rubber Archives - Page 318 of 347 - Tyrepress

Tyres can’t function without this critical raw material. Whether its natural or synthetic rubber you are interested in, articles bearing this tag feature this indispensable polymer.

Posts

Cooper Names New SUV/LT Tyre Development Manager

Cooper Tire and Rubber Company has named Marcus A Hancock as manager of sport utility vehicle/light truck tyre development. His responsibilities include managing and leading the development of new SUV and light truck products for the North American market.

Originally from England, Hancock joined Cooper-Avon Tyre at Melksham, in 1989 as a tyre design and development technical assistant. He has also worked as both a design engineer and a senior design engineer at Cooper-Avon. Mr Hancock has also been a senior development engineer of performance tyres at the Cooper tyre plant in Findlay, Ohio.

23rd November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

USWA Ratifies Contract at Goodyear Mould Facility

The USWA has reported that members in Statesville, North Carolina plant have “overwhelmingly ratified a three-year contract with Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The agreement represents the first the first contract at the plant since workers collectively chose the USWA as bargaining representative in February 2004.

According to the USWA, 95 per cent of those eligible to vote were in favour of the new agreement, which provides workers with a network of job security measures. “Provisions that restrict the company’s ability to contract-out work will maximize the utilisation of our skilled and experienced members,” said local union negotiating committee member, Terry Gentle.

“We’re pleased that we have reached an agreement with Goodyear-Statesville that makes our members in Statesville partners in the ongoing turnaround of this company,” added Tom Drescher, local union negotiating committee member.

The USWA represents 130 employees at the Statesville facility. Overall, the USWA represents more than 18,000 members employed at 14 Goodyear tyre and engineered product facilities throughout the US. First contract negotiations continue at facilities in Asheboro, NC and in Utica, NY.

23rd November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Doubles Thailand Site Area

Yokohama Rubber Co has announced that, by the end of December, it will have purchased 193,327 square metres of land adjacent to Yokohama’s Thailand manufacturing plant. When the newly purchased land is added to the existing site, this means that the Thailand subsidiary will more than double in size, growing to 418,427 square meters. Upon completion of the expansion plans, Yokohama Thailand will have a larger site area than any other Yokohama rubber subsidiary.

22nd November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Create Artificial Fin

Bridgestone has supplied a rubber fin for a dolphin that lost most of its tail fin to disease. Fuji, a 235-kilogram female at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, is the recipient of the manufacturer’s technology, and is said to have regained nearly all of her swimming ability since receiving the new fin. Bridgestone engineers believe that this is the first-ever successful development of an artificial fin for a dolphin.

Volunteer employees at Bridgestone went to work on the rubber fin for Fuji in December 2002. The company subsequently assembled a project team which delivered its first prototype in September 2003 and its a second prototype the following month. After numerous tests it delivered a third and final prototype in March of this year.

The fin is made of silicone rubber, a material that is highly compatible with living tissue. It has a cushion of patented foamed rubber called, “Everlight Moran,” where it fits against the dolphin’s body. ACM (Advanced Composite Material) provides reinforcement for the fin, and reduces the load on Fuji because of its light weight comparing to the metal. The Bridgestone engineers analysed the movement of dolphin fins in three dimensions and FEM (finite element method) used for designing tyres to optimise the fin design.

19th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Plans Repayment of a Bond Loan

The German tyre manufacturer Continental plans to use its current financial capabilities and liquidity for the repayment of a 500 million euro bond loan. Continental Rubber of America, (Wilmington, Delaware), which is an indirect subsidiary of Continental AG, invited all holders to submit a sales offer. “By these means Continental practices active balance management using additional liquidity in order to redeem our debts. This repayment shows the improved financial situation of Continental,” explains Dr Alan Hippe, CFO and member of the board.

19th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama’s Income Decreases

In its third quarter Yokohama Rubber saw net sales rise by 4.3 per cent to ¥189.7 billion. The company claims that this reflected “solid tyre sales overseas.” However, net income fell by a massive 51.6 per cent, to ¥719 million. The manufacturer claims that this was due to inventory losses and a loss on devaluation of securities investment.

Operating income also declined by 6.3 per cent to ¥4.3 billion, and has been put down to the increase in prices of natural rubber and other raw materials. Yokohama is also citing higher logistics costs stemming from increased export volume and a jump in shipping charges to the decline in income.

12th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

RMA Rejects Federal TPMS Proposal

Through the collective voice of the US Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) the American tyre industry has registered its “strong opposition” to the proposed federal TPMS regulation, saying: “It may create a false sense of security among consumers.”

According to the association, the rule, proposed by the NHTSA, does not meet the government’s objective of improving consumer safety. Instead the association warns that the rule in its current format may increase the risk of tyre failures.

The proposed rule would mandate that every car, SUV, pickup truck and minivan be equipped with a tyre pressure monitoring system that warns drivers when tyre pressure is 25 per cent below the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure. The RMA warns that a 25 per cent drop in a tyre’s recommended pressure would still leave the tyre in an unsafe condition. In a statement released by the association the RMA suggested that under the proposed standard, “motorists could be driving for thousands of miles on tyres that are appreciably under-inflated but still not receive a warning.”

“A tyre pressure monitor that doesn’t provide a timely low-pressure warning to motorists will not enhance safety,” Mr Shea commented adding: “A tyre pressure monitoring system is meant to supplement, not replace, regular tyre maintenance by consumers.”

The RMA supported its argument with the results of research it conducted in 2003. It found that nearly two-thirds of US motorists would be less likely to check their tyre pressure regularly with a TPMS-equipped vehicle. Other criticisms put forward by the RMA include: The fact that the TPMS would not be required to be tested at speeds of above 63 mph; at temperatures below freezing or above 40 degrees Celsius; during turning and braking manoeuvres; or on secondary roads. The RMA also criticised the suggestion that the TPMS system would not be required to work with replacement or full-size spare tyres.

“In short, it is contrary to NHTSA’s mission to promote highway safety to promulgate a TPMS standard that may create a false sense of security among consumers about an issue as important as tyre inflation pressure,” the RMA said stating, “our intent is to work with NHTSA to get this regulation right and to get it done soon,” said RMA president and CEO, Donald B Shea, said.

12th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

New Business Development Manager for Goodyear

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Joseph Copeland as senior vice president of business development strategy and restructuring. According to the company, the new appointment combines the business development responsibilities previously led by Rick Navarro, as well as the strategic and restructuring initiatives that were part of the previous assignment of chief financial officer Richard Kramer.

8th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

The Russians want Vredestein

Russia’s largest tyre manufacturer, Amtel, wants to take over Vredestein’s tyre unit. The Dutch manufacturer’s CEO, Rob Oudshoorn, confirmed with Tyres & Accessories that “detailed discussions” are well underway and an acquisition could take place in early 2005.

5th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Continues Strong Performance

Continental has released third quarter profits that show what the company calls “another record-breaking performance.” The international automotive supplier increased its consolidated sales in the first nine months of 2004 by 8.6 per cent. In the first nine months the figure, including foreign exchange effects and consolidation changes, totals at 9.214 billion euros compared with 8.485 billion euros the same time last year. The was little mention of the costs incurred by the company’s failed Russian joint venture.

4th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Shanghai Tyre to invest in Michelin Venture

The AFX news agency has reported that Shanghai Tyre and Rubber Company has approved two separate investments totalling 263.55 million yuan (£17.2 million), to be put into a subsidiary and its current joint venture with Michelin.

4th November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Sauber to Use Michelin Tyres

Sauber Petronas has announced that it will swap tyre supplier from Bridgestone to Michelin. The new contract with French tyre manufacturer will come into effect immediately, Sauber said in a press release. According to the statement, the team will conduct its first test with Michelin tyres at the end of November in Barcelona.

3rd November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Possible Price Increases for Continental

Increasing steel prices have led the board of Continental AG to take price increases into consideration, the company says. “Should there be more raw material price increases, higher prices on the replacement market cannot be ruled out,“ said board member, Dr Alan Hippe. At the moment the company is in talks with the car industry over the steel price situation. Meanwhile natural rubber prices are said to have reached their peak.

3rd November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Exhibits ADVAN in Las Vegas

Continuing in the pattern of recent international automotive shows, Yokohama is exhibiting its ADVAN range in Las Vegas. Yokohama sees the ADVAN brand as symbolic of the company’s “global concept.” At the SEMA Show, Yokohama will exhibit ADVAN Sport, the company’s new sport tyre, ADVAN ST, its new flagship tyre for the SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), and ADVAN Neova, which the company describes as a “maximum performance radial.”

ADVAN sport has recently been selected by Bentley as standard equipment for its Continental GT, the world’s fastest four-seats coupe. According to the company, Yokohama Rubber plans to begin marketing ADVAN brand tyres in 2005. In addition, Yokohama will also introduce the Parada brand and the AVID TRZ, premium all season touring tyre at the show.

3rd November 2004/by Tyrepress Editors

Balancing the Bias Against Retreads

Bandag has released a new wide-single trailer tyre range. The BTE2 is based on a polyvalent tread that the company claims surpasses the performance of its predecessor, the Bandag BZAW(E).

27th October 2004/by Tyrepress Editors