(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. named Thomas Harrington as its new Northeastern region territory sales manager for its Oliver Commercial Products. He joins Cooper after serving in sales and marketing posts in the oil industry. Harrington is responsible for sales of commercial products to customers in Michigan, Indiana, Eastern Kentucky and Western Ohio.
SmarTire Systems Inc has announced that Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Truck Corporation company, will include the SmarTire’s active TPMS as an option for new and existing fire-fighting vehicles. Pierce Manufacturing is North America’s leading manufacturer of fire and safety apparatus.
Amtel-Vredestein has named Antonius (Ton) Tholens, as its new Chief Financial Officer. Tholens, who also serves as a member on AV’s executive board, replaces outgoing CFO, Victor Nekrassov.
“Ton is already one of our group’s most valued executives. We are delighted that he will now be at the financial helm of Amtel-Vredestein NV,” said CEO, Alexei Gurin.
SmarTire Systems Inc has announced that it will supply Prevost buses with tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that also monitor tyre temperature. The TPMS will come as standard on Prevost’s H-series bus.
(Akron/Tire Review) The new year has brought new job assignments for some key Falken Tire Corp executives. Hideo Honda, who had been Falken’s president and COO, was promoted to CEO of the company. Richard Smallwood, previously vice president of sales and marketing, took over Honda’s position as president and COO.
Titan Tire Corporation, a subsidiary of Titan International, Inc., has announced the appointment of Jeff Vasichek as vice president of sales and marketing, responsible for all aftermarket and original equipment sales, effective 1 January 2006. In this position, Vasichek will be responsible for integrating the recent acquisition of Goodyear’s farm tyre sales and marketing with Titan’s tyre and wheel businesses.
(Akron/Tire Review) Continental Tire North America (CTNA) said that its Continental brand medium truck tyres have earned standard equipment fitments on Autocar’s Xpeditor line of trucks. The OE contract includes CTNA’s Continental HSU and HDL steer and drive tyre lines.
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co has appointed Kerry A Barnett as director of financial planning and commercial analysis and Gary C Schroeder as director of credit.
In her new position, Barnett will be responsible for developing annual plans, monthly updates and forecasts for Cooper’s North American tire division and will consolidate operating plans for Cooper-Avon and the company’s Asian operations. Barnett will also oversee customer accounting and customer profitability reporting, commercial analyses and financially related sales and marketing activities, Cooper stated in a release.
Supply Direct, the sales division of Equipment Services has celebrated its first anniversary by holding an open night to thank its customers for their help. The open night offered discounts on all brands with live demonstrations in the company’s fully functional showroom including their brand new Automated Test Lane.
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. made changes to its commercial tyre group, naming Philip Boarts as director of commercial products marketing and Michael Linhart as director of commercial product sales. Boarts will be responsible for all aspects of the commercial products marketing effort including customer service, pricing, product development and retread field service. He joined Cooper from Oliver Rubber Co. in 1999 when Cooper bought the retread product supplier. Linhart, a 15-year Cooper veteran, will be responsible for all commercial product sales.
A recent report in US trade magazine, Tire Review, has suggested lead balancing weights could be phased out from the American market in 2009. The report follows the implementation of the European End of Life Vehicle Directive, which banned the use of lead weights on passenger vehicles from July 2005.
The article encouraged US dealers to “start planning now for the same thing to happen here.” It also highlighted the fact that one balancing weight manufacturer, Perfect Equipment Co already produces zinc clip-on and steel adhesive wheel weights for GM, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler vehicles being exported to Europe.
SmarTire Systems Inc. (Richmond, BC, Canada) has recruited David Warkentin as its new Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Warkentin brings over 25 years of sales, sales management and marketing experience in emerging technology sectors to the company.
(Akron/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co has appointed Charles G Yurkovich Jr as technical vice president. Mr Yurkovich will lead Cooper’s technical organisation in developing new products and technologies and improving current ones, said Cooper.
Prior to this appointment, he had worked in various technical management roles in the consumer, commercial and retread markets and held sales and marketing management positions at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Mr Yurkovich also holds US patents on light truck and medium truck tyre designs, according to Cooper.
SmarTire Systems Inc has agreed a major financing programme with Cornell Capital Partners LP that has resulted in net proceeds of $11 million plus a $160 million standby equity distribution agreement. According to the company the funds will be used to expand the company’s business strategy beyond tyre pressure monitoring and into the field of wireless sensing and control applications.
Rumours that Dr Rainer Schieben (43) will be the new managing director of Bridgestone GmbH Deutschland have been confirmed. Dr Schieben will take up the position from 1 October 2005 replacing former MD Guenter F Unterhauser, who has become senior vice president sales and marketing Europe. When the decisions come into effect Dr Schieben will report to Mr Unterhauser.
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