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.
Continue ReadingUnlikely to harm competition – regulator approves Michelin’s Allopneus acquisition
French competition regulator the Autorité de la concurrence has approved the Michelin Group’s move to acquire sole control over French tyre e-tailer Allopneus SAS and its subsidiaries. In a statement published on 28 December, the Autorité said it cleared the deal unconditionally in the belief that it is “not likely to harm competition.”
Continue ReadingNew Zealand: Acquisition gives NTAW a presence in fleet & retreading market
Australia-headquartered tyre wholesaler National Tyre & Wheel Limited (NTAW) has completed its acquisition of Carters Tyre Service Limited, C.O. Tire & Retreading Co. Limited and Tyre Distributors New Zealand Limited (Carters). The acquisition was made through its wholly owned subsidiary, NTAW Holdings (NZ) Limited, and completed on 7 January.
Continue ReadingDVSA bans MOT technician for Spain van test lie
The DVSA has banned Jamie Smith of Rookhill Road, Pontefract for claiming to have ‘completed’ an MOT test and issuing a pass certificate for a Mercedes-Benz C van at a garage in West Yorkshire when it had been seized by Spanish police for not having valid tax or MOT. Smith has also been sentenced to a 12-month community order and banned from testing. According to the DVSA, the van was one of nine vehicles Smith falsely issued MOT certificates for.
Continue ReadingGoodyear names Christian Gadzinski as IR head
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Christian Gadzinski as senior director of Investor Relations. He reports to Christina Zamarro, vice president, Finance & Treasurer.
Continue ReadingZC Rubber expands Hyundai CV tyre supply in China
Hyundai Commercial Vehicle has worked with ZC Rubber in China for some time now, and the tyre maker now reports supplying new patterns and sizes from its truck tyre ranges for various Hyundai long-haul truck models in this market. Models receiving original equipment ZC Rubber tyres include the Hyundai Hongtu EV, a fully electric light truck, and the Hyundai Xcient.
Continue ReadingTitan International shares up 49% after market consolidation reports
What a difference a month makes. Titan International shares are trading 49 per cent higher now than they were before Christmas. The difference? The news that competitor Trelleborg is in talks with “external parties” relating to the sale of its Trelleborg Wheel Systems (TWS) industrial/OTR tyre business and subsequent market comments publish by Titan chairman Morry Taylor.
Continue ReadingGoodyear testing airless tyres with Starship delivery fleet
Airless tyres are increasingly finding favour as a potential solution for autonomous vehicles as well as for delivery applications. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has ticked both boxes with the non-pneumatic tyre (NPT) it has developed and is testing to support Starship delivery robots.
Continue ReadingCES debut for Michelin airless last-mile solution
Michelin is presenting a new airless solution for urban mobility and last-mile applications at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Visitors will encounter the prototype Michelin X Tweel airless radial for eCargo trikes fitted to the Coaster Cycles eCargo trike at its stand in the eMobility Experience as well as in the Test Track area.
Continue ReadingNokian Tyres’ Visitor Centre in Spain awarded green certification for sustainability
The solar-powered Visitor Centre Building at Nokian Tyres’ Spain Test Centre has earned LEED v4 Platinum certification - the highest LEED certification level - for green building leadership. Nokian Tyres’ 300-hectare Test Centre is situated in Santa Cruz de la Zarza, a small town about one hour’s drive south of Madrid. The Test Centre includes 10 test tracks and the Visitor Centre. Inspectors highlighted the Visitor Centre’s innovation in design, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality as key drivers of the high certification level.
Continue ReadingSustainable materials: Goodyear shows off 70% tyre
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has taken a further step towards its aim of achieving material sustainability by producing a tyre with 70 per cent sustainable material content. While this Goodyear Assurance tyre is a demonstration model and won’t be offered for sale just now, innovations contained within will certainly appear in future ranges.
Continue ReadingSteve Shannon Tire joins Pre-Q Galgo retreader network
Pennsylvania, USA-based Steve Shannon Tire is now a member of the Pre-Q Galgo network of independent retreaders.
Continue ReadingMagna Tyres Group buys Polish tyres dealer Industra
Magna Tyres has agreed to buy Polish tyre dealer Industra Ltd. Financial details have not been disclosed. But Magna Tyres Group did report that it is “on track to increase turnover to 600 million euros in three to five years amd that Industras annual net turnover is almost 10 million euros.
Continue ReadingHankook showing non-pneumatic i-Flex at CES 2022
Hankook Tire & Technology is jointly showcasing its ‘i-Flex’ non-pneumatic tyre with Hyundai Motor Company at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022, which begins today in Las Vegas. The tyre will appear in Hyundai’s new Plug & Drive (PnD) Module, a modular platform based on robotics technology that enables mobility of traditionally inanimate things. Hankook says its i-Flex maximises the characteristics and functions of the PnD module.”
Continue ReadingMegaride acquires Wriggle Solutions Technologies
Megaride Applied Vehicle Research has acquired tyre wear and integrity monitoring systems developed by Wriggle. The purchase continues Megaride’s recent expansion of technical know-how in the tyre technology sphere. No details relating to the nature of the investment associated with the acquisition have been released.
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