On 15 July 2013, Marcos Guzman took over the position of production manager, responsible for B&J Rocket’s factory in the USA. With immediate effect, Guzman is in charge of quality assurance and improvement for all B&J production. In addition to further optimising production processes he will closely monitor costs and the resources utilised. Furthermore, he is responsible for improving maintenance to ensure a consistently high quality output.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries has released its CSR Report 2013. At this stage it is only available in Japanese; the English-language version will be available at a later date. The report is available for download at srigroup.co.jp/csr. In addition to publishing its CSR Report, the company has updated its Japanese CSR website with detailed CSR guideline information.
April's Tyres & Accessories is now available to online subscribers via our e-paper format. This issue contained features on wholesaling, wheels and previewed May's Autopromotec exhibition.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today that Tom Kaczynski has joined the company as vice president of investor relations. He will report to Darren R. Wells, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Kaczynski joins Goodyear from Affinia Group Inc., where he had been vice president and corporate treasurer. At Affinia Group, Kaczynski established the company’s treasury office and led financing and investor relations activities.
UK-based WheelRight is aiming to “revolutionise tyre management across the automotive sector”, with the launch of a tyre-monitoring system designed to help the transport industry save “billions of pounds each year”. According to the company, the product enables critical tyre characteristics to be sent to a mobile phone within seconds, without the driver having to leave the vehicle and without the need for sensors to be fitted to the vehicle.
In its April-June interim report, Trelleborg reports a 5.6 per cent year-on-year rise in sales for its Wheel Systems business area, with net sales amounting to SEK 1,111 million (£111.4 million) during the quarter. The company states that sales of agricultural tyres were level with the year earlier period, while sales of tyres fitted on materials handling vehicle were weak during the quarter, primarily in Europe. Operating profit remained at a similar level to a year earlier, rising 3.0 per cent to SEK 137 million (£13.7). Operating margin declined from 12.6 per cent to 12.4 per cent.
On 18 June 2013 Apollo Vredestein Introduced its latest UHP winter tyre. The Wintrac xtreme S was designed in cooperation with Italian design house Giugiaro; a partnership that also led to the success of products such as the Ultrac Sessanta and Ultrac Vorti. To celebrate 15 years of cooperation, the introduction of the Wintrac xtreme S took place in Turin, the home of Italdesign Giugiaro and the hub of the automotive industry. The “style” element also explains why the latest version of the xtreme features an “S” in its name.
The Shadow Secretary of State for Transport has requested a meeting with her non-shadow counterpart to talk tyres after learning of the role a 19 year old tyre played in a fatal coach crash last year. Garston and Halewood MP Maria Eagle, whose electorate was home to 18-year old Michael Molloy, one of three killed in last September’s crash, wishes to discuss the need for tyre age to be considered in law.
Speaking at the inquest into a fatal coach crash caused by the catastrophic failure of a 19-year old tyre, Surrey coroner Richard Travers stated that he would ensure the DfT was officially informed about the dangers posed by aged tyres. The tyre responsible for the crash was older than the coach it was fitted to, had never been regrooved or retreaded, was purchased second hand by the coach operator – and was completely legal.
France’s National Assembly has voted to create a commission of enquiry into the closure of Goodyear’s Amiens Nord factory. According to French daily Le Figaro, the lower house vote was supported by members from the socialist and green parties and the commission will examine the “economic and financial” causes of the proposed plant closure and its “economic, social and environmental consequences.” The thirty member commission has been given six months to produce its report.
Simon Tattersall has been promoted to a new position leading the company’s growing portfolio of national fleet business, encompassing its largest car, van and truck customers. Previously head of national truck, Tattersall is now titled head of national accounts. He will be responsible for a team of 10 national account managers currently managing more than £120 million worth of fleet business annually. ATS-E’s key national accounts range from major leasing, rental and utilities fleets to some of the country’s most recognised logistics operators, including Eddie Stobart, TNT and Hoyer Group.
With lithium-ion batteries set to maintain market dominance during the remainder of the decade, the uptake of electric vehicles is projected to drive battery revenues to US$61billion by 2020. And electric vehicle batteries to account for 73 per cent of advanced battery market by end of decade.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber has announced Damon Audia’s assumption of interim responsibility for investor relations in addition to his current role as senior vice-president, business development. He takes over responsibility from Gregory A. Fritz, who Goodyear says left the company to “pursue other opportunities.” Audia will continue to report to Darren R. Wells, executive vice-president and chief financial officer.
Research from vehicle remarketing specialist, British Car Auctions (BCA), suggests motorists will welcome news of new powers for police to tackle bad driving. In a survey of 800 motorists, BCA found that 'selfish driving' is the thing motorists hate most about other drivers, with 70 per cent citing this as one of their top three frustrations. 57 per cent of those polled were concerned about other motorists using a mobile phone while driving, while over a third (34 per cent) said motorists texting while driving was a major frustration.
German scientists claim to have produced lithium-ion batteries with a much longer working life than those currently on the market. The team at the Ulm-based Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und WasserstoffForschung (Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research) Baden-Württemberg report developing a battery that retains than 85 per cent of its initial capacity after 10,000 full cycles while possessing qualities comparable to batteries produced by leading Asian manufacturers, including power density.
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.
