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Rubber Company after the death of the company’s founder, Robert Purcell Sr. in 1970. Today, Purcell is the largest off-road vehicle tyre- retreading company and is among the largest independent tyre chains in the United States.
“Induction into the TIA Hall of Fame where she will join other great names in the tyre industry is a fitting tribute to the woman responsible for the operation of our company for more than four decades,” according to a spokesman for Purcell Tire & Rubber Company. “Juanita Purcell has been a pioneer in the tyre and auto service industry, so she richly deserves this
honour.”
While her husband, Bob, travelled the country to oversee the company’s growing retail and mine locations, as well as the expansion of its retread plants, Juanita Purcell focused on directing the operations of Purcell Tire from its corporate headquarters. Juanita Purcell continues overseeing company operations which has made her a role model for other women in the tyre industry. She has taken an active role in mentoring other women by devoting considerable time and energies to teach them what she has learned about this unique business.
Lottridge, is three million units per year.
Lottridge has also determined that pricing for the tyres will be per rim size. Discounts from dealer to
retailer will be up to 40 per cent, and from retailer to wholesale will be up to 25 per cent . Source: Tire Review
Jeff Young, vice president, OTR & Retread Products Division, Rema Tip Top/North America Inc.
Green Arc Seeks Clients
Rema Tip Top/North America Inc. is widening its offering into the OTR sector with the formation of an OTR & Retread Products Division and a line of heat-cure tyre repair materials.
The new product line features radial and bias heat-cure, uncured and clothback tyre repair unit options.
“After much research and development, we are confident our new line of OTR repair materials and cements will be as well accepted as our other Rema Tip Top products,” said Olaf Gunnarsson, president, Rema Tip Top/North America.
The company has named Jeff Young as vice president of the division.
Mr. Young said that Rema saw the OTR niche market as a profitable endeavour.
The complete line of OTR products will include tyre repair units and cements, cushion gums, repair cords,
extruder rope and environmentally friendly Rema Aquas water-base cement.
The products will be produced at Rema’s 155,000- sq.-ft. Madison, Georgia, plant. The plant also handles calendering, extruding, mixing and compounding.
Mr. Young declined to provide Rema’s capital outlay in the new division but said it was “a substantial investment.”This move represents a substantial investment for Rema Tip Top. The company has long provided chemical-cure materials and is now launching into the production of heat-cure materials, he said. “We have developed our product line with the assistance of some of the major dealers in the OTR and retreading markets,” said Mr. Young. “With their input we are confident the products we are bringing to market will not be matched.”
Len Lottridge, of Prema Canada, along with several partners are about to launch Green Arc Tires Manufacturing Inc., a passenger, SUV and LT tyre hot cure retreading facility. The group is seeking interested businesses looking for retreaded passenger tyres. According to Lottridge, $37 million in funding has been secured and a 400,000 sq. ft. site has been chosen for the facility in St. Marys, Ontario. Lottridge noted that one
remoulded tyre far less competitive. Today, domestic and off-shore pricing is significantly more expensive. Green Arc Tires says it will be exceedingly competitive. Since 70 – 80 per cent of the value of a tyre is in the casing, Green Arc is able to produce a remoulded tyre at a fraction of the material cost of a new tyre.”
Equipment for the facility comes from Italy’s Marangoni, while the non-destructive tyre test equipment
Rema Opens OTR/Retread Division
Green Arc’s Len Lottridge shows the quality of the remoulded Green Arc tyre
requirement is yet to be met – non- binding expressions of interest from potential customers.
“A little over 25 years ago passenger tyre remolding disappeared almost completely when the change over from bias to radial was complete,” explained Lottridge. “The equipment to remould radial passenger tyres is completely different than that for bias passenger tyres and considerably more expensive. Almost all passenger remoulders exited the business.
“Also, at that time, the cost difference between a new tyre and a remoulded tyre was a lot less than today. The introduction of less expensive Asian and other off-shore new passenger tyres made a
will be sourced from Germany. Tread, sidewall and other rubbers will be supplied by AirBoss of Kitchener Installation. Testing and training for the first wave of equipment will take about two months.
Initially winter tyres will be produced, Lottridge said. All-season tyres will be produced as demand and production capability exists. “While we expect to replace some new tyre sales with Green Arc Tires, we fully expect that most sales will be to new customers who will now be able to afford a set of 4 winter passenger tyres,” noted Lottridge. Production rates for this first stage are projected to reach 1.2 million units by the end of year. The ultimate goal, according to
14 Retreading Business