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Yokohama Rubber reports it is supplying original equipment tyres to Mazda’s latest model Demio, which went on sale in Japan on June 30. The compact car, known as the Mazda2 in many export markets, is a facelifted version of the popular model first released in 2007; the updated car is fitted with the Japanese tyre maker’s Aspec A349 BluEarth in size 175/65R14 82S.
Nokian Tyres styles itself as “the only tyre manufacturer in the world that focuses on products and services that facilitate safe transportation in Nordic conditions”, and its 2011 range reflects the company's expertise in the area, developed in variable Central European conditions. The manufacturer says its WR D3 and WR A3 tyres are “designed for different vehicles and drivers but for any winter weather”. The company calls its tyres “environmentally friendly premium products” that feature nanotechnology and canola oil, which helps to improve their reliability in the winter conditions of Central Europe. Nordic Tyres (UK) usually imports Nokian Industrial, Forestry and Agriculture, though increased demand in the last UK winter led to its decision to stock passenger car winter patterns. The UK distributor says it suggests “early contact… in order to meet expected demand before winter really bites”.
Financial analysts have upgraded their view of shares in the Maxxis tyre brand’s manufacturing parent company Cheng Shin Rubber. Describing it as “one of the most successful Taiwan stories in China”; Morgan Stanley gave Cheng Shin the “overweight” rating, raising its earnings per share projections by 1 per cent and 9 per cent for 2011 and 2012 respectively. At the same time the stock’s price target was raise from NT$68.33 to NT$78.3.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Stephen R. McClellan as president of the company’s North American Tire business unit. McClellan will succeed Curt Andersson, who plans to pursue other professional interests. McClellan will continue to be responsible for North American Tire’s consumer tyre business until a successor is named.
“Steve brings strong leadership and a proven track record of delivering results,” said Richard J. Kramer, Goodyear’s chairman, president and CEO. “Steve’s career of more than 20 years at Goodyear has included progressively larger leadership positions within North American Tire. His success in running the North American consumer and commercial tyre businesses and his strong relationships with customers make him a natural successor to the role.
Although the earthquake and tsunami in Japan earlier this year caused original equipment tyre sales to decline there, mid-2011 financial quarter results show aftermarket sector sales are continuing to improve, building on signs of recovering demand first seen – as figures recently published by the Japanese Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association show – in 2010. The association’s report, titled “Tyre Industry of Japan 2011”, reveals growth occurred in both the original equipment and aftermarket segments last year, the first time production in Japan has increased in the last three years.
Despite the fact that their homeland suffered the combined catastrophe of earthquake and tsunami earlier this year Japanese tyre makers faired surprisingly well at the stock exchange in August at a time when the share prices of virtually all the other tyre majors took a beating. (See “Bloodbath at the stock exchange”).
Lanxess AG has lifted its full-year guidance for 2011 on the back of strong second quarter results. The German specialty chemicals company now expects its EBITDA pre-exceptionals to grow about 20 per cent year-on-year after previously forecasting a growth of 10 to 15 per cent. During the second quarter the company’s EBITDA pre-exceptionals rose 26 per cent year-on-year to 339 million euros.
The Czech Republic Grand Prix weekend saw the introduction of a change in the regulations for tyre allocation, giving riders one more front slick tyre each, a third softer compound option and greater choice of both front and rear slick compound allocation. Bridgestone motorsport tyre development general manager Tohru Ubukata commented that while the weekend had not shown the true impact the regulation changes should have, it had provided a good trial run for riders and teams, The new rules are designed to provide softer compounds for increased safety in cold weather. Ubukata said the impact on the company was purely in increasing the number of tyres it must now bring to each Grand Prix. The tyre supplier also took the opportunity to continue the development of its 2012 tyres, “designed for the new 1000cc engine regulations”.
Sri Lanka listed Kelani Tyres, which runs a joint venture tyre business in cooperation with CEAT of India, has released financial results for the quarter to June 2011 showing that profits fell 71 per cent to 18.9 million rupees compared with a year earlier. The firm reported earnings of 24 cents per share for the quarter, in provisional accounts filed with Colombo Stock Exchange.
Telford-based Treadsetters has added the Insa Turbo range of retreaded truck tyres to its product line up. According to the company, this established retread brand will further complement the existing range of premium, mid-range and budget truck tyres with Treadsetters becoming the factory appointed UK distributors for the complete range of Insa Turbo retreaded truck tyres.
The museum may be the last place you’d expect to see new-generation environmental tyres, yet Yokohama Tire is proud to announce that is exactly where specimens of its BluEarth-1 can be found. As of this autumn, the orange oil-infused tyre will be highlighted in a two-year exhibit as the Museum of Science in the US city of Boston. The “Making a Greener Tire” interactive display, which will be in the museum’s Transportation, Renewable Energy and Nanotechnology area, revolves around the BluEarth-1’s technology, which combines oil extracted from orange peels with silica and natural rubber to form “Super Nano-Power Rubber” (SNPR), a substance initially utilised in Yokohama’s dB Super E-spec tyre. Also to be featured is the BluEarth-1’s Airtex Advanced Liner, designed to reduce the amount of air loss from the tyre.
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Casey Stoner clinched his sixth victory at Brno on Sunday following an early battle with teammate Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. Pedrosa crashed out of the lead on the third lap, leaving the remaining two steps of the podium to be fought over by Andrea Dovizioso, who finished second, and Marco Simoncelli who secured his first podium in the premier class. Every rider on the grid used the softer option rear tyre for the race, and almost all riders used the harder option front. The only riders who didn’t were Suzuki’s Álvaro Bautista, who was chasing down Valentino Rossi for sixth position when he crashed out, and Lorenzo, who led early on before crossing the finish line fourth ahead of his Yamaha teammate Ben Spies.
The first quarter of the 2011 financial year saw Yokohama Rubber’s net income shoot up 74 per cent year-on-year to 2,822 million yen (£22.6 million). This sizable increase in income was driven by a 10.2 per cent increase in net sales in the three months to June 30; the company reports net sales of 129,394 million yen (£1.0 billion) during the quarter. This sales increase came mainly through the company’s tyre business, Yokohama Rubber notes. Operating income during the quarter was 4,140 million yen (£33.1 million), a 29.9 per cent decrease.
Shropshire couple Keith and Norah Ashworth, owners of Avon Tyres fleet customer Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental, are to tackle the Classic Safari Challenge 2011. The pair will contest a classic 1964 Mercedes-Benz 190 Fintail, shod with Avon rubber, in the event, which runs from August to September. The event, organised by the Endurance Rally Association, covers more than 3,500 miles of stunning African landscape as it crosses Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa on its mammoth journey.
Goodyear is not the only US tyre maker amongst the 40 companies that received grants from the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Vehicle Technology; Cooper Tire & Rubber is another beneficiary, and has been awarded US$1.5 million towards its project to develop a new class of fuel efficient tyres for the replacement market. The tyres Cooper develops, the Department of Energy explains, are expected to utilise innovative materials technology and tyre design concepts in order to improve overall fuel efficiency by three per cent.
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