More tire price hikes coming
AKRON-Three tire makers are raising prices.
Michelin North America Inc. said it will hike prices by 3 to 8 percent, depending on sizes, on its line of commercial truck and earthmover tires destined for both the North American original equipment and replacement markets.
The increases will be effective July 1 for earthmover tires and Aug. 1 for commercial tires, the Greenville-based tire maker said.
Falken Tire Corp. will increase prices on high-performance and ultra-high-performance tires by 3 to 10 percent. Light truck and medium truck tire prices will rise 3 percent.
Hankook Tire America Corp. will raise prices on its full line of passenger, high-performance, light truck and medium truck tires by 3 percent, effective July 1.
The increases reflect the industry's rising costs in raw materials, shipping and general operations, Hankook said.
Conti realigns field sales force
CHARLOTTE, N.C.-Continental Tire North America Inc. has re-aligned its passenger/light truck tire field sales force to increase communication and improve dealer relations.
A team of account managers, overseen by a corporate account manager, will be assigned to a customer group and will act as that group's direct link to Conti's corporate office, the Charlotte-based tire maker said.
Corporate account managers are Heather Kirkland for Tredtech Inc., Rick Maier for American Car Care Centers Inc. and Kevin Naumann for Tire Alliance Groupe.
Two national dealer managers are in charge of independent dealers in the U.S. and Canada.
Karashima named top YTC exec
FULLERTON, Calif.-Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. has named Norio Karashima, a 28-year company veteran, the top executive at its Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) subsidiary, effective June 29.
Mr. Karashima will succeed Koji Ikawa, 63, in the newly created position of corporate officer of the parent company and president of the U.S. company. The move needs final approval at the firm's general shareholders meeting. Mr. Ikawa, who was managing director of the parent and president and CEO of the subsidiary, will remain in the U.S. as chairman of Fullerton-based YTC.
Mr. Ikawa, a veteran of 40 years with Yokohama, was part of the team that helped establish the tire maker's presence in the U.S. in 1969. Mr. Karashima, 51, joined Yokohama in 1976. He most recently was general manager of the original equipment tire planning department.
Michelin debuts OTR training
GREENVILLE, S.C.-The Michelin Earthmover Group has unveiled a new training program to heighten the awareness of tire safety issues at mines and quarries in North America.
The program provides safety practices to managers, maintenance personnel, equipment operators and support staff at mines and quarries. It will be delivered either by Michelin field sales team members or by the safety team at the mine or quarry-all of whom have been certified by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
The Earthmover Tire Safety Program includes 12 one-hour modules on safety, mounting, inflation, nitrogen inflation and tire repair, among others.
SEMA urges AHP approval
WASHINGTON-The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has sent a letter to all members of the Senate urging them to pass legislation allowing small business associations to establish Association Health Plans (AHP) for their members.
AHP legislation would allow small companies to band together across state lines under the aegis of their professional associations to bargain with insurers for health insurance-a right that large corporations and trade unions already have, a SEMA spokesman noted.
Democrats, who dislike the AHP legislation's cancellation of state insurance regulations and consumer rights, are pushing-so far unsuccessfully-an alternative small employer plan that operates within state systems.
Michelin unveils corporate signature
CLERMONT-FERRAND, France-Group Michelin has launched a global corporate signature, ``Michelin, a better way forward,'' that will accompany the firm's communications with the press and its customers.
The corporate signature is meant to convey the firm's mission, according to Jacques Jordan, head of communications for Michelin, and therefore transcends the company's logo or brand name.
Michelin started working on its corporate signature 11 months ago and has translated it into 33 languages for its various subsidiaries.