News from Notch Consulting, Inc.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association, the national trade association for tire manufacturers that produce tires in the U.S., announced a relaunch under the new banner of the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA). In addition to the new banner, USTMA unveiled its newly designed and rebranded website, USTires, and released new economic impact figures detailing the industry’s impact on job creation and the U.S. economy overall.

Here’s the full press release.

As Rubber News reports, the USTMA will have a social media presence through Facebook and Twitter. “Rebranding is not just a matter of changing your name,” said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and CEO. “By raising the industry’s profile, we can be a more influential voice.”

Goodyear is planning to cease tire production at its 50-year-old plant in Philippsburg, Germany, by July 31, five months earlier than had been announced previously.

The Philippsburg plant is one of six factories Goodyear operates in Germany, all of which have passenger tire capacity.

As Tire Business reports, about a year after it was due to open, Bridgestone is planning the ceremonial opening May 25 for its first plant in Russia.

Located in the Zavolzhye industrial zone in Ulyanovosk Oblas, Russia, the plant represents a $375 million investment and its capacity is expected to reach around 12,000 units a day in 2018.

The plant is Bridgestone’s ninth tire factory in Europe and 48th worldwide.

Nokian Tyres announced it is investing $360 million to build its first North American plant in Rhea County, Tennessee. Nokian Tyres will break ground on the Dayton, TN plant in early 2018 with production launching in 2020.

Here’s the full press release.

Artist rendering of Nokian Tyres plant.

Less than a month after inaugurating its state-of-the-art plant in Gyongyoshalasz, Hungary, Apollo Tyres Ltd. will relocate its U.S. headquarters from Metuchen, N.J. to Atlanta, Georgia. The move becomes effective June 1.

At the plant opening, Neeraj Kanwar, Apollo’s vice chairman and managing director, said his firm would turn its attention to increasing its presence in North America. As part of a five-year plan, Kanwar hopes to create a market and brand. Then the next step is “setting up a tire factory,” he said.

Apollo will use the Vredestein passenger tire brand as its main U.S. product.