Trio promoted within Maxion Wheels leadership team
Wheel manufacturer Maxion Wheels has announced several new appointments within its executive leadership team. All report to Pieter Klinkers, the company’s Chief Executive Officer.
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Cordiant takes on former Bridgestone tyre plant in Russia
Russian tyre maker Cordiant JSC, since May 2023 a S8 Capital business, has taken 99.9 per cent of Ulyanovsk-based tyre production business Bridgestone Tire Manufacturing CIS LLC operation under its control. The remaining 0.1 per cent is now managed by S8 Industrial Assets LLC, an affiliate of S8 Capital.
JK Tyre raises £47 million through QIP
India’s JK Tyre & Industries Limited has successfully concluded its fund-raising plans of Rs 5 billion (£47.2 million) by way of Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP). The tyre maker will utilise funds gained through the QIP for capital expenditure projects and to strengthen its balance sheet.
Maxxis exclusive tyre supplier for FIA karting championships
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has appointed Maxxis exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA Karting European and World Championships in the OK and OKJ categories, as well as for the OK-N World Cup and Academy Trophy in 2024-2026. Maxxis will supply its CIK-FIA homologated ‘Option’ and ‘Prime’ slicks for dry- and CIK-FIA homologated ‘MW’ tyre for wet conditions.
Toyo Tires announces European, North American management changes
Toyo Tires has rung in the New Year with several management changes. As of 1 January 2024, Ralf Gutena succeeds Kenta Kuribayashi as president of Toyo Tire Deutschland GmbH. Gutena remains director of sales and marketing at the company’s European head office, Toyo Tire Holdings of Europe GmbH. Kuribayashi continues in his remit as president of Toyo Tire Holdings of Europe GmbH.
5 Series & E-Class – tyre twins?
Vehicle manufacturers typically demand customised tyres for their cars. To denote this exclusive tailoring, tyres that are approved or factory fitted as original equipment display a special marking on the sidewall. The best-known of these OE tyre designations include those for Porsche (N0, N1, …), BMW (*) and Mercedes (MO), although other brands, from Alfa Romeo to Volvo, also have their own individual sidewall marking. We recently became aware of something new that flies – at least in part – in the face of this concept of original equipment tyres specially tailored to a specific vehicle model.
Eight laps around the world with Pirelli’s F1 tyres
In total, Pirelli’s Formula 1 tyres drove nearly eight times around Earth’s circumference throughout the 22 Grands Prix that made up the 2023 season. Specifically, 191,336.2 miles (307,925.8 kilometres) were travelled over 60,473 laps by the 6,847 sets of tyres that were driven for at least one lap by drivers from the 10 teams that made up this year’s Formula 1 World Championship.
Michelin develops 3 tyres for upcoming Alpine A290
After several collaborations with the A110, Alpine and Michelin are partnering once again to supply the future electric models of the ‘Alpine Dream Garage’, starting with the A290. After two years of research, testing and development with Michelin, Alpine is offering three specific 19-inch tyres for its future A290. The two summer tyres and one winter model will feature an exclusive marking created for the planned Alpine electric range.
DJSI World & Asia Pacific renew Bridgestone listings
Bridgestone Corporation has once again been selected for inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World). This is the second consecutive year Bridgestone has appeared in the globally recognised sustainability index and the fifth occasion in total.
Mexico plant a “strategic expansion” for Sailun
Sailun Group has confirmed plans to build a joint venture factory in Mexico. In a statement, Sailun Tire Americas describes the decision to establish the plant as a “strategic move” aimed at enhancing Sailun’s production capabilities and streamlining the supply chain to provide customers with “even better service and more efficient delivery of our products.” It further calls this “strategic expansion” a “significant milestone in the company’s commitment to innovation, efficiency, and global growth.”
Bridgestone joins Continental & Cordiant within Russia’s S8 Capital
After receiving all regulatory approvals, the sale of Bridgestone’s Russian assets to S8 Capital has been completed. Bridgestone Europe NV/SA has transferred its tyre manufacturing facility in Ulyanovsk and sales and marketing office in Moscow to the investment company. Thus ends a relationship with Russia that began in 1998.
Energy costs too high – Versalis closing UK plant
Versalis has decided to permanently close its Grangemouth chemicals plant in Scotland due to a significant downturn in demand for elastomers. This announcement came a month after Petroineos, owner of the Grangemouth oil refinery, confirmed it would cease operations in 2025.
Continental debuts retrofit TPMS solution for CV tyres
Continental is now offering an “entry-level solution” for fleets wishing to adopt digital tyre management. This solution centres around a new valve cap sensor that obtains data about tyre condition in a “very timesaving, simple, and manufacturer-independent manner.” The sensor simply screws onto a tyre valve and is compatible with commercial vehicle tyres from all major brands. It measures tyre pressure in real time and connects with ContiConnect receiver units, including phone apps.
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.
Nizhnekamskneftekhim completes halobutyl expansion programme
With the official opening of its GBK-200 facility in Nizhnekamsk, within Russia’s Tatarstan region, Nizhnekamskneftekhim has completed an upgrade of its halobutyl rubber (HBR) production capabilities that increase annual capacity by a third, to 200,000 tonnes. The Sibur Holding subsidiary thus has the world’s largest capacity for halobutyl rubber, and Sibur now accounts for a quarter of global butyl and halobutyl rubber production.
