70% of motorists still unaware of tyre labelling
Over 70 per cent of motorists are still completely unaware of the impending tyre labelling legislation and the fuel efficiency benefits associated with it. The figure comes from a survey of 3,000 UK motorists conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by tyre Chemical supplier Lanxess. It also shows that almost all UK motorists (99%) vastly underestimate the impact tyres have on their fuel bills, and that over half still prioritise upfront cost when buying their tyres. Less than 20% take fuel consumption and long term costs into consideration.
Continue ReadingATS Euromaster awarded government procurement supplier status
ATS Euromaster will supply a full range of car, van, 4x4, truck and agricultural tyres, from premium to budget fitments, to every public sector organisation across the UK for the next four years, following the completion of a comprehensive tender process. The multi-brand supply deal will include the nation’s fire engines, ambulances, prison vehicles and local authorities. To enable this, ATS-E was awarded supplier status to public sector organisations across the UK on the Government Procurement Service framework agreement RM955.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Dunlop awarded UK police, public sector contracts
Goodyear Dunlop has won four new lots in the Government Procurement Service RM955 supply and fit of tyres framework agreement. The first of these lots is for the sole supply and fitment of Goodyear and Dunlop tyres to UK Police Forces, while the others deal with wider public sector interests. The contracts will cover cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Continue ReadingCommercial vehicle tyres and the label
The history of the EU tyre label is closely connected with the passenger car tyre segment. The criteria that led to standardised test procedures for fuel efficiency/rolling resistance, wet grip and external rolling noise primarily focused on the passenger car segment, and summer passenger car tyres in particular. Despite this, the label doesn’t just apply to C1, or passenger car tyres that are produced from 1 July 2012 (DOT 2712), but also to light commercial vehicle tyres (C2) and truck tyres (C3). Retreaded tyres, which account for a large percentage of Europe’s truck tyre market, are one of a number of exemptions to the labelling legislation.
Continue ReadingEnforcement and European tyre labelling
With just three months to go before the mandatory implementation of labelling in November 2012, there are still many questions to answer about exactly who will be enforcing the law and what the penalties will be.
Continue ReadingLabelling and truck tyres – ‘Trickery’ won’t be forgiven
No, Continental’s Herbert Mensching and Dr. Frank Walloch cannot conceive that a tyre maker could solely focus its development on label-related areas just to achieve sales through high ratings. The two men, respectively managing director sales and marketing at Continental’s Commercial Vehicle Tires unit and director of product development for commercial vehicle tyres in the EMEA region, believe a one-sided preference for specific development priorities will evaporate after around nine months at the very latest, as professional truck tyre users are competent at evaluating these products. Instead of placing a focus on criteria such as wet braking or rolling resistance, what is of key importance for commercial vehicle tyres, most likely more than in the passenger car tyre segment, is balanced product development in which other criteria – such as mileage and retreadability – will rank high on the list of priorities.
Continue ReadingTyre labelling 101
From 1 November 2012, every new tyre manufactured since July will be legally required have a tyre label. And what’s more the information contained on the label must be presented – physically or electronically – to the consumer at the point of sale. So what better place to start this month’s in-depth labelling special than to take a look at the much vaunted itself and introduce its main features and some of the discussions relating to it?
Continue ReadingThe label’s coming, but will it deliver what consumers need?
Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters – to give our new label legislation its full and proper name – comes into force in just a few months. The EU has agreed upon a system of rating tyres using three performance parameters, and almost every new passenger car, light commercial vehicle and truck tyre (C1, C2 and C3 tyres) sold in Europe will come with this rating. But even before its mandatory implementation, murmurs of label scepticism can be heard. Generally, these comments hinge on the label’s limitations, and whether these will hinder consumers from purchasing the tyre best suited to their needs.
Continue ReadingDes Collins to lead Conti’s new public liaison office
Continental has appointed ex-Bridgestone Europe communications vice-president Des Collins head of its new Liaison Office for Public Affairs in Brussels, Belgium. This new office in the European Union’s political capital opened on 1 August, and Collins takes responsibility for representing the legislative and regulatory interests of both Continental’s Rubber and Automotive Groups.
Continue ReadingHangzhou Zhongce joins ITMA
China’s largest tyre maker, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, has become the country’s latest manufacturer to sign up with the Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA). Its membership gives Hangzhong Zhongce access to the very latest technical and legislative regulations affecting the sale of tyres within Europe.
Continue ReadingPirelli’s Carlisle tyre plant is going 100% premium
Following the news that Pirelli is to receive funding from the UK government’s regional growth fund, Tyres & Accessories visited Pirelli’s Carlisle tyre manufacturing plant and met with industrial director, Paulo Batistini and engineering manager, Alan Wilson in order to find what this and other recent investments mean in practice. While no official figures have been released, based on the fact that £950 million of government money is being supplied to 119 British business on the proviso that taxpayer funding is matched 5:1 with private investment it is a fair guess to assume that Pirelli is pushing millions towards the development of the latest generation of eco-tyres in Carlisle. And this fits with the company’s wider strategy. Pirelli’s latest industrial plan, published in November 2011, has the stated aim of leading what it defines as the premium market by 2015. With this in mind, the recent developments which centre on transitioning the plant towards to almost exclusively high performance output (and therefore high value products) are to be expected.
Continue ReadingPanorama focuses on tyre dumping and exports
On 16 July the BBC’s Panorama prime-time documentary series reported on the subject of illegal tyre dumping. It’s always good to see the BBC talking about tyres in a high profile slot, but questions will be asked about whether everything reported was either representative or wholly accurate. The programme, entitled ‘Britain’s Biggest Waste Dumpers’, looked at what it described as “fly-tipping on an industrial scale” and highlighted three key issues: The perceived lack of transparency and clarity relating to retail tyre disposal charges; illegal dumping in the UK; and the negative effects of exporting end of life tyres. This last point referred to both the effects this practice has on the domestic tyre recycling market and on the destination country and referred to both legal exports of tyres for use as fuel to countries that control their emissions, such as South Korea, and illegal exports to unrestricted countries like China and Vietnam.
Continue ReadingOn your marks…
Road Safety Markings Association is set to carry out the UK’s biggest survey of the state of white lines. From 16 July and throughout August, more than 6,000 miles of roads in England, Scotland and Wales – including the UK’s ten most dangerous roads identified by the Road Safety Foundation - will be assessed for the quality of their central white lines.
Continue ReadingZipcar UK signs full Michelin tyre contract
The world's leading car sharing network Zipcar has entered into a full Michelin tyre contract for its UK fleet. Operating in London, Bristol, Cambridge and Oxford, Zipcar will gradually introduce Michelin tyres across its fleet of 1,800 cars and vans as part of the new agreement. David Cruickshank, head of fleet for Zipcar UK, said: “At Zipcar, we obsess about the member experience and, under this agreement, we can consistently provide our vehicles with a higher quality tyre, so that our members enjoy an even better drive.
Continue ReadingMichelin’s microchip RFID/TPMS tyre first of its kind
In something of a coup for the UK, Michelin chose London as the venue for the global launch of its latest RFID/TPMS truck tyre technology on 19 June. The UK truck tyre business, which has previously been referred to as something of a model for other mature European markets, was selected because it is an area where the French tyre manufacturer is dominant in the truck and especially bus segments. This fact also provided Michelin with a clear opportunity to implement its technology on a large fleet and thereby also demonstrate the performance of its technology to fleets and the market as a whole. Tyres & Accessories visited West Ham Bus Garage in East London to attend the launch of technology and see it in action.
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