Bellow is the highlight of latest news from the tire industry: Yokohama / Chelsea Michelin / Anglian Water Bridgestone Mitas A-rated run flat Marangoni Pirelli/ChemChina Spanish tire struggle
English football team Chelsea and its manager Jose Mourhino continue to mis-fire, both on and off the pitch, but three-year sponsor Yokohama Rubber is remaining loyal. The Japanese tire maker has launched a tire called the BluEarth-A AE50 Chelsea FC Edition with the Blues logo on the sidewall. It is being released gradually in Europe, Asia and South America. In the UK, Anglian Water and Michelin have marked a five-year drive to ensure tires are maintained at the correct pressure across its 4,000 employees vehicles. A sample of nearly 100 cars and vans inspected by Michelin in the latest study found average tire pressures accurate to within less than 0.1 per cent across the fleet. Under-inflation averaged 15.2 percent in 2011, cutting tire-life by up to 10 percent.
Bridgestone Americas Inc. has agreed to buy Philadelphia-based tire retailer/auto service provider Pep Boys Manny, Moe & Jack for about $835m. Bridgestone and Pep Boys are two leading companies that share a proud heritage in the American automotive services industry, said Gary Garfield, CEO and president of Bridgestone Americas.
Czech tire-maker Mitas AS has begun field testing its PneuTrac hybrid agricultural tire/track concept and anticipates being able to launch it commercially by year-end 2017. The tire is designed to offer a 53-percent larger footprint and more than double the lateral stability of a standard ag tires. Barcelona-based Membat has gained an A rating in the EU tire labelling scheme, for its Passion run flat tire, which is designed run deflated at 80 km/hour for 50km. The tire is claimed to have the best performance in wet grip on the market, with a braking distance on wet roads of 18 meters.
Marangoni Commercial Tyres has added the super-single MT National 3 to its Marix range of hot retreaded truck tires. Currently available in 385/65R22,5, it is designed for regional and long-distance transport, including trailers and semitrailers. Features include a tread profile with four wide longitudinal grooves for directional stability, even on ice, and a compound that enables the tire to work at lower temperatures in conditions of use likely to cause overheating.
Pirelli s board has nominated ChemChina chairman Ren Jianxin to be chairman of Pirelli. He is to succeed Marco Tronchetti Provera, who has resigned in the wake of ChemChina s acquisition of majority control of Pirelli. (Tire Business)
Membat has gained an A rating in the EU tire labelling scheme, for its Passion run flat tire, which is designed run deflated at 80 km/hour for 50km. Barcelona-based Membat claims the run flat has the best performance in wet grip on the market, with a braking distance on wet roads of 18 meters. As well as a reinforced sidewall, the tire bead is said to firmly hold the tire on the wheel flange, avoiding tire-bead separation from the wheel, while the rubber compound and tire cord allows it to resist temperature-rise.
Pirelli has been chosen by Bentley for OE fitment on its SUV model, Bentayga, which has been described as the world s fastest SUV car. In a video release by Bentley, the Bentayga is shown reaching its top speed, 301kph, on 22-inch Pirelli tires, specifically 285/40ZR22 (110Y) XL P Zero(B). Pirelli announced on 21 Oct that it also supplies other tire sizes for the Bentley Bentayga including 20-inch and 21-inch.
Spanish authorities are struggling to dispose of five million tires dumped on a site close to a housing development north of Toledo, according to a report in The Guardian newspaper, Some 90 kilotonnes of tires, it said, have been dumped there since 2002, covering 117,000 square metres on the Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha regional boundaries.
Bridgestone Corp. plans to invest $250 million through 2018 to strengthen its corporate research and development facilities in Japan, a move that will involve relocating radial passenger and light truck tire production out of the Tokyo plant to other Japanese factories. The project will involve consolidating all research offices and laboratories, including biotechnology and raw material development, at the Kodaira City complex in Tokyo.
In China, Triangle Tyre is to invest further in global brand-building as well as R&D, according to company officials at a recent summit organised by the company in Weihai, Shandong Province. The summit, which was held in September, was attended by over 400 industry experts from companies, including Caterpillar, Lanxess, Bekaert and VMI. At the event, chairman of the Triangle Group, Ding Yuhua said the company was transforming from a local to a global outfit.
Bridgestone has secured a fleet deal with Maxi Haulage supplying tires from its Bourn, UK retreading facilities, the tire maker said 13 Oct. It linked the deal to its efforts to maximise tire-life as well as to the performance of its retreading facilities in Bourne, Lincolnshire. There were several key drivers for adopting a Bridgestone new and retread tire policy for our fleet, but ultimately it was a combination of the performance of a premium Bridgestone new tire, complimented by the Bandag retread offering, said Maxi Haulage fleet engineer Steve Sugden. Read more[1]
Yokohama Rubber has made new advances in tire aerodynamics technology that control the air flow around tires in motion. According to a Yokohama release on 15 Oct, the new technology could reduce vehicle aerodynamic drag and lift. Its application could lead to the development of new tires that raise fuel efficiency and increase vehicle safety. The technology, it said, controls aerodynamic flow throughout the vehicle body by using a new fin shape and placement technique that puts fins at angles near the tire s shoulder.
Hankook Tire Europe has introduced its new winter tire Winter i*cept RS2 as part of the company s new Winter i*cept generation. The tire, Winter i*cept RS2, said the company, is optimised for the moderate winter conditions in central and western Europe and is already market available. The directional V-shaped tread design features 28 percent more pitches as well as increased groove and block edge length, which lead to enhanced traction on snow-covered surfaces. Read more[2]
Eccles, Manchester-based haulier Olivers Transport has hit a new record-high mileage of 362,689km on a set of Michelin X MultiWay 3D XDE drive tires in its fleet. The four 295/80 R 22.5 X MultiWay 3D XDE tires, which had been regrooved, were removed from a DAF 6 2 tractor unit used regularly on a return trip from the company s Scotland base to Birmingham, said a Michelin press release on 7 Oct. The DAF tractor, said Olivers Transport fleet engineer Kevin Hawker, pulled a double-deck curtainsider trailer to Birmingham and back, double-manned. When we removed the tire set during routine brake maintenance there was still 3mm usable tread on them, which would have been good for another 5,000-6,000km, he added.
Cooper Tire Europe has launched three new tires, including SUV and off-the-road tires.The company announced on 7 Oct that it had unveiled an all new Zeon CS8 to replace its Zeon CS6 with new tread pattern and technological features.The new tread pattern designed with large circumferential grooves that clear water quickly and efficiently from the contact patch to reduce aquaplaning in the wet. Read more[3]
Making good on a strategic initiative announced three years ago, Continental AG is preparing to roll out a range of OTR tires before year-end designed for use in the construction and earthmover segments. Conti disclosed in November 2012 that it intended to broaden its industrial tire business into the larger OTR earthmoving and mining tire sectors as part of its growth strategy through 2025. It renamed its Industrial Tires business unit Commercial Specialty Tires (CST) to reflect the change. Read more[4]
Yokohama s W.drive V905 winter tire, sold primarily in Europe, achieved very high scores in winter tire tests conducted by Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC), according to the Japanese tire-maker. W.drive V905 s overall score placed it in the top two of 19 recently tested tires, said Yokohama in a statement on 6 Oct. The tire received the highest possible score for dry-road performance and good scores for its performance on wet and snow-covered roads, it added. Read more[5]
Continental Winter Contact TS 850 has come out on top in German magazine Auto Zeitung s winter tire test, closely followed by Nokian s WR D4. According to Auto Zeitung, Winter Contact TS 850 especially outperformed other competitors on snowy and wet surfaces with extremely short braking distances, a high level of grip and excellent driving safety. The magazine added that the only drawback was a mediocre rolling resistance. Nokian s WRD4 also received an overall strong rating of very recommendable by the German magazine, standing out due to its short braking distances and strong traction . On dry road tests, it said, Nokian WR D4 outperformed all other tires, while on wet it displayed good deceleration and late aquaplaning. The magazine described the tire as agile at the grip limits with steering behaviour immediate and direct .
Michelin Premier LTX has outperformed its two other rivals in an independent test of crossover/SUV all-season tires in the US. According to tire tester Tire Rack, it evaluated three of the newest tires in the category: the Kumho Crugen Premium, the Michelin Premier LTX and the Yokohama Geolandar G055. The tires were mounted, at full tread depth, on the 18 8.0 wheels of a 2016 Porsche V6 Cayenne and evaluated on Tire Rack s own test track and along a six-mile road loop. Read more[6]
The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tire and the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 non-studded winter tire have won out in tire tests by Finnish motoring magazine Tekniikan Maailma and the biggest Russian magazine Za Rulem. Nokian Tyres studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 also came out on top in the comparison test by motoring magazine Tuulilasi, the Finnish tire-maker announced. So far, it added, both Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 have achieved over 20 first places in motoring magazine tests published around the world.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has awarded Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd a contract to supply Falken-brand tires for 2016 Chrysler 200 models destined for export. FCA will fit the export-designate Chrysler 200s with Falken Ziex ZE914 Ecorun radials in size 215/55R17, according to Rancho Cucamonga-based Falken Tire Corp., Sumitomo s US sales subsidiary for the Falken brand.
Nexen Tire Corp. has won the outstanding quality performance award at a suppliers award ceremony by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). The award is given to companies for outstanding plants for manufacturing quality products among global suppliers. This year Nexen s plants in Changnyeong and Yangsan, South Korea, were recognised.
Hankook Tire has launched a new tire brand Laufenn on the European market during the Frankfort motor show (Internationale Automobil Ausstellung IAA), currently underway in the German city. According to Hankook, the new line-up of Laufenn products, to be available as of spring 2016, was developed especially for the European market needs, said the tire-maker, adding that company s European technical centre (ETC) in Hanover, Germany, played a vital role in the tire s development. It [Laufenn] will grow as a sustainable brand of our company with our strategic efforts to meet the diverse needs of consumers in this market, said Ho-Youl Pae, Head of Hankook Tire Europe, adding that the company intended to invest in the brand and make it a market player in Europe.
Yokohama Rubber Co s Advan Sport V105 tires have been selected by Daimler AG as original equipment for Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class models, the Japanese tire-maker announced on 10 Sept. The tires, which are part of YRC s Advan series made for high-powered cars, will be offered in sizes 235/60R18 103V and 235/55R19 101V.The tires will bear Daimler s official stamps of approval, with MO , said the announcement. Yokohama tires have been designated as original equipment on Mercedes-Benz models, including the S-Class, G-Class, E-Class Coupe, C-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, SLK-Class, B-Class, GLA-Class, and the A-Class. Korean tire maker Kumho is a unveil a tire developed for electric vehicles (EVs) at the IAA motorshow, being held 17-27 Sept in Frankfurt. The Wattrun tire is 25 percent lighter than other EV tires on the market and exhibits excellent braking on wet roads and a low noise level, Kumho announced 8 Sept. Also on display will be new run-flat tires with enhanced safety features, and self-sealing-tires that prevent air leakage in the event of a puncture.
Michelin Agricultural Tires has launched four new tires for tractors, sprayers, harvesting equipment and large implements during the Farm Progress show in Decatur, Illinois on 1-3 Sept. All the tire models feature Michelin Ultraflex Technology, which enables tires to operate at up to 40 percent lower air pressure compared to standard radial tires. This, it said, will result in a larger footprint for reduced soil compaction and higher yields. According to Michelin, a recent Harper Adams University study has revealed that using Ultraflex tires, compared to standard radial tires, could help achieve a 4-percent yield increase.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has begun delivering Falken brand Ziex ZE914 Ecorun high-performance tires to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for OE fitment on its new model Chrysler 200. According to a press release by SRI, the tires will strike a balance between fuel efficiency, stable steering performance and wear resistance. Ziex ZE914 Ecorun will be outfitted on vehicles made in America for export. US-based Cooper Tire is looking to increase its presence in the Middle East, sponsoring the 2015 Dubai Motor Show slated for November. According to Drive Arabia, Cooper Tire Europe s managing director Jeff Schumaker said at a press conference that the next 12 months would be hugely important as the company tries to make its mark in the Middle East. Cooper Tire already supplies tires to the region, including off-road tires.
Yokohama s Avid S34 has been selected as original equipment on Mazda s new compact crossover SUV, Mazda CX-3, in the North American market, the Japanese tire-maker announced 28 Aug. Two tire sizes are being supplied: P215/60R16 94H and P215/50R18 92V. The Avid 34 is an all-season passenger car tire with features from the company s BluEartch concept, such as being environmentally, human and socially friendly , said Yokohama, adding that the tire contributed to higher fuel efficiency with high drivability and safety levels. Yokohama also announced that its Advan Sport V105 had been selected as original equipment on the new Mazda MX-5 two-seater convertible sports car. The supplied tire size is 195/50R16 84V.
Michelin Americas Truck Tires, part of Michelin North America, has launched its Michelin X Multi Energy D Pre-Mould retread for regional and emerging super-regional applications. Complementing the previously launched Michelin X Multi Energy D drive tire, the SmartWay-verified retread will deliver 25 percent longer tread life than competitive retreads, said Michelin in a press release on 27 Aug. In addition to that, the tire-maker said that the retread is also guaranteed for a second retread when retreaded on a Michelincasing (Michelin on Michelin) by Michlelin retreated technologies (MRT) dealers.
In the UK, Hankook has launched a new courtesy car scheme across its UK retail network, the Korean tire-maker announcd on 28 Aug. Dual-branded Hyundai i10s with low running costs have been given to a selection of retailers across the UK over a two year period to be used as a courtesy car whilst also effectively advertising their services when out on the road in the local area. Marketing activities such as the courtesy car scheme are an integral part of the company s marketing strategy in the region to ensure we continue to increase our brand presence and demonstrate commitment and support to our retailers, said Jon Jing Park, managing director at Hankook Tyre UK.
BFGoodrich Commercial Truck Tires is extending its warranty offered for its commercial truck tires and casings, effective on claims filed on or after 1 Sept, the company announced on 25 Aug. Warranty coverage against defects in workmanship and materials for all BFGoodrich commercial truck tires will now extend to the life of the original tread or five years from the date of manufacture, whichever occurs first, the tire maker said, adding that the move reflected the brand s proven performance . Date of manufacture is based on the original DOT number moulded on the tire sidewall.
ERJ s sister publication Tire Business has contributed to this report.
References
^ Read more (www.european-rubber-journal.com)
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