Yokohama, ACCC sign supply deal
FULLERTON, Calif.-Yokohama Tire Corp. and American Car Care Centers Inc. (ACCC) have signed a distribution agreement that will give ACCC's members access to the tire maker's full product line, the companies said.
Yokohama will supply its core products, including the AVS, AVID and Geolander lines to the ACCC organization, the Fullerton-based tire maker said. ACCC members operate more than 1,100 outlets nationwide.
Adding Yokohama ``will help round out the product offering for our members and give them an opportunity to retail the products at a competitive price and be profitable doing so,'' said Len Lewin, president of ACCC.
Three tire makers plan price hikes
AKRON-Three tire makers will raise tire prices this summer due to rising raw materials costs.
Pirelli Tire North America (PTNA) Inc. is raising passenger and light truck tire prices an average of 3 percent effective June 1.
The price increase, which may vary by product offering, is being implemented as a result of ``considerable and unexpected increases in raw material costs worldwide,'' said Guy Mannino, president and CEO of PTNA.
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire and Bridgestone/Firestone Canada Inc. are hiking prices across the board up to 5 percent-plus some sizes of off-the-road tires up to 8 percent. The price increases, effective June 1, apply to replacement and original equipment tires in all channels. They affect Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, associate and private brand tires.
Hankook Tire America Corp. also will raise prices 3 percent, effective July 1. The increases apply to its full line of passenger, high performance, light truck and medium truck tires.
Runge: Monitor rule due soon
WASHINGTON-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should issue a new final rule on tire pressure monitoring devices shortly, though no date is scheduled, according to NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey W. Runge.
``I hope it will be soon,'' he said during a luncheon speech before the Washington Automotive Press Association, adding that the need to update the rule's regulatory analysis slowed down the process.
A New York federal appeals court overturned the agency's original tire pressure monitoring rule because, at the order of the Office of Management and Budget, it stressed the use of devices that measured tire pressure indirectly over the more accurate direct systems.
Mr. Runge declined comment on whether the new final rule would honor the Rubber Manufacturers Association's request for a tire reserve load requirement, saying he never discusses the content of pending rulemakings.
Cooper reassigns tire group execs
FINDLAY, Ohio-Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has reassigned six executives as part of the re-alignment of its tire group to better focus on target markets and support the company's strategic plan. All appointments were effective May 1.
D. Richard Stephens became president of Findlay-based Cooper's North American tire division. Mr. Stephens had served as president of Cooper Tire since December 2001 and prior to that was president of the international tire division.
Harold Miller became president of the international tire division. He joined Cooper in March 2002 as vice president, corporate planning and control.
Phillip Caris is now vice president, sales and marketing for the North American tire division. Mr. Caris has held various sales and marketing roles in his 21-year tenure with Cooper, most recently serving as vice president, marketing.
Carl Casalbore now is vice president, marketing and retail sales for that division. He most recently served as vice president, retail sales and high performance tire development.
Patricia Brown has become vice president, global branding and communications. Ms. Brown most recently was vice president, advertising and communications.
Finally, David Craig is director, advertising for North America. He had been manager, associated brand advertising and communications.
Toyo adds second Calif. warehouse
CYPRESS, Calif.-Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corp. has added a second warehouse in Southern California, in Mira Loma.
The new 430,000-sq.-ft. facility, which will handle both additional warehousing as well as U.S. distribution, joins the tire maker's 300,000-sq.-ft. Ontario, Calif., warehouse.
NHTSA stats stir up calls for laws
WASHINGTON-The latest fatality statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) caused a major consumer group and a U.S. senator to call for passage of stringent new auto safety legislation.
``We need Congress to wake up to these alarming numbers,'' said Sally Greenberg, senior product safety counsel for Consumers Union, which wants Congress to pass legislation setting stability standards for sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks. The organization publishes Consumer Reports magazine.
Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, used the figures as a point to call for making vehicle rollover resistance information available to consumers and using child dummies in rollover testing. Earlier, Mr. DeWine advocated legislation for measurement of tire aging, but the tire industry persuaded him to withdraw it.
NHTSA reported that highway fatalities increased to 43,220 in 2003 from 42,815 the year before. SUV rollover deaths rose 10 percent during the period-to 2,701 from 2,448-and those deaths represented 55 percent of all highway fatalities involving SUVs.
Solideal raising tire, track prices
LEBANON, Ind.-Solideal Tire Inc. is raising prices 3-5 percent on all of its products, effective June 1.
The increase reflects the climbing costs for rubber, steel, crude oil and transportation, Solideal said. Solideal manufactures natural rubber industrial and construction solid and pneumatic tires and rubber tracks.