As of December 8, Goodyear Tire & Rubber will have a new director of Global Talent Management, Development and Diversity. The company announced on November 25 the appointment of Sherry Nolan to the position, which will be based at the company’s headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Nolan will report directly to Joe Ruocco, senior vice president of human resources.
On Friday, Cooper announced a quarterly dividend of 10.5 cents per share on common stock. The proceeds are payable on 30 December, 2008 to stockholders of record at the close of business 2 December, 2008. The payment will mark the 147th consecutive quarterly dividend paid by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company.
Canadian Tire Corp, the northern North American tyre store that sells everything from dog food to gym equipment, has a new president and CEO. Stephen G. Wetmore was appointed to the position on November 5, replacing Tom Gauld, who had served in the role since 2006. Prior to his latest role, Wetmore served as CEO at Bell Aliant Telecommunications, a subsidiary of Canada’s largest telecommunications company, BCE.
Stratford-upon-Avon’s latest First Stop dealership, ETB, opened in style with a weekend of fundraising activities and a visit from the original Top Gear ‘Stig’ (aka Perry McCarthy). The dealership, on Masons Road, raised funds for the MS Society and carried out free tyre checks for customers who dropped in.
First Stop dealership, Addison Tyres, recently raised a fantastic £1000 for Leukaemia CARE. Addison Tyres hosted an event at its depot, in Tipton in the Midlands, where they showcased Bridgestone’s Formula One car and simulator to help raise money for the charity.
Avon Tyres has once again proved a successful choice for FIA European Rallycross Championship drivers, with rallycross legend Kenneth Hansen recording his 14th ERC title, topping off a year of domination for the company in this category. Hansen’s 500bhp, four-wheel drive, Citroën C4 has run on Avon’s new-for-2008 ACB11 this year, a tyre specially designed for the ERC. It has also adorned the cars of the winners of Divisions 1A and 2, as well as the RX Cup class.
Swede Hansen finished fourth in the penultimate round of the championship in Poland to seal the main Division 1 title on his 225/640-17 ACB11s. He finished the year eight points ahead of nearest rival, Ludvig Hunsbedt. Hansen has scored two overall event wins in a close-fought season that has seen six drivers achieve race victories. The result means that Hansen has extended his own previous record of 13 ERC crowns.
“I am so happy, relieved, satisfied and quite dizzy from all the excitement,” beamed Hansen in Poland. “Of all my 14 gold medals, this was the most difficult to get and therefore I value it very highly. Now, my team and I will celebrate in style.” Jussi Pinomaki, Tomas Kotek and Michael de Keersmaecker won Div 1A, Div 2 and RX Cup classes respectively.
Continental’s AG’s Czech division, Barum Continental reportedly generated sales of 44.658 billion Czech koruny (roughly £1.3 billion) in 2007. According to reports in the Prague Daily Monitor, the figure is up 11.8 per cent year-on-year. The newspaper also reported that the company’s profits were up almost 25 per cent to 1.915 billion koruny (£59.26 million) in 2007. Sales to EU countries are said to have reached 22.491 billion koruny (roughly £695 million), rising by around 18.6 per cent over 2006.
Would you believe it? The Corvette T&A mentioned in last week’s report on the MPG marathon was crowned the overall winner in the annual Fleetworld/ALD Automotive event. The American muscle car recorded a record 61.26 per cent improvement over the official combined figure in the two-day, 411-mile economy driving event. Driven by Press Association journalist Richard Hammond, the Corvette Z06 achieved a combined mpg figure of 30.96mpg over the challenging route, proving that even a 198mph supercar can achieve fuel economy similar to a family hatchback if driven with a sensible approach to road and traffic conditions.
2008 has been a “record-braking” year for Brake Engineering, with the company developing more products in the space of 12 months than every before. And the commitment to be first to the market with new part numbers remains a key part of Brake’s strategy. To date, 2008 has seen 47 brake discs, 36 calipers, 4 drums, 48 hoses 14 master cylinders and 4 wheel cylinders added to the range. With 24 of these part numbers being launched in the Aftermarket since the summer.
Titan International has announced Ernest Rodia will retire as the company’s chief operating officer on October 31, 2008. Rodia came to Titan in 2005 after a 37-year career with Goodyear Tire and Rubber, where he retired as vice president of global engineering and manufacturing technology.
“Ernie led Titan’s team on the development of our super giant radial tyres. This project was an unbelievable task that was completed in record time,” said Titan chairman and CEO Maurice M. Taylor Jr. “Fortunately, he will stay on with Titan as a consultant as we go forward. Production has begun on the super giant tyres, so now Ernie can move into a supervisory role and be available to work with me on new special projects.
Just days after Peter Mandelson returned to cabinet for a record third time, the new Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform outlined who would be doing what at BERR. Here are two highlights of significance to the tyre business:
Ian Pearson MP is moved to Economic and Business Minister (jointly with HMT) and will take responsibility for a wide portfolio of business sectors including aerospace, marine and defence; automotive; sustainable development and regulation export control and Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has elected Stephanie A. Streeter, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Banta Corporation, to the company’s Board of Directors. “Stephanie Streeter is a respected business leader who led sales and earnings growth for a successful consumer products company and drove record revenue growth during challenging times with a global printing and supply chain management firm,” said Goodyear chairman and CEO Robert J. Keegan. “Her business leadership experience and marketing knowledge will be of significant value to our board of directors.”
Goodyear has chosen IMG Licensing, a division of global sports and entertainment company IMG, as its agency for licensing the Goodyear brand outside of North America. According to IMG, Goodyear is looking to extend the brand beyond its core products in ways that both enhance the company’s image and provide new streams of profitable revenue.
According to Bob Paciulan, manager of licensed products for Goodyear, the company has licensed close to 70 companies worldwide. “However, to take this to the next level we needed a company with local offices and licensing professionals throughout the world with a proven track record of developing brands successfully,” Paciulan stated. “IMG fit the bill perfectly and showed they understand how and where we wish to leverage the Goodyear brand. We’re very pleased to bring IMG onto the Goodyear licensing team.”
It was an idea worthy of Tonto; what could enhance the American driving experience more than grooves cut into the tarmac that produce a vague approximation of the “Cavalry Charge” from Rossini’s William Tell Overture (otherwise known as the theme from The Lone Ranger) when tyres roll over them?
On a stretch of road near Lancaster, California advertisers made this scheme a reality – one that local residents have been living with ever since. The sound is produced using an analogous method to that of a vinyl record-player’s stylus, but the amplification has proved too much for people living in the area, who have successfully requested that the grooves be removed in a resurfacing operation.
The sound of “A fiery horse with the speed of light,” can be sampled on the BBC’s website before “a cloud of dust, and a hearty ‘Hi-yo, Silver, away!”” from road-workers sees the audio spectacle trot over the Western horizon into the setting sun one last time.
A special investigation by Manchester Evening News journalist Mike Keegan has unveiled the extent of the problem of tyre dumping in the city. An inquiry launched by The Environment Agency has begun, following the discovery – led by the MEN – of 16,000 tyres dumped in a lock-up in Ardwick. European law states that standard tyres must be recycled.
Keegan’s report on his investigation’s discovery states that a man named Naseer Iqbal “rented a railway arch from property firm Maryland Securities last October.” After he failed to pay rent, the company’s managers found the building crammed with spent tyres, which it is understood Iqbal collected for a fee.
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