Bridgestone Shares Rise on Back of Bandag Acquisition
Bridgestone shares rose three and a half per cent to 2,550 yen, the greatest gain in two months, after the tyremaker agreed to purchase retreaders Bandag Inc.
Retreading
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Bridgestone Buys Bandag for US$1.05 billion
Product NewsBridgestone’s North American subsidiary, Bridgestone Americas Holding (BSAH), has bought Bandag Incorporated for US$1.05 billion. The deal sees the two companies enter into a merger agreement pursuant to which BSAH will acquire the outstanding shares of each class of Bandag stock for US$50.75 per share in cash. Bandag’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the agreement. The transaction is expected to be completed late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2007, subject to the receipt of shareholder and regulatory approvals and the closing conditions. In 2005 Bandag had worldwide sales of US$921 million.
Need A Hand?
Product NewsProper casing handling has a strong role to play in protecting the profits of retreaders. Shearography and ultrasonics are important, but who would do without that first hand visual inspection for buffed casings, before they enter the retreading process proper?
However, manhandling a truck tyre is increasingly frowned upon by the Health and Safety Executive. There are pieces of equipment that will lift and position a casing, others that will spread and spin the casing. But, earlier this year, AEP exhibited a new tyre inspection bay in Essen that highlights the company’s ability to provide bespoke handling solutions to the tyre industry.
New Bandag Dealership in Turkey
Product NewsUlu Lastik Kaplama has become Turkey’s latest Bandag shop. The Bandag retreads produced and delivered by Ulu Lastik Kaplama are designed to help fleets reduce their tyre budget while increasing vehicle uptime. Owner Halil Ulu and his sons Menderes Ulu have more than 15 years of experience in truck tyre servicing.
Ideally situated on the main road of Denizli, the tyre shop is within easy reach of the national road network and offers all tyre related services: wheel alignment, balancing, repair and fitting of truck and OTR tyres. The clear predominance of road transport and the retread ratio of 25 per cent in the region convinced Halil Ulu and his sons to opt for the only retreading system that really cuts tyre operating costs.
Conti Lifecycle Process Results in Longer Tyre Life for Kent Haulier
Product NewsFaversham-based Les Knight Transport Limited is one of the biggest container hauliers in the South East, running 23 tractor units and 15 tri-axle skeletal trailers on container work out of Dartford and Purfleet. It also provides a ‘traction only’ service pulling other people’s trailers, which accounts for 20 per cent of its activity. The trucks run throughout the UK with the occasional foray into mainland Europe and each covers around 140,000 kilometres a year.
The company invests heavily in its trucks, all of which are top-of-the-range models from MAN, Volvo, Scania and DAF and all under five years old. When you’re spending such serious money on trucks it’s important that you also do everything you can to ensure they operate as efficiently, economically and safely as possible and tyres play a big part in this.
Bridgestone Expands Aircraft Retreading Plant
Product NewsBridgestone Aircraft Tire (Europe) sa/nv in Frameries is expanding capacity to keep pace with increased aircraft production worldwide from Airbus and Boeing. A reinvigorated European aviation market and soaring demand from new and existing Middle Eastern fleets is a major influence in projected growth. According to the company, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire (Europe) is market leader with a share of around 50 per cent. “So far we have retreaded some 2 million tyres which is equal to the tyre supply of Lufthansa Airlines for some 120 years,” company representatives told Tyres & Accessories.
Baake Celebrates 35 Years With Bandag
Product NewsHeadquartered in Heusenstamm, Germany, Baake GmbH & Co. KG is celebrating 35 years as a Bandag franchisee. In recognition of the long relationship, Karl Robert Baake, general manager, was presented with a commemorative plaque by Mike Tirona, vice president and general manager of Bandag EMEA.
Although the franchise contract was signed in 1971, Baake’s proud history stretches back to 1932, when the company began life as a tyre curing shop. The knowledge gained here proved a valuable asset after WW II when it integrated hot-cap retreading of car tyres into the business.
Ehrhardt Reifen & Autoservice: 20 years as a Bandag Dealership
Product NewsEhrhardt Reifen + Autoservice was founded 60 years ago, soon after World War II in Wulften, Germany, now the company is celebrating 20 years as a Bandag dealership. Owner and general manager Rolf Ehrhardt already represents the third generation of the family. The Ehrhardt Group runs 26 commercial outlets scattered over the federal states of Niedersachsen, Thüringen, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Hessen. The company ranks among the largest distributors of automotive parts in the region. In addition to a wide range of tyres for cars, trucks, OTR and AG, Ehrhardt sells and services batteries, exhausts, brakes and rims.
Amerityre to Cooperate With Phelps Dodge
Product NewsPolyurethane tyre production company, Amerityre has published news that it plans to work with Phelps Dodge. The announcement follows the company’s OTR retread license agreement with Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Company of China, made in August. “In August 2006, we entered into a memorandum of understanding with a specialty tyre manufacturer. The manufacturer will be evaluating our polyurethane elastomer material for retreading medium radial truck tyres and certain sizes of OTR tyres. We also recently entered into an agreement with Phelps Dodge to evaluate polyurethane elastomer retreads for large OTR tyres. The Phelps Dodge programme is part of a broader plan to explore constructing an OTR retread production facility. In this area, we’ll continue to work with other companies to establish similar agreements.”
Continental Delivers Long Tyre Life to Argos
Product NewsWith 130 million customers spending £3.8 billion a year buying items on-line and through its 670 stores, the Argos retail business needs a massive logistics back up. This requires a fleet of 600 tractor units and 1400 trailers operating from 11 distribution centres strategically located throughout mainland UK. That means that at any given time there are well over 5,000 tyres in contact with the road on Argos vehicles.
TIA to Organise Retreading Conference
Product NewsIn February 2007, the American Tire Industry Association (TIA) will hold its “TIA Commercial Tire, Retread & Recycling Conference” for the first time. This event will take place 6-8 February in Tampa (Florida, USA) and will replace the World Tire Expo. This was held in 2005 for the last time. The new Commercial Tire and Retreading Conference will be held in concurrence with the “Transportation Technology Exhibition”. According to TIA president Bob Malerba this new event is not only good for training and educating employees in retreading businesses but also for meeting suppliers and market players. More information is available at www.tireindustry.org. About a year ago the first rumours about the future of the then sluggish World Tire Expo appeared.
AIRP to Take Action Against Non-ECE-Certified Retreaders
Product NewsThere has not been any seismic shifts in the market since the UN-ECE regulations 108 and 109 were made mandatory in Europe on 13 September 2006. Many retreaders were already working according to these new regulations voluntary. Now, four week after the regulations came into effect, the Italian Tyre Retreaders Association AIRP has discussed ways of dealing with the black sheep in the Italien retreading industry and whether legel steps should be taken. There are currently 66 truck and passenger car tyre retreading plants in Italy which are operated by AIRP members.
The Solution and the Cure – Chemvulc Marketing
Product NewsChemvulc Marketing manufacture, wholesale and retail the Chemvulc range of tube and tyre repair materials. A complete portfolio of tyre tools, weights, accessories, inflation equipment, automotive valves for passenger to earthmover tyres, retreading equipment and consumables, are produced. These products are supplied to a wide range of tyre dealers and retreaders throughout South Africa and bordering nations. The company has some 60 per cent of the market in tyre repair materials in South Africa. Exports to other countries are constantly developing and enquiries are invited from perspective customers anywhere in the world.
Reifen Lindinger: A Bandag Partner for 35 Years
Product NewsGerman tyre distributor Reifen Lindiger has been producing Bandag retreaded tyres since 1971. In May, Bandag honoured its loyal partner and celebrated the 35th anniversary of this ongoing business relationship. Christian Gross, production manager, was presented with a commemorative plaque from Ralf Schnelle, Bandag regional sales manager on the Bandag stand at Reifen Messe, the biennial tyre fair in Essen, Germany. Reifen Lindinger is located in the centre of St. Ingbert, Saarland, Germany. The company is a member of Point-S Deutschland, a cooperation of over 200 independent tyre distributors, totalling more than 350 service outlets. Founded in 1921 by Adolf Lindinger as a tyre curing, repair shop and wholesaler, the family company is currently run by Ulrich Ernst, the son-in-law of Karl-Heinz Lindinger, the founder’s sons.
A Century Of Retreading
Product NewsAccording to Kraiburg Austria, 2006 marks the centenary of retreading and, the company argues, giving new life to worn tyres is as important today as ever it was. The experts are not in total agreement, but many are of the opinion that the retreading of tyres started in 1906 in Germany, while 1908 is the year cited for England and China, and 1917 for the USA.
