Settled, But Not Settling: Turmoil Passed, CTNA Focus Shifts to Building Brand, Rebuilding Dealer Trust
Plant closings, union battles, multiple management changes, low fill rates, irate dealers, shifting directions…the last five years have been difficult for Continental Tire North America. But, the past is the past. Since the appointment of Continental AG CFO Alan Hippe as president and CEO of CTNA in May 2005, CTNA officials point out, progress has
Tire Review Talks With Kumho’s Dave Hudrlik
Dave Hudrlik (shown below) is vice president of sales for Kumho Tire USA Inc. During the recent Kumho Dealer Meeting, he sat down for an interview with David Moniz, publisher of Tire Review. In the past, Kumho has expressed interest in Formula One racing. Is that still of interest? “Sure, but that is a lofty
Kumho’s Charles van Heusden Details New Dealer Training Program
To follow up on the “Sunny Days” article that appeared in this issue of Tire Review, we sat down with Charles van Heusden, manager of training and product development at Kumho Tire USA Inc., to uncover more details about EDGE – the tiremaker’s new online dealer training and support program, slated for release in the
A Different Approach: MNA Chief Looks at Hard Issues Facing N.A. Tire Manufacturers
Possibly the quietest, one of the most accomplished and certainly one of the most respected heads of a major tire company, Jim Micali has also had one of the longest careers, having first joined what is now Michelin North America some 30 years ago as a staff attorney. Micali worked his way up through a
Full Steam Ahead: Amtel-Vredestein Executive Charts Course For Core Vredestein Brand
Robert H. Oudshoorn has been CEO of Vredestein Banden BV since 1994. Prior to that, he was director of commercial operations at a Michelin-Okamoto joint venture in Tokyo and also worked as representative director for Groupe Michelin in South Africa. In April 2005, Russian tiremaker Amtel Holdings officially completed its $245 million cash purchase of
From All Sides: Consumers, Raw Materials Push Tiremakers to be ‘Aggressive’ in Cutting Costs
As corporate executive and COO of a tire unit, Jean-Michel Guillon has a unique perspective of the entire tire industry. COO of Michelin Americas Small Tires (MAST) and executive vice president of Michelin North America (MNA), Guillon has to consider both the operational and sales/marketing sides of the tire business. Guillon started with Groupe Michelin
Defining Moment: Cost Structure, Replacement Market Keys to Success in CTNA’s Decisive Year
Dr. Alan Hippe took over as head of Continental Tire North America (CTNA) after Martien de Louw abruptly left the company last May. Hippe had been a member of Continental AG’s executive board since 2002. Prior to accepting his role with Continental, Hippe had served as senior vice president in the group controlling and IT
Fast Learners: ‘Student’ Amtel-Vredestein Ready to Seize Growth Opportunities – Everywhere
Alexei Gurin is certainly putting his experience to work as CEO of Amtel-Vredestein NV and chairman of its management board. An engineer by training, Gurin earned his MBA from the University of Toronto, worked as an investment manager in Canada and other countries, was marketing director for Bennetton in Moscow, served as general director of
Growth Track: Seawell Says New-Look Hercules Now Ready For Expansion
Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. was formed in 1952 by a group of 21 retreaders looking to work together to bring better pricing and greater impact to their individual businesses. Over the years, Hercules expanded to become one of the top private branders in the U.S., a major player in the retreading industry, a customer
Running Silent: Denman’s New President Quietly Yet Decisively Charts a New Course
Career changes come in many forms, just as challenges do. When Manny Cicero took over as president of Denman Tire Corp. in May, he took on a very challenging career change. Like all small specialty firms, Denman, based in tiny Leavittsburg, Ohio, battles much larger but less agile competitors for sales and share. The tiremaker
Out of the Ordinary: Cooper’s Top Exec Discusses Recent Transformation, Global Ambitions
To get a sense of Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. and its chairman, president and CEO, you need look no further than Tom Dattilo’s corner office. Unlike the vistas other captains of industry enjoy from their lofty perches, Dattilo’s third-floor office overlooks Oler’s Drive Thru, a convenience store that stands as a stark reminder of
United to Dynamic: Despite Family History, Dynamic’s Sherkin Not Looking Backward
The Sherkin family has a prominent place in the Canadian tire industry. Harry Sherkin started United Tire back in 1944 buying and selling retreads. Brothers Morris, Charles and Joseph joined the company as it grew into a major retreader, private brander and, finally, a manufacturer. The family business was sold to Pensler Capital Corp. in