Dunlop has hosted a visit by Vision West Nottinghamshire college students at its Dunlop Motorsport factory in Birmingham. The 11 motorcycle students, aged over 18, were given a tour of the facilities courtesy of Dunlop employees.
Hankook Tyre, reported in NZ News, says that its operating profit jumped 21.7 per cent in the third quarter from a year earlier, fueled by brisk overseas sales of its ultra-high performance (UHP) tyres. Operating profit reached 219.6 billion won (US$ 201 million) in the three months ending Sept. 30, up 21.7 per cent from the same period last year.
Ladybank Tyres in Fife, Scotland has become the latest garage to sign-up to the revised GT Radial Performance Centre (GTPC) programme. The company’s Target Tyres subsidiaries in Blairgowrie, Glenrothes and Perth have also become GTPCs in a deal secured by the brand’s exclusive UK distributor, Micheldever. All four sites have been placed on the revamped Passport to Profit programme, which allows them to access tailor-made marketing initiatives, training, merchandising and ride and drive events designed by GT Radial to increase footfall and profits.
All charges against a former research scientist at the Bridgestone Americas technical centre in Akron have been dropped, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Xiaorong Wang, 50, of Hudson, Ohio, is "very relieved," his lawyer, Paul Adamson, told the newspaper.
Hankook is expanding its Europe Technical Centre (ETC) and will officially inaugurate its new facilities in Hannover this Friday. Hankook’s European R&D focuses on the development of tyres for the European markets as well as original equipment. According to the company, the expansion reflects the growing importance of Hankook’s OE supplies in Europe.
Xiaorong Wang, the man accused of stealing confidential information from Bridgestone, has been charged by a US District Court with eight counts of theft of trade secrets and seven counts of making false statements to federal agents. Cleveland-based WOIO-TV reports that the indictment returned by federal grand jury alleges that Wang stole information on projects, formulas and other confidential matters from Bridgestone's Akron, Ohio, technical centre in April 2010. The false statements Wang allegedly told FBI investigators focus on Wang's intention to accept employment at Suzhou University in China to establish a rheology polymer centre, WOIO-TV added.
The general manager of Bridgestone Motorsport’s Tyre Development Department, Shinichi Yamashita has promised to investigate personally the reason why chunks of rubber fell off riders Valentino Rossi’s and Ben Spies’ medium compound slick rear tyres at round seven of MotoGP 2012. Hiroshi Yamada – manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department, also apologised on behalf of the company: “I am sorry that some riders experienced tyre problems during the race. We are now investigating the issue and will report back to teams with our findings at the next race.” The Dutch TT, held at Assen, on Saturday 30 June 2012 was won by Casey Stoner, who capped an impressive weekend for the Repsol Honda team to take his third win of the season ahead of teammate Dani Pedrosa in warm, dry weather.
Inspired by a “strong product offering”, large UK wholesaler Micheldever Tyre Services has appointed Matt Horscroft to the newly created position of GT Radial brand manager. GT Radial's distributor in the UK, Micheldever has forged a strong relationship with the GITI Tire-manufactured brand. GT Radial general manager UK, Brian McDermott has described Micheldever's commitment as “unquestionable”. In return, Micheldever said that GT Radial’s commitment to quality – demonstrated recently at MIRA (see Tyres & Accessories’ June edition for details) – and comprehensive new product programme had inspired the creation of the role. Horscroft has over 22 years in the sector with manufacturer and distributor experience gained in sales, marketing and purchasing roles.
The UK’s major centre of excellence for vehicle research and development also houses the world’s ninth biggest tyre company, GITI Tire’s European Technical Centre; in May Tyres & Accessories joined representatives of the company and its UK dealers in visiting the site for a demonstration of its current high performance passenger tyre range. With an eye for the spectacular, the company’s test drivers at MIRA demonstrated the performance characteristics of current products such as the Champiro HPY, fitted to a BMW M3, and the Champiro HPX on an Ariel Atom for fast laps showing the tyres’ dry handling ability. Attendees at the event, which included representatives from the company’s exclusive UK distributor Micheldever, also tried for themselves the Champiro 228 on the wet circles track, and the Adventuro M/T off-road tyre in Mira’s 4×4 testing track. Contrasting with the high performance demonstrations was an amusing competitive element featuring a Fiat Panda, a parking cage and the unmistakable smell of burning clutch.
Toyo Tires is giving three new tyres their global premiere at Reifen 2012. Senior development personnel from the company’s Toyo Technical Centre in Itami, Japan are attending to introduce the products and answer questions.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe Ltd has appointed Peter McNally as general manager of its European Technical Centre at the company’s European headquarters in Melksham, UK. The appointment follows the move of former ETC head Gavin Edwards to Cooper’s Asia Technical Center. McNally takes up his new role with immediate effect.
Bridgestone Americas has unveiled its new Americas Technical Center in Akron, Ohio at a grand opening ceremony, Tire Review reports. The $100 million facility, located just down the street from the tyre-maker’s old tech center, houses 450 employees whose jobs are to develop innovative and advanced tyre technologies for the company.
MotoGP’s pre-season testing has concluded at Jerez with a late dash by Repsol Honda’s Casey Stoner confirming the Australian’s place at the top of the 21-rider lap-time table. Jerez was the first time all twenty-one riders campaigning the upcoming MotoGP season shared the same circuit, and the reigning champion’s 1:38.780 ensured he was the fastest man at each of the IRTA pre-season tests. Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo, the 2010 champion, achieved a best time of 1:38.953, showing potential and promising some exciting duels throughout the upcoming season. Shinji Aoki, manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department, said that the company will “leave Spain having achieved all our technical objectives.”
Continental AG has acquired the 50 per cent share of its Indian brake joint venture (Rico Hydraulic Brakes India Ltd) belonging to Rico Auto Industries Limited. In buying out Rico Auto Conti has made Rico Hydraulic Brakes into a fully owned subsidiary of Continental.
Since 2009 the plant in Gurgaon near New Delhi has been producing and supplying components for hydraulic brake systems to OEM customers in India. These include products and services consisting of calipers for front and rear axles, drum brakes, master cylinders, brake boosters and load sensing proportioning valves for all kind of passenger cars.
Bridgestone has started testing its 2012 MotoGP tyre testing season in Valencia, Spain and Sepang, Malaysia. The company says it has spent the winter completing a programme of intensive development, and the tyre evaluation performed around the world over the next two months will be used to gauge perception among the riders. While six lap records were set on Bridgestone rubber in 2011, feedback from riders suggested that additional safety features needed to be built into new tyres, and Bridgestone Motorsport general manager, Tohru Ubukata says this is where the focus has been.
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