After reaching record levels earlier in the year, natural rubber prices have now fallen to more comfortable levels for tyre manufacturers. On Friday 22 September the price of natural rubber dropped to $1.7, almost 40 per cent less than the peak reached three months ago.
Sapphire Energy Recovery has recently appointed a dedicated health and safety officer to strengthen their service team. Andy Jones has been appointed as Environment, Health, Safety and Co-ordinator and will oversee operations at all of Sapphire’s seven tyre processing facilities.
Announcing the appointment, Sapphire’s managing director, Tim Stott said: “As part both the Lafarge group and Michelin, we place a great emphasis on the health and safety of all our employees as well as visitors, drivers and contractors on our sites.”
A North Lincolnshire tyre specialist has become one of the first companies in Britain to rubber stamp the new-generation Mercedes Sprinter van. Grimsby-based North Lincs Tyres has just taken delivery of a high-roofed Mercedes Sprinter 311CDI Long from Immingham dealer H and L Garages. Proprietor Tony Woods bought his first Mercedes van when starting the business in 1994, and has remained loyal to the famous three-pointed star ever since. The latest arrival is the sixth Sprinter on his growing fleet.
Due to their success in building a global market for Arnco flat proofing products for off-road vehicles, Matt Pearson has been promoted to managing director of Arnco Europe and Andrew Elliot has been named as director of sales for Asia. The appointments were announced by Arnco president, Larry Carapellotti, who added that the tireless effort of both individuals has helped Arnco Europe achieve record breaking sales for the last several years.
Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will retire from F1 at the end of the season. The announcement follows Schumacher’s first place in the Italian Grand Prix, a result that reduces his title deficit (behind Renault’s Fernando Alonso) to just two points. The Ferrari (Bridgestone) driver’s victory was the 90th in a career in which Schumacher has broken almost every F1 record.
But he has also been a controversial champion. “Where Schumacher cannot draw the right line is on track. He cannot see when he crosses the line between tough but fair, and ruthless but foul. That is exacerbated by his total belief that he cannot be wrong. He has a default mode in the car: if you’re going to pass him, he will drive you off the road. He even did it to me as a team-mate,” former Benetton team-mate, Martin Brundle commented.
In the US, property developer Bill Bean is close to acquiring the two Indiana factories closed last April by Amcast, putting 500 workers out of a job. The factories made wheels for General Motor’s Corvette and light trucks and were shut down after Amcast failed to agree terms with GM, which was undergoing substantial financial restructuring.
Most of us have cursed at one time or another when caught behind a slow-moving digger, travelling on the road. Well, there’s one JCB that will easily leave you standing, as the JCB Dieselmax recently achieved a stunning 350mph (563kph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats to break its own land speed record for diesel-powered cars.
The JCB Dieselmax became the world’s fastest diesel-powered car on Tuesday, as Andy Green set a new FIA international record of 328.767 mph (526.027 kph) on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. He beat the existing record by almost 100 mph. The JCB team will make a further attempt to raise the record today.
Two Sheffield tyre fitters are still working at the same company 45 years after first picking up a spanner there. Keith Booth, a truck tyre fitter based on Stainiforth Road, and Peter Staton, manager of the Dexel Tyre’s Frecheville branch, are among eleven key workers recognised by Dexel for working over 25 years at the firm. Between them, the group have racked up 394 years, an average of 33 years each. Keith Booth is still fitting truck tyres for local and national fleets including Dexel’s 24/7 motorway breakdown service.
Car designer and customiser, Andy Saunders is back on Guinness World Record breaking form with his latest project. The Turner-prize nominated artist (or should that be Cartist?) aims to retake his own record for building the World’s lowest car as part of the forthcoming celebrations at Beaulieu’s International Autojumble. The prestigious event, now celebrating its fortieth year is held annually at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Hampshire, this year on the 9th and 10th September.
Tyretorque.com has reported a 25 per cent growth in business for the second quarter of 2006. Having started the year with a first quarter that delivered growth of 2 per cent less than target, the company is said to be delighted with the record growth achieved in the second quarter.
SmarTire Systems Inc has announced that revenue for the third quarter of fiscal year 2006 increased 262 per cent to $1,195,136 from $330,406 in the third quarter of fiscal year 2005. The company said FQ3 sales represented a 42 per cent gain over the second fiscal quarter of this year. For the nine months ended 30 April 2006, SmarTire’s sales increased 157 per cent to $2,627,617 from $1,022,484 for the nine months ended April 30, 2005.
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd has reported record annual net sales of 300.2 billion yen (£1.412 billion, 2.75 billion euros), an 11.2 per cent increase on 2005. Operating income for the 2005 financial year also grew, totalling 13.094 billion yen (£61.627 million, 90.5 million euros) up 8.5 per cent year-on-year. However this total was short of the company’s target of 13.6 billion yen. During the period, Toyo’s net income fell 22.1 per cent to 5.378 billion (£25.313 million, 37.2 million euros). Toyo’s results presentation explain that the fall in its various income totals was largely impacted by the rise in raw material costs that is effecting all manufacturers.
A truck driver from well-known UK haulier Stan Robinson Ltd has been named Britain’s top driver by Goodyear after managing to achieve a remarkable 425,000 kilometres (266,000 miles) on the same set of Goodyear steer tyres.
Nigel Brown took delivery of his new Scania in April 2003, fitted with Goodyear Marathon LHS 385/65R22.5 steer tyres. Three years later, he had clocked up a mileage equivalent to driving ten times around the Equator and the set of Goodyear steer tyres had yet to be changed.
Credential Environmental has sold its hazardous waste division for £8.13 million giving the company’s tyre and waste business – Credential Automotive – a multi-million pound platform for growth through acquisition and new projects.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
