German tyre maker Continental intends to optimise the way in which its 190 locations in 39 countries around the world work together with each other. To achieve this, the company will draw upon solutions from IBM in Germany, utilising its ‘Connections’ and ‘OmniFind’ software in order to respond to unforeseen events with greater flexibility and to take advantage of new business opportunities.
Goodyear is well known for its tyres, yet more than a few people may be surprised to learn that the company has also been involved in the blood donation business for almost six decades. Since 1952, workers at the US-based firm’s headquarters have donated a total of 182,663 pints of blood – that’s 86,431 litres – for use at local hospitals. These employee donations have benefitted 547,989 patients over the years, and Goodyear’s long-term dedication to blood donation has now earned the company the “2010 Top Corporate Blood Donor Award” from Northern Ohio Red Cross Blood Services. The award was recently presented to Goodyear chief health officer Brent Pawlecki.
The US Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently awarded three industry teams a total of US$7 million to aid the development of computer-aided software design tools for producing the next generation of electric vehicle batteries. The three teams’ projects support the DOE’s Computer-Aided Engineering for Electric Drive Vehicle Batteries (CAEBAT) program, a project aimed at helping the automotive and battery industries design and develop electric vehicle batteries more quickly, thereby lowering unit cost.
A legal enquiry has been commissioned into access to repair and maintenance information for independent repairers following a decision from the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, which is part of the European Commission. The RMI Independent Garage Association (IGA) along with CECRA, the European organisation which represents 260,000 independent repairers throughout the European Union, were invited, together with FIGEFA which represent the aftermarket through Europe, to give evidence before Gomez-Acebo a firm of lawyers who are conducting the legal enquiry.
Swiss retreading supplies firm B&J Rocket reports that it enjoyed a successful return to Bologna this year after not attending the exhibition in 2009. A permanent absence from the Italian Autopromotec was never the intention of the retreading tools market leader of according to Andreas Müller, managing director of B&J Rocket. Instead the MD reports that he had several reasons to be happy about this year’s exhibition: “Not only did we have intense discussions with our long-time loyal dealers and customers, we had in addition visits from many potential new customers who are set on the product range of B&J in future!”
A three-day strike at a Kumho tyre factory in China has reportedly ended. Workers allegedly downed tools at Kumho Tire’s Changchun City plant in northeast China in protest against low wages. More than 400 workers agreed upon a return to work last Saturday, a Kumho official told the Shanghai Daily.
Alcar Wheelwright UK has launched a new ‘Dealer Tools’ website, and the Kent-based wheel distributor is now encouraging its network of retailers to sign up. The improved site includes product search by vehicle, wheel or size plus an advanced search that utilises PCD, offset and size. This will then display a list of wheels based on the search criteria, and show prices and stock availability not only in the UK, but also in the company’s German warehouse. A number of sales-driving tools are also available, including catalogues, special offers and images for use on dealers’ customer websites.
Bosch is inviting visitors to this week's Automechanika Middle to enjoy “an interactive experience illustrating how the right hardware and software can make troubleshooting, servicing and repair efficient processes – all backed up by Bosch's cross-brand expertise.” The well-known garage supplier is showcasing its extensive range of workshop equipment and will also be demonstrating its products at the event, including tools for vehicle alignment and the full spectrum of wheel servicing.
Got an original idea for a workshop tool? OTC, an SPX brand, has launched a new Inventors website developed to attract tool inventors and provide a means to submit new tool inventions for review. The site – www.otctools.com/inventionsubmission.php – simplifies the communication between automotive tool inventors and OTC engineers to stimulate innovative ideas and develop new tools for the automotive industry.
Chelmsford mechanic John Tinham has been named the winner of Top Technician 2011, winning the prize a second time after his victory in 2005. Tinham won the prize after completing a series of online, practical and written tests set by chief judge Ian Gillgrass, accreditation manager at the Institute of the Motor Industry and his team of expert judges including 2008 Top Technician winner Mark Banks and Delphi trainers Rob Lewis and Tim Roberts. The annual competition aims to recognise and reward the best automotive technicians in the UK.
ATEQ’s new torque tool offers precise measurement and control when tightening any torque-specific fixings. Its compact size allows smaller fasteners to be tightened by hand when a torque wrench is too large or too highly rated to be suitable.
On 22 May SPX Corporation announced that it had completed the acquisition of Stockport-based Teradyne Diagnostics Solutions. Teradyne Diagnostics is a global supplier of diagnostic solutions for transportation OEMs and automotive dealerships, tier-one suppliers and independent service providers. Terms of the purchase have not been released, but the transaction includes operations near Manchester, Brussels, Munich, Detroit and Tokyo. Teradyne employs about 200 employees and generated revenue equivalent to $40 million in 2010.
The first phase of the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau’s totally redesigned www.retread.org website has gone live, and offers visitors numerous new features including a full resources section including a retread buyer’s guide, studies regarding retreading, a calendar of industry events and a DOT code searcher. A members-only section provides community-based tools to connect members geographically or through similar product interests.
Commercial vehicle operators in the US now have a new tyre service option available to them following the launch of a Michelin franchise network, the Michelin Commercial Service Network. Upon announcing its rollout, Michelin Americas Truck Tires (MATT) says the franchise network of commercial tyre dealers will be one “committed to establishing a new standard for consistent, high-quality service across the US.” Services offered by the Michelin Commercial Service Network include road service, online operating manuals and online fleet reporting. MATT adds that fleets will receive “consistent service from Network dealers with highly trained technicians, professional equipment, and casing management, all ensured by rigorous certification and audit standards.”
Wheel alignment specialist Pro-Align has released two further information technology upgrades, which enhance the powerful capabilities of its wheel alignment systems. WinAlign 11 is the latest operating software for its Hunter WA series aligner console. The UK distributor says the latest version gives workshops greater functionality and levels of integration, helping to further simplify and reduce the time taken to perform complex wheel alignment work. Pro-Align has also launched ‘TouchRemote’, a free iPhone App that allows users to operate WinAlign alignment systems.
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