DfT ‘intends’ to retain EU tyre labelling regulation post-Brexit
The Tyre Industry Federation (TIF) has announced that it understands the Department for Transport (DfT) intends to retain alignment with future evolutions of the EU tyre labelling regulations in the UK, at least as far as the label itself is concerned. The rationale is to ensure a smoothly working market for tyres, the TIF adds.
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Why tyre servicers need to address ADAS – Hella Gutmann Solutions
Technological tipping points are not always easy to identify, and the pace of change in the automotive industry can make it a challenge for garages not affiliated with new car dealerships to stay on top of new carfeatures as they begin to require repair. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are emblematic of this, and considering their centrality to the safe operation of many new cars, the stakes have also risen. Tyres & Accessories visited Hella Gutmann Solutions’ facilities in and around Ihringen, Germany to see how the supplier of diagnostic and camera and sensor recalibration solutions is responding to garages’ increasing need for new equipment, technician training, and data, to address the rise of ADAS.
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EU publishes definitive anti-subsidy and updated anti-dumping rates
The European Union has published its definitive decision relating to anti-subsidy duties imposed on Chinese-produced truck tyres imported into the continent. This follows the EU’s final decision on anti-dumping duties, which was released on 18 October 2018. In short, the latest document (which runs to well over 120 pages) demonstrates how large subsidies have supported some Chinese tyre makers. However, it doesn’t mean the overall per tyre rate importers have to pay will change.
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ETRMA study: Rescaling of tyre label would be premature
The Market Surveillance Action on Tyres 2015 (MSTyr15) project may claim success in its aim of ensuring the enforcement of tyre labelling regulations, yet enforcement is only effective if end consumers actually consider label results when buying tyres. A report funded by the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) suggests they aren’t, and the association wants this considered during the European Commission’s current review of tyre label regulation (1222/2009).
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Worn tyres worse than ever
Pictures of de-mounted tyres removed from cars at Micheldever retail businesses look more like scrap than tyres taken of road-going vehicles two weeks ago. And this has made some company representatives suggest that the problem of illegal wear is worse than ever.
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US puts 10% import tariffs on all Chinese tyres
The Trump administration upped the ante once again in the ongoing trade war between the USA and China on 18 September with the introduction of tariffs on all US$200 billion of imports including basically all categories of tyres, retreads and inner tubes. At President Trump’s direction the additional tariffs will initially be set at 10 per cent and will take effect on 24 September 2018. However, as of 1 January 2019, the level of additional tariffs will increase to 25 per cent.
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WLTP impacting tyre markets
Introduction of the new vehicle emissions and fuel consumption test protocol, the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) is already having an impact on what wheels and tyres are available in the market. Of course, the size of vehicle wheels and consequently tyres is hugely influential in vehicle carbon dioxide (CO2) and fuel consumption (miles per gallon – MPG) performance and in recent years there has been a trend by motor manufacturers to fit larger wheels to vehicles, including even larger rim sizes as options.
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CITExpo 2018: still room for small-medium Chinese players, though times are tough
Visiting CITExpo in 2018 had the potential to be a gloomy affair. A trade show that has specifically targeted medium-sized tyre Chinese manufacturers as a gateway for raising global interest, the trading environment in major export markets in Europe and North America have not been the most hospitable, with tariffs or anti-dumping duties affecting various product segments. In the UK, we heard from a major Chinese truck tyre importer that business had effectively been put on hold with the announcement that the EU was imposing tariffs in May. Pressure had also been mounting domestically, as the Chinese government moved to bring a halt to production at factories it considered to be too polluting, which led to upstream supply chain problems, as raw materials suppliers to the tyre industry were among those affected.
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