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.
Towards the end of May, US manufacturer Goodyear released a statement reporting it had declared force majeure on styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and other butadiene (BD) derivatives because its supplier is short of these substances. “While we are working diligently to identify and obtain alternative sources of butadiene monomer supply, at this time we do not know how long the situation will last,” the statement read.
China’s Aeolus Tyre Co., Ltd will reportedly enter a joint venture with four other parties. The tyre maker is said to be investing RMB 40 million (£3.8 million) in the joint venture, a figure that will give it a 40 per cent share. China National Tire & Rubber Corporation will hold a 35 per cent share while a Shanxi-based tyre company, a Guilin-based rubber company, and a Qingdao-based conveyor company will respectively have a ten, ten and five stake in the joint venture company. According to Reuters, the joint venture will deal in the international trade, processing, import and export of products, technologies and equipment.
A further round of price increases will be implemented by Bridgestone Europe during the third quarter of 2011. The tyre maker states that, starting July 1, prices for truck and bus radials will rise by an average of 12 per cent, agricultural, off-road tyres and retreads by an average of eight per cent, while an increase averaging five per cent is planned for passenger car, 4×4, light commercial vehicle and motorcycle tyres.
Directors of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today declared a quarterly dividend of 74.25 cents per share of mandatory convertible preferred stock. The dividend is payable 1 July, 2011, to shareholders of record on June 15, 2011. The payout represents an annual rate of $2.9375 per share.
Yokohama has announced that it has been awarded original equipment fitment contracts on new Mercedes-Benz SLK and CLS models produced at the car manufacturer’s German plant. The Advan Sport V105 has been selected for both the SLK-class two-seater roadster model and the CLS-class premium luxury four-door coupe models. The tyre was developed jointly by Yokohama and Mercedes-Benz (or Daimler), with the MO mark on the sidewall signifying the manufacturer’s approval. The V105 will be introduced into replacement markets around the world later, with the number of available sizes extended from the beginning of 2012 accordingly.
With motorcyclists feeling the pinch of world-wide recession, sales data from Avon Tyres for the first half of 2011 shows an increasing trend towards the number of older bikes being kept on the road. The trend indicates two things, according to Avon – riders are keeping their older bikes on the road for longer to help combat the economic downturn but it could also illustrate a wider appreciation by classic bike owners for the gems they have hidden in their garages. Rather than refurbishing their bike and keeping it locked away to be preserved and merely admired, Avon reckons that riders are choosing more and more to actively enjoy their rides. And, as a result, the Company’s wide range of suitable tyres for classic and older bikes is enjoying a surge in sales.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced that it has completed its previously announced redemption of $350 million in senior notes due 2016. A statement from the company continues: “Following its successful mandatory convertible preferred stock offering in March, Goodyear exercised its right to redeem $350 million in aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 10.500% senior notes due 2016. The redemption price was 110.5 per cent of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, May 27, 2011. The redemption will result in savings to annualized interest expense of approximately $40 million, of which about $23 million will be realized in 2011.”
After a year of rueing the misfortune of its main riders, Pirelli says that it will bounce back with a strong line-up for this year’s Isle of Man TT, which it hopes will be more competitive than ever. Two of Pirelli’s biggest hopes, Guy Martin and Conor Cummins crashed out of the final Senior race whilst in leading positions in 2010. Pirelli’s racing manager and Isle of Man resident Jason Griffiths lives and breathes the TT. Thirteen times a podium finisher at the TT, Jason said, “We didn’t have a lot of luck last year with our riders showing great pace but a series of technical and rider DNF’s, meant we didn’t see the top step of the podium. Guy is definitely in great form and we’ve carried out some interesting and positive tyre tests with him over the winter. There are a number of quality riders lined up this year and with Hutchy ruled out through injury it could go a number of ways for the main protagonists. Most of all we hope for good, safe racing and a continuing good spectacle for the fans.”
Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has announced that its racing team will use an electric vehicle (EV) in the 2011 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The event will be staged on 26 June in the state of Colorado, USA. The team refers to the race as the "Team Yokohama EV Challenge." The team's original EV racecar is equipped with prototype BluEarth tyres incorporating various environmental technologies, including orange oil compounding techniques. BluEarth tires deliver high levels of both fuel-efficient performance and gripping power.
In addition to the MotoGP World Championship, Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya will also see the fifth round of the 2011 Moto2 Championship, on 3-5 June during which tyre supplier Dunlop will debut its dual compound rear tyre. Dunlop will bring the dual compound W919 as the main specification rear tyre with the three series 3868 as a softer second option. For the front, it will supply the 753 medium and 717 hard compound. Dunlop believes the recent Formula One Spanish Grand Prix could represent a new challenge, with the large amount of rubber compound deposited on track from Pirelli’s PZero F1 tyres representing an additional variable.
Following a feasibility study evaluating potential locations throughout Asia, Lanxess has announced plans to erect a second synthetic rubber facility on Singapore’s Juron Island. A memorandum of understanding on the new plant is scheduled to be signed by the German company’s CEO Axel C. Heitmann and Singapore Economic Development Board chairman Leo Yip on June 2; the signing ceremony has been scheduled to coincide with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s first-ever visit to Singapore.
Automotive logistics firm Blue Dragon Transport has appointed ATS Euromaster to supply and service tyres across its fleet of 20 trucks and 28 trailers. The Nottinghamshire company ended its previous agreement with a local supplier after ATS Euromaster offered to carry out a free fleet inspection and highlight issues it thought might be affecting its tyre budget. ATS-E considered the company’s “lack of brand consistency was contributing to unpredictable fluctuations in tyre expenditure”.
It seems pit-stop confusion may have aided Sebastian Vettel in securing victory at the Monaco Grand Prix. The Red Bull Racing driver pulled into the pit on lap 16 in response to a change of rubber made by nearest rival Jenson Button. His team intended to keep the PZero Red super soft tyres on his car, however a problem with the team’s communication system led to a switch to the primary Yellow soft tyres. Thanks to this radio mix-up, Vettel was able to avoid a later pit-stop. Race commentators say the German driver’s ability to continue on the soft tyres until the red flag was hung out late in the race proved key to his Monaco victory.
Tyre Recovery Association members will be the first in Britain to offer Quality Protocol (QP) audits for tyre derived rubber materials to all its members. Based on the BSI Publicly Available Standards (PAS 107) for these materials, qualifying TRA member companies will, from this autumn, be able to acquire new product status for a range of size reduced materials derived from old tyres. Until now all such materials, however valuable, have been deemed waste and therefore subjected to permit and transportation constraints.
When Tyres & Accessories spoke to Starco at last year’s Reifen trade show in Germany, it was apparent from the products the Danish company had on display that it was moving away from its traditional role as solely a tyre wholesaler to also being a manufacturer of wheels and assemblies with an increasing focus on specialty wheels. Starco has now broadened its activities in this direction with the release of a further development of its Flex range – the Flex lite.
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