ATS Euromaster winter tyre orders up 60% in 2012/13
Reporting on the past winter, ATS Euromaster group sales director Peter Fairlie says the fast-fit network ordered significantly more winter tyres than a year earlier.
Tag Archive for: shares
Former Bridgestone Americas CEO Emkes retiring from finance role
NewsFormer Bridgestone Americas CEO Mark Emkes is retiring from his current role as commissioner of the Department of Finance and Administration in the state of Tennessee, reports US trade publication Tire Review. Emkes was selected for the role following an election held in 2010, and Tire Review shares that Emkes told a local newspaper that he now has “absolutely no political aspirations.” He will finish as commissioner on 31 May.
Larger sizes a UHP segment highlight
NewsBig appears to be beautiful when it comes to ultra high performance tyres. Continental shares that falling European demand for 18-inch rim diameter and lower UHP tyres over the last couple of years has been compensated for by growing demand in the larger sizes.
Aditya Birla Nuvo divests carbon black operation
NewsAditya Birla Nuvo, a company within India’s Aditya Birla Group, has divested its carbon black businesses to another group company, SKI Carbon Black (India) Pvt. Ltd. The company says the decision to divest was approved in a committee meeting held on 6 April, and the carbon black business will be divested at an enterprise value of Rs 14.51 billion (£173.2 million).
YTC announces management changes
NewsTakayuki Hamaya, chief operating officer at Yokohama Tire Corporation, shares that several promotions within the Japanese tyre maker’s North American operation took effect on 1 April.
This year offers ‘ample opportunities’, says Heuver
NewsIn a press release, Heuver Tyrewholesale shares that “despite difficulties in the market,” the wholesaler “managed to end 2012 on a positive note.” The Netherlands-based company states that, taking market conditions into consideration, its performance last year is viewed with satisfaction.
Lanxess reports strong 2012, notes Q1 2013 weakness
NewsIn the introduction to Lanxess AG’s 2012 annual report, Board of Management chairman Axel Heitmann comments that “when Lanxess became an independent company eight years ago, few people believed it would have a successful future. That’s why I can look back on the 2012 fiscal year with particular pride. There is hardly any other year in our history that demonstrates more clearly just how successful we have become since 2005, despite many predictions to the contrary.”
Chancellor to tweak pensions in budget?
NewsChancellor George Osborne chose budget day to join the twittersphere, using his maiden post to say: "Today I'll present a Budget that tackles the economy's problems head on helping those who want to work hard & get on." But what is this likely to mean for those of us that are hard working?
Bridgestone launches ‘friendlier’ studded tyre
NewsIn developing its latest tyre for Nordic winter conditions, Bridgestone says it aimed to meet the challenge posed by increasingly strict environmental regulations on tyre studs. The all-new Blizzak SPIKE-01 replaces the Noranza 2 EVO and features studs that incorporate a “square-shouldered, round pin with revolutionary cross-edge to maximise edge and scratch effect while minimising road wear and associated dust pollution.” According to the tyre maker, preliminary internal tests already reveal the superiority of the Blizzak SPIKE-01 stud’s multi-directional biting effect on ice and snow and its retention rate over the lifecycle of the stud and tyre compared to on the predecessor tyre. Side-by-side tests of the new and previous generation tyres conducted in Sweden using size 205/55 R16 tyres fitted on a VW GOLF 2.0tdi also showed a 20 per cent better performance on ice and five per cent better performance on snow for the Blizzak SPIKE-01.
Moody's downgrades ATU’s corporate family rating
NewsMoody's Investors Service has downgraded the corporate family rating of Germany’s A.T.U. Auto-Teile-Unger Investment GmbH & Co. KG from Caa1 to Caa2 and the company’s probability of default rating from Caa1-PD to Caa2-PD, while affirming the Caa3 rating of the issuer's 143 million euro senior subordinated floating rate notes. At the same time, Moody's has downgraded the 75 million euro senior secured floating rate notes issued by ATU from B3 to Caa1. The outlook on all the existing ratings has been changed to negative from stable.
New Starco website reflects coordinated corporate direction
NewsAs of today, Starco says its starco.com website will be quite different. The Danish company has revealed its new online identity – which it says introduces a ‘new era’ for Starco.
Kumho reports initial 2013 rally successes
NewsThe 2013 rally season is still young, but Kumho shares it is ”already making its mark” on the UK championships. For example, Alex Allingham's ex-Prodrive Subaru Impreza N10 that took outright honours at the Rally Marketing Mid-Wales Stages event on 3 March did so courtesy of Kumho gravel tyres.
Falken Motorsports unveils upgraded VLN Porsche
NewsFalken Motorsports shares that it will field its Porsche 997 GT3 R in this year’s VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring and Nürburgring 24 Hours events. It says a raft of performance upgrades for its Porsche have been carried out and, coupled with an unchanged driver line up of Sebastian Asch, Peter Dumbreck, Wolf Henzler and Martin Ragginger, Falken Motorsports says it holds the “clear aim of a top ten finish in the 24 Hour event.”
2012 performance best ever, says Conti CEO
NewsAt Continental’s annual press conference on 7 March, CEO Dr. Elmar Degenhart described the company’s 2012 performance as “the best results in Continental’s 124 year history.” He reiterated that last year’s annual profit of almost 1.9 billion euros equals 9.24 euros a share, compared with 6.21 euros in 2011. Therefore, Dr. Degenhart shared, Continental’s management intends to propose to the company’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on 15 May that a dividend of 2.25 euros per share be paid out for fiscal 2012. “As in the previous year, out intention here is for our shareholders to participate directly in the company’s success,” he added. “In addition to the dividend, our shareholders also benefit from the extremely positive share price performance – with an increase of 82 per cent in fiscal 2012 alone. As such, our shares displayed the highest price increase of any of the DAX companies. It is fair to say that an investment in Continental shares paid off handsomely in 2012.”
Geneva launch for Apollo’s latest summer tyre
NewsThe Geneva Motor Show is now underway and Apollo Tyres has presented its brand-new Alnac 4G there. This tyre, the second 4th generation product from Apollo, is specifically designed for compact and mid-size car segments. The Alnac 4G will initially be available in 29 V and H speed rated sizes. Apollo shares that all sizes have a ‘B’ wet grip label rating and a ‘C’ rolling resistance rating; noise levels are 69db.
