In perhaps its response to the recently completed purchase of Bandag Inc. by rival Bridgestone/Firestone, Michelin North America has signed a “definitive agreement” to acquire Oliver Rubber Co. from Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.

South Korea’s Kumho Tire Co. already plans to expand annual capacity at its brand new Changchun plant, nearly doubling tire build from 3.15 million to 6.3 million tires.

For the fifth consecutive year, Maxxis has made the top 10 of Interbrand’s list of Taiwan’s top global brands. Maxxis ranked eighth on the list.

Even as it saw second quarter sales rise some $183 million, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. still posted a first half 2007 net loss of $118 million.

The globally recognised independent authority on consumer opinion and branding, Superbrands, has identified the Bridgestone brand as one of the strongest brand names in its 2007 awards in Germany.

Michelin North American has introduced the Uniroyal Tiger Paw AWP II, which will come with a 70,000-mile limited treadwear warranty.

Less than a month after Continental AG was admitted to the Guinness Book of Records for car performance modifier Jan Fatthauer’s 388 km/h dash, which saw the Continental ContiSportContact Vmax officially recognised as the world’s fastest production tyre, a new record using Conti’s performance tyre has been set.

Hankook Tire America Corp. has launched the Ventus R-S2 Z212, a new performance line it said was based on its Ventus RSS Z211 race tire.

Within a month of it opening, the Hankook Tire Corp. factory in the Hungarian town of Dunaújváros has become the subject of labour-law breach allegations.

NextTread, the commercial vehicle retread business of the Goodyear Dunlop group, has announced an investment in new machinery at its Wolverhampton plant.

For Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. – Japan’s second largest tyre manufacturer after Bridgestone – the Chinese tyre market has overwhelming potential.

On July 20, Nokian Tyres received news from Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co., that as a result of a share transaction concluded the previous day, their ownership increased to 5% of the voting rights and share capital in the Finnish tyremaker.

The Brunei Times has reported that government tests of some 50 China-made tires and tubes found a high degree of failures.

Pirelli SpA may be looking to make major tire investments in Eastern Europe and India, based on remarks made by Pirelli Chairman Chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera to reporters while visiting Pirelli’s tire facility in Romania.

Russia’s Alimark Ltd. has become the 140th exhibitor to sign up for September’s TyrexpoAsia exhibition in Singapore, breaking all records for the show as it approaches its 10th anniversary.

At least 6,000 workers at six large tyre manufacturing plants in Port Elizabeth, Kwazulu-Natal and North West in South Africa will strike on Friday, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (NUMSA) said.

Legendary adventurer Kingsley Holgate, and Cooper Tire have linked up once again to begin another epic humanitarian mission across the African continent, in the continuing fight against malaria.

Groupe Michelin’s new OTR earthmoving tyre plant in Brazil is on schedule to produce its first tyre in November.

Hankook Tire will showcase its first European-made tyres, low rolling resistance tyres at this year’s 62nd IAA Car Show.

Grosvenor Contracts Leasing Ltd., Britain’s largest independent vehicle contract hire company, which is based in Kettering, has extended its contract with Michelin until 2009.

Hankook Tire America Corp. has signed on as the official tire sponsorship of Chevrolet’s “Rev It Up 2007: Where Drivers Come to Play” performance driving school and competition program.

Continental Tire of North American is providing tires to the BMW Performance Center and the BMW Performance Driving School, based in Spartanburg, S.C.

Pirelli Tyre is planning to build a state-of-the-art industrial centre in the Settimo Torinese area of Italy, having signed an agreement with the Piedmont regional, Turin provincial, and Settimo Torinese authorities.

eBay shoppers looking for a bargain are being warned to steer clear of second-hand tyres being sold on the site, after independent testing revealed that half of the used tyres listed on eBay are too dangerous for use and if fitted to a car could put lives at risk.

The Demon is a ten-spoke wheel, featuring five pairs of flat-faced and hard-edged spokes running to the very outside edge of the wheel rim. Not only does this enhance the sense of size of the wheel but gives it an aggressive and purposeful feel; perfect for performance or modified cars.

Rick Carr, the service manager at Buff Whelan Chevrolet in Sterling Heights, Mich., remembers the old days when cars broke down as fast as mechanics could fix them.

Michelin North America has taken its North American media planning and buying business and consolidated at a single agency.

India’s Metro Tyres is reportedly willing to offer technical collaboration partner Continental AG a minority stake in its business.

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is recalling some 92,000 Dominator Sport A/T tires due to concerns over possible tread separations.

A report in the local paper the News and Star says that 700 workers at Pirelli's factory in Carlisle have voted to strike on three days in August, after the company said that it was going to outsource five jobs to outside workers.

Three Continental brand medium truck tires have been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for meeting its SmartWay environmental specifications.

Formula One will not return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year, leaving the international auto racing series without an American event for now, speedway officials said Thursday.

SmarTire announced on July 10 that Dana Corp., its marketing partner for the commercial vehicle market in North America, Australia and New Zealand, will be offering the company’s SmartWave TPMS retrofit kits to International Truck and Engine Corp.

ASA Tire Systems has issued Version 7.4.0 of its TireMaster software.

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is rolling out the Mastercraft Avenger Touring LSR all-season premium touring tire in two all-season tread design options.

The Land Rover Experience Tour is considered one of the most challenging tests faced by all-terrain vehicles, and this year, for the first time, the Experience Tour will be run exclusively using 4x4 tyres manufactured by Continental.

Kumho Tire announced on July 12 that it has signed a sponsorship deal with Manchester United.

It has been reported that Yokohama Rubber provided evidence against its former associates involved in the recent price fixing controversy in exchange for immunity, allowing the U.S. Justice Department to the break the international price cartel that included Dunlop Oil & Marine, Trelleborg Industrie SAS and domestic rival Bridgestone.

When the all-new Peugeot 308 begins to arrive at dealerships, it will most likely be wearing tyres from Michelin’s new Energy Saver range.

Toyo Tire (USA) Corp. has extended its contract with off-road racer Robby Gordon through 2010.

Polish online tyre and automotive products retailer Oponeo.pl plans to issue up to 4 million new shares in an upcoming IPO and spend the proceeds on boosting working capital and the development of its IT systems, the company's chief executive Dariusz Topolewski informed a press conference on July 5.

KeyBanc has raised its price target for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. shares from $39 to $48, maintaining its “buy” rating.

Last week, following an invitation to tender, the FIA World Motor Sport Council appointed the Yokohama Rubber Company to supply the control tyre for the 2008 and 2009 FIA World Touring Car Championships.

Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire (BFNAT) has launched its Safety Scholars Video Contest.

Mark Webber believes that Lewis Hamilton's competitiveness has been aided by the new Bridgestone tyres this season. More experienced drivers have had to adjust to the new specification whilst others like team-mate Fernando Alonso and Ferrari rival Kimi Raikkonen are still getting used to the jump from Michelin to Bridgestone rubber. Thus the Red Bull driver thinks that there has been an element of luck to Hamilton's current 14-point lead in the championship.

China, the world’s leading tyre consumer and producer has in recent years gained significant product market share around the globe.

Yokohama Tire Corp. has introduced the all-new S.drive high performance tire, featuring nanotechnology. Yokohama said the new line is available now through its U.S. distribution centers

Groupe Michelin said it plans to spend some 250 million euros – approximately $315 million – on upgrading its tire plants in Germany, contingent on workers there agreeing to work an additional 75 minutes each week without increased pay.

Michelin North America has decided to discontinue producing and selling bias ply agricultural tires in North America, but will “continue to offer a full line of radial tires for both Michelin and BFGoodrich brands,” the company said.

India’s Falcon Tyres has signed a technical assistance agreement with Japanese giant Sumitomo Rubber Industries.

Preparations to ready Kumho Tire’s US$4 million latex processing facility in Vietnam have reached their conclusion and on June 28 the new plant began operations.

Michelin Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. has its eyes on a 500% growth in SUV tyre sales following the introduction of the Latitude range into the country.

Iconic supercar manufacturer Ferrari celebrated its 60th birthday in June 2007 and the tyremaker whose association with the company dates back to Enzo Ferrari’s racing days before World War II was on hand to pay tribute to the legendary marque.

Belgium’s Punch International NV, the diversified industrial holding company headquartered in Sint-Martens-Latem, announced on June 29 that it has taken over BBS, the German developer and producer of lightweight wheels for premium segment sports and passenger cars.