Apollo Tyres South Africa intends to reintroduce the Dunlop tyre brand into Nigeria. The country’s Guardian newspaper reports Apollo Tyres South Africa CEO Riaz Haffejee as saying the brand will return due to its long history in Nigeria. Distribution will be handled by Somotex Nigeria Limited; Haffejee commented that Somotex has the requisite distribution channels for the job.
Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe has appointed Leszek Szafran as Director Retread Operations Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA). He will take over the position from Hubert Moquet, who retires after more than 34 years’ service with the company.
In prior years the US-based off-road tyre specialist Titan International has expanded not just through organic growth, but also through strategic acquisitions. And according to company chairman and CEO Maurice Taylor, the shopping tour is not over yet. The next goal is the 50-year old Indian steel wheel manufacturer “Wheels India Ltd.”, a TVS Group company.
Goodyear has reported that its fourth quarter 2012 sales amounted to $5 billion, down 11 per cent from 2011. According to the company, the drop reflects $338 million in lower tyre unit volumes, $221 million in lower sales in other tyre related businesses and $85 million in foreign exchange effects. It is worth pointing out that although tyre unit volumes totalled 40 million, this is generally down 7 per cent compared with 2011. And what’s more Goodyear reported that this primarily reflects lower volumes in Europe.
In the three months to 31 December 2012, Apollo Tyres Ltd’s net sales grew 9.4 per cent to Rs 97.57 billion (£1.17 billion), while net profit jumped 86.1 per cent to 1.8 billion (£21.63 million). Operating profit for the third quarter of Apollo’s 2012-13 financial year amounted to Rs 4.1 billion (£49.27 million), up from Rs 3.3 billion a year earlier.
Titan International has announced several personnel changes resulting from its acquisition of Titan Europe. Cecilia LaManna will serve as the CEO of ITM, the company’s design and assembly centre for complete undercarriages and side frames in Europe. And Chris Akers will head up the entire Titan Europe wheel group; Akers will report to Titan Wheel’s president, Dave Salen.
Mitas is recalling 1,752 tubeless E-07 motorcycle tyres. The tyres were mainly sold to customers in Europe. The sizes subject to recall are: 110/80-19 M/C 59T E-07 TL MI, 100/90-19 M/C 57T E-07 TL MI and 110/80-19 M/C 59T E-07 DAKAR TL MI. According to the company, the problem that has sparked the recall is that under extreme conditions the affected tyres can “suddenly loose air pressure.”
As announced at this year’s Brityrex, Bandvulc has added the Boto brand to its wholesale commercial tyre range. The company has now released a statement confirming the brand’s introduction, and in it Bandvulc writes that Boto has invested “over £250 million in people, technology and buildings to produce an annual production capacity of over 3.6 million Boto radial truck and bus tyres.”
Metzeler has again served as sole tyre supplier to the BMW Motorrad GS Trophy, which ran in South America from 24 November to 2 December. The rally-raid is organised every two years by the German motorcycle maker to allow its best and most competent customers to test the off-road qualities of BMW bikes. After the first edition in Tunisia in 2008 and the second in South Africa in 2010, the “Two-wheeler specialist” was chosen by BMW as the ideal technical partner to take on the hard trials scheduled.
The ‘Grizz’, Titan International chairman and CEO Maurice Taylor, has issued a statement on the tyre maker’s 2013 guidance. In the statement, Taylor writes that “2012 was again record revenue, net income, gross margins, operation margins, just everything. The only negative is we could have done better and I’m the one who didn’t keep a better eye on the changes taking place in Bryan.” This final comment referred to reduced production in the Bryan, Ohio factory due to the plant’s new computer system.
More news about the tyre recycling world’s equivalent of a yo-yo: after being approved (November 2011), withdrawn (January 2012), declared “back on track” (April 2012), approved again (July 2012), declared “stolen” (August 2012), challenged in court (August-September 2012), and then once again put on hold (November 2012), South Africa’s REDISA plan has now been re-gazetted and come into force.
In 2011 Continental engaged with Innoware, a software and web applications firm, to develop a bespoke online competitor-analysis pricing tool. The aim was to automate reporting across the UK, mainland Europe and South Africa. According to the company, pre-set reports and complex calculations are created in seconds for all key retail outlets, providing views at local, regional, and country level.
Plans to implement a tyre recycling plan in South Africa have once again hit a sizable pothole. Only weeks after a challenge to the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA) scheme was dismissed by the Gauteng North High Court, an application submitted by South Africa’s Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) has put it once again on hold pending further review.
Apollo Tyres has released its unaudited financial figures for the second quarter of the company's financial year 2012-13 (July to September). Net sales were up 18 per cent year on year at 33.7 billion Rupees (US$ 612.29 million), operating profit rose 55 per cent to Rs 3.8 bn (US$ 135.33 m) and net profit was up an impressive 96 per cent to Rs 1.5 bn (US$ 27.62 m).
Goodyear and the European Driving Schools Association (EFA) have announced a joint collaboration, to increase awareness for safe driving among young drivers and address this in the training for youngsters on the road. EFA represents the interest of 25 driving school associations from 24 European countries.
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