Falken Expands Motorsports Involvement
Falken has enjoyed considerable success in the comparatively new motorsport of drifting, with teams performing in vehicles shod with Falken Azenis RT-615. In fact, Falken was the first tyre manufacturer to back drifting when it was introduced to the USA in 2003. In 2008, the company broadened its motorsports horizons when it took part in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) competition. This is unusual in the fact that open tyre competition is encouraged and there are six manufacturers currently in competition, developing tyres specifically suited to the 11 different tracks in the series.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Tells of Increased Market Share
Goodyear Dunlop UK and Ireland has released the claim that, despite challenging economic conditions, the company has managed to increase its car tyre market share by a margin of over 4 per cent in the last four months. Over the company’s four major brands, including European-developed Fulda and Sava in addition to the best-known Goodyear and Dunlop names, the manufacturer states that it reached a two year peak of 27.1 per cent of the market during the last third of a year. Group managing director, Mark Brickhill said that the Birmingham-based company’s strong and diverse portfolio of brands has been the key to gaining market share in challenging conditions. While the rest of the market was declining by 0.6 per cent, Goodyear Dunlop’s December consumer sales were 6 per cent higher than in the same month in 2007. The company says that its share of Market has been growing steadily over the last four months, reaching its aforementioned peak in December.
Continue ReadingNorway’s Fundo Wheels Declared Bankrupt
Norwegian manufacturer Fundo Wheels, original equipment tyre rim supplier to European vehicle producers, has been declared bankrupt. It is thought that the company’s 350 employees will lose their jobs. The company’s poor performance is said to be strongly linked to the global automotive industry slump. The company’s owners are still seeking fresh capital, and a bank has secured operations for a further month to enable the company to complete orders for Volvo and Audi.
Continue ReadingDunlop to Supply New BMW UK Contest
Headline brand and tyre suppliers to the 2009 Great and British Racing Festival, Dunlop has announced that the latest addition to the UK racing scene, the new ‘CSL Cup’ for BMW M3 E46 and CSL racing models will be part of the Festival’s calendar this year. The Great and British is one of the UK’s premier race series, comprising racing from Radical, Mini and the Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Cup. John Thorne of Thorney Motorsport, the promoter of the CSL Cup series, was pleased to secure the spot on the Festival’s bill: “We’re delighted. The CSL Cup is a new series for 2009 so to be awarded the opportunity to appear on such a prestigious series with an enviable calendar is really quite groundbreaking. Dunlop Great and British Schedule for 2009: 18-19 April: Rockingham 6-7 June: Brands Hatch 4-5 July: Donington Park 18-19 July: Castle Combe 22-23 August: Croft 26-27 September: Snetterton
Continue ReadingNew Michelin XHA2 Designed to Deliver Durability and Traction
The new Michelin XHA2 loader tyre, introduced in early January at the Intermat trade show’s press days, has been designed to accomplish three goals: reduce hourly operating costs, ensure that work continues smoothly and safely, and improve operator working conditions. The tyre is intended for loaders in quarries and cement plants and on construction and infrastructure worksites. The XHA2 will be officially unveiled at the Intermat 2009 building and construction trade show in April 2009. The tyre will be available in replacement markets around the world beginning in May 2009.
Continue ReadingChina Sunsine Supplying Global Tyre Majors
China Sunsine Chemical Holdings is one of China’s largest rubber accelerator producers. At present the company possesses a total annual production capacity of 50,000 tons of rubber accelerators per annum, plus a further 10,000 tons of insoluble sulphur and 10,000 tons of anti-oxidant. These chemicals are sold to the leading global tyre manufacturers, including Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, Pirelli, Sumitomo Rubber, Yokohama, Hankook, Cooper and Kumho. In China, the company supplies – amongst others – Giti Tire, Aeolus Tyre, Shanghai Tyre, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber and Chengshan Corporation. Worldwide, China Sunsine boasts more than 400 customers in over 30 countries.
Continue ReadingDates of Pirelli Carlisle Shutdown Announced
The dates for the shutdown of Pirelli’s factory in Carlisle have been confirmed – between February 24 and March 4, production at the plant will be cut to compensate for a dropping demand for passenger car tyres. The News & Star reports a company spokesman as saying “there will be a staged close down and restart commencing from February 24 until March 4. During this period it is anticipated there will be around six days shutdown per production department.” According to the spokesman, Pirelli attempted to coincide the shutdown with the half-term school holiday break, but was unable to due to previous scheduled maintenance work.
Continue ReadingMichelin Golf Event Raises $108,000 for Charities
The 2008 Michelin Pro-Am Charity golf tournament raised $108,000 for six charities in Greenville County, South Carolina, the company announced. Hosted on 20 October, 2008, the event included Michelin suppliers from around the globe. Over the 19 years of the annual event, the Michelin Pro-Am Charity tournament has raised more than $1.5 million for local charities. “Michelin’s commitment to the Greenville community comes from our core value of respect for people,” said Herb Johnson, director of community relations for Michelin North America. “Our suppliers understand and support this commitment, which allows this tournament to support organizations that are making a significant impact on the children and youth in our community.” (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingHow Does This Grab You?
General Tire was introducing a new logo and marketing campaign for its Grabber light truck and SUV tyre, using the slogan unbridled fury, so said Kenny Sergeant, of Speedfreaks, on General Tires stand at the Sema show. Sergeant reminded visitors of the success that Grabber has enjoyed in off-road motorsports and General is bringing the same proven off-road competition technology to the light truck market with the introduction of the new DOT legal General Grabber. A tough, three-ply reinforced body construction and a race-proven Duragen tread compound stand up to the rigours of off-road, as well as, highway conditions. General Grabber’s optimised tread design and multiple tread edges work to deliver great side bite and lateral traction – especially in off-road conditions. Puncture resistant sidewalls and a specially-designed rim protection rib assure the tyre can stand up to any terrain.
Continue ReadingCaterpillar Attack Not Threatening Plantation
A widespread outbreak of plant destroying caterpillars has yet to have any impact of Bridgestone Americas’ rubber plantation in Liberia, said the company. “Firestone Liberia has not been affected to date by the caterpillar plague that is currently making headlines,” said Christina Gaines, director of pubic affairs for the company’s Firestone Diversified Products unit. “Our rubber trees are presently safe from this threat. We have received reports that the caterpillars appear to be attacking banana trees and other food crops. We will continue to work with the Liberian Ministry of Agriculture to monitor this situation.” The Ministry reported that the outbreak has affected some 400,000 people in more than 100 villages. Reports say that the caterpillars are clogging wells and eating crops including banana, plantain, coffee and cocoa. Definitely we have a crisis on our hands, said U.N. Food and Agriculture Representative Winfred Hammond. (Tire Review/Akron)
Continue ReadingHankook – “Kontrol Technology”
Kontrol Technology is Hankooks technology philosophy, which reflects how the tyre should perfectly control the interaction between the driver, the car and the road while in motion (the K stands for kinetic). It is implemented to ensure that Hankook provides the greatest benefits and driving experiences to customers in terms of safety, driving comfort, handling, performance and environmental friendliness. As well as a Kontrol Technology information booth at Sema, Hankook showcased its new, environmental tyre – enfren – which has completed the Kontrol Technology cycle and was launched in Korea. Hankook is exploring the possibility of a North American version within three years.
Continue ReadingMichelin & Renault Crossing World Together in 2009 Cape-to-Cape
Michelin has been selected by Renault Trucks as exclusive tyre supplier for the upcoming Cape-to-Cape rally. This is the second occasion on which the two companies have together embarked on such an undertaking – in 2005 Michelin and Renault jointly participated in the Silk Road event. The new adventure, which gets underway on 1 March, 2009, will see six Renault Kerax and six Renault Sherpa trucks drive the length of the planet, north to south, on Michelin XZL tyres. The vehicles (and their tyres) will cross 21 countries, covering a total of 30,000 kilometres in extremely challenging conditions, ranging from the icy cold of northern climates to the oppressive heat of the desert and from harsh, rugged terrain to soft, loose ground.
Continue ReadingNankang Rubber Celebrates its 50th Anniversary
The predecessor of Nankang Rubber Tire Co. Ltd, Nankang Rubber Plant, was founded in Taipei city, Taiwan in 1945, mainly producing rickshaw tyres, rubber shoes and industrial products. In 1959, the company underwent privatisation and was reorganized as Nankang Rubber Tire Co. Ltd., as it has been for the past 50 years. To meet the growth of business scale, a second plant was established in Shin-Fung, Hsinchu County in 1973. In 1997, the latest plant, Nankang International Co., was finally set up in Zhangjiagang free trade zone, Jiangsu Province, Peoples Republic of China, with the highest production capacity of 37,000 pieces a day. This month, as the company reaches the half century mark, Tyres & Accessories looks over the company’s five decades of history. Back to 50 years ago, when the economic and industrial infrastructure was insufficient, and when the technology and raw material of the rubber industry was not easily accessible, Nankang Rubber Tire Co. had to rely on its own to overcome the challenges in terms of technical procedure, design and facilities.
Continue ReadingBuying in Bulk Enables Star-Tyre to Pass Savings Onto Customers
Over the past several years, tyre distributor Star Group Shanghai Co. Ltd. (Star-Tyre) has experienced rapid growth. The company’s inventory encompasses over twenty-three different popular brands of Chinese tyres, and the company reports it has strategically aligned itself with a number of China’s leading tyre manufacturers – a move Star-Tyre believes has brought about one of its greatest advantages. The Shanghai headquartered firm operates distribution warehouses in China’s Qingdao, Shanghai, Dalian and Tianjin regions, and keeps considerable stock in its premises, which are located near major international seaports. This gives, says Star-Tyre, the company the opportunity to provide faster and more effective delivery to its clientele in any world destination. The distributor adds that its ability to purchase products in volume affords it a price advantage over competitors – an advantage Star-Tyre says it passes onto its customers in the form of a better purchase price.
Continue ReadingMarangoni MiTo Goes Flat Out
Just a couple of months after its debut at November’s Essen Motor Show, Tyres & Accessories has heard that Marangoni’s souped-up 233 bhp Alfa Romeo MiTo project car recently encountered an altogether more normal problem. Yes, you guessed it, the MiTo’s specialist Mythos tyres decided to suck up a nail. However, all was not lost as company representatives decided to practice what they preach and make use of their own lifetime warranty. The rogue nail attacked the MiTo’s special “fire red” 18-inch Marangoni Mythos tyres during a recent test drive by a leading consumer press title at Bruntingthorpe Test Ground. Unbeknown to the test drivers, the puncture occurred just one week and only 1,000 miles after this set of tyres had been fitted. The puncture only became apparent when preparing the car for a special press photo shoot.
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