At the beginning of October Mercedes’ new CLS-Class range will make its market debut. From Mercedes’ point-of-view the new cars represent the bridge between “the elegance and dynamics of a Coupé and the practicality of a saloon.”
Honeywell International is to provide wheel and brake repair and overhaul services for American airline Evergreen International’s entire fleet of aircraft.
“This agreement is a great example of Honeywell’s capabilities to provide the right value for our customers through superior support and low-cost solutions,” says Peg Billson, Honeywell aircraft landing systems VP and general manager. “We are pleased to provide Evergreen with a comprehensive repair and overhaul service package to support their complete wheel and brake requirements.”
The service agreement will provide the airline with significant maintenance cost savings for its current fleet of 10 747s and five DC-9s. The contract will also include all labour and materials for wheels and brakes, as well as tyre management, and logistic services. In addition, Honeywell will provide distribution to and from more than 10 domestic and international operations.
German wheel manufacturer BBS AG is pleased again with the success of Scuderia Ferrari and Michael Schumacher. After the constructor’s championship was secured at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the manufacturer was confident that Michael Schumacher could do what no other Formula one driver has done before and become world champion for the fifth consecutive time. Schumacher’s seventh Formula One championship was confirmed with his second place podium position at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Ferrari supplier BBS has said that it is proud to have contributed its extremely light and sturdy forged magnesium wheels to all seven world champion titles. The development partnership with Ferrari obviously inspires the Schiltach, Black Forest, engineers as each year they contribute innovative ideas to the success of the Scuderia.
BBS has released its consolidated first-half sales figures, which hold steady at 89.6 million euros. Growth outside Germany has seen the sales increase from the previous year’s figure of 89.4 million euros. However, due to dwindling business inside Germany EBT amounted to a mere 1.9 million euros.
In Germany, business volumes fell 3.4 per cent from 50.2 million euros to 48.5 million euros. Outside Germany, the wheel manufacturer boosted sales by 4.9 per cent from 39.2 million euros to 41.1 million euros. As a result, its share of sales outside Germany rose from 43.8 per cent to 45.9 per cent of its total sales.
Titan International, Inc was notified by the trustee that all $136.8 million (£76 million) of its outstanding 8.75% senior subordinated notes have been redeemed today, 26 August, 2004.
“We appreciate the confidence of our bond holders during the past seven years,” stated Maurice Taylor Jr., Titan president and CEO. “The financial support has been a valuable tool as Titan continuously strives to lead the off-highway wheel and tire industry.”
At Automechanika, SKF will be presenting a so-called ‘air wheel bearing’ through which air-pressure can be filled into the tyre. The bearings are used within the Tire Intelligent Pressure Management (TIPM) system, which was developed under the leadership of Michelin. TRW Automotive and WABCO are involved in this tyre pressure control improvement project.
British Columbia based company, SmarTire Systems Incorporated has announced, it will produce two new updates to its SmarTire monitoring system. The developments come in the shape of the a new version of SmarTire for motorcycles, and a battery-less modification to the car concept.
Employees of Titan Wheel Corporation of Illinois, a subsidiary of Titan International, Inc., will receive a record summer bonus.
The supplier of mounted wheels and tyre systems will pay out an average of approximately $2,500 per employee. A bonus of $2.20 per hour versus the previous record of $1.45 per hour paid in 1998.
Titan president and CEO Maurice Taylor Jr, stated: “I would like to congratulate all the Quincy employees – there is not a better team anywhere. Every night the talking heads on TV say that manufacturing is dead in the US, but the Quincy Titan employees have proven that hard work can build a successful company.”
Renault has produced a concept car, which could be seen as precursor to a Laguna Coupé. The “Fluence” uses 22 inch (245-710 R560) Michelin PAX tyres. The tyres fit to wheels produced by aluminium cast wheel producer, Montupet that feature spokes designed to reduce air resistance.
Hayes Lemmerz, the number one wheel manufacturer in the world, is to retain its European Headquarters in Königswinter, Germany. This was confirmed by the European President, Fred Bentley, in an interview with Bonner Generalanzeiger. Königswinter has undergone a massive restructuring programme. Staff numbers have been reduced from 3000 to 690. But now the German plant is probably the most modern wheel plant worldwide. Bentley refused to confirm that Hayes Lemmerz is to invest a further 30 Million Euro. This was said by Bentley’s predecessor, Hans Buchel, who was fired in February this year. Bentley called it “a parting by mutual agreement”.
Toyo and Michelin signed a licensing agreement, under which Michelin will license its PAX System technology to Toyo. With the new agreement, Toyo obtains rights to produce and market run-flat systems for passenger cars and light trucks based on PAX System, both for auto makers and the replacement tire market in Japan.
Indian press reports say that Continental will take a stake – said to be around 30 per cent – in Indian two-wheel tyre manufacturer Metro Tyres Ltd. The two companies currently enjoy a technology transfer agreement and Continental outsourcers tyres and tubes from Metro factories. Metro is confident that the volumes which the company makes for Continental will continue to rise, as the savings per tyre made in India can be anything up to 40 per cent. Metro’s sales grew by 15 per cent last year and the company is aiming for further, double-digit growth this year.
Bandag announced that Yellow Roadway Corporation elected on April 30, 2004 not to renew the existing Bandag outsourcing agreement for Roadway Express tire and wheel services in place since 1999. Under the existing agreement Yellow Roadway is obligated, by August 1, 2004, to repurchase all tires and wheels owned by Bandag and used on the Roadway Express fleet. Bandag estimates the value of the tires and wheels to be approximately $37.0 million. The definitive purchase price is subject to an inventory and valuation pursuant to the terms of the existing agreement.
Australian motorists’ organisation the RACV has warned that space-saver spare tyres could increase stopping distances by 50 per cent and reduce cornering grip by up to 13 per cent. This follows tests against standard tyres on four vehicles–small, large and mid-sized cars and a four wheel drive. The tests were an emergency stop from 80 km/h, a cornering test on a 50 metre circle and an emergency swerve. The RACV estimates that a quarter of Australian new cars are fitted with the skinny, space-savers, which are standard on more than 50 individual models, and it calls for dealers to point out the performance limitations to potential buyers.
German tyre manufacturer Continental is considering selling its agricultural tyres division to the Czech Rubber Group. Negotiations on a similar deal with Trelleborg Wheel Systems fell through last year. A spokesman for Continental stated that while no details were available on any possible deal with the Czech Rubber Group, he was confident they would be successful.
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