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Andrew is an editor for WhatTyre, Tyrepress, and Tyres & Accessories magazine. He has more than a decade of experience in editing, writing, and journalism.

Entries by Andrew

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Falken Tyre Europe to hike continental prices 9% in May

Falken Tyre Europe will increase the prices of its entire product portfolio by nine per cent on 1 May 2022. Falken states the increase reflects global rises in costs for raw materials, energy, and logistics. This price rise does not affect UK Falken customers, where the brand is distributed exclusively by Micheldever Tyre Services. Like Falken, MTS is owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries. A Falken spokesperson told Tyrepress that MTS would inform its customers of any price rise affecting the UK.

Related news:

  1. Falken Tyre becomes Liverpool FC partner
  2. Falken presenting partner to this year’s Audi Nines
  3. Football: Falken signs up as Borussia Mönchengladbach sponsor
  4. Handball: Falken sponsoring Euro 2022
21st January 2022 by

Spring launch for ‘high mileage’ Continental UltraContact summer car tyre

Continental will launch its new summer car tyre for 14-20” applications in 100 sizes in spring 2022. The new UltraContact will address the latest trends in mobility with a new compound and tread designed to increase mileage potential, while delivering safe handling characteristics and low rolling resistance. The carcass of the tyre is designed to promote durability too. The Conti UltraContact is designed to offer increased sustainability in motoring and has been engineered to be suitable for fitment on electric vehicles. Conti sites global sales of EVs to hit 14 million annual sales by 2025. Estimates shared with Tyrepress by leading tyre business analyst Astutus Research suggest European demand for plug-in electric vehicle tyres could reach around 40 million tyres by 2025, with roughly half in the replacement market.

Related news:

  1. Interview: Continental’s Tires head Christian Kötz on tyres, sensors and sustainability
  2. Vredestein launches Ultrac summer tyre – 15% better performance
  3. OE deals demonstrate expanding Yokohama Advan range’s qualities
  4. West, Central European replacement tyre market accelerating towards larger tyres
14th January 2022 by
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Continental reorganises Public Affairs Department

Continental is consolidating its public affairs and external affairs activities under its Group Public Affairs department. Dr Thorsten Burger (43), previously head of external affairs, has become the new department’s head, also overseeing Conti’s Berlin political office.

Related news:

  1. Hiller to head Continental’s corporate communications
  2. Mark Griffiths joins Continental UK communications team
  3. Des Collins to lead Conti’s new public liaison office
  4. Bentley’s Dr Ariane Reinhart joins Continental’s executive board
13th January 2022 by
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BBS Japan signs Formula 1 wheel supply contract

Wheel manufacturer BBS Japan has signed a four-year contract with Formula 1 to become the exclusive supplier of new standard rims. The company, part of the Maedakosen Group, has also signed up to supply rims to NASCAR for the next three years.

Related news:

  1. ‘Money not a Consideration’ for JK Tyre
  2. Spotlight on the Chinese Alloy Wheel Market
  3. BBS CI-R to get world premiere at Essen Motor Show
  4. BBS adapts CH-R design for exclusive “Nürburgring Edition”
13th January 2022 by
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Sentury Tire intends to build 523m euro Spanish tyre plant

Sentury Tire, the tyre manufacturer behind the global Landsail tyre brand, has outlined its plan to construct a 522.59 million euro car and light truck tyre plant in the Galicia region of northwest Spain. Qingdao Sentury Tire Co, Ltd’s board of directors approved the proposal to build capacity for 12 million high performance and light commercial tyres on a three-year schedule at a meeting in the last quarter of 2021, announcing this intention to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on 19 December. The company has implemented a 100 per cent owned subsidiary, Sentury Tire (Spain) Co, Ltd, via its Hong Kong trading company for the project, and wants to ramp up production in two phases; it expects the plant to reach 50 per cent capacity (six million tyres) after two years, with the second half added after three years. Sentury wants to achieve these milestones in 2024 and 2025 respectively, pending construction conditions in Spain and the availability of funding, which Sentury plans to self-raise.

Related news:

  1. First Landsail tyres produced at new Thai factory
  2. Sentury internationalising with US tyre factory investment
  3. Sales of the Sentury
  4. Warren Rudman leaves Sentury Tire Spain project
12th January 2022 by
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Conti closes inaugural Extreme E season in exciting Dorset finale

Arriving at Bovington Camp, a military base in Dorset, for the finale of the inaugural season of electric off-road series Extreme E, the lack of noise is the first indication that this is international motorsport done differently. When the nine fully electric 550bhp Odyssey 21 SUVs enter the arena, it is in large part to the sound of wet mud displaced by exclusive tyre supplier Continental’s Extreme E tyre, which is based on the German manufacturer’s CrossContact range. Primarily targeting a broadcast and internet audience, the teams, event staff, and small number of attendees on-site mingle under canvas, watching most of the action from the circuit unfold on big screens. During the races, teams complete the switch between the male and female drivers – another indicator of how Extreme E approaches motorsport differently – in front of this area.

Related news:

  1. Conti: Extreme E the biggest challenge tyres have faced in motorsport
  2. Continental test driver Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky joins Extreme E
  3. Davanti unveils wave of new product, partnership news at first conference
  4. Nico Rosberg: F1 champ, sustainability entrepreneur, Continental brand manager
11th January 2022 by
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Michelin secures Fred Sherwood Group tyre management return

Michelin has secured a new three-year Effitires contract to supply, fit and manage the tyres across the Fred Sherwood Group’s entire HGV fleet – totalling in excess of 650 trucks and trailers. The deal includes Fred Sherwood Transport, Bulk Freight, KJ Transport and George Varney Bulk Services – marking a return to a 100 per cent Michelin policy for the Group, following several years of running a rival manufacturer’s tyres.

Related news:

  1. Michelin Solutions to introduce contracted fuel savings guarantee at CV Show
  2. Abbey Logistics’ 730 commercial vehicles serviced through Michelin solutions’ Effitires
  3. Michelin grows tyre contract with Huntapac Produce
  4. Go-Ahead renews Michelin solutions contract
10th January 2022 by
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Dealers optimistic about demand despite current new car issues – NFDA

The National Franchised Dealers Association argues that there is cause for optimism in the new car sector based on strong consumer demand, despite a disappointing 1 per cent increase in new car registrations in 2021. Chief executive Sue Robinson said: “A poll conducted by NFDA revealed that 78.6 per cent of franchised vehicle dealers are optimistic about the level of demand in the year ahead as consumer confidence improves while we move through the pandemic and the electrification of the UK car parc continues apace.

Related news:

  1. Fleet sales mean March new car sales up 11.5 per cent YOY
  2. Record sales of AFVs in February as overall market dips slightly
  3. August car sales up 23 per cent – electric cars account for one in twelve sales
  4. Cautious optimism on car sales from NFDA
10th January 2022 by
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‘Year EVs became mainstream’ but infrastructure, pricing concern buyers – Deloitte

Responding to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ 2021 new car registration data, analyst Deloitte has proclaimed 2021 “the year electric vehicles became mainstream”. It added that range issues are receding as a headwind thanks to technological progress. It identifies the speed of charge point infrastructure and the price of entry post-subsidies as the major headwinds for the sector in 2022.

Related news:

  1. Dealers optimistic about demand despite current new car issues – NFDA
  2. Peak petrol – has UK hit auto landmark unnoticed?
  3. ‘Great relief’ but recovery ‘might be slower’ than expected – analysts on car sales
  4. UK sets new record for EV registrations
10th January 2022 by
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Most successful year for electric cars, but 2021 UK registrations just 1% higher than 2020

2021 UK car sales were stalled by Covid and its impact on the supply chain, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders explains. 1.65 million new cars were registered in an increase of just 1.0 per cent on pandemic-ravaged 2020, making it the second-worst year since 1992. Sales were -28.7 per cent below pre-Covid levels thanks to headwinds, which included the semiconductor shortage. However, figures did show that the transition to electric cars is proceeding quickly. More than one in six registrations were plug-in, while battery electric cars alone rose to one in nine. Overall, the SMMT notes that this means more BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) were registered than in 2016-2020 combined. The society added that the UK auto industry is calling for the government to extend incentives and mandate chargepoint targets. It argues that the UK needs to accelerate consumer uptake of EVs, maintaining the country’s attractiveness against competitor markets.

Related news:

  1. SMMT urges government to back new-tech diesel following market decline, uncertainty
  2. Fleet sales mean March new car sales up 11.5 per cent YOY
  3. Slight fall in August new car sales, but strong showing for electric cars
  4. Car registrations ‘incredibly encouraging’ comments Carwow
10th January 2022 by
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Everyone at Tyres & Accessories, Tyrepress, and WhatTyre wishes you a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Our offices are closed between 24 December and 3 January. We look forward to continuing our leading coverage of all aspects of the tyre business in 2022. As always, thank you to our readers for your business, loyalty, and support.

Related news:

  1. Don’t let Christmas drive you crazy
  2. Oh Christmas tyres, oh Christmas tyres
  3. UK motorists will travel 5.9bn miles this Christmas
23rd December 2021 by
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Continental appoints EMEA, APAC regional replacement tyres heads

Continental has announced new heads for its passenger car and truck tyre replacement business in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) and APAC (Asia-Pacific) regions. Ferdinand Hoyos (45) will manage Continental’s EMEA replacement tyre business, while Dalibor Kalina (47) will take over Hoyos’s former role as APAC head. The appointees will take up their new positions on 1 January, 2022. Hoyos has been heading Continental’s replacement tyre business in the APAC region since 2018. He succeeds Philipp v. Hirschheydt (47), who is moving to Continental’s Automotive group sector.

Related news:

  1. Continental to streamline board as members to leave early
  2. Continental reorganises top management within Tire division
  3. Continental reorganises replacement tyre businesses in EMEA
  4. Conti’s Puchov, Slovakia plant celebrates 20th anniversary
15th December 2021 by
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Tyre manufacturers to lose $2bn in OE revenues due to semi-conductor shortage

Astutus Research says that the shortage of semi-conductors and other vital components will lead to $2 billion (around £1.5 billion) in lost original equipment tyre revenues in 2021. The analyst notes that demand for new cars is not a factor in the slump in OE stream sales versus expectations, and that a rebound is expected in the coming years when component supply has returned. Astutus Research is currently offering a new report series via Tyrepress, presenting tyre industry forecasts in the wake of Covid-19, which takes into account such dynamics. The series, entitled ‘Beyond Covid-19’ offers market leading data on global original equipment and replacement passenger car and light truck tyre segments. It also offers region-specific PCLT tyre data for Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. A full summary of the 11 available PDF reports with accompanying Excel data-books is available here.

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Related news:

  1. Is Continental about to break into PCLT tyre global big 3?
  2. Goodyear to regain number 3 global PCLT tyre volumes ranking – Astutus Research
  3. Davanti unveils wave of new product, partnership news at first conference
  4. Conserving costs, maximising business: Apollo Tyres’ response to the coronavirus pandemic
15th December 2021 by
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Continental appoints Katja Dürrfeld chief financial officer

Continental has appointed Katja Dürrfeld (49) as its new chief financial officer, effective from 14 December 2021. Dürrfeld assumes responsibility for group finance and controlling as well as group information technology immediately, taking over from interim CFO Nikolai Setzer. Setzer had added the role to his existing duties following the departure of Wolfgang Schäfer on 17 November, while Dürrfeld had held the provisional management of these areas below the executive board level. Currently head of Finance, Controlling and Information Technology for the ContiTech business area, she will also take charge of finance and controlling in the future automotive group sector from 1 January, 2022, as was previously announced at the end of September. The supervisory board has also extended the appointment of Dr Ariane Reinhart (52) as executive board member for human relations and sustainability and director of labour relations.

Related news:

  1. Dieselgate probe: Continental ends relationship with CFO Schäfer
  2. Continental turns 150
  3. Nikolai Setzer takes over as Continental CEO
  4. Continental to streamline board as members to leave early
14th December 2021 by

F1 2021 season’s controversial end decided on Pirelli soft tyres

Max Verstappen and Red Bull used a fresher but used Pirelli P Zero soft tyre to overcome Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes on a 43-lap old hard tyre in a single lap showdown to win the Formula One Drivers Championship. The controversy about how F1 contrived to supply this conclusion to the 2021 season at Yas Marina continues to rage. The intense coverage beyond the usual race weekend press generated by the controversy builds upon a season in which F1 has considerably refreshed its profile; it has gained improved global interest via the Netflix documentary Drive to Survive, a roster of drivers invigorated by some new faces, and a schedule expanding outside its traditional European base. Exclusive tyre supplier Pirelli’s head of F1 and car racing Mario Isola said: “It’s been an absolutely incredible season with some of the most intense competition we can remember: a fitting way to close the chapter on 13-inch tyres before starting a new one with 18 inches.”

Related news:

  1. Pirelli highlights F1 tyre longevity at hard-wearing Barcelona
  2. Pirelli confirms F1 2019 pre-season test details, compounds for first 4 grands prix
  3. Pirelli previews F1 opener, 2019 Australian grand prix
  4. Pirelli finishes 18-inch F1 tyre development programme
13th December 2021 by

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