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.
Yokohama Tire Corporation’s sponsorship of US Major League Baseball team the Los Angeles Angels extends to a full decade with the signing of a further agreement covering the 2018 to 2020 seasons. The new three-year agreement continues a partnership that began in 2011. Under the agreement, the Yokohama logo will be displayed at the Angels’ home stadium.
While US President Donald Trump may be talking up the benefits of a trade way, after reviewing certain tariffs on passenger and light truck (PLT) tyres imported from China, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) has adjusted some of its antidumping and countervailing rates. Reductions in the antidumping tariffs for the period from 27 January 2015 through 31 July 2016 include the rate for Giti Tire dropping from 30.74 per cent to 1.5 per cent and Qingdao Sentury Tire dropping from 25.84 per cent to 4.41 per cent.
Christopher Ball has been named senior vice president of Cooper Tire and Rubber and president of North America Tire Operations (NATO) effective March 19. He reports to company president and CEO Brad Hughes.
After a more than 10-year market absence, Cooper Tire and Rubber is relaunching the Cooper brand of truck and bus radial (TBR) tyres in the USA. The range debuted at the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, which runs through 8 March in Atlanta, Georgia.
Members of the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA – and other leading executives – have sent a letter to President Trump urging him to rethink the proposed 25 percent tariffs on imported steel. The letter cites significant, negative impacts to US manufacturers with cascading detriments to US commerce and the economy.
In the USA, Bridgestone and Firestone-branded tyres have been specified as original equipment for the 2019 Jeep Cherokee, Bridgestone Americas has announced.
The Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus tyre will be supplied as standard equipment on 2019 Jeep Cherokee Overland models in size 235/50 R19.
In the USA Audi has recalled 3,500 of its RS 7 models due to incorrect information on the tyre label. The vehicles covering model years 2014-2018 have tyre information labels that are printed with incorrect maximum weight ratings, the company told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) and NRGene, a genomic big data solutions company, are collaborating on research efforts to enhance the company’s US alternative domestic natural rubber breeding programme. They will be working in tandem to sequence and assemble multiple genomes of guayule, a rubber-producing plant indigenous to the hot, dry environments of the Southwestern United States and North Central Mexico, to develop new, high-yielding varieties. The first-ever, two guayule genomes have already been sequenced and completely assembled and a physical and genetic map are being developed which will provide a high level of accuracy and efficiency for breeding improvement.
Alliance Tire Americas has earned recognition as a Partner-level supplier for 2017 in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program. The Partner-level status is Deere & Company’s highest supplier rating. The Wakefield, Massachusetts-based company was selected for the honour in recognition of the quality of its products and services and its commitment to continuous improvement.
Continental has begun making ContiTread pre-cure tread rubber in the USA. A new pre-cured tread manufacturing facility at the tyre maker’s Mound Vernon plant in Illinois has commenced production of the tread compound, and Continental anticipates that the facility will reach full operation by the end of the first quarter of 2018.
Another North American market original equipment approval for Sumitomo Rubber Industries: The Falken Wildpeak A/T AT3WA has been selected by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles as a factory-fitted option for the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 pickup truck. According to Sumitomo Rubber North America, Inc., the Wildpeak A/T will be supplied for mounting on the Ram 1500 in sizes LT275/65R18 (113/110S) and 275/55R20 (113T).
Giti Tire USA recently received a US manufacturing award from Walmart for its commitment to produce American made tyres. The tyremaker was recognized in front of thousands of Walmart suppliers on 31 January at the Walmart Supplier Growth Forum in Bentonville, Arkansas.The event was for offshore manufacturers who have initiated manufacturing operations in the US.
Cooper Tire & Rubber is in the process of expanding its warehousing capabilities in the USA. A new facility is currently being built in Byhalia, Mississippi, a location the tyre maker selected for its proximity to the Cooper tyre factories in Findlay (Ohio), Texarkana (Arkansas) and Tupelo (Mississippi). When completed this autumn, the 1 million square foot (92,900 square metre) warehouse will be the largest distribution centre for Cooper in the country.
Hankook Tire reports that it is currently discussing original equipment tyre supply opportunities with “several top-tier US auto manufacturers,” with a view to becoming the original equipment supplier for a “handful of popular 2019 models.” The tyre maker says it is also negotiating “notable partnerships” in the USA for this year. In 2017 Hankook secured OE deals with two of the top-selling sedans on the US market, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has launched the new Eagle Enforcer All Weather police tyre during its 2018 Customer Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, this week.
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