Magazine for the professional tire industry
Issue link: https://mtd.epubxp.com/i/630954
MTD January 2016 Facts section: then and now (Above) From July 1969: RMA proposes foolproof tire ID system! Due to "government squawking" about poor tire recall results, the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) pulled the wraps off a new tire identifcation system aimed at supplementing tire identifcation and defect notifcation. An ID program was proposed that uses an alpha-numerical code molded into the sidewall to indicate the week of production, the manufacturer, the plant in which the tire was pro- duced, and the tire size and type. "This, coupled with a computerized storage of records, should supply ample information to enable an almost foolproof recall program," MTD observed. The industry is still grappling with the best way to handle tire recalls. The "Tire Effciency, Safety, and Registration Act of 2015" recently made tire registration mandatory once again. See "No timeline for tire registration" on page 8. (Left) From June 1959: From Tires TBA Merchandising to Modern Tire Dealer! Although Booth's frst cartoon appeared in our magazine the month he was hired by our company, April 1959, his frst cover illustration was in June 1959 when the publication changed its name from Tires TBA Merchandising to Modern Tire Dealer (the magazine for the TBA dealer and retreader). MTD was being produced on Third Avenue in New York City at the time, later moving to what was referred to as the "Rubber Capital of the World," Akron, Ohio. (Above) From January 1972: 1972 should be a real ground gainer! Industry leaders predicted record-breaking tire shipments and in many cases, record-breaking capital expenditures for 1972. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. was forecasting a 5% increase in pas- senger tire shipments and a 6% increase in truck and bus tires. The company planned to spend $300 million on capital improvements. Russell DeYoung, the company's chairman, was concerned about imports which "will exceed exports by about 6 million." Sound familiar? Executives from Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and BFGoodrich Tire expected a banner year, too. Estimates for all types of pneu- matic tires ranged from 212.3 million units to 237 million units. Compare this with 2015's 251.5 million units shipped (see page 46). 34