Tatneft to supply new KamaTyresKZ plant from JV butadiene facility
Russian oil and gas company Tatneft intends to produce butadiene rubbers in Kazakhstan, and the recipients of plant output include Tatneft’s own tyre production businesses.
Continue ReadingBridgestone acquiring mining tyre management system supplier
Bridgestone is to acquire the Otraco OTR tyre management solutions business from Downer EDI, continuing its growth strategy. The acquisition will be made by the number one tyre manufacturer’s group company, Bridgestone Mining Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd. Bridgestone said the acquisition will accelerate the growth of its global mining solutions business and expand the company’s service network in key markets such as Australia, Chile and South Africa. Bridgestone wants to complete the transaction, valued at 79 million Australian dollars (approximately £44 million), by the end of 2021.
Continue ReadingStudies show Michelin Ultraflex technology improves crop yields
An in-depth study into the impact of traffic and tillage on soil compaction has found agricultural machinery running low pressure Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres could boost farmers’ yields by 4 per cent, helping to ‘feed the world’ for years to come. Harper Adams University – a specialist provider of higher education for the agricultural and rural sector – has been leading the investigation, utilising one site at its campus in Newport and another site in the USA in conjunction with the University of Illinois.
Continue ReadingYokohama Tire returns as title sponsor of Yokohama NORRA Mexican 1000 for 5th year
Yokohama Tire is returning as the title sponsor of the Yokohama NORRA Mexican 1000 for the fifth consecutive year. And this time the tyremaker is bringing along elite drivers such as Justin Lofton and new Team Yokohama member Tanner Foust for the 54th running of the iconic rally, which takes place on the famed Baja peninsula 25-29 April 2021.
Continue ReadingMichelin validates Carbios plastic bottle to tyre recycling technology
Every year, 1.6 billion car tyres are sold worldwide in total. The PET fibres used in these tyres represent 800,000 tonnes of PET per year. With regards to Michelin alone, this represents nearly 3 billion plastic bottles annually. That’s why the France-based global tyre maker has been looking for ways that bottles can be recycled into technical fibres for use in the company’s tyres. Now, the company has validated that Carbios’s enzymatic process does exactly that, giving Michelin a step forward in its sustainability plans. Indeed, Michelin describes the development as “a major step towards developing 100 per cent sustainable tyres. Michelin has successfully tested and applied”. Michelin is committed to achieving 40 per cent sustainable materials (of renewable or recycled origin) by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050.
Continue ReadingTyre industry suppliers Nynas, Cabot and Evonik amongst top EcoVadis ratings
Upstream suppliers to the tyre manufacturing industry Nynas, Cabot and Evonik have received some of the top ratings in the 2021 EcoVadis auditing process. Specifically, these three firms all ranked in the top 1 per cent of their peers, earning platinum status. Meanwhile, carbon black supplier Birla Carbon received the EcoVadis’ gold accreditation.
Continue ReadingWorld’s Longest Indoor Autonomous Vehicle Test Track Now Open
Swedish company AstaZero is about to officially open (on 28 April) the world’s longest indoor track for testing active safety systems and autonomous technologies for all types of vehicles. Vehicle operators are able to conduct tests 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. AstaZero Dry Zone is the world’s first full-scale independent testing and demonstration facility for future road safety, and it is now being expanded to house the world’s longest indoor track: 700 metres long and 40 metres wide.
Continue ReadingHankook tyres OE on Porsche 718 models
Hankook’s Ventus S1 evo 3 will be fitted as original equipment on Porsche’s current 718 Boxster and Cayman from spring 2021. The products fitted will be tailor-made Ventus S1 evo 3 tyres in sizes 235/40 ZR19 (92Y) N-0 for the front axle and 265/40 ZR19 (98Y) N-0 for the rear axle. This is in addition to the Porsche Cayenne and Taycan models which Hankook already equips with Ventus S1 evo 3 tyres in SUV and EV specifications, respectively.
Continue ReadingAutomechanika Birmingham names Elrick as sales director
Messe Frankfurt, the organiser of Automechanika Birmingham, has appointed Grant Elrick as the company’s new sales director. Elrick is responsible for all sales and commercial activity around the Automechanika Birmingham show.
Continue ReadingMarangoni celebrates 20 years in Brazil
As of 24 April, the Marangoni factory in Brazil is 20 years old. Inaugurated in 2001, the plant in Minas Gerais state was instrumental in introducing the Ringtread system to markets throughout Latin America, and as such has fulfilled Marangoni’s mission of providing tyre retreaders and their customers with “a higher quality product” suited to a continent that’s home to one of the world’s largest road networks.
Continue ReadingUSA capacity increase complements doubling of Kumho’s Vietnam output
Kumho Tire has shared further details of the planned production capacity increase at its facility in Vietnam, as well as news of an associated project in the USA. The tyre maker says the US$305 million investment will double capacity at the Binh Duong Province site by 2023. This means that annual output should reach at least 9.3 million tyres per annum by that time. As previously stated, the project will commence in the third quarter of this year and run until the early part of 2023.
Continue ReadingMesnac appoints Guan Bingzheng as chairman and CEO
Chinese tyre manufacturing equipment and systems supplier Mesnac has appointed Guan Bingzheng as chairman and CEO. Bingzheng has been with the company since its establishment. Announcing the news, Mesnac highlighted Bingzheng’s 20 years of experience in the rubber industry. At the same time, the company also appointed Wang Zhiming as vice president.
Continue ReadingECP acquiring Liberty Tire Recycling
The largest player in the USA’S tyre recycling sector will soon have a new owner. Global investment firm The Carlyle Group has agreed to sell Liberty Tire Recycling to ECP, a 2005-founded investor across energy transition and decarbonisation infrastructure assets. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021. The parties have not disclosed financial details.
Continue ReadingKerr’s Tyres buys MW Tyres & Exhausts
Northern Ireland-based Kerr’s Tyres Group has bought MW Tyres & Exhausts for an undisclosed sum. MW Tyres & Exhausts has been rebranded as MW Tyres & Auto and will now offer the 24/7 365 UK & Ireland coverage offered by Kerr’s Tyres Group. As a result of the acquisition, Kerrs Group now operates from 12 sites in Northern Ireland and four sites in the Greater Dublin region. Look out for our May edition to see how this affects Kerr’s Tyres’ position in our annual tyre retail ranking.
Continue ReadingPirelli and racing legend Fabien Barel develop new range of Gravity Racing tyres
Pirelli has announced a technical partnership with three-time Downhill world champion Fabien Barel for the development of a new line of Scorpion mountain bike tyres aimed specifically at the world of Gravity Racing (Downhill and Enduro racing).
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