Cooper Targets Youth Market With New Ad Campaign
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. launched a new national ad campaign that incorporates television and print ads that are designed to reach out to a young, high-performance-minded audience.
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Connected to the HP Market
Product NewsContinental’s decision to launch the third variation of its popular SportContact reflects the increasing importance of high performance products in its portfolio. And when you consider that Continental experts predict that 16 per cent of the replacement market will be made up of WYZ products by 2009, you can see why.
Continental has developed the new ContiSportContact 3 with the car manufacturers and drivers of sporty vehicles in mind. Consequently, shorter braking distances, enhanced handling characteristics and improved driving safety on wet roads are said to be the new tyre’s main benefits. The Continental range also includes a different tread pattern option both for high-powered rear wheel drive cars and for customising requirements. The ContiSportContact 3 is available now.
Hercules Moves Corporate Headquarters
Product News(Akron/Tire Review) Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. has a new address for its corporate headquarters. The tyremaker moved to a bigger building not far from its previous headquarters in Findlay, Ohio. The new address is 16380 E. U.S. Route 224, Suite 200, Findlay, OH 45840. Hercules’ phone and fax numbers – 419-425-6400 and 419-425-6403 (FAX) – will not change.
Dunlop India to Make Industrial Rubber Products at Ambattur
Product NewsDunlop India is planning to set up an industrial rubber products plant at its existing truck and bus tyre manufacturing facility at Ambattur in Chennai. The company currently has an industrial products division at Sahagunj facility in West Bengal, the Indian Hindu Business Line Newspaper has reported.
Goodyear Develops Biodiesel Fuel Hose
Product NewsGoodyear’s Engineered Products division has introduced what it says is the first alternative fuel dispensing hose verified by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL). The products are being introduced this week at the NAHAD hose and accessories distributors’ annual convention.
According to Keith Collett, industrial hose marketing manager for the company, a complete line of hose, including Goodyear Flexsteel, Ambassador, BC Gasoline and BC Marina, are available to meet the nation’s growing demand for clean burning biodiesel and E85 environmentally-friendly fuels.
Cooper Signs Funkmaster Flex to Endorsement Deal
Product News(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has signed hip-hop star Funkmaster Flex to a year-long endorsement contract. Flex will appear in a new print advertisement for the Cooper Zeon XST tyre targeting the urban sport truck market, and will make appearances to support the Cooper brand.
Flex, dubbed the “evangelist” of hip hop’s car culture, created the successful Funkmaster Flex Custom Car & Bike Show, now in its fifth year. He is also a celebrity DJ on Hot 97 FM in New York City and the host of two TV shows, Spike TV’s “Ride with Funkmaster Flex” and ESPN 2’s “All Muscle with Funkmaster Flex.”
G. Craig Sullivan Elected to Goodyear Board
Product NewsG Craig Sullivan, former chairman and chief executive officer of The Clorox Company, has been elected to the Board of Directors of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
“Craig Sullivan is a top-rate business leader with extensive experience in building strong consumer brands,” said Goodyear chairman and chief executive officer Robert J. Keegan. “His experience and knowledge will be of significant value to our board of directors.”
Goodyear Directors Re-Elected at 2006 Annual Meeting
Product NewsGoodyear Tire & Rubber Company shareholders have re-elected James C. Boland, Steven A. Minter, Michael R. Wessel, John G. Breen and William J. Hudson, Jr. to the company’s Board of Directors.
In other business, shareholders passed a proposal requiring the annual election of directors. In connection with that proposal, the terms of all of the company’s directors will expire at the 2007 annual meeting.
Natural Rubber Price Continues to Rise
Product NewsThe price of natural rubber is reaching a new high of US$2.16/kg; a rise of 22 per cent since January 1st and up 87 per cent since January 2005. As an example of the potential effect on tyre manufacturing, a 60kg truck tyre will contain around 24kg of natural rubber. Already this year, many tyre manufacturers have announced two lots of price increases and industry pundits expect further price rises if natural rubber prices stay at the current level.
Smithers Group Buys Rapra Technology
Product NewsThe Smithers Group, an independent testing, consulting and contract research organization based in the US, has announced that it had closed a deal to purchase UK company Rapra Technology. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The announcement ends weeks of speculation of the fate of Rapra Technology, which was forced into Administration on 8 March.
Report Says “Give Motorists Data on Tyres’ Fuel Efficiency”
Product NewsThe Fuel Efficiency Study by the Transportation Research Board in the USA has called on Congress to allow the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to collect data on the fuel efficiency of different tyres and to make this available to the public. The Board believes that, were they given all the facts, motorists would opt for the most fuel-efficient brands. If this were to happen, no doubt low rolling resistance and fuel efficiency would assume paramount importance in new tyre design.
Inaugural Cooper-A1 Grand Prix Season “A Success”
Product NewsThe inaugural season of the Cooper-A1 Grand Prix began in Great Britain in September last year and ended on a positive note in China in early April. A1 Team France was the overall winner of the first World Cup of Motorsports with 172 points. A1 Team Switzerland took second with 121 points and A1 Team Great Britain finished third with 97 points. 22 teams competed on 370/660R13 Cooper-A1 tyres fitted to 16-inch wide racing rims.
Nokian Tyres Renewed its Truck Tyre Range
Product NewsIn 2005 the production of all Nokian-branded truck tyres was transferred to the Bridgestone plant in Bilbao, Spain, which features top-notch production technology in the field. The tyre carcasses and moulds of the whole product portfolio have been redesigned. The new carcass clearly enhances driving properties and mileage, while the sturdy bead area makes the tyre sit well on the rim and improves driving qualities. In addition, the longer useful life of the tyre carcass and the strong rubber used in tread grooves clearly enhance retreading options, writes Nokian in a press release. All Nokian truck tyres feature rubber compounds suitable for Nordic conditions, which provide good grip on slippery roads and durability on rough road surfaces. The new Nokian NTR-861 and Nokian NTR-844 for trucks and buses round off the range and offer a safe and durable solution for year-round use. These winter-rated M+S tyres can be mounted on the vehicle all year round.
Goodyear Moves Up Fortune 500 List
Product News(Akron/Tire Review) Not only were Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. sales up in 2005, the $19.7 billion in revenue earned the company a new place on the Fortune 500 list, when the tyre manufacturer moved up to the 112th spot on the annual list, up from 120th position last year.
J K Industries Raises Prices
Product NewsIndian manufacturer J K Industries has increased prices across all ranges of its four wheeler tyres by 2.2 per cent and hinted at a further hike in May, owing to rising input costs, particularly that of rubber. “The gap between raw material cost and the product price has been about 7 per cent. Even after raising the price of tyres by 2.2 per cent we still have a gap, which we are looking at covering with another round of price hikes in May,” said JK Industries’ Marketing Director, Kalyan Paul.
