Andrew is an editor for WhatTyre, Tyrepress, and Tyres & Accessories magazine. He has more than a decade of experience in editing, writing, and journalism.
One year on from its entrance into light vehicle tyre markets, Portugal’s Grupo Alves Bandeira has extended its MatraX tyre range to commercial vehicle segments. The initial MatraX TBR range incorporates 14 patterns and 30 sizes produced at “a technological advanced international tyre building facility.” The new patterns offer a comprehensive range of fitments across axles and applications.
The UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market grew for the second consecutive month in February, rising by 8.5 per cent to 17,540 units, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). While February is traditionally a volatile month due to small volumes as many operators delay procurements until March and the new number plate, the increase marks the best February performance since 1998, the year before the bi-annual plate change was introduced.
LKQ Euro Car Parts will be the headline sponsor of the first Automechanika Birmingham Garage Awards, hosted by the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF). Celebrating outstanding achievements across the garage sector as well as the federation’s lobbying activity, the awards will be held on the evening of Wednesday 7 June at Hilton Metropole NEC. The event coincides with the automotive aftermarket trade exhibition, Automechanika Birmingham, where LKQ Euro Car Parts promises “an eye-catching display”. Award nominations are now open; you can submit your nominations here.
Alongside Bridgestone’s efficient tyre range, the company’s integrated tyre and vehicle maintenance solution Fleetcare represents a complete package for commercial vehicle fleets. The integrated tyre and fleet management programme is an evolution of Bridgestone’s Total Tyre Care, combining Bridgestone’s tyre range and tyre management solutions with fleet management solutions from telematics division Webfleet.
Triangle Tyre’s new ultra-high performance tyre, the EffeXSport TH202 has achieved a milestone in the Chinese manufacturer’s development of greatly improved products targeting growth in the UK and wider European markets. The tyre has achieved the top A-grade rating for wet grip on the European tyre label on more than half of its size range. Triangle unveiled the new flagship product at The Tire Cologne 2022 in preparation for its European market introduction in 2023. It said that its latest advanced technologies had allowed Triangle to bridge the trade-off between performance and comfort, developing a tyre with “excellent results” in dry and wet braking, driving precision, stability at high speed, and wear resistance.
Prometeon has expanded its Pirelli Serie 02 line of commercial vehicle tyres with the addition of a new trailer tyre designed for use on articulated trailers and suited to vehicles carrying particularly large loads and volumes over long haul routes. The Pirelli H02 Pro Trailer is available now in Europe and Turkey in sizes 435/50R19.5 and 445/45R19.5. The specialist commercial tyre manufacturer says the tyre offers a blend of excellent fuel economy and optimised operating costs, helping it to excel on long routes and motorway journeys. The tyre supersedes the previous ST:01 Neverending Super Single, offering all-round improvements, especially in rugged performance, safety, and load capacity.
Autogem is urging thousands of automotive technicians from across the UK to enter Autogem’s competition to find leading Tyre Pressure Monitoring System experts. Following the success of Autogem’s inaugural TPMS Expert contest last year, the company has changed up a gear with its Under Pressure ’23 event, featuring qualifying rounds between April 19 and 21 and a grand finale to be held on June 28, at a top secret location, to be announced in the coming weeks. Autotech Training and CAM Systems are official sponsors of the competition, with categories to include Large Tyre Retailer, Small Tyre Retailer and a Young TPMS Expert element for the first time. A range of premium prizes will be awarded to the winners awards up for grabs for a second year.
A one-stop tyre shop in Basingstoke for truckers, farmers and motorists is the latest depot to become a member of the First Stop network. R & R Tyres, situated on Armstrong Road, will benefit from a wide range of support, including a £5,000 investment already made in new signage. The garage is one of the most popular in the town and one of very few in the country to fit tyres for HGVs, tractors, vans and passenger vehicles all under the same roof, while also offering a mobile call-out service around the area.
A four-month academic study at Coventry University, supported by Bridgestone, has demonstrated the scale of the business case for fitting tyres that assist a commercial vehicle’s efficiency. With increasing economic demands being placed on its commercial fleet partners, Bridgestone contacted the Warwickshire university with an invitation to investigate the benefits associated with its premium Duravis and Ecopia tyre ranges. Business Analytics masters graduate Sreyas Sunil Kunnappally embarked on a painstaking project, arriving at this conclusion. His final report is now being revealed for the first time.
Independent public transport operator Go-Coach is Kent’s largest independent bus operator, operating 46 routes and carrying up to 5,500 passengers every day. The company is now rolling out Wheely-Safe technology across its fleet after a trial installation on a single Optare Solo bus flagged a potentially dangerous issue with brake temperatures.
Ian Maynard has been appointed managing director of Wheely-Safe (UK), a new, wholly-owned franchise launched to manage sales and aftersales for the automotive technology firm within its home market. It marks the first stage in ambitious new growth plans by parent company Wheely-Safe, part of GX2 Technology, to expand with franchises in key international markets. Each franchise will have access to the full suite of award-winning Wheely-Safe systems, which combine protection against wheel loss with brake/hub temperature monitoring and an intelligent tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
A new automotive report from Bloomberg Intelligence (BI) anticipates 5-10 per cent growth for European car sales in 2023. European car sales climbed 12 per cent in January, helped by easy year-earlier comparisons, fewer supply-chain hurdles and pent-up demand that boosted registrations. While these new figures may bode well for sentiment, they still trail 2019 considerably, 25 per cent lower. In BEV share, the UK led other European nations, but other major markets now have the benefits of far more generous subsidies reducing the cost of the shift to electric powertrains.
The European importer of Indian manufactured xlite and xbrite aluminium forged commercial vehicle wheels, The Truck Hub Group has been placed into creditors’ voluntary liquidation following unsuccessful attempts to sell the business at the end of 2022. The company traded as The Wheel Hub, based in Sharston in south Manchester, having changed its name from MWheels in early 2021. This was one of a number of transformational changes for the company in recent years, with the establishment of a European operation, Wheel Hub GmbH in the Cologne region of Germany, which is “unaffected” by the liquidation proceedings. Further details of the company’s stock liquidation sale can be found here.
Carlton Forest Group, home to the UK’s first continuous pyrolysis plant for end-of-life tyres, has appointed Chris Brown as its new chief renewables officer. “Chris has a fantastic range of skills ideally suited to this field and he is already proving to be a great asset to the business with his technical, engineering, and renewables knowledge,” said Mark Pepper, CEO, Carlton Forest Group.
Kyle Chaney won the 4900 Can-Am UTV race on Yokohama Geolandar off-road tyres at the off-road King of the Hammers race in California, 4-11 February. The season opening event for the year-long Ultra4 National Series racing tour combines desert racing and rock crawling, and is considered the one of the toughest off-road races in the world. At this year’s King of the Hammers, Yokohama Rubber supplied its Geolandar tyres to more than 30 vehicles, with models including the Geolandar M/T G003 mud terrain tyres including race-versions, and its Geolandar SD tyre for global off-road racing.
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