New technical director for Smithers’ USA tyre test facility

Cliff Hodges has joined testing and compliance services specialist Smithers as technical director of its Tire & Wheel Test Center in Ohio, USA. He will direct the technical and quality requirements for Smithers’ force and moment testing, tyre modelling, and other special tyre characterisations and evaluation methods. Hodges will also manage and advise technical staff and technical decision-making.

Before joining the team at Smithers, Hodges most recently served as a Technical Specialist at the Global Center for Automotive Performance Simulation (GCAPS). He has also held roles in management and test engineering.

“Cliff has hands-on technical engineering experience, as well as strong business acumen,” says Matt Kent, general manager, Smithers Tire & Wheel Test Center. “His unique blend of technical and leadership experience will be a tremendous asset as we continuously strive to expand and enhance our service offerings to support our valued clients in the tyre and wheel industry.”

Hodges earned his Bachelor of Science from Averett University and has authored papers on tyre model selection, vehicle dynamics, and indoor wet traction.

The Smithers Tire & Wheel Test Center offers a broad range of testing services for measuring performance, durability, and other characteristics of passenger car, light truck, agricultural, fleet truck, off-highway and specialty tyres. Smithers also has tyre testing laboratories in China and the UK, providing testing services and accurate data on a global scale.