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NORTH AMERICA NEWS
Tech Wins President’s E-Star Award for Excellence in Exporting
Ragan Group Buys Miller Bros. Giant Tire
Tech International has received the President’s E-Star Award for Excellence in Exporting.
Acting U.S. Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank presented the award, which is the highest recognition a U.S. company can receive for continued superior performance in increasing or promoting the expansion of exports.
The award was presented on May 20 at a ceremony at the Department of Commerce. Dan Layne, president of Tech International, and Nikki Layne, board member, attended the
before the other 57 winners in attendance at the ceremony.
History of the “E” Awards:
During World War II, more than 4,000 “E Pennants” were presented to war plants in recognition of production excellence. The famous flag with the big “E” emblazoned on it became a badge of patriotism in action.
President Kennedy revived the World War II “E” symbol of excellence to honour and provide recognition to
North Carolina's Ragan Group is buying Irmo, S.C.-based Miller Bros. Giant Tire Inc., which specialises in industrial and OTR tyres.
The deal is expected to be completed by the end of 2013. Increasing competition in the OTR industry sector drove the two companies to evaluate new opportunities, the companies said in a statement.
RDH Tire and Retread Co., owned jointly by Brad Ragan Jr. of the Ragan Group and Homer Huskins, has supplied Miller
Bros. Giant Tire with its tyre retread needs for many years, and has had a nearly 30-year relationship.
The Ragan Group assumed financial and management responsibilities of Miller Bros. on June 1. The new Miller Bros. Giant Tire management team will be led by Ty Smith, newly appointed general manager.
TRIB Selects Two New Members for Board
of Directors
The Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB) has announced that two members were selected to join its Board of Directors following the scheduled end of terms for two existing Board members. The new Board Members who officially started on May 1st are:
- Mel Mitchell, Vice President of Manufacturing, Colony Tire Corporation
- Ken Samborsky, OTR Plant Operation Coordinator, Kal Tire "Mel and Ken are two great additions to our Board and further round out a 16-strong Board that fully represents the retread and repair industries," said TRIB President Brian Hayes. "I look forward to working with them on the TRIB Board. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Bob Majewski and Garry Heintschel for their dedication and service to the TRIB Board over the years".
Company executives along with family members are shown at the Herbert C. Hoover building in Washington DC shortly after receiving the award from Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Dr. Rebecca Blank. From left, Hannah Layne, Harlie Layne, Tech International’s Marketing Manager Carol Rice, Company President Dan Layne, Director Nikki Layne and Master Daniel Layne.
ceremony.
Tech International, based in Johnstown, Ohio, is a world leader in manufacturing tyre repair materials and chemical products. Tech is one of only two companies ever to have been awarded the President’s E-Star award twice. Tech was honoured in 1981 with the “E” Award and then in 1987 with the E-Star award.
Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Dr. Rebecca Blank, in her prepared remarks, mentioned this remarkable achievement of Tech International
America’s exporters.
The President’s “E” Award was created by Executive Order of the President on December 5, 1961, to afford suitable recognition to persons, firms, or organisations which contribute significantly in the effort to increase United States exports.
The President’s E-Star Award, which was authorised by the Secretary of Commerce on August 4, 1969, affords continuing recognition of noteworthy export promotion efforts.
Group Robert Bernard Opens Canadian Plant
Group Robert Bernard has opened a $3 million facility in Granby, Quebec, that is considered to be the largest Michelin Retread Technologies-licensed plant in Canada, as well as the only hybrid MRT facility there.
The 70,000-sq.-ft. operation in Granby Industrial Park replaces a plant about half that size the dealership had operated in nearby St-Paul d'Abbotsford, Quebec, since 2000.
Like the factory being replaced, the new plant is a hybrid MRT facility, incorporating both the MRT Pre- Mold precure and Custom-Mold mould-cure retread processes. Robert Bernard TRM Ltee., as the group's retreading division is known, was Michelin's first MRT licensee in Canada.
The new plant should be capable of producing up to 70,000 retreads a year.
12 Retreading Business