Latest news with #Goodyear
Forbes
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
100 Years Of The Goodyear Blimp – How A Unique Branding Tool Has Stood The Test Of Time
At the Le Mans 24 hour race, the Goodyear blimp was a familiar feature in the sky This year marks 100 years since the first Goodyear blimp took to the skies. The brand is, of course, most well known for its tire ranges but its branded blimp has become a staple at motorsport events over the past century. Underlining its importance for the brand, it was a near permanent fixture above the 24 Hours of Le Mans last weekend. After featuring at Le Mans for the first time in 1973, Goodyear brought its only Europe-based blimp to the iconic endurance event. Luca Andreoni, Senior Manager Marketing Communications Strategy at Goodyear said: 'The Goodyear blimp is a historical icon and it's a great branding tool both internally and for motorsports enthusiasts because it goes beyond what we normally do.' The blimp is as long as two and a half blue whales While Andreoni admits you could ask what the connection between the tire brand and the blimp is, he explains it's part of the company's historical DNA and global presence. He added: 'The blimp is an icon of innovation as well, even if it's obsolete in a way, it projects what we have been and what we want to be.' This historical reflection on the significance of the technology at the time is not to be underestimated. Although the interior and area where the pilot and copilot sit looks super high tech, it's easy to imagine how mind blowing this form of flying would have been 100 years ago. Huge technological breakthroughs are often overlooked as soon as they are surpassed by the next generation of innovations but it's great to see the blimp being preserved in this way. What Is It Like Inside The Goodyear Blimp? Up front with the pilot and copilot In comparison to the blimp's huge 75m long upper structure, the passenger compartment is much smaller with room for just 14 passengers and two pilots. One of the strangest parts is that the blimp has opening windows. There's no chance you could fall out of them but it still feels surreal to stand right next to an open window when you're 1000ft in the air. Despite its size, the blimp is impressively agile. It climbs to cruising height quickly and makes tighter turns than you'd expect. Although there's nothing else in the sky like it, bizarrely, the blimp feels most closely related to a helicopter. How Does The Goodyear Blimp Fly? Although the blimp is huge, it doesn't need many crew to operate The blimp's upper section is filled with helium to help it float. In the past airships like Zeppelins and blimps used hydrogen but for obvious fiery reasons, helium is now the preferred option. Helium alone is not enough to move the airship though, Goodyear's blimps are equipped with three four-cylinder 200 hp engines, one on either side and one at the rear. These power propellers which are used to direct the blimp and help it to gain altitude. Typically, a blimp will fly at around 1000ft, no higher than the top of the Eiffel Tower but it can reach up to 10,000ft. Since the cabin is not pressurised, this is the maximum altitude it would be able to reach. When it comes to max speed, it's not particularly quick at 78mph but it makes for a nice cruising pace with plenty of time to look down on iconic tracks like Le Mans. Looking down at the track from the blimp Thanks to its design, the blimp can fly for a maximum of 22 hours, so no wonder it's ideally suited to endurance race appearances. Although the airship is as long as two and a half blue whales, just three ground crew can help the pilot to land and secure the blimp. How Many Goodyear Blimps Exist? Goodyear commissioned four blimp replicas as part of its global branding campaigns. Three are permanently based in America while the other is operated by Zeppelin in Europe. The blimp has become an iconic symbol for Goodyear Years on from the blimp's first Le Mans appearance, both motorsports and strong branding remain important messages for Goodyear. Andreoni said: 'Motorsports has been part of our DNA since the very beginning but it's more than that, it's about how we make the connection between the business and motorsports. There's a lot of effort put into that. Just for Le Mans, we have 8,000 tires and 41 out of 60 cars competing with our tires. 'Endurance racing is the perfect platform to demonstrate the fact that you can be consistent throughout the entire life cycle of the product. In real life, as a driver, you need a tire that is safe and performs from the very first mile until the end. We are trying to shape the products of the future by always pushing the boundaries. Racing serves that purpose and helps us to be at the forefront of innovation.'
The South African
3 days ago
- Business
- The South African
Government wants to intervene in latest factory closure
Government and trade unions are hosting urgent talks after another major factory closure in South Africa was announced. Specifically, the Goodyear tyre factory in Kariega, Eastern Cape, will be shutting its doors. In the face of cheap Chinese imports and uncompetitive energy and transport costs, the multinational company sees no other option but factory closure. However, within the context of rising unemployment in the province, industry stakeholders believe an economic disaster is looming. Once considered the heart of South Africa's manufacturing sector, the Eastern Cape's unemployment rate now sits at 49%. The level of unemployment in the province is so worrying, Stats SA highlighted as much in its latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2025. Above-inflation increases to energy and transport costs are making tyre manufacture in South African unviable. Image: Pexels Nevertheless, the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) hopes to intervene to prevent the factory closure, reports BusinessTech . Besides the factory closure itself, the DTIC worries about secondary industries dependent on the plant. 900 potential job losses don't account for the likes of catering, cleaning, security, and corporate investment initiatives. Similar to interventions to prevent steel giant ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) from shutting down, government hopes to find a solution. However, this is provided the company is willing to cooperate. So far, the multinational has remained silent on the matter, saying it only wants to 'optimise its footprint in South Africa.' As such, the closure forms part of a broader streamlining operation across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The factory closure is part of a broader restructuring and may not be reversible. Image: File Former South African ambassador to Japan, Smuts Ngonyama, urged government to intervene. He stressed that the plant's continued operation is vital not just for the region's economy but also for the dignity and livelihoods of its workers. Meanwhile, labour unions have also raised concerns with the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU). 'These decisions will deepen poverty, accelerate migration, and destroy any hope of economic transformation in the Eastern Cape,' warned the unions. Only time will tell if the company's commitment to global transformation will stymie any efforts to reverse this decision. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Goodyear Blimp flies over Kingston
Ottawa Watch The Goodyear Blimp is flying over Kingston as the company celebrates the airship's 100th anniversary. CTV's Jack Richardson reports.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Goodyear Blimp flies over Kingston, Ont. to celebrate 100th year
The Goodyear Blimp taking off in Kingston, Ont. June 17, 2025. (Jack Richardson/CTV News Ottawa). The Goodyear Blimp is flying over Kingston, Ont. Tuesday as the company celebrates the airship's 100th anniversary. It made the journey from Akron, Ohio with a pit stop in Watertown, N.Y. before arriving in Kingston on Monday. 'It's one of three airships that are in North America for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber company,' said Jerry Hissem, the blimp's chief pilot. The nearly 75-metre-long blimp is taking groups of employees that work at the Goodyear Tire plant in Napanee for rides throughout the day. 'It's exciting for us as well,' said Hissem. 'We like to take our associates up for a flight for all the great (work) they do for the company.' Kylie Hinch has worked at the plant for 26 years and says the trip on the blimp was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Goodyear Blimp The Goodyear Blimp in Kingston, Ont. on June 17, 2025. (Jack Richardson/CTV News Ottawa) Goodyear Blimp The view of Kingston, Ont. from the Goodyear Blimp (Kylie Hirsh/Provided) Goodyear Blimp Two employees from the Goodyear plant in Napanee, Ont. after riding in the blimp. June 17, 2025. (Jack Richardson/CTV News Ottawa) 'Going up in the blimp was unbelievable,' Hinch said. 'To actually be on it is something you could never imagine.' Hinch explains that the views of Kingston and Lake Ontario from inside the blimp were unforgettable. The blimp is taking 10 trips total on Tuesday, according to Hissem.
The Citizen
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Trade policies past and present haunt South African industry
South Africa's past export subsidies hurt neighbours; today, global trade and weak infrastructure return the blow to local businesses. You have to hand it to Donald Trump: his 'Liberation Day' rampage on imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike focused the attention on international trade and its positives and negatives. If your country has a high-cost or low-productivity labour system – or both – you're always going to be vulnerable to those other nations that can produce the same goods cheaper. That's where tariffs come in: to protect a country – preserving businesses and jobs. If a company cannot compete with imported goods, then import duties and taxes will raise the prices of its competitors to the point where the playing field will be artificially levelled. On the other hand, governments can boost their exporters by putting in place subsidies, whether hidden or open. It is widely thought, in the West for example, that Chinese car exporters, particularly, are able to export their vehicles at comparatively low prices because of government support for businesses domestically. That's the main reason other Chinese products are gradually putting well-known names out of business – the latest being the planned closure of the Goodyear tyre factory in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro in the Eastern Cape. More than 900 workers have been hit with Section 189 retrenchment notices. Chinese competition is a major threat to local businesses, especially those in manufacturing… but it is hardly the only reason many industrialists are throwing in the towel. ALSO READ: Trump tariffs created unprecedented uncertainty — trade expert Nelson Mandela Bay, like many other towns and cities in South Africa, suffers from an ongoing collapse of services and infrastructure. In addition, the backlogs at ports in this country mean exporting is not a quick or simple process. Ironically, back in the '90s, long before the mainland Chinese exporters got a toehold in Africa, companies in this country help destroy industries in our neighbouring countries, thanks to subsidies introduced by Pretoria. Under the General Export Incentive Scheme (GEIS) of the early '90s, SA exporters were able to take full advantage of the end of trade restrictions which followed the release of Nelson Mandela. Subsidised South African exports of tyres, for example, forced the collapse and closure of the Dunlop tyre operation in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Battery exports did the same thing to factories in that city. Zimbabwe's David Whitehead Textiles, one of the biggest clothing makers in sub-Saharan Africa, was similarly affected. In many cases, Zimbabwean companies were hit by a double South African whammy: subsidised competitors entering their home markets and tariffs on their exports to South Africa. ALSO READ: 'We want to see Nigerian products on shelves of SA shops' – Ramaphosa [VIDEO] Again, ironically, Chinese imports later forced many of our clothing manufacturers to close. And now, a tyre factory has closed, too. I wonder what the jobless people in Bulawayo would say… Again, the irony is that many South Africans believe Robert Mugabe single-handedly destroyed Zimbabwe's economy and accelerated the flight of economic migrants to a better life south of the Limpopo. But, he had a little help… The GEIS-fuelled assault on our African neighbours was only the start: businesses, from Checkers to MTN set up shop across Africa, often squeezing out local competition because of their sophistication and financial backing. SA business did more damage to the countries of the former 'Front-line States' in five years than the apartheid defence force did in a decade. Trade can be a powerful weapon.
