Welcome to the Monday edition of Modern Tire Dealer's e-News Hotwire. Today's top headline: tire company execs say placing duties on Chinese tire imports would make the products "non-competitive." We also look at new fitments for Bridgestone and Yokohama, plus other developments. The next edition of the MTD e-News Hotwire will be sent out on Thursday. Meanwhile, check out www.moderntiredealer.com. for continual updates.

An executive from a member of the American Coalition for Free Trade in Tires says the duties that the United States International Trade Commission wants to apply to certain consumer tire imports from China would make the tires "non-competitive."

Bridgestone Corp. is supplying BMW North America LLC with Bridgestone Dueler HP Sport RFT (run-flat tires) for the new 2009 BMW M automobiles.

The Yokohama ADVAN Sport tire has been selected as original equipment for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class car in three sizes: 205/55R16 91V, 225/45R17 91W and 245/40R17 91W.

Continental Tire North America Inc. has introduced its latest steer axle medium truck tire, the Continental HSU2.

The Tennessee/Kentucky Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (TKTDRA) will hold its annual Convention Aug. 7-8, 2009, at the Nashville Hilton Downtown in Nashville, Tenn.

Modern Tire Dealer received three medals for editorial excellence from the 18th International Automotive Media Awards (IAMA) competition.

Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT-Tyres) has added several new sizes to three of its farm tire lines.

Twelve percent of the nearly 1,400 companies that participated in the priority booth selection process for the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association Show secured more space than they originally intended.

Dan Guiney, Yokohama Tire Corp.’s director of technical services, has been appointed a member of the Tire Society’s advisory board.

Using its renewed Environmental Mission Statement as a guide, Bridgestone Corp. "will take further steps to enhance environmental management throughout its businesses," say Bridgestone officials.

Continental Tire North America Inc. has acquired the majority ownership of Compania Ecuatoriana del Caucho S.A. (ERCO), a leading consumer and commercial tire company in Latin America.

The Pirelli Group will invest $200 million dollars in its Santo André plant in Brazil. The investment is part of the company's 2009-2010 Industrial Plan.

Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. has established Falken Tyre Europe GmbH in Offenbach, Germany.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.’s 2006 decision to discontinue production of certain private brand tires represented a seismic shift for a segment of the market that has traditionally enjoyed a high degree of supplier-customer consistency and predictability.

Tires are billboards for consumer information. And if you think the nomenclature is overbearing now, wait until the California Energy Commission (CEC) completes its fuel efficient tire program assignment.

Setting a strong management methodology in motion, day after day, requires discipline, and that requires self-coaching.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, wants to put labels on passenger and light truck tires on behalf of consumers. Specifically, the new tire label would contain information on a tire’s fuel efficiency, tread wear and wet traction characteristics.

You would be hard-pressed to find a more positive person than Ricky Benton, owner of Black's Tire Service in Whiteville, N.C. Sure, he knows the economy is bad, but that isn't stopping him from pushing forward.

At one of the last tire dealerships I visited, there was a big puddle of green antifreeze shimmering in the parking lot in front of a service bay.