rubber Archives - Page 338 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 And Pirelli Restructure Alliance (Update)

Cooper Tire & Rubber and Pirelli have announced the restructuring of their three-year-old alliance in the US market. The object is to improve the competitive strength of both companies and both agree that, while the alliance had proved generally positive, a new approach would be beneficial in pursuing separate brand strategies. From July 1st, Pirelli will resume responsibility for sales and customer servicing of the Pirelli brand in the USA, while Cooper will continue to manufacture certain sizes of Pirelli tyres for sale in the US, as well as providing logistics support. The two companies will investigate the feasibility of Pirelli manufacturing selected UHP Cooper tyres in the future. It is intended that the transition regarding existing Pirelli dealers will be smooth, ensuring that customer service is not adversely affected. The changes in the alliance are mutually acceptable and both companies continue to regard themselves as partners in technical and other related matters. D. Richard Stephens, President of Cooper Tire, and Francesco Gori, General Manager, Pirelli Tyre Worldwide, issued a joint statement, as follows: “Our companies have learned to know and appreciate each other since the beginning and are looking forward to a new and different phase of our alliance which will benefit customers for both brands.” Under the terms of the original alliance, signed in February 1999, Cooper managed the sales and distribution of tyres in the replacement markets of the USA, Canada and Mexico. Pirelli developed products for the US market and strengthened brand awareness via participation in motorsports.

8th April 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Butler Engineering & Marketing S.r.L.

Based in Rio Saliceto, about 20 miles west of Modena, Italy, Butler Engineering & Marketing originated in 1998. It started as an entrepreneurial venture by a few people with a common vision to change the way tyres were fitted, bringing into line the technical developments of the tyre, wheel and automotive industries.The first four years were dedicated to product development and contacts with the main customers were established. Then, in 1993 and 1994 the network of agents was brought up to a satisfactory level, according to the company’s potential in terms of manufacturing capability.It was in late 1994 that the growth boom started. The company now employs 70 professionals. Turnover in 1995 doubled, while in 1996 another increase of approximately 50% was achieved. Since then a steady increase in turnover and output has occurred.Butler specialises in manufacturing tyre changers, which are very original and innovative in terms of design, construction and operation. All Butler tyre changers can easily be identified because of their special features; in fact, they have a unique ergonomical design and are almost all powered by compressed air. Power and comfortable controls allow an effortless and effective operation, even with the toughest and most delicate tyre-rim combinations.All parts of the machine touching the wheel or tyre are made of plastic or rubber, to avoid any kind of damage. For instance, an exclusive and patented mount/demount head, made from synthetic material, is always in touch with the rim edge, thus reducing considerably the stress generated during a mounting or demounting operation.The Butler range of equipment also includes a complete series of electronic wheel balancers, made according to the latest technology, eg the ADI (Automatic Data Input). Butler has established a mutual cooperation with the R&D departments of important car, tyre and wheel manufacturers, which are using Butler tyre changers to test the mountability of the most advanced tyre/rim combinations.Approvals or agreements have been signed with Mercedes, Porsche, Bridgestone/Firestone, Dunlop, Continental and others. BBS and Lorinser are promoting the Butler Airdraulic to all their wheel dealers. At the assembly plants of Ferrari, Porsche, M5, Audi 8, Fiat and others, the first equipment tyres are mounted with Butler Airdraulic tyre changers.Technical improvements are not focused just on machines, but also on tools like the so-called ‘HM’ (Half Moon) tyre bead lever, which dramatically improves the operator’s comfort and efficiency.A consumer’s video has been produced to increase the knowledge and skill of operators on handling the toughest and most delicate low profile tyres and aluminium rims with the Butler Airdraulic tyre changer. “The Butler Passport to Higher Performance” is an important contribution to spreading knowledge on how to handle rims and tyres.It is a manual containing general and specific information about rims, tyres and the proper way to handle them. Also it includes a section related to the use of Butler tyre changers. This manual is available on the Butler home page www.butler.it where other interesting information can be found.

25th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Go Gomma Srl

Go Gomma has been involved with repair and tyre dealer products since 1981, benefiting from more than thirty years’ experience gained by its founder, Giuliano Gori.All products and equipment have been chosen for their competitive prices and optimal quality, and also for innovation, safety, ease of use and protection of the environment. This has enabled Go Gomma to become the main supplier of important Italian and foreign distributors, thus confirming the quality and service of its production so that many products sold under other brand names include Go Gomma technology, experience and skill.The company’s current commitments are aimed not only at consolidating its image but also acquiring customers in developing countries by taking part in specialised fairs and sales missions.The experience gained in the traditional repair and tyre dealer sectors has not prevented Go Gomma from shifting its attention towards developing technologies that, even though founded on rubber and polymers in general, have applications in the industrial abrasion, proof coating and surface protection field.Go Gomma is the leading company in this sector with the widest selection of materials and accessories for rebuilders and tyre dealers. A vast choice of top quality products for professionals is the strong point of the company and the foundation for its many years of success.

25th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyre Modelling Software Devised By Sumitomo

In conjunction with the Japan Research Institute, Sumitomo Rubber Industries has developed tyre modelling software for car manufacturers. It is based on SRI’s existing DigiTire virtual design technology and features a simplified display that makes it simple to calculate properties such as tyre load.

20th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Predict Greater Than Expected Earnings

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company expects its earnings for the quarter ending 31st March, to be at least 50 percent higher than initially announced. This is directly due to the exceptional success of sales so far this year.

18th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Global Marketing Director For Goodyear

Jeanne B. Sherman (44) has been appointed as director, Global Marketing Services for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., reporting to Cathryn M. Fischer, vice president and chief marketing officer. Sherman has 20 years’ experience of marketing with several well-known brands, including Wilson golf balls, Cheetos snacks and Kraft foods.

14th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Shredded Firestones Put To Use

Firestone tyres recalled in the USA are being put to good use, with rubber crumb used as artificial turf. A Montreal-based company called FieldTurf is producing the artificial turf for the Lions’ new stadium at Ford Field, Dearborn. A spokesperson for FieldTurf said that it had been specified that the rubber crumb came exclusively from Firestone tyres, in line with Bill Ford’s stance on corporate environmental responsibility.

11th March 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Agreement On Japanese Co-operation For Yokohama and Continental

Yokohama Rubber and Continental AG have confirmed a contract for the creation of a joint venture to supply original equipment to Japanese motor manufacturers and to develop Continental in the Japanese replacement market. The 50/50 joint venture will be called Yokohama Continental Tire and will aim to sell OE tyres to Japanese and Korean vehicle manufacturers. Importation and distribution of Continental tyres, to be sold through Yokohama outlets in Japan, will begin in April.

20th February 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Modernization Cordenka Converting Plant In Obernburg Completed

The modernization program of Cordenka’s tire cord converting plant in Obernburg (Germany) has recently been completed. Cordenka’s converting concept focuses on saving the tire manufacturer additional processing steps by supplying Cordenka rayon filament for the reinforcement of high-performance tires as cord or cord fabric.

13th February 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear To Replace Up To 200,000 Ambulance, Van Tyres

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. will voluntarily replace up to 200,000 size LT245/75R16 tyres on passenger vans and ambulances, starting in March, as a preliminary investigation of the tires by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concludes. NHTSA believes tread separations in the four-ply tyres may have led to 11 fatal accidents and numerous injuries. The program involves 16-inch Load Range E tyres made between 1996 and 2000 and encompasses 51 different lines. Goodyear says the tyres are not defective. NHTSA began investigating Load Range E tyres in November 2000. Goodyear is contacting registered tyre owners through direct mail and other methods. It will replace the tyres with same size, six-ply units. “This is a proactive tyre replacement program,” say Goodyear officials.

8th February 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Good Fourth Quarter For Cooper

Cooper Tire and Rubber Company reported fourth quarter Net Income of 16 million dollars, or 22 cents per share, on a revenue of 777 million dollars. This compares to a revenue of 820 million or 9 cents per share for the fourth quarter of 2000. However, excluding charges for restructuring earnings per share for the quarter were 25 cents for 2001 (37 cents for 2000). Net Income for the year totalled 69 million dollars (excluding settlement of class-action suits and non-recurring costs) on 3.2 billion dollars of sales. This compared to a Net Income for 2000 of 129 million dollars.

8th February 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyres2Oil Development For Germany

Advanced Recycling Sciences (ARS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Natur-Energie-Wertstoffrecycling Umwelt AG (NEW, Munich) to develop ARS Tires2Oil ™ technology in Germany. The arrangement will allow NEW to build a full scale facility by the second half of next year. NEW is negotiating with ARS to acquire a 5 per cent share of the new venture at Penkun. The process treats crumb rubber in a hydrocarbon-based solvent in thermodynamic conditions to depolymerise the rubber and recover carbon black and oil. The purified output will produce crude oil with a less than 15ppm sulphur content.

1st February 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Cuts In Rubber Output Planned

Indonesia and Thailand have threatened to cut rubber production. Indonesia and Thailand are planning an immediate 10 per cent cut in production in a plan to push prices up by as much as 30 per cent. Malaysia is expected to follow suite. If the cuts are effective it could result in 20 per cent price rises in the retail prices of tyres. In order to sustain the cuts, Indonesia and Thailand are proposing to convert rubber plantations into alleged cash crops such as cocoa and coffee. It is expected that the main beneficiary of this move would be Russia, the main producer of synthetic rubber.

29th January 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

OE Supplies From Goodyear May Be Cut

Goodyear Tire and Rubber is considering cutting sales to vehicle manufacturers due to declining profits. The company may also shift some manufacturing to sub-contractors in an attempt to improve margins. Goodyear claims that OE supply could be cut by as much as 24 per cent in three years. 30 per cent of Goodyear tyre sales are to vehicle manufacturers. Unless the tyre manufacturer can secure price increases for OE tyres production could be cut by as many as 5 million units. There have also been suggestions that Goodyear may sub-contract private label production to third parties.

24th January 2002/by Tyrepress Editors

Joint Venture To Manufacture And Market Car Radials In China

The Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd has announced that the Chinese Government has approved the establishment of a joint venture company in January 2002 to make and market radial car tyres in China. It is a jv between Yokohama, YHI Holdings (of Singapore) and Hangzhou Rubber, of China. Production will begin in April 2003, initially of 750,000 tyres a year. A second stage of investment will increase this figure up to 1.5 million tyres, depending on demand. Each stage will require an investment of $30 million.

28th December 2001/by Tyrepress Editors