Andrew is an editor for WhatTyre, Tyrepress, and Tyres & Accessories magazine. He has more than a decade of experience in editing, writing, and journalism.
Autogem was made the Aftermarket Equipment Supplier of the Year in the National Tyre Distributors Association’s Tyre Industry Awards for the second successive year. The supplier of automotive chemicals, fasteners, hand tools, workshop consumables and TPMS solutions was pleased to retain its title, having made what it termed “giant strides in the aftermarket” over the past 12 months.
Continental Tyre Group has received a RoSPA Gold Health and Safety Award, an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards. The award recognises Conti’s efforts to ensure its staff all get home safely to their families at the end of every working day.
Passenger car and light truck (PCLT) tyre production trends in Western Europe have been scaling down over the long-term. The move to larger production facilities in the comparatively low-cost labour markets in Eastern Europe, or greater reliance on imports from Asia, has seen a steady stream of plant closures and conversions to speciality, short-run production capacity – on in the case of Cooper Tire’s UK plant, for example, one followed by the other – in the region. A new assessment of the most recent three-year period by tyre industry analyst Astutus Research suggests that the overall picture has been of a decline similar to the period following the 2008 financial crisis, which was itself a catalyst for this trend. Yet digging a little deeper into the figures shows several dynamics at play in European PCLT tyre production, including supply chain disruption and spiralling energy costs. For comprehensive analysis of global tyre market trends, a series of reports by Astutus Research are available to buy now in the Tyrepress Reports Shop – click here for more details.
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Bridgestone has launched the new Duravis Van tyre, a premium summer tyre for light commercial vehicles (LCV). The manufacturer says the tyre has been designed to minimise the total cost of ownership to van fleet operators. The tyre is also suitable for fitment on electric vehicles. TÜV SÜD testing shows the tyre offers “best in class” mileage and braking in wet and dry conditions, Bridgestone adds. The tyre was developed at the European R&D Centre and will be available in 26 sizes from January 2023.
The subject of noise cameras is back in the news again, with further rollouts expected across the country after a successful trial in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea. And according to research conducted by used car buying service, ChooseMyCar.com it’s a move that would be welcomed by most UK drivers. In a study published earlier this year, seven in ten Brits (71 per cent) said they support speed cameras having noise detectors to catch and fine illegally noisy vehicles in cities, whilst more than two thirds (67 per cent) support this in rural areas.
Davanti tyres are to be distributed by FTC Kuwait. The subsidiary of KAICO (Kuwait Automotive Imports Co) currently operates five tyre outlets – soon to be seven. The company has business interests in Saudi Arabia and UAE, and is involved in leasing, parts, tyres and lubricants. The strategic partnership is targeting annual sales in the Gulf country’s tyre market of 100,000 units.
Following previous original equipment tyre deals with Volkswagen, Giti Tire has secured further OE fitment sizes on the award-winning VW Crafter. The manufacturer’s GitiVanHD1 is now specified in 235/65 R16 C115/113R and 205/75 R16 C113/111R for new Crafters coming off production lines. Giti’s first partnership on the VW van began in April 2020, with the 205/70R17 C115/113R. It was the Giti brand’s first European light commercial vehicle OE contract.
Apollo Tyres will enter the European long-haul trailer market with its new commercial vehicle tyre, the EnduMile LHT. The first Apollo truck tyre to achieve an A-grade rating for fuel efficiency on the European tyre label, Apollo says the tyre will be the most durable and lowest rolling resistance truck-sector tyre it has ever produced. The tyre was launched at the manufacturer’s advanced production facility in Gyöngyöshalász, Hungary, where it is to be manufactured. The EnduMile LHT will be available to customers across Europe from early 2023.
Long-standing personality within the international tyre industry Rob Henderson has died suddenly, two years after his retirement in December 2020. He was 73. Henderson had an illustrious 50-year career in a variety of tyre industry roles, including management positions with Stapleton’s, Al Dobowi Group, and latterly Enjoy Tyre. He leaves behind his devoted wife Kathy, their four daughters Kirstie, Gayle, Melissa and Gemma, and five grandchildren.
Already well established as a leading Truck and Commercial wholesale tyre supplier, recent diversification from GB Tyres has seen it increase its presence in the car wholesale market. It is now looking forward to expanding its off-road agricultural, plant, construction and earthmover offerings, the wholesaler tells Tyres & Accessories. While the expansion of its sales into passenger car tyres has required approaching new customers and a slightly different customer base, many agricultural customers are already using GB Tyres for their truck tyre supply. GB Tyres says the extension is therefore a case of “enhancing its offer to the same customers.” It adds that the advantage of offering tyres in an expanding range of segments to an existing large customer base means it can offer a mix of car, truck and any other tyres all on the same delivery, which helps the company distinguish itself from some competitors.
Wiltshire politicians and Unite union representatives have reacted to the news that Cooper Tire plans to end tyre production at its Melksham plant by the end of 2023. Speaking to local news source, the Wiltshire Gazette & Herald, Michelle Donelan, MP for Chippenham, offered her support to workers, while Melksham’s mayor emphasised the longevity and importance of the manufacturing site in the town’s history. With the plant’s 350-strong workforce represented by Unite, union leader Tony Hulbert railed against the timing of the announcement, given the UK’s spiralling cost-of-living crisis.
GT Radial will be the Official Tyre Partner of the Champions Hockey League (CHL) in a second season after extending its partnership. The tyre brand wants to use Europe’s premier ice hockey competition to boost awareness across the continent. The game has national sport status in several northern, central and eastern countries where the activation of this sponsorship is likely to have the greatest impact.
With the winter months approaching and the cost-of-living challenge affecting many across the UK, the next few months are vital represent an important part of the year, Oak Tyres tells Tyres & Accessories. The wholesaler, part of Grouptyre, has been planning since early 2022 to strengthen its position. Oak Tyres’ winter tyre supply chain planning starts in February each year, with production running through the summer. This means that the brand has stock arriving from Autumn onwards for the winter months. Oak says it is anticipating “unprecedented demand” for sister tyre brand, Davanti, “due to its value proposition,” an eventuality it has prepared for.
The Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe plans to close its UK tyre manufacturing plant in Melksham, Wiltshire by the end of 2023. The company will now begin a consultation process on the proposed closure involving 350 Cooper employees and the relevant employee representative bodies. Previous cutbacks at Cooper’s Melksham plant, one of the few new tyre producers remaining in the UK, were announced in 2018. Car and SUV tyre manufacturing were moved to newer facilities in the company’s manufacturing footprint, such as its plant in Serbia. The remaining functions of the site were the production of motorsport and motorcycle tyres, as well as the company’s Europe headquarters and Technical Center. The merger of Cooper and its new parent company The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was finalised in June 2021 following the announcement of its acquisition in February. Goodyear approved a plan to streamline its global administrative structure in the second quarter of 2022.
Giti Tire has extended its GitiWinterW2 range to 39 sizes between 15 and 19 inches, including the SUV variant of the winter tyre. The pattern now covers 90 per cent of targeted winter market demand throughout Europe. The smallest size, 175/65R15 is designed for cars such as the Fiat 500, Mini and Toyota Yaris, while the 255/50R19 fits such models as the Audi Q4, BMW X5 and X6, Mercedes GLC, Skoda Enyaq iV and VW ID.4 and ID.5. Originally launched in August 2021 in 13 core sizes, Giti says the second iteration of the product delivers improved dry dynamics, wet braking and aquaplaning resistance, while maintaining the first generation’s snow and ice grip and traction.
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