Toyo’s Open Country W/T tyre is Audi’s choice as OEM fitment on its flagship Q7 model, a fact that Toyo says proves its quality. The Japanese manufacturer designed the model as a highway winter tyre for SUVs, but says its compound and tread design also make it a capable all-rounder suitable for UK driving conditions during most of the year.
In its final determination on the tyre design patent infringement complaint that was filed by Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. and Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas on 20 September 2013, the US International Trade Commission issued limited exclusion orders and cease-and-desist orders to the eight remaining respondents. These orders prohibit them from importing or selling any infringing tyres. Each respondent was found to be in default and in violation of the law prior to the 28 July determination.
Yesterday the Board of Directors at Toyo Tire & Rubber approved the promotion of Takuji Yamamoto from director and senior corporate officer to representative director and executive corporate officer. In addition, Yamamoto remains group executive officer of Toyo’s Tire Business Group.
For the first time ever, a tyre produced by Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc. has been selected as an original equipment fitment by a US vehicle maker. The Toyo Open Country AT II will be factory mounted on Ford F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks.
As of 1 July, former Bridgestone UK consumer sales director Brett Emerson will join Hankook Tyre UK as sales director. In his new role, Emerson will oversee all business development for Hankook’s commercial and car tyre businesses within the UK.
Toyo Tires has released an image of what it calls a ‘design study’ from its Japanese studios. Showcasing the possible future direction of its Proxes UHP range the tyre features an all-weather silica compound.
Toyo has opened its new joint venture for the manufacture and distribution of parts for railway vehicles in China. Wuxi Toyo Meifeng Rubber Products Manufacturing Co, Ltd (TMW) was established through a business partnership with Wuxi Meifeng Rubber Products Manufacturing Co, Ltd (or Wuxi Rubber), which has strengths in technology and Chinese railway parts sales. Meanwhile Toyo has developed and manufactured air springs and anti-vibration rubber components for the comfort and safety of railway vehicles for over 50 years, supplying these products primarily in Japan.
Along with the unveiling of its ‘Vision 2020’ strategic plan that outlined aims leading up to its 100th anniversary, in May 2011 Toyo Tire & Rubber announced its ‘Mid-term 11’ plan that identified goals for the years to 2015. The tyre maker now reports that due to a favourable business climate, including a weakening of the Japanese yen and lower raw material prices, it has met the Mid-term 11 targets – such as boosting supply capacity – ahead of schedule. Toyo has now set itself a new three-year mid-term business plan, titled ‘Mid-term ’14 GO BEYOND’. This latest plan sets this year as a starting point and covers specific targets up to the end of 2016, while looking forward five years to 2018.
This year’s annual tyre manufacturer rankings have brought with them a number of key changes at the top of the table. The growth of Far Eastern manufacturers and Chinese companies in particular has long been observed, but 2014 sees Singapore-based Giti Tire break into the top 10 and Taiwan-based Maxxis/Cheng Shin Rubber retains its ninth position. Hot on Giti’s heels, 11th place ZC Rubber (producer of the Westlake brand) gained one place from its position in last year’s table. Indeed this part of the table is extremely close and, such is the competition at this level, if ZC Rubber had achieved the same figures as last year (assuming no-one else had done any better and excluding currency effects) it could have been in 10th position.
At the start of this year, Naoki Gonsui became president of Toyo Tire Europe and on 1 May he took on the additional role of president of the newly-created Toyo Tire Deutschland sales subsidiary. It was clear from the start that his main focus would be upon the restructuring of Toyo’s European organisation and establishing the new German sales subsidiary, yet it was assumed Gonsui would remain in his European roles following the successful completion of this task until the end of 2014. However Gonsui has now been unexpectedly recalled to Toyo’s headquarters in Japan, where new duties await him in the Planning department.
Toyo Tire Europe GmbH, President Naoki Gonsui, has announced that all of the company’s websites will be re-launched on 27 May the opening day of the Reifen 2014 exhibition. Visitors to theexhibition will be able to explore the new website from the Toyo Tires booth in hall three.
Singapore-based Stamford Tyres has officially opened its new £15 million Commercial Tyre Centre and warehouse at its headquarters in Jurong. The company says this new complex supports its existing facility at the site and will have a staff of 85 people. The all-new centre was constructed at a cost of £12.2 million, while a further £2.8 million has been invested in equipment, including six service bays for trucks offering ‘full life cycle’ facilities along with eight loading and unloading container bays.
As reported on 28 April, as of the start of May Toyo Tire Europe president Naoki Gonsui will also become president of Toyo Tire Deutschland. Toyo has announced a further personnel change taking effect 1 May: Kiyohito Hasumi, currently president of Toyo Tire Canada, will take on the additional role of president, Nitto Tire Canada.
Toyo Tire Europe says it will participate in Reifen 2014 with a radical new concept booth designed to showcase the company’s more focused, purposeful approach. The new booth takes the theme of an urban skatepark with a large half pipe dominating the design. The concept is intended to reflect the driven nature of skaters. The Essen show is the first outing for Toyo’s new exhibition presence, however the company says we can also expect to see the booth at consumer events during the coming year.
The number of motoring publications available in Germany means we are never short of tyre test results. On 17 April, sport auto (issue 5/2014) published the results of its summer tyre comparative test; ten tyres in the popular dimension 225/40 R18 were tested, with sport auto selecting a mixture of UHP and comfort-oriented tyres for evaluation in 14 criteria, including six dry condition criteria (worth 50 per cent of the final result), six wet condition criteria (40 per cent of final result) and two environmental criteria (ten per cent of final result). The tyres were tested fitted to a VW Golf GTI.
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