research Archives - Page 72 of 94 - Tyrepress

Posts

New Asia Pacific Marketing Director for Goodyear

Goodyear Tire & Rubber has announced the appointment of Dipinder “DP” Singh to the position of marketing director for the company’s Asia Pacific region Consumer PBU division. The position will be based at Goodyear’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Shanghai.

The native of Mumbai, India joined Goodyear at the beginning of 2002 as director of Global Marketing Intelligence & Strategy, and has held several management positions since that time. Prior to this Singh co-founded the firm adAlive, a developer of Internet access systems for personal digital assistant devices, and served as the company’s executive vice-president, marketing and business development. In total Singh boasts more than 20 years experience in marketing strategy, brand management, advertising, market research and international marketing.

31st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

US Environmental Group Attacks Car, Weight Makers

(Akron/Tire Review) The Center for Environmental Health filed suit to end the sale of lead-based wheel weights in California. Citing the state’s safe drinking water law, the group claims wheel weights that come off of vehicles threaten to pollute waterways. Specifically notified, according to the group, were Chrysler and several makers of lead-based wheel weights.

“Lead from wheel weights poses a threat to safe, clean drinking water in California,” said Caroline Cox, research director for the Center for Environmental Health. “Since affordable, effective alternatives exist, there is no excuse for the continued use of lead that can end up as a water hazard to people and the environment.”

“Many automakers have eliminated or are phasing-out the use of lead wheel weights, but most tyres in the US are still balanced with toxic lead,” said Jeff Gearhart, campaign director of the Ecology Center Clean Car Campaign. “In Europe and Asia, lead wheel weights have been replaced to protect people and the environment from unnecessary lead exposures. There’s no reason we should have lesser standards for protecting Americans from lead pollution.”

28th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Voted Most Recognisable Tyre Brand in the UK

Michelin’s long established heritage and iconic mascot has helped it become one of the most recognisable and best-loved brands on the UK market, a phenomenon highlighted by recent survey results released by the Superbrands Council. The French tyremaker was listed as the 38th most recognisable brand in the UK out of a finalists list of 500 companies. This high ranking placed Michelin above market leading companies such as Apple (41st place), McDonalds (45) and IBM (61). The next tyre manufacturer to appear on the list was Italy’s Pirelli, in 69th place.

Judging for the Superbrands scoreboard is carried out by a cross-section of experts and consumers, with a ‘short-list’ of almost 1,500 brand names coming in for scrutiny. A total of more than 3,000 people are surveyed by independent research agency YouGov in order to formulate the results, which reflect public opinion on factors such as quality, reliability and distinction.

23rd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Best of British – Dunlop teams up with Triumph

Dunlop says it is proud to be British. The tyre manufacturer’s heritage and reputation span nearly 120 years and Dunlop has played an important role in Britain’s motoring history. The company claims the distinction of being involved at every stage in the evolution of the road transport industries and national infrastructure since Dunlop’s establishment in 1888.

Dunlop recently joined forces with another great and British brand. The manufacturer’s award-winning Sportmax Qualifier D209 street tyre has been approved as the sole OE tyre on the all-new Triumph Street Triple motorcycle for 2008. The Street Triple is essentially a ‘naked’ version of Triumph’s Daytona 675, but incorporates extensive modifications including new forks and brakes. Its restyled rear end is also based on its bigger brother – the Speed Triple. The first prototype of the Street Triple was tested by Triumph’s development riders in Spain in December 2005 and volume production began in July 2007.

16th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Ayce Systems Hits the Road

Yorkshire based manufacturer and supplier of Smart Repair Systems, Ayce Systems, has acquired and equipped a demonstration vehicle to highlight the full extent of the company’s services to existing and potential customers who find it difficult or inconvenient to visit their offices, demonstration and training facilities in Skipton, North Yorkshire.

The vehicle has been fully equipped with every Ayce Smart Repair system, including the Wheelrite Pro alloy wheel repair and refurbishment machine. Technical services manager Dave Allen commented, “Customers who visit us are invariably impressed with the facilities and the range of our products. However, we accept visiting Yorkshire is not always convenient and can be time consuming. Now, if we get an enquiry in the South of England, for example, we can go and visit them. As far as I am aware this is a unique service within the Smart Repair industry.”

15th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Private Firms “Prey For Value Hunters”

The UK’s dwindling number of privately owned tyres, exhausts & batteries firms are looking more and more like potential takeover targets, according to a new report by business analysts Plimsoll Publishing. Latest research shows that 804 of the UK’s top 1000 tyres, exhausts & batteries companies remain in private hands, and their values are increasing faster than those of their corporate competitors. Their exclusivity, niche products and unique services are adding to their attractiveness.

Another more practical factor is also coming into play, according to Plimsoll’s senior analyst, David Pattison. “The increasing age of owners and principals at some of these companies is causing them to consider their choices,” he says. “While many family firms have succession plans in place, an offer for the company at the crucial moment is often listened to sympathetically, as the new generation review their options.”

But the big prize for corporate and private raiders is the hidden potential of family-run companies. Current owners typically strip out 80 per cent of profits as fees. To the value hunter, this is a huge platform on which to build. But for those who are not averse to the idea of a takeover, their past activity may backfire on them.

13th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Butyl Rubber Production Technology Enters Production

A new rubber processing technology pioneered by ExxonMobil Chemical has entered commercial production in France. At the end of July ExxonMobil Chemical reported that its Notre Dame de Gravenchon (NDG) facility had begun employing a technology that reportedly can significantly increase the butyl rubber production capacity at established production plants. In addition to increasing capacity, ExxonMobil Chemical state that the process now being used at the NDG plant is more energy efficient than current methods owing to changes in the temperature at which the butyl rubber polymerization process takes place.

The process technology unrolled at the NDG plant is the result of a long-term multi-million dollar program conducted by ExxonMobil Chemical. “This is possibly the biggest breakthrough in butyl process technology since the invention of halobutyl,” said Art Sullivan, Global Butyl Polymers vice president at ExxonMobil Chemical. “It is the culmination of our relentless focus and investment in research and development, and it demonstrates the continued technical leadership of ExxonMobil Chemical and our continued commitment to the global tyre industry.”

The commercial application of the technology comes after two years of tests and trials at the NDG facility. Stable, efficient plant operations, significantly higher production capability with existing reactors and refrigeration compressors and equivalent product properties and performance were amongst the key success criteria evaluated prior to commercialisation of the technology. The company plans to implement the new technology at its other butyl plants around the world, however details of the company’s plans, including the timing and target capacity increment, have yet to be finalised.

7th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Industry Takes on the Mark Jenkins Golf Challenge

At 5.30am on the 4th of June 2007, 8 men in teams of two stepped onto the golf course to begin their challenge. This challenge was to play 90 holes of golf over 5 Championship golf courses in one day in order to raise money for Mark Jenkins who died of Sarcoma, “a cancer of the blood” in Dec 2006. Having only been married in recent years, Jenkins was only able to spend a week with his newborn son, Oliver. This made the men even more determined to succeed in their challenge.

All players took time out of their busy schedules to take part in this event, Royal Birkdale, Hillside, West Lancashire, Formby and Southport & Aindale to raise money for the Sarcoma Research Fund at Royal Marsden Hospital in London. The event was very successful at raising in the order of £10,000.

The group included Stephen Callow, 07/08 Chairman of the NTDA North West, owner of Freeway Taxi Tyres and Callow Car Care on Ormskirk Road in Liverpool. Apart from running a successful tyre retreading factory and MOT and motor vehicle repair garage, Stephen Callow says he enjoys fund raising for such events.

3rd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Swedish Study Says Brakes, Tyres Still Pollute

(Akron/Tire Review – UPI/Earth Times) Swedish scientists have determined particles worn from automobile brake linings and tyres continue to be major sources of potentially toxic pollution.

David Hjortenkrans and colleagues at the University of Kalmar compared metal emissions from brake linings and tyres to other metal emission sources in Stockholm during 1995 and between 1998 and 2005. They found copper and zinc emissions from brake linings remained relatively unchanged at high levels, making them a major pollution source.

Brake linings were also found to be a source of another toxic metal, antimony. By contrast, lead and cadmium emissions from brake linings decreased by one-tenth during the period.

20th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Steer Clear of Ebay Used Tyres, Says Entyrety

eBay shoppers looking for a bargain are being warned to steer clear of second-hand tyres being sold on the site, after independent testing revealed that half of the used tyres listed on eBay are too dangerous for use and if fitted to a car could put lives at risk.

The warning follows research by Continental Tyres who commissioned technical specialists, Entyrety, to check the safety of the thousands of used tyres that are up for sale on eBay for as little as £5. Twenty used car tyres were purchased and tested to see how they performed in terms of legislation and safety.

One in five were over the recommended age limit for tyres, meaning that they could fail or ‘blow out’ on the road, a further 20 per cent contravened the ‘Sales of Goods Act’ by not having a legally-required ‘E’ marking and none of the tyres fully conformed with regulations which say that they should be marked as part worn.

Even more shocking was that two of the tyres were well below the minimum tread depth and were even bald in places. One tyre was found to have an illegal and dangerous repair and another had been stuck back together with superglue.

19th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Smithers Names Company Vet to VP Post

(Akron/Tire Review) David Schwarz was named vice president of marketing and strategic planning for The Smithers Group, effective July 1.

In the newly created position, Schwarz will be responsible for coordinating the business planning process and market research efforts of each of Smithers’ five group companies.

Schwarz joined Smithers Scientific Services in October 1990 as a project manager. Most recently, he was vice president of technical services and sales for Smithers Scientific.

18th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli to Build ‘Next Mirs’ Plant in Italy

Pirelli Tyre is planning to build a state-of-the-art industrial centre in the Settimo Torinese area of Italy, having signed an agreement with the Piedmont Regional, Turin Provincial, and Settimo Torinese Authorities. The new plant, will produce car and truck tyres, using “ecologically sustainable Next Mirs technology,” according to the company, making it the most modern Pirelli production facility worldwide. As part of the agreement with local authorities Pirelli Tyre and Turin Politecnico have agreed to cooperate on future research and technological projects.

Pirelli currently has two production facilities in the Settimo Torinese area. The industrial regeneration plan will entail transferring the production operations currently carried out in the car-tyre plant to the truck-tyre plant. Amalgamating the two facilities in this way will pave the way for inaugurating a modern centre.

18th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Ceat Seeks TBR Consultant

Ceat Ltd is seeking a foreign consultant to provide assistance in developing TBR technology. The company is in discussions with consultants in the US and Europe and, according to vice-president of Sales and Marketing Arnab Banerjee, they most likely will sign an agreement with one of them within the next two or three months.

However he added that this does not mean the Indian tyremaker’s earlier plans to tie up with leading international tyre majors for technical know how have been shelved. Ceat has been talking with a number of companies, including Pirelli, and will continue to do so. “We decided to work on the technology on our own in parallel so that we did not waste time in order to enter the market with our product range,” Banerjee explained.

The chosen consultant will work with Ceat’s research and development department on new TBR projects, including the establishment of a greenfield facility for TBR production. A number of potential sites have been shortlisted for this new factory, which will be ready to begin production in between two and two and a half years. The facility is projected to cost between £60 and £70 million.

9th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess Signs Agreement with China’s BRDI

Only days after announcing its intention of investing around 400 million euros in a new facility in Asia, Lanxess’s Polybutadiene Rubber business unit has signed a three-year co-operation agreement with the Beijing Research & Design Institute of Rubber Industry (BRDI). The BRDI is China’s national testing centre for tyres and a leading research institute, possessing both the facilities and staff required to engage in advanced research into tyre and rubber products, engineering design for the rubber industry, machinery and equipment and testing of rubber and rubber articles.

“The co-operation will put our efforts to explore and further penetrate the world’s fastest growing tyre market on a firm footing,” said Christoph Kalla, head of Marketing in Lanxess’s Polybutadiene Rubber business unit. “It will also make use of BRDI’s respective strength in customising the application of Lanxess’s high-performance polybutadiene rubber and solution styrene-butadiene rubber grades in China.

4th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Acacia Technologies Licenses Fraud Protection System to Goodyear

Acacia Research Corporation has announced that Financial Systems Innovation LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Acacia Technologies group, has signed a non-exclusive license for credit card fraud protection technology with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. The patented technology generally relates to a computerized system for protecting retailers and consumers engaged in credit card, cheque card, and debit transactions. The system includes an electronic card reader, and the generation and use of a transaction number, which specifically identifies each transaction processed within the system. As a result, the retailer does not necessarily have to print detailed information concerning the cardholder’s identity or account number on the customer’s receipt.

21st June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors