Michelin hikes truck tire prices GREENVILLE, S.C.—Citing escalating raw material costs, Michelin North America Inc. said it will boost prices by 2.75 percent on all Michelin- and BFGoodrich-brand commercial truck tires.
The latest price hikes, effective March 15, follow the company's average 0.6-percent increase in the price of 19.5- and 22.5-inch Michelin-brand recreational vehicle tires, which took effect Jan. 1.
In January, Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. raised prices between 1.5 and 3 percent on 13 sizes of Bridgestone-brand commercial light truck tires, while Goodyear hiked prices 3 percent on its Unisteel line of commercial light truck tires and 2.5 percent on its radial commercial tires for the Goodyear, Dunlop, Kelly and private label brands.
Cooper's Rooney to retire in June
FINDLAY, Ohio—Patrick Rooney, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. chairman/CEO, will retire as of June 3. He will be 65 in October.
The Findlay-based tire maker said Mr. Rooney's retirement is in accordance with its policy that requires officers to retire at 65.
Mr. Rooney will be replaced by his hand-picked successor, Thomas Dattilo, 48, who joined the firm as president and COO on Jan. 4, 1999.
Previously, Mr. Dattilo had been an executive with Dana Corp., where he headed its $1 billion worldwide sealing group.
Cooper closes Siebe purchase
FINDLAY, Ohio—Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has completed the acquisition of the automotive fluid handling division of Invensys P.L.C, commonly known as Siebe Automotive, for $244.5 million.
"We are excited to add Siebe Automotive to our organization," said Thomas Dattilo, Cooper president and COO. "The integration of Siebe with Cooper hose allows us to provide complete fluid systems to our customers."
Carefree Tire buys Everhard
SOUTH GATE, Calif.—Carefree Tire—a supplier of microcellular polyurethane tires to the material handling, roofing, and lawn and garden industries—has acquired the assets of Everhard USA for an undisclosed price.
Everhard USA marketed a flat- free, lightweight wheelbarrow tire through companies such as Home Depot and Eagle Hardware. South Gate-based Carefree Tire will continue to produce and market the Everhard tire, said Kim Fox, operations manager.
Everhard's offices in Kirkland, Wash., have relocated to South Gate, Ms. Fox said.
Carefree Tire is a five-year-old firm with $3 million in sales.
John Fiedler's wife, Judith, dies
SANIBEL, Fla.—Judith Inman Fiedler, 60, wife of former Goodyear and Kelly executive John Fiedler, died Feb. 5 of vascular failure in her home in Sanibel. She had suffered from multiple sclerosis for some 15 years.
During Mr. Fiedler's rise through the ranks of Akron-based Goodyear, the family moved a dozen times in 40 years. He is currently chairman and CEO of Borg-Warner Automotive Inc. in Chicago.
While the Fiedlers lived in the Akron area, Mrs. Fiedler had sold insurance and real estate. Though she had difficulty walking after being diagnosed with MS, she stayed active in several organizations. Mr. Fiedler told the Akron Beacon Journal his wife was "a determined woman. She walked the last day of her life."
The couple has two daughters and a son.
Novak joins TB as sales rep.
AKRON—Joe Novak has joined the Tire Business Akron staff as display sales representative.
Mr. Novak had previously worked with Penton Media in Cleveland, most recently as a market development manager for Industry Week and IW Growing Companies, two publications targeted towards management in the manufacturing sector. He also served as a research project manager and research assistant for Penton.
Mr. Novak holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Cleveland State University. He can be reached at (330) 865-6118, or via e-mail at [email protected]
Next in TB
The Feb. 28 issue of Tire Business will contain our 11th annual Market Data Book, with North America and global market data.