Maxxis previews label finding solution
During the recent Reifen 2012 show in Essen Maxxis shared details of how the company is preparing for the rolling out of tyre labelling in Europe, including the launch of its own label finder software.
When details of the European tyre labelling law that becomes mandatory in November went public, some companies immediately started talking about how many Far Eastern firms would drop off the bottom of the market. Estimates of between 20 and 30 per cent of Chinese manufacturers were widely banded about. Whatever the truth of such claims turns out to be, that these kinds of comments have little to do with the companies at the top of China’s tyre production tree is becoming quite clear. As Tyres & Accessories reported at the time, Maxxis International’s parent company Cheng Shin Rubber has been investing very significant amounts into research and development in the last couple of years with two clear goals: to win OE business with some of the best known carmakers in the industry and to prepare for the increasing demands of international legislation such as the labelling law in Europe.
Now with tyre makers able to talk about the labelling results from the end of May, Maxxis told Tyres & Accessories details of how it is going to communicate its products’ results with the retailers and distributors that take these tyres to market. While other communications strategies are going to be employed, the latest news from Essen is that Maxxis is deploying two types of software solution to answer the questions that labelling will throw up.
The first version of what is being referred to as the company’s label finder system is an API for complete integration into customer websites and systems. For those of us without a computer science degree, API stands for Application Programming Interface. And this basically constitutes the specification of software components that are intended to communicate with each other – or in other words a kind of virtual software toolkit enabling programmers and website designers to plug Maxxis’ labelling data into various businesses existing systems. The API employs the EDIWheel protocol utilised by many of the leading manufacturers and adopted by Maxxis at the end of March. However, labelling wasn’t the only reason for this move. According to McMartin, it is all part of being the modern, cutting edge company that Maxxis strives to be.
The second method – a Maxxis labelling widget – is considerably less complicated but is also effective. This is basically a pre-packaged applet that allows customers to enquire of the labelling details from Maxxis’ database. This is then easily embedded wherever required. A common example of this is the kind of Twitter feed boxes that are often found on personal blogs as well as professional websites listing people’s most recent comments on the social network. However the twitter feed is in this case replaced with a Maxxis tyre labelling feed.
Speaking to T&A, Maxxis International UK Plc managing director Derek McMartin voiced his own view on labelling. For some the Essen show may have been a race to demonstrate that each tyre maker was up to the top standards demanded by the AA rating, but as McMartin said at the time “any tyre manufacturer can make an AA tyre, but is it the right balance of performance characteristics in the other areas?” According to McMartin, Maxxis is playing its part by continually making new patterns and sizes with all the latest technology developments in mind. The difference is that latterly Maxxis has been developing products specifically with labelling in mind, while simultaneously trying to balance this with the company’s overall product philosophy.
While T&A saw a development version of Maxxis’ labelling widget in action in Essen, the first release of the application – along with all the details – is not expected until after 1 July. However McMartin did reveal that at least four patterns score B in terms of wet grip which, from Maxxis’ point of view at least, is the top priority when it comes to the safety aspect of labelling.
Maxxis in the UK
Following the period of transition that has seen Maxxis switch wholesale distribution partners in the UK from Grouptyre to Stapleton’s in September 2011, Derek McMartins reports that he is relatively satisfied with the company’s progress. For him, the biggest problem is the tough retail sales environment that has seen demand fall by an average of 16 per cent across Europe. The UK may be fairing a bit better than that, but things are still tough for many tyre dealers. When the transition and the economic environment are considered together, it is no surprise that Maxxis’ volumes were down compared with previous years. While no specific details were given, McMartin did say that this kind of effect was factored into the planning for the transition to Stapleton’s.
Looking forward, the goal is obviously to improve the status quo, beginning with stabilising volumes. McMartin is confident about the brand’s ability to achieve this, pointing to the fact that a number of the company’s retail customers have switched suppliers in pursuit of the product they believe has helped make their businesses successful.
A number of new products and sizes have been introduced the Maxxis range following the move. According to McMartin these simply were not available in the company’s Grouptyre days, something which offers retailers that believe in the brand a reason to stick with it. Two key passenger car tyres are the Pro R1 and MA510. According to the company, the Pro R1 features special Ultra R Rubber that contains patented nano dispersed silica – all of which is said to result in better fuel consumption and extended tyre life. A new sidewall design has been implemented in order to offer improved handling.
Meanwhile the MA510 has been developed to incorporate four longitudinal ribs that are becoming a mainstay of leading products in the tyre labelling era. This design offers improved wet handling but also helps funnel noise out of the rear of the vehicle. Coupled with multi-pitch tread development this is intended to help reduce the sound level output by the tyre. Whether it was this or another feature, the research and development department must be doing something right because this tyre is OE on the Peugeot 206 and lined up for another deal with Ford.
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