Truck Tyres
CJSC Rosava has reportedly acquired new machinery for “mid-range” passenger car tyre production from Slovakian machinery maker Vipo. According to a statement on the deal, the company’s long-term investment project includes manufacturing “medium-class passenger and light truck tyres with 14 to 18-inch rim diameters.” Vipo has supplied a “libepal” bead winding line. Rosava reportedly spent 755,500 euros (US$951,930 dollars) on the technology.
AF Blakemore and Son Ltd has decided to switch tyre suppliers to Pirelli Truck Tyres. Blakemore’s Wholesale, Food Service and Spar Distribution Divisions currently deliver to over 5,255 outlets with a fleet of 350 vehicles ranging from 3.5 to 44 tonnes.
A Cheshire school has found an environmental solution for its new playground and basketball court with the help of Bridgestone UK. This solution comes in the form of recycled truck tyres; the granular rubber material made from the tyres covers the 500 metre square surface is said to be soft, safe, porous and able to be coloured – in other words, says Bridgestone, an ideal material for sports and recreation. Work started at Easter and was completed in June.
According to data released by Michelin, the European market (including the CIS) for OE passenger car and light truck tyres shrank by 21.3 per cent in October compared to the same month in 2007. Year to date, the original equipment market has shrunk 2.0 per cent in Europe compared with last year, and the replacement tyre market 4.2 per cent.
The European market for replacement tyres in this sector also reduced from a year earlier, by 9.9 per cent. In the truck tyre segment, the combined European and CIS region experienced 11.4 per cent decline in the OE market during October, and an 11.8 per cent shrinkage in the replacement tyre market. Year to date, the OE truck tyre market has grown 7.3 per cent in Europe compared with 2007, and the replacement tyre market reduced by 4.5 per cent.
According to a news report broadcast by Luxembourg television station RTL, Goodyear will next week stop production at its Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg facility. The reason given for this week-long pause in production is a sharp decline in demand for truck tyres. According to the broadcaster, this stoppage is a one-off action. Since early October the manufacturer has first shut down production in the truck tyre factory on Sundays, and then also on Saturdays.
The Belfast Telegraph has reported that Michelin has told its staff at the French giant’s Northern Ireland facility to take an extended Christmas holiday due to the economic downturn. The factory usually remains running except on Christmas and Boxing Day, but this year will not produce anything for ten days between 23 December and 2 January. Michelin Ballymena employs 1,000 people, producing heavyweight truck tyres for North American and European markets.
The paper confirmed that workers will need either to use up holidays or take unpaid leave, though those who are most in need of the money will be able to clock on to clean the factory during the winter break. This follows the news today that the EU is reporting that the eurozone area is in recession.
An honour that carries particular weight in North America is the ‘hall of fame’, a distinction for those who achieve lifelong excellence in their specific field, whether it be sports, music – or tyres. This year one of the historical contributor inductees into the Tire Industry Association (TIA) Hall of Fame was Mr. François Michelin, former managing partner of the Michelin Group. In November ceremonies held during the annual TIA “Breakfast with the President,” Mr. Michelin was recognised for his accomplishments and contributions to the tyre industry, including his support for the advancement of radial tyre technology.
A new Oliver Rubber retreading facility has opened in the US town of Florence, Kentucky. Equipment and supplies from the wholly owned Michelin North America subsidiary will be used by Retread America, a supplier of retreads to the intermodal and commercial tyre industries, to produce Oliver brand retreads.
“Oliver Rubber is a proven industry supplier of quality retreads, and we are confident in the company’s ability to provide excellent retreading products to our customers,” said Rodney Goderwis, president of Retread America. “We selected Oliver Rubber because they offer one of the broadest product lines in the industry, which will enable us to offer premium retreads at value prices for all segments.”
Pirelli’s released results for the first nine months of 2008 show a company affected by the international crisis. According to the company, during the course of the first nine months of the year the tyre market registered increasing weakness due to a combination of factors. In volume terms, the replacement channel, which determines most of Pirelli’s tyre sales, was affected by a reduction in consumer and industrial segment demand, especially in Western markets. The original equipment channel, says the company, was hurt by the strong contraction of new car sales, especially in Western Europe (10 per cent in the third quarter, 5 per cent in the first nine months compared with 2007) and in North America (15 per cent in the third quarter, 11 per cent in the first nine months compared with 2007).
On November 6 Pirelli & C. SpA and Russian Technologies State Corporation signed an agreement formalising a joint venture between the two companies. Although details of the JV are still to be finalised, Pirelli reports that the production of tyres in Russia will begin before the end of 2010.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap news service, the production of truck and bus tyres began today at Kumho Tire’s new facility in China. The US$100 million plant in Nanjing has a capacity to produce 300,000 bus and truck tyres per annum, the company said in a statement.
In the US, the Tire Industry Association (TIA) and Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT) have announced that they will offer TIA’s Basic Automotive Training Service (ATS) course via BFNT’s Bridgestone Consumer Tire Education Network. TIA’s ATS Program is designed to meet the need for properly-documented training amongst new employees. Comprised of eight modules, the course covers topics such as the basic principles of tyres and wheels (including sizing and sidewall information), diagnosing tyre and wheel problems and step-by-step procedures for installing one-piece and two-piece nail-hole repairs in passenger and light truck tyres.
TIA executive vice president, Roy Littlefield, stated that, “TIA is proud to offer Bridgestone-brand dealers the opportunity to take advantage of our superior Basic ATS course from the convenience of their computers. This is yet another example of TIA meeting the ever-changing needs of the tire industry.”
News published by various Indian media outlets indicates that joint venture activities between Continental Tyres and India’s Modi Tyre Company are again underway. The two companies have previously worked together, however this relationship ground to a halt with the closure of Modi’s Modinagar, Northern India plant in 2001, following labour unrest and litigations. Seven years on, Modi Tyre is said to have invested around Rs 3 billion (£39.6 million) to resume production at the site.
About 240 workers at the Michelin North America tyre factory in Ardmore, Oklahoma will be laid off for around two months, starting mid-November. According to Michelin public relations manager Lynn Mann, the work force reduction is a temporary measure, one brought about due to the country’s economic downturn and a weaker demand for passenger car and light truck tyres.
Next September’s Brityrex exhibition in Manchester has got off to a flying start with some of the best-known names in tyres, workshop equipment and accessories committing to exhibit at the UK’s only dedicated tyre trade event. Among those making an early decision to support the show are tyre manufacturers Toyo Tires and Uniroyal truck tyres, together with two of the UK’s leading tyre wholesalers, BITS and Kings Road Tyres.
Brityrex09 will take place from the 22-24 September 2009 at Manchester Central, formerly known as G-Mex. The show is sponsored by the NTDA, who will stage its highly popular Annual Dinner and TAFF Awards presentation as part of the event, on the evening of 23 September.
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