Michelin to hike car, LT tire prices
Michelin Americas Small Tires and Pirelli Tire North America Inc. are increasing tire prices an average of 3 percent.
The Michelin North America Inc. unit will hike prices on July 5 on Michelin, BFGoodrich, Uniroyal and its private and associate brand passenger and light truck tires sold in the U.S. replacement market. Pirelli will boost passenger and light truck tire prices June 1.
The increases follow similar action by other tire companies, who primarily blame rising raw material costs for the hikes. Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Continental Tire North America Inc., Toyo Tire USA Corp. and Yokohama Tire Corp. are raising prices June 1, while Goodyear did the same on May 1 on all of its brands in various segments.
Yokohama to merge hose operations
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. plans to merge its Yokohama Hydex Co. hose assembly and distribution subsidiary with its hose manufacturing business later this year to create an integrated hose unit.
Yokohama cited the rapidly expanding demand for high-pressure hose in China for construction vehicles and cars as a prime reason for the move, which will unite Yokohama hose operations in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and the U.S. under a common umbrella.
Titan to buy company stock
Titan International Inc. will enter a stock purchase agreement with Citicorp Venture Capital Ltd., allowing the tire and wheel maker to purchase about 4.9 million shares of Titan common stock for $15 million.
The agreement was incorporated with Quincy, Ill.-based Titan's 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 22.
CVC was formerly the largest Titan stockholder and a significant investor in the company since 1993, according to Maurice Taylor Jr., Titan CEO and president.
Rubber Division sponsors contest
The ACS Rubber Division is holding a contest to encourage its members to recruit others to join the association.
The ``Member-Get-A-Member'' contest will run through Oct. 8, and the winner will receive a trip for two to either of the division's 2005 meetings, in spring in San Antonio or fall in Pittsburgh. Each time a member recruits a new member, his or her name will be entered into the contest. The winner will be selected by a drawing during the association's fall meeting in Columbus, Ohio.
The prize includes roundtrip travel for two (up to $500 each on airfare); a hotel room; and meeting registration. For more information, visit the division's Web site at www.rubber.org.
NATG completes private placement
North American Technologies Group Inc. has completed a private placement of $2.5 million worth of Series BB convertible preferred stock to Crestview Capital Master L.L.C.
Proceeds will be used to support accelerated expansion of NATG's TieTek L.L.C. subsidiary and to pursue strategic opportunities and possible acquisitions. TieTek makes composite railroad cross-ties from scrap tires and recycled plastics.
In brief
Sartomer Co. has launched a Chinese-language Web site at www.sartomer.com.cn and has published a technical brochure in that language about its specialty chemicals...Hanse Chemie A.G. is the exclusive European distributor for Noveon Inc.'s Hycar reactive liquid polymer products...Firestone Building Products Co. has redesigned its Web site-www.firestonebpco.com-to offer roofing contractors, specifiers and owners easier access to updated product and technical information for the company's full line of roofing systems...The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, the governing body that rules Formula One racing, is proposing naming a single tire supplier to the international racing series starting in 2008.