Motorcycle sales up in June
“June marked another good month for the motorcycle market with sales up 6.3 per cent,” said Stephen Latham, Head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) which represents motorcycle retailers across the UK.
“June marked another good month for the motorcycle market with sales up 6.3 per cent,” said Stephen Latham, Head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) which represents motorcycle retailers across the UK.
Last year, Trelleborg introduced its new TLC – Trelleborg Load Calculator app for iPad and desktop users, and has now extended its potential user base by making it available on further platforms, and in one further key language. Following its introduction in iOS and android formats, the app can be used by all main mobile devices and operating systems, and the addition of Chinese to the latest version means that the app now covers 13 languages. Trelleborg comments that it is the “first global player in the agricultural industry to develop a professional app targeted to the Chinese market in its local language.”
As reported on Tuesday, Pirelli tested 18-inch Formula One concept tyres at Silverstone this week. Early yesterday, Lotus F1 Team reserve driver Charles Pic took the concept tyres out for their debut run and completed 14 laps of the Silverstone circuit.
On 1 July Linglong Group signed a strategic agreement with IDIADA to partner in the construction of a central Asian tyre proving ground. The agreement was signed between Josep-Maria Farran, COO (chief operating officer) of IDIADA, and Wang Feng, vice president of Linglong Group, marking the start of this strategic cooperation.
Investment firm Audax Group has acquired Wheel Pros, LLC from Platinum Equity. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Wheel Pros is a leading designer, marketer, and distributor of branded aftermarket wheels. The company also distributes performance tyres and accessories. Founded in 1995 with two distribution centres, the company today carries proprietary, leading brands that are recognized across all major vehicle segments and are sold through a national footprint of 25 distribution centres and internationally.
Continental aims to place workshop services centre state at the upcoming Automechanika show in Germany and demonstrate that, now more than ever, the company embodies the formula that “top-quality products + A to Z service = success for workshops.” Amongst the products Continental will present in Frankfurt am Main between 16 and 20 September are tyre pressure monitoring sensors, belt drive components, air springs and diagnostic devices. The company also promises a number of new additions to its product portfolio.
Leading UK commercial vehicle tyre wholesaler Kings Road Tyres (KRT) launched its latest addition to a portfolio of exclusive TBR tyre brands at its Reifen 2014 stand. It will distribute the Jinyu manufactured Blacklion brand in the UK exclusively, with stocks available from the third quarter of 2014, KRT says.
Having cemented ninth position in Tyres & Accessories table of leading global tyre manufacturers, Maxxis brought a confident and spacious stand to Hall 3 in Essen, selecting European focused PCR products from its expansive range. While the manufacturer has often focused on affordable ultra-high performance products, it chose to launch its latest fuel efficient model for medium and smaller cars, the Energtra MEco3 at Reifen.
Singapore’s Stamford Tyres introduced a new range of 4×4/SUV tyres, while its associated Stamford Sport Wheels company emphasised the availability of new colours in its wheel range. Stamford also announced the arrival of new truck tyre sizes in its 17.5” and 19.5” ranges towards the end of this year. Another key product for Stamford Tyres was the introduction of its Nu Ice winter range. Larry Lee, Stamford’s vice president – international distribution said plans are in progress to add new sizes for the 2015 winter season.
Jaguar has approved Pirelli’s Sottozero 3 as an original equipment fitment on its F-Type two-seater. Sizes homologated for the coming winter include 245/45 R18 100V (front axle), 275/40 R18 103V (rear axle), 245/40 R19 94V (front), 275/35 R19 96V (rear), 255/35R20 97V XL (front) and 285/30 R20 99V (rear). All versions of the Pirelli Sottozero 3 approved for original equipment supply feature specific sidewall markings; those destined for the F-Type will bear the letter ‘J’.
Halfords Autocentres has hired Satnam Singh to head-up its technical training team, a new role that it says “reflects the increasing focus that Halfords Autocentres is placing on training” and on investing to give its technicians “the expertise necessary to be able to service any make or model of car.”
Upgrades and extensions to several of Marangoni’s pre-cure tread ranges are now complete; Marangoni Retreading Systems refers to the changes made to its PRL, PRL Kontur and Unitread cold pre-cured flat and concave strip lines as “simplifications” and says one benefit to arise is that it can now publish a single product catalogue that covers all three ranges.
An initiative to deal with the estimated 50 million end of life tyres removed from vehicles in Australia each year was implemented at the start of this month. Called the Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme, the industry-led programme aims to eliminate illegal dumping, reduce the number of waste tyres and increase the rate of tyre recycling in Australia from its current level of approximately 16 per cent.
Top listing in the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation’s 2013 ‘Energy Efficiency Frontrunner’ rating for the carbon black manufacturing sector has gone to Cabot Corporation. Local operation Cabot Chemical (Tianjin) Co., Ltd participated in the benchmark ranking for the first time in 2013 and was named the leading carbon black company in China in terms of energy efficiency. Cabot is the first multinational company to take part in the ranking.
At the end of May, tyre manufacture at Dunlop Motorsport’s plant in Birmingham came to an end, with car tyre production transferred to Goodyear Dunlop’s Hanau factory in Germany and motorcycle tyre production to the company’s Montlucon facility in France. While some of the machinery from the Fort Dunlop facility will be shipped to other sites, most will be sold off; the Pelmar Group reports that it has been appointed to dispose of equipment from the plant.
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