In addition to the appointment of Rafael Navarro III to the role of vice-president, Communications and Media Relations, as reported on tyrepress.com earlier today, Pirelli has announced to further promotions in its North American operations.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has promoted Roberto Fioroni to vice president and general auditor, effective August 1. Currently finance director for Goodyear’s Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa operations, Fioroni replaces Rich Pegher, who left the company to pursue other opportunities. In his new position, Fioroni will report to executive vice president and CFO Darren Wells and remain part of the Goodyear’s global finance leadership team.
Many happy returns! PneusNews.it, Italian sister publication to tyrepress.com, celebrates its first birthday today. Following many months of preparation the first news report was published on the www.pneusnews.it site on July 20 last year. Since then PneusNews.it has developed into a leading news platform for the Italian tyre and wheel market. Its editorial team has written and published more than 1,600 online news reports in the past year – an amount that increases day by day.
In its interim report for the April to June 2011 quarter, Sweden’s Trelleborg AB reported net sales of SEK 7,583 million (£721.2 million) from continuing operation, up on the same period last year. Operating profit grew 9.8 per cent year-on-year to SEK 706 million (£67.2 million) and net profit increased 13 per cent to SEK 469 million (£44.6 million).
The Itochu Corporation has sought to re-iterate its position that its Kwik-Fit retail business and its Stapleton’s wholesale operation will be run as “entirely separate entities.” Answering questions raised widely within the market following the appointment of Stapleton’s MD Kenji Murai as Kwik-Fit head, an Itochu representative explained: “Subsequent to the recent departure of Kwik-Fit CEO Ian Fraser, Kenji Murai is temporarily leading both Stapleton’s and Kwik-Fit. This is an interim measure that was forced upon us. We can confirm that the two businesses will continue to be run individually and an announcement regarding the organisational structures of both companies will be made within the coming few weeks.”
Itochu has just announced that it has officially completed the acquisition of the Kwik Fit Group for £637 million. While details of the purchase have been in the press and a popular part of market discussion for some time, up till now the deal had been subject to regulatory approval. However, with the issue of today’s statement Itochu can now say it has officially purchased the UK’s market leading automotive repair company from PAI Partners, which had owned the group since August 2005. The business received EC approval for the purchase back in May.
Speculation that Aviva was planning to sell RAC begin in March 2011 and followed the earlier sale of a number of subsidiary motoring related businesses that came with the company’s 2005 purchase including Auto Windscreens, Lex (the vehicle leasing company) and the BSM driving school operation.
Didier Miraton has stepped down from his duties as managing partner of Michelin. According to the company, which announced the news in Paris today (21 June 2011), the move is part of “the adjustment in Michelin’s corporate governance and executive management team” and was decided by the company’s managing general partners with the agreement of the firm’s supervisory board. However it also follows reports in Le Monde yesterday (20 June 2011), in which Miraton reportedly suggested that he wanted to leave. Therefore the precise background to this news is not clear.
The Maxxis-sponsored Team Japspeed 1JZ Subaru Impreza has been found and will be returned to the team after it was stolen on Sunday, 12 June from the Performance Vauxhall Show. Maxxis International UK stated that Thames Valley Police found the vehicle early on Monday, 13 June in the Reading area. The Impreza was being used at the Santa Pod Raceway as a display vehicle for the Maxxis display. It had been stripped of its bumper, rear spoiler and rear lights as well as its identifying stickers.
After a meeting with the Independent Garage Association (IGA), the European Commission plan to review the way vehicle manufacturers make security information available to independent garages. At a recent meeting with Maria Rehbinder, Head of Unit, from the European Commission, the IGA, CECRA (European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs) and BOVAG (Independent Dutch Trade Body) presented a detailed report on the problems independent garages are currently experiencing when trying to access security information from vehicle manufacturers. Car manufacturers have an obligation to provide technical service bulletins, recall information, online diagnosis and software updates for new cars.
Haweka has announced the introduction of the Axis200, the new name for the latest version of Haweka's long-established TA20 commercial vehicle laser wheel alignment system. The Axis range consists of five models – the Axis10 for cars, Axis50 for agricultural machines, Axis200 and 500 for commercial vehicles and the Axis4000 computerised camera system for commercial vehicles.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has announced the appointment of Gregory A. Fritz to the position of vice president, investor relations. In his new role, Fritz, who prior to joining the tyre maker was assistant treasurer and senior director, investor relations for Whirlpool Corporation, will report to Darren R. Wells, executive vice president and chief financial officer.
The formation of a new group to handle Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations’ commercial tyre business has led to the elimination of some 30 jobs within the organisation. Bridgestone Americas reports the job reductions are effective immediately; the creation of the Bridgestone Commercial Solutions Group to handle the company’s Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions and Off Road Tire, US & Canada Tire Sales divisions has rendered these positions superfluous.
The North of England and Scotland’s largest tyre collection firm, Envirotyre, has gone into administration according to various reports. Based on the Kingmoor Industrial Estate in Carlisle, the company provides tyre disposal services to around 1,500 tyre outlets across the region, and was the recipient of the 2010 TAFF Environment Award. Local news source, Carlisle’s News & Star says that the company’s administrators RSM Tenon is urging interested buyers to come forward for the company’s assets, valued at £1.822 million at the beginning of 2010. The company also possesses the UK licence for the Compactyre technology, a “patented, hydraulically-driven compactor that punctures and compresses a tyre to less than one-quarter of its original size”, making waste tyres easier to handle.
A DAF dealer in West Sussex has purchased two TA-20 wheel aligners from Haweka, a measure it says will “help hauliers reduce their operational costs in the tough economic climate”. Barnes Group in Shoreham-by-Sea & Guildford believes the investment will help its customers save costs on fuel and tyres. Haweka is a UK supplier of commercial wheel alignment and wheel balancing accessories; it demonstrated the equipment to Barnes Group in its workshops, leading to the purchase.
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