Across the Atlantic they are called tires, while over here we use a “Y” and say tyres. This tag provides the latest tyre business news emanating from the United States of America (USA), whichever way you spell it.
Although the USA is “heading fast toward recession” and inflation “continues to be a problem,” Titan International chairman Morry Taylor expects that some companies “will not be affected by the Big R in a big way.” Demand for large equipment continues to outstrip supply and Taylor anticipates farmers turning a profit. Against this backdrop, Titan expects Q3 2022 revenue of approximately US$540 million.
TBC Brands, one of the largest distributors of proprietary brand tyres in North America, has promoted Brent Wolak to the role of Director of Sales. In this capacity he will lead all sales and growth efforts for TBC Brands’ business.
To meet demand driven by the rapid growth of its retread business, Bridgestone is investing US$60 million to expand its Bridgestone Bandag manufacturing plant in Abilene, USA. The project includes new mixing operations as well as an immediate shift to six and seven-day production schedules. The mixing facility will be operational by January 2025 and, together with the revised production cycle, will increase plant output by 16%.
This month, Hercules Tire and Rubber Company celebrates its 70th anniversary. Established as a cooperative by independent tyre dealers and retreaders seeking quality products at an affordable price, the company has grown into a value segment leader that today offers a comprehensive selection of tyres under its Hercules, Ironman and Dynatrac brands.
Sri Lanka-based off-highway tyre maker GRI has opened a new corporate office in the USA. Situated in North Carolina within the Research Triangle Park (RTP), a location chosen for its close proximity to a growing customer base, the facility will take over sales operations, customer support and logistics functions. This local presence will also facilitate GRI’s endeavours to develop products specifically for the North American market.
On 19 September 2022, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co was found guilty of misappropriating five of 12 alleged trade secrets relating to self-inflating tyres in a case brought by Czech company Coda Development SRO. As a result of the jury’s verdict, Coda was awarded a total of $64 million.
On 7 September, American Tire Distributors (ATD) announced the completion of its Canadian subsidiary’s sale to Groupe Touchette, Canada’s largest locally-owned tyre distributor. By divesting the National Tire Distributors (NTD) business, the wholesaler says it is now “better positioned to serve its customers across the US” and to “invest in the enhanced innovation that is driving its transformation efforts.”
Hankook Tire is set to invest US$1.6 billion in the expansion of its Clarksville, Tennessee tyre factory. The investment includes the previously announced Phase 2 expansion, which will increase Hankook’s capacity to produce passenger car and light truck (PC/LT) tyres twofold as well as a Phase 3 expansion, which will enable the company to begin producing truck bus and radial (TBR) tyres in the United States. The company estimates that the addition of the Phase 3 expansion project will create an additional 400 jobs in the Clarksville region, for a total of 1,200 new positions.
Bridgestone Americas will spend US$550 million over the coming two years on the expansion and modernisation of its Warren County truck and bus radial tyre plant in the US state of Tennessee. The project will add 380 jobs to the Warren County workforce and expand the plant’s existing footprint by 850,000 square feet (around 79,000 square metres).
Effective 22 August, Rob Lovi is vice-president of sales at Toyo Tire U.S.A. Previously serving as the director of sales, national strategic accounts, Lovi’s promotion is a part of the company’s succession plan following the appointment of Mike Graber to president and chief executive officer earlier this year. Lovi first joined Toyo Tires as a director of sales in July 2018 and brings nearly 18 years of tyre industry experience to the role.
The Firestone Polymer Engineering Pilot Center (PEPC) in Akron, Ohio has become the first Bridgestone facility in North America to gain International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus recognition for sustainable raw material transparency and traceability. PEPC is part of the Bridgestone Americas Technology Center, which serves as a hub for Bridgestone’s entire innovation, research and product development within the Americas region.
US and Canadian wholesaler American Tire Distributors, Inc. (ATD) has expanded its leadership team with the addition of Moid Alwy as chief supply chain officer. In this role, Alwy will oversee a supply chain that ATD describes as “sprawling” and evolve the vision and strategy for the supply chain’s function and innovation.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) intends to raise production capacities at a number of its facilities around the world, but at the same time will remove some products from its portfolio in order to address rising costs. It will also aim for more “flexible” production allocation in response to changes in the business environment.
Toyo Tire Corporation achieved a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in net sales in the first half of 2022, with the total rising to 223,667 million yen (£1.373 billion; 1.626 billion euros). At the same time, operating income came in at 25,972 million yen (£160 million; 189 million euros) in the first half of 2022. Both figures outperformed the companies first-half 2022 forecasts.
Toyo Tire’s Serbia car tyre production plant became operational on 27 July 2022. The news is in line with Europe executives’ mid-July comments, which suggested the factory would start making tyres by the end of July. The latest news is that shipments are now beginning to move out and that the company is planning to “preferentially supply the US until the end of this year [2022]” in order to “meet robust demand there”.
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