euros) and operating profit was 8.7 m Euros (6.7 m). Net profit was 1 m Euros (-0.8 m Euros). The good figures were the result of price increases, improved product mix and lower material costs. Most product groups showed increased sales, with the exception of retreading materials, and the Vianor retail chain lost 2.5 m Euros.

12th August 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Trouble For Dunlop Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s only tyre manufacturer, Dunlop Zimbabwe, is at the centre of a political row. A member of the ruling Zanu PF party visited the company after reports on the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation alleged that Dunlop was closing down as part of a plan by white-owned businesses to stir up unrest against the government. This has been refuted by a source close to Dunlop, which says that the company is suffering because of Zimbabwe’s shortage of foreign currency and government controls over tyre prices, but there are no plans to close down. The company, which employs around 800 staff, imports 90 per cent of raw materials needed to make tyres and wants to raise tyre prices. It has already suspended credit sales to customers in order to minimise losses.

12th July 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Unveils Automatic Mixing System

Pirelli unveiled its automatic Continuous Compound Mixing system (CCM) which complements its MIRS tyre production system and allows extremely accurate and environmentally-friendly mixing of up to 40 components. Seven patents have been applied for, with the first one granted in North America. Together, says Pirelli, CCM and MIRS will mean “a new generation of tyres, with performance unimaginable up to now.”

20th June 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Gajah Tunggal

Gajah Tunggal was established in 1951 to produce bicycle tyres and inner tubes. 20 years later production of motorcycle tyres began, followed in 1981 by car tyre production. Gajah Tunggal produced its first car and light truck radial tyres in 1989, and was listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange in 1990.In the past ten years Gajah Tunggal has grown by acquisition of suppliers such as GT Petrochem, a producer of tyre cord and nylon filament, Langgeng Bajapratma, a wire manufacturer, and Meshindo Alloy Wheel Corporation. These developments linked to constant improvements in quality control, gaining ISO 9002 quality certification in 1995, along with TÜV Certification from Germany, helped create Gajah Tunggal as one of the leading tyre manufacturers in South East Asia.The Gajah Tunggal radial tyre plant gained ISO 9001 in 1997 and has also received quality certification from several countries i.e. E-Mark from the European Community, TÜV CERT from Germany, quality testing certification from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the BPS from the Philippines and a similar certification from the Government of Brazil.Currently Gajah Tunggal sources 36% of its raw materials from its subsidiary companies. Further vertical integration and synergy of its group activities to develop higher technology and higher value-added products, are a key policy in future development of the business operation.The company has entered into an off-take agreement with Pirelli to manufacture tyres for North America and Europe.

25th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors