Beksa Steel Cord wins European Quality Award STOCKHOLM, Sweden—Beksa Steel Cord Manufacturing & Trading Inc. has won the European Quality Award for small and medium enterprise.
The main award went to SGS-Thomson micrOElectronics.
Beksa is a 50-50 joint venture between the Sabanci Group in Turkey and Belgium's NV Bekaert S.A. The company employs 217 workers and is the biggest producer of steel cord in its territory—ranging from the Balkans to the Middle East and North Africa.
Brisa, Sabanci's tire-making joint venture with Japan's Bridgestone Corp., won the award the previous year.
Organizers plan Tyrexpo for London in 1999
LONDON—Exhibition organizers Tyre Exhibitions Ltd. will sponsor a new show, dubbed ``Tyrexpo Europe,'' in March 1999 in London.
Organizers created the biennial show to rival the Reifen show held in Essen, Germany, every other May. Tyrexpo Europe will cater to all tire-related activities, including manufacturing, retreading and fast-fit service.
Tyrexpo will replace the 20-year-old Brityrex exhibition held biennially in the U.K. Since the tire industry has become so global, organizers felt the European focus is warranted
Tyrexpo will run March 9-11, 1999, at London's Olympia show halls. Contact Clive Ball via phone at 44-181-676-9717; or fax 44-181-776-8377.
Association forecasts drop for Japanese tire demand
TOKYO—The Japan Tyre Manufacturers' Association forecasts that tire demand in 1998 will fall 2.8 percent to 1.08 million metric tons of new rubber in 1998.
The group said car tire demand would fall, following three record years of sustained growth. Demand for OE tires is expected to fall 2.7 percent, to 216,000 tons, and replacement tires will decline 3.1 percent to 403,000 tons. The group blamed the decline on the poor domestic economy.