China Tire Prices Rising
Chinese tiremakers are being forced to increase their prices on the back of record natural rubber highs and U.S. import tariffs. Domestic Chinese tire retail prices have jumped by up to 10% per unit, China Daily reported. Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co, purportedly the largest rubber maker in China, raised its tire prices 5%, according to
Uphill Climb: Road to Recovery is Steep for Medium Truck Segment
Although 2009 was a tough year across the entire industry, the medium truck tire segment was hit particularly hard. The economic tailspin saw consumers tightening their budgets, which in turn resulted in diminished orders and less shipping. Trucks and other types of freight haulers sat idle, and demand for new tires plummeted. Freight tonnage was
Environment Issue Committee Formed by TIA
TIA has completely revamped its Tire and Rubber Recycling Advisory Council, replacing it with a new Environmental Advisory Council. Named to serve on the EAC were Co-Chairmen Dick Gust of Liberty Tire Recycling and Larry Brandt of MSB Tires; TIA board members Michael Baggett of Yokohama Tire Corp., Chip Huber of Q Fix Truck Service,
Let’s Grade the Options
Bridgestone has said that 2010 will be its last season of F1 racing. No more tires, no more dollars. And while most of the motorsport world’s F1 attention has been focused on whether Renault will remain in (yes it will) and if Michael Schumacher will suit up again (apparently he will), no one is addressing
Analysts Bullish on Tire Market Recovery in 2010
Financial analysts expect European tiremakers to increase prices between 5% and 8% in January 2010, in part due to increased demand and supply shortages in some markets. The Morgan Stanley analysts once again singled out Hankook for particular praise and a “Buy” rating, saying: “After raising tire prices by an average 7% in the U.S.
Hercules Opens Expanded Chicago TDW Faclity
Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. has moved its Chicago Tire Dealer’s Warehouse branch to a new, larger facility in nearby Franklin Park, Ill. The new Chicago TDW facility has 50% more capacity, a state-of-the-art inventory management system and expanded loading docks, and will now provide "will call" service to customers, Hercules said. “Our TDW division
Buyer Beware? Chinese Tires Mean Different Quality Levels
MSNBC.com – The United States and China are battling over trade tariffs on tires, but for most of us, safety is where the rubber meets the road. Imports of Chinese tires have grown from 15 million tires in 2000 to 46 million last year, according to the United Steelworkers union, which has accused China of
Looking Forward Tire Company Execs Talk About the Future
“The problem with the future is that it keeps turning into the present.” – Calvin & Hobbes creator Bill Watterson And the present has an odd way of getting in the way. Forinstance, when we first planned for this story, we thought it would beneat to peer into the future and see what the tire
Change in Plans: Despite Recession-Driven Cuts, Toyo Chief Sees Opportunities
When Kenji Nakakura took over aspresident and CEO of Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. on Jan. 1, 2008, henever imagined just how hard that job would become. Just months intothe job, the world financial markets melted down and tire sales wentfrom slow to abysmal. Instead of steering the company toward its 70thanniversary in 2015 on
5 Questions With – Masatoshi Komai
Masatoshi Komai was recently installed as the head of Nitto brand sales worldwide. A long-time Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. employee, Komai is now the general manager of sales department No. 5, a group totally dedicated to the Nitto brand – handling everything from market exploration to product development to production planning to marketing. Tomo