2009 - Page 128 of 205 - Tyrepress

Dunlop Adds New Sizes to Roadsmart Bike Tyre Range

Dunlop Motorcycle in the UK has announced that it has extended its popular Roadsmart tyre range. Created to meet the needs of all-weather, year-round riders on sports-touring, naked street bikes and supersport machines, the Roadsmart range has been extended to provide tyres for the increasingly popular large capacity trail bikes used for road riding. The tyre is now available in sizes 110/80 R19 (59V) and 150/70 R17 (69V) to be fitted on popular trail bikes for road use.

Lisa Faulkner, motorcycle manager, UK and Ireland stated, “We’re very happy to be able to bring the Roadsmart range to even more riders. Large capacity trail bikes have become an increasingly popular choice for road use, Roadsmart is one of the best all round tyres and it was only natural that we would develop a tyre for these bikes.”

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Introduces Specialist Superbike Qualifying Tyre

Pirelli has developed a new “qualifying tyre” for the Italian track, with the specific aim of reducing lap times and enhancing the spectacle of Superpole action. The tyre will be given non-permanent white “long P” markings and yellow lines have been imprinted on the tyre’s surface, which will reveal the strategy of teams and riders to motor-racing fans looking on.

Pirelli presented the new 200mm tyre at the first Italian round of the Superbike World Championship. It is unique to Monza, being equal in measurement, profile and structure to Pirelli’s race tyres for this circuit. Giorgio Barbier commented, “We continue to put forth significant efforts in developing additional tyre options available to every rider of the Superbike and Supersport grid, and we are satisfied with all the results, including this new qualifying tyre which guarantees more excitement and visibility into the strategies of each team during Superpole for all spectators, both live and on television.”

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Purcell Buys Goodyear OTR Retread Business

In the USA, Goodyear Tire & Rubber is exiting the OTR tyre retreading business, selling the assets of its operation to Purcell Tire & Rubber. Purcell plans to move the operations and equipment – located Salisbury, North Carolina, and Winona, Minnesota – to its Potosi, Missouri base. Purcell already has five retread plants in the western US and some 60 retrail and commercial tyre centers.

“This should be a shot in the arm for our Missouri operations,” Purcell executive president Keith Butcher told the St Louis Business Journal. Goodyear will continue to operate its commercial truck tyre retreading operations. (Tire Review/Akron)

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti, Marangoni Tie Up on Retread Plan

Under a new agreement, Marangoni Tread North America will produce custom pre-cure retreading stock for Continental Tire North America. The new ContiTread will features the same rubber compounding, tread designs and fuel-saving technologies as new Continental tyres, said CTNA, and will be
available to fleets in the US and Canada. In addition, CTNA and Marangoni are working to establish “a total retreading business model” for dealers that will “include setups of retread operations with Marangoni equipment, and sales of the ContiTread products.”

Marangoni will produce ContiTreads based on the Continental HDL Eco Plus and the HTL Eco Plus tyres, both of which are EPA SmartWay certified. Initially, the retread stock will be produced in Marangoni’s Ringtread technology; later, cut-to-length precure stock will be made available. (Tire Review/Akron)

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Seals US Military Tyre Supply Status

Goodyear has been supplying US military vehicles’ rubber for a century, and that trend looks as though it will march on, as the company announced that it has won the approval of BAE Tactical Vehicle Systems as the standard tyre supplier for a widely used military transport vehicle.

BAE, based in Sealy, Texas, has selected the Goodyear 395/85R20 MV/T tyre as the exclusive fitment for the company’s FMTV (Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles), the US Army’s vehicle of choice in the 2.5- to 10-tonne capacity. The contract calls for supply of approximately 100,000 tyres to be delivered through 2010. Goodyear manufactures the tyres at its Danville, Virginia factory.

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Semperit Offers Speed-Life Affordability

Semperit’s tyre, the Speed-Life represents the Continental second-brand’s affordable entry into the high performance market place. It benefits from an advanced generation silica compound, which gives the tyre better handling characteristics in the wet as well as reduced fuel consumption.

The use of offset tread blocks of varying sizes enables the contact between the tyre and the road to be staggered, this minimises the noise output to give a quiet and comfortable drive.

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Stapleton’s Boast Own Brand HP Tyre and Nexen Exclusivity

Stapleton’s offers a substantial range of high performance tyres including its own brand Prestivo and tyres from the manufacturer Nexen, from whom it holds distribution exclusivity. Prestivo, Stapleton’s own brand range of tyres, is positioned as a quality mid-range tyre. The brand will be available in new sizes and tread patterns later in the year. The range is available exclusively to members of Stapleton’s Prestivo Partners scheme and ensures all retailers receive the backing and support they need to maximise sales of Prestivo tyres. Stapleton’s other exclusive high performance brand is Nexen. The range is available in more than 140 patterns and sizes, ranging from family to high performance cars.

Describing the Prestivo 2000, Stapleton’s trading director, Steve Parker, said, ”The Prestivo 2000 gives a sense of assurance. This performance tyre provides a smooth and comfortable ride. It offers confidence across all road conditions with longevity.” On the Sport iteration of the series, he commented: “The Prestivo Sport offers true driving pleasure. You can feel reliable acceleration, braking and cornering in everyday driving. Aggregated and advanced technology gives this tyre sport and comfort performance.”

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Al Saeedi Named Maitech Best Dealer

Al Saeedi Middle East FZ Co. was recently named as Maitech Tyres’s Best Dealer 2008. The award was presented Ian Thomas, Maitech director international sales in a ceremony held at the Intermat show in Paris.

The Maitech range includes all-steel off road radials with sizes to suit many different types of construction equipment. The Maitech range of steel radial UM3/UM5 tyres covers 15.5R25, 17.5R25, 20.5R25, 23.5R25, 26.5R25 and 29.5R25. In particular Maitech tyres are said to be highly resistant to shoulder and tread cuts and hence enjoy a greatly extended life for maximum cost effectiveness. This extended life, combined with the Maitech’s ability to wear evenly, results in lower costs per kilometre and therefore reduced overall machine operating costs.

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodway Reports Full-Year 2008 Loss

Goodway Integrated Industries Bhd registered 12,559 million Malaysian ringgits of pre-tax loss in the year ended 31 December 2008, compared with 6,702 million ringgits of pre-tax profits in 2007. Chief operating officer Alison Wong Ping Kiong told Malaysian Insider: “It was difficult for us to pass down the cost to customers as the prices fluctuated so much that by the time we price in the extra cost, the rubber prices increased again and vice-versa.” Wong said 75 per cent of the company’s revenue were derived from rubber compound while the remaining 25 per cent came from tyre retreading focused in the local market.

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Reports 10 billion yen 2008 Net Loss

Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced a full-year 2008 net loss of 10,722 million yen (£72.87 million) on the back of what the company termed “extremely severe” management conditions. In its full-year 2007 results Toyo had reported net profits of 6,137 million yen (£41.7 million). Compared to 2007 net sales decreased to 328,371 million yen (down 8.1 per cent). Toyo’s tyre segment posted net sales of 242,009 million yen (£1.644 billion), a figure that fell at half the rate of the group as a whole, down £70.7 million yen or 4.1 per cent compared to 2007). Toyo’s tyre business reportedly accounts for 73.6 per cent of total sales.

According to the company report, sales volumes and net sales of original equipment tyres for the domestic market fell drastically below the previous year’s level, due to the global recession, especially the sharp reduction of domestic car production in the fourth quarter of 2008. While the company’s North American branch experienced the same kind of dramatic decline seen across the whole market, in the European market sales volumes and net income were the same level as full-year 2007, partly due to sales expansion activities. Even more positively Middle Eastern and South East Asian market sales volumes and net sales “significantly exceeded” prior year levels. However, sales volumes were the same level as 2007 and net income fell below.

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Dr. Klaus Mühlbäck Leaves Rösler Group

Rösler Group and sales and marketing vice president, Dr. Klaus Mühlbäck (35), went their separate ways in April. Mühlbäck had been with the Dortmund-based company since 1 March 2006 where he was responsible for acquiring potential new international Schelkmann licensees. Speaking to Tyres & Accessories’ German sister magazine, Neue Reifenzeitung, Paul Rösler senior stressed that the move was “a separation by mutual agreement.” Dr. Klaus Mühlbäck, had until recently been studying for his doctorate at the University of Bratislava in Slovakia in the field of economics. Here he gained his doctorate with a thesis on the internationalization of small and medium-sized businesses. Now T&A understands that he will continue his career in teaching, although there aren’t yet any official details of where this will take place or in what capacity. Rösler group has not yet been decided on a successor for the vice president of sales and marketing.

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Infinity Commits to International Events

Infinity tyres, distributed in Europe by the Infinity Tyres Europe Limited, has given details of the company’s strong commitment to raising its profile through attendance at future international events. Infinity (alongside related brands) will shortly be exhibiting at both Autopromotec (Bologna, May 20-24) and Automechanika Middle East (Dubai, May 31 – June 2). In addition the company has already committed to exhibiting at Reifen 2010 in Essen, Germany. Infinity Tyres Europe will have substantial stands at each of the exhibitions and will be showcasing two new Infinity products in Bologna and Dubai.

Infinity tyres are available through UK distributor, Bond International. Bond was formed in 1970 and has expanded its operations consistently over the last 40 years. The company now has four warehouses across the UK, with over 250,000 square feet of warehousing, half a million tyre capacity and a fleet of over 70 vehicles.

11th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Top Heifer in All Star Dairy Herd

Perhaps it is going out on too precarious a limb to state that if cows drove trucks they would choose Michelin tyres, but there is no getting away from the fact that Michelin North America has been awarded the All Star Dairy Association’s ‘2009 Thoroughbred Award’. This supplier of the year award was presented by the association representing bovine sourced and other food product companies at its 51st annual convention, held in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The Thoroughbred Award is given to the supplier the association feels has contributed the most to the success of its members. Michelin's Ricardo Coelho was on hand to accept the award. "Of the more than 150 supply companies, Michelin has set itself apart as a high quality partner with its service and products," said Jeff Sterne, All Star executive director.

8th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Introduces ‘Truck F’ Dedicated Winter Steer Tyre

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta truck tyre family is being expanded through the introduction of the Hakkapeliitta Truck F, a truck and bus steer tyre designed for winter conditions. The Truck F extends the range that began with the Truck E drive tyre a year ago and enables users to equip their entire vehicle with tyres from the Hakkapeliitta line-up.

According to Nokian, the development goal its designers applied was to introduce the world’s best winter steer tyre. The manufacturer reports that this multipurpose tyre comes into its own on medium to long-haul usage, and while it is at home on main arterial routes and motorways it can easily cope with winding, narrow roads.

8th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Scoops ‘Georgia Manufacturer of the Year’ Award

Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc. (TNA) is ‘Georgia Manufacturer of the Year’.

8th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

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