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Report: von Gruenberg Excluded From Conti/Schaeffler Talks

Hubertus von Gruenberg, Continental AG’s supervisory board chairman, has been excluded from negotiations with Schaeffler in spite of his approval of the potential takeover. According to the Financial Times Deutschland report, adviser Perella Weinberg Partners had suggested von Gruenberg and Conti’s personnel representative, Werner Bischoff, get involved to try and help break the deadlock in talks between Schaeffler and Conti CEO Manfred Wennemer.

19th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Factory a Potential Terrorist Target?

A report published by Italy’s La Stampa newspaper on August 12 suggests a possibility that Pirelli’s tyre manufacturing plant in Turin may be a planned target for terrorists. An anti-terror investigation has begun in Italy after police discovered detailed architectural plans for the Turin factory. While the report does not make clear where the plans were found, reference is made to an “encampment” inside a highway tunnel that is used by local homeless people.

13th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Sales are Vanity, Profit is Sanity

According to market analysts Plimsoll Publishing, the company’s Tyre Manufacturers & Distributors report published in June, “prompted a backlash in the…industry.” In response to this, Plimsoll has produced an updated study to incorporate the very latest figures and bring the picture right up to date.

The feedback Plimsoll received from the original publication was that in general, companies were not experiencing too much difficulty in retaining sales. This is borne out in the updated analysis that puts current market growth at a respectable 5 per cent. Note however this is down from the previous year’s 7 per cent. 156 of the 200 companies analysed are said to be holding or increasing sales on last year.

13th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Considers Peer Acquisition to Defend Against Schaeffler Bid

Continental is considering the option of purchasing a peer company as part of its defence against the Schaeffler Group’s 11.3 billion acquisition bid, according to information published in the Financial Times on August 9. The newspaper quoted sources close to the situation as saying Conti was engaging in “concrete talks” with several listed and unlisted international rivals about a possible multi-billion-euro deal, however Conti has not commented on the validity of this news.

The report said any deal, which would be structured as an all-share bid, would most likely be funded via a capital increase of about 20 per cent, which would be worth more than 2 billion euros. The move would have the dual effect of strengthening Continental’s position, while simultaneously diluting the the value of Schaeffler’s stake. Schaeffler has previously warned Continental not to resist its bid by means of a large capital increase.

11th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Schaeffler “Very Satisfied” With Bank Meeting

As report suggest investment banks have walk away from rescuing Continental AG from the Schaeffler Group’s hostile takeover, Reuters that the ball bearing maker has successfully arranged a 16.1 billion euro loan. Schaeffler is reportedly “very satisfied” with a bank meeting on the subject of raising the enormous loan. The sources said about 20 banks participated in the meeting.

11th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Schaeffler Warns Continental Off Capital Raising Defence

Schaeffler Group has warned Continental not to employ a large capital increase as a way of warding off its 11.3 billion euro unsolicited takeover bid. Schaeffler’s move meant dropping a condition that would end the bid if Continental prepared to raise its share capital during the offer period, which is due to end on 27 August. “Schaeffler group thus counters market speculation that its offer to Continental shareholders could be prevented by such…measures,” an official statement explained.

6th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Bolsters Defences with Citigroup, HSBC

Continental AG has reportedly bolstered its defensive options against a hostile bid from Schaeffler Group with the appointment of Citigroup and HSBC to its defence teams. Quoting sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the move will add two banks with the ability to lend cash from their balance sheets to Goldman Sachs, known for its defensive advisory work. The same source said defensive measure may include “a possible capital increase or striking a deal with a white knight.”

4th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Shares Fall Nearly 5% Due to Earnings Worries

Michelin & Cie shares fell 4.8 per cent on July 28 following a published report that the tyremaker’s first-half earnings have failed to meet management targets. Shares fell 2.31 euros to 45.49 euros, furthering the stock’s decline this year to 42 per cent and valuing the company at 6.6 billion euros.

According to a French financial newsletter, Michelin will announce cost-cutting measures at its July 30 earnings presentation, and jobs cuts will also possibly be tabled. Profits have been whittled away by weakening demand for cars in mature markets, which has made it harder to pass on raw material price increases to customers, Some analysts, including London based Adam Jonas from Morgan Stanley, have cautioned that Michelin may find it difficult to implement recently announced price increases.

29th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Trelleborg Release Half-Yearly Report

Trelleborg, the industrial group specialising in advanced polymer and applied technology, has released its six-month interim report. The document supports a view of sustained “favourable growth and improved earnings”.

The Swedish firm, which has operations in 40 countries, has announced that: “The order and delivery scenario remained favourable during the second quarter, with organic growth of 7 percent; Operating profit for the quarter in continuing operations, excluding items affecting comparability, was the strongest to date and increased to SEK 734 M from 596, while the operating margin increased to 8.7 percent from 7.5; Four acquisitions were completed during the quarter, adding combined annual sales of approximately SEK 750 M; and As a result of the restructuring program for Trelleborg Automotive that was announced in April 2008 that affects the Fluid Solutions business unit, operating profit for the quarter was charged with SEK 353 M and SEK 238 M after tax.”

25th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti: Schaeffler Takeover is ‘Desirable’

Schaeffler Group’s so-called “sneaking takeover” of Continental AG now appears to be unstoppable, following the supervisory and executive boards’ decision that an agreement with Schaeffler is “desirable.” The supervisory board has consented for the executive board to enter into direct negotiations with Schaeffler for either a better premium for Continental shareholders or to persuade it to limit its stake. Both boards agreed, after intensive deliberation, that Schaeffler’s revised 11.3 billion euro offer does not value the company sufficiently highly “and fails to reflect the best interest of the company.” In response Schaeffler cautiously welcomed Continental’s decision: “The Schaeffler Group welcomes that the management and supervisory boards of Continental AG are of the opinion that an agreement with Schaeffler Group is desirable…[and]…is now waiting for Continental AG to substantiate their expectations.”

What really rattled Continental about Schaeffler’s original offer, which was the lowest it legally could have been under German law (market regulator Bafin up it from 11.2 to 11.3 billion so it would match its minimum calculation), was that it does not take tax disadvantages and increased re-financing costs triggered by such a bid into account. This is something that is particularly significant in Hannover because Conti is one of the most high leveraged tyre businesses around. And if that isn’t enough Schaeffler’s takeover will trigger a renegotiation of the terms of the 13.5 billion euro loan Conti took out to buy Siemens VDO. When you take the credit crunch into account, it will be difficult for Conti to secure the same terms it did then.

24th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Board Member: 90-100 euros ‘Appropriate’ Continental Price Tag

Financial Times Deutschland is reporting that an unidentified Continental AG supervisory board member said a takeover offer of between 90 and 100 euros per share would be more appropriate, than Schaeffler Group’s current 70.12 euros bid. The report also suggested that a foreign investor could be about to launch a counter-bid for Continental, making Schaeffler’s all German takeover bid appear more acceptable.

However market analysts are casting doubt over this theory: “I wouldn’t know of any industrial company that could make a counter-bid,” said Stephan Thomas, a fund manager at Frankfurt Trust Investment GmbH in Frankfurt. “Given the current credit- market turmoil, it’s unlikely that private equity companies will do so,” he told Bloomberg.

24th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Court Rule Against Tiremakers in Data Reporting Suit

The U.S. Court of Appeals rejected an RMA argument concerning public access to early warning data tiremakers are required to supply the government under terms of the TREAD Act.

The court, in a case involving Public Citizen, said the “plain language” of the TREAD Act precluded attempts to keep private certain early warning data. Tiremakers are required to provide NHTSA with a wide range of information they collect on accidents resulting in deaths, injuries or property damage. However, they claimed, through the RMA, that such information should not be released publicly as it is often incomplete and could be misinterpreted. (Tire Review/Akron)

24th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Recyclatech Researches Using Microbiology in Tyre Devulcanisation

The Recycling Commercialisation Centre has awarded funding to Scottish tyre recycling company, Recyclatech, to further develop a technique designed to make rubber easily bondable with natural or synthetic rubber. According to a Plastics & Rubber Weekly report, the rubber can then be reused in car tyres and products such as basic underlay for carpets, soundproofing materials for apartments and Wellington boots. Furthermore, Recyclatech’s process is said to be ideal for disposing of waste tyres. In this process worn out tyres are crumbed into small particles, which are then put through the microbiological technique.

24th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Indian Tyremakers Face Shortage as NR Supplies Decline

Tyre manufacturers and other users of natural rubber in India may face a supply bottleneck due to the country’s declining natural rubber replantation rate during the past four years. According to a report in India’s The Economic Times newspaper, the rising price of natural rubber has created a reluctance amongst rubber growers to re-plant; trees cannot be tapped for rubber during their first seven years of life, so farmers are avoiding replantation where possible and are continuing to tap older trees. Although this provides greater funds at present, a question mark hangs over future supply as both the quantity and quality of latex produced by older trees is inferior to that of younger trees.

23rd July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Russian 6-Month Tyre Production Stable

Russian passenger car tyre production has remained flat in the first half of 2008. Compared with January to June 2007, production fell 0.1 per cent to 13.8 million tyres, according to details of a Federal State Statistics Service report published by the Prime-Tass news agency. The same survey found that truck and bus tyre output fell 0.6 per cent to 5.56 million units in the same period. During 2007 as a whole car tyre output in Russia reportedly rose 6 per cent to 29.3 million units.

22nd July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors