Signatech Alpine confirm WEC LMP2 victory on Dunlop tyres
Dunlop-shod Signatech Alpine became 2016 FIA World Endurance (WEC) LMP2 champions at 6 Hours of Shanghai, the penultimate round of the championship, having finished fourth. The race was won by G-Drive Racing, also on Dunlop rubber, in its second consecutive victory. Additionally the ByKolles CLM claimed its first win of 2016 in the LMP1 Privateer class.
Continue ReadingSolvay starts Zeosil silica production in South Korean
Solvay has commenced production of Highly Dispersible Silica (HDS) at its new state-of-the-art plant in Gunsan, South Korea. The plant has an annual capacity of more than 80,000 tons and is producing Solvay’s most advanced grades of HDS – many of which are used in fuel efficient tyre compounds.
Continue ReadingGajah Tunggal recalls certain Primewell and GT Radial tyres in Canada
Gajah Tunggal Tbk has voluntarily recall certain Primewell and GT Radial tyres. Approximately 5,724 tyres GT Radial Champiro Touring A/S and Primewell Valera Touring II tyres are being recalled in Canada.
Continue ReadingSmithers holds tyre symposium in China
Rubber, plastics and composites testing company Smithers Rapra recently held its first Tire Technology Symposium in China. According to the research and testing firm, the event brought together about 70 members of the Chinese tyre industry to share technical knowledge, regulatory expertise and business insight. The symposium covered the industry supply chain, including automotive OEMs, tyre manufacturers and retailers.
Continue ReadingBridgestone researchers claim to have reduced tyre wear by 60%
Bridgestone recently gave a presentation to the Japanese Cabinet Office on the subject of its ImPACT resource saving, strength increasing tyre polymer research project conduction in association with Tokyo University. The project, which seeks to bring government, industry and academia together are to: developing high-strength materials, making each component thinner and lighter; and to improve fuel economy and save resources through weight saving and increased durability as well as reduced fuel consumption. Initial results suggest the scientists “succeeded in the development of materials that [offer]…a 60 per cent reduction in wear rate.”
Continue ReadingDavanti signs South African distribution deal
Davanti will be distributed in South Africa by Tyremart, one of the country’s largest independent tyre fitment franchises. With immediate effect, Tyremart will promote and sell the complete Davanti range of car, 4x4/SUV and light commercial vehicle tyres having signed an exclusive distribution agreement.
Continue ReadingYongtai Chemical-owned Covpress in administration
Coventry-based car panel OE supplier Covpress entered administration at the end of September, with administrators stressing there are no current plans for redundancies amongst the 800 staff. Rather there is a good chance the business will be sold as a going concern. So far around 50 companies are said to have expressed an interest. But with business on the up at Covpress, could a deflated Chinese tyre business be behind the news?
Continue ReadingFM Tyres a reliable partner to wholesalers
The last time Tyres & Accessories spoke with Frank van Leeuwen, he was still managing director at Dutch wholesaler Euro-Tyre. He left the company in 2014 and subsequently formed a new business with former Euro-Tyre purchasing manager Mischa Driessen; today the pair are still based in Venlo as shareholders and partners in FM Tyres, and draw upon their more than 20 years of experience in the tyre business in their new role as “reliable partner” to wholesalers around the world.
Continue ReadingTech buys Salvadori
Technical Rubber Company, Inc. (the Johnson, Ohio-based firm also known as Tech or TRC) has bought of Rovereto, Italy-based Salvadori S.r.l in a transaction that completed last week.
Continue ReadingAmerican launch for Pirelli P Zero
Following its global launch in Portugal this April, Pirelli has now introduced its newest P Zero to North American dealers ahead of SEMA 2016. The new P Zero is available in three variants tailor-made for specific cars, applications and performance levels: The P Zero for luxury saloons, P Zero for sports cars and the P Zero Corsa, a slick-like motorsport tyre with an “aggressive” tread design.
Continue ReadingContinental celebrates official start of US factory project
An official groundbreaking ceremony was held yesterday for the new Continental tyre factory in the USA. The ceremony, attended by federal, state and local governmental officials, marked the beginning of the construction process, which is expected to be completed in 2019.
Continue ReadingTitan 3Q figures show lower sales, but also reduced losses
Titan published third quarter 2016 financial shows sales for the third quarter of 2016 were $306.2 million, down 0.9 per cent, compared to $308.8 million in the third quarter of 2015. Gross profit for the third quarter of 2016 was $33.0 million, or 10.8 per cent of net sales, compared to $26.2 million, or 8.5 per cent of net sales, for the third quarter of 2015.
Continue ReadingAufine highlights new winter, truck ranges
Passenger car tyres account for the majority of Qingdao-based tyre maker Aufine Group’s production, and company general manager David Sun shares that Aufine is now selling these products throughout all of Europe. One range that is selling particularly well within the region is the new Aufine winter car tyre line, the Supergrip S1, which is manufactured in 19 sizes for 13 to 17-inch rim diameters.
Continue ReadingSafe-Run: The legal ‘war’ with VMI has just begun
Following VMI’s statement saying it had won the latest round of legal wrangling related to a patent dispute with Safe-Run, the Chinese firm, which describes itself as “one of VMI’s biggest competitors in China” put out a counter statement questioning VMI’s perspective.
Continue ReadingMichelin COO Florent Menegaux explains the thinking behind this year’s investments
During the course of the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Tyres & Accessories took time out with Florent Menegaux (Michelin chief operating officer in charge of product and core business). Our conversation covered four key areas: Mobility – that is, Michelin’s increasingly evident philosophical evolution away from simply being a tyre maker towards being a mobility provider; Products and services – in other words the traditional well-established product centres the company is best known for (as well as the innovations connection to and rising from these areas); Experiences – what has traditionally been known as the maps and guides part of Michelin’s operations, but which is increasingly seeking to connect the firm’s excellent brand and content with technology and monetisation options; and finally distribution – the actual means of getting products (and services) from the manufacturer to the end-user via the professional supply chain.
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