Small businesses win in 2016 budget
British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt. Hon George Osborne MP’s 2016 budget lowers tax rates for small businesses, however large businesses face stamp duty and other increases. The surprise announcement of government-backed “Lifetime ISAs” is designed to help everyone save more for the future. But, at the same time as this, larger personal tax allowances were announced – suggesting people will have great levels of disposable income now as well.
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Giti: Dekra independent results contradict magazine tyre test
In response to a recent, less than favourable third party tyre test, Giti Tire has run two sets of independent tests with Dekra and “a leading German tyre testing association” to verify the wet braking performance of its GT Radial Champiro FE1 tyre. In the case of the original test, the Nexen Nblue HD Plus was chosen as the comparison product based on the reported results, which had this tyre as the test winner. Therefore Giti ran its tests using the same Nexen product as a comparison.
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Goodyear continues ‘thought leader’ strategy at Geneva 2016
Goodyear has done it again. For the last few years of exhibiting at the Geneva Motor Show, the company has been taking the idea of concept tyres more seriously than most (think of “battery charging, shape shifting tyres” last year and an SUV concept plus “chip in tyre” technology the year before. The goal is clearly to challenge received wisdom and raise questions about the future of tyres – taking a thought leadership role in the markets, but especially with OEMs. This year Goodyear put its Eagle 360 centre-stage in Geneva. Of course the spherical tyre is striking for its shape and the suggestion that it will move the vehicle of the future with a built maglev propulsion system, but what is perhaps even more interesting for the tyre industry is the questions this product raises about future tyre manufacturing, distribution and retail business models. Tyres & Accessories spoke with Goodyear EMEA president Jean-Claude Kihn in order to find out more.
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Lehigh Technologies prepares for European MRP production
As Europe’s retreaders are currently learning to their cost, commitment to sustainable products often takes a back seat to lower prices; despite offering proven environmental plusses, retreaded truck tyres continue to lose market share to cheap and often non-retreadable imported new tyres. To truly thrive, an environmentally-friendly product must also deliver a price benefit. With its micronised rubber powder (MRP) products, Lehigh Technologies offers this double advantage. Tyres & Accessories recently met with Lehigh Technologies’ vice-president and general manager Kedar Murthy and Josep Freixas, the company’s MRP business development manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, to find out how the market is taking to the concept of new tyres containing materials made from end of life tyres.
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No nasty surprises in Auto Bild Allrad’s SUV tyre test
SUV and 4x4 specialist magazine Auto Bild Allrad has tested seven summer tyres that, given their ‘W’ and ‘Y’ speed ratings, probably won’t spend a lot of time away from the tarmac. The on-road emphasis of these size 235/55 R19 (front) and 255/50 R19 (rear) tyres was underlined by the choice of Porsche Cayenne as test main vehicle, while a Toyota pick-up was used to shed light on their off-road capabilities.
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Tyre wholesaling – a decade of change
Ten years is a long time in the tyre world. Over the past decade, European industry observers have witnessed the eco tyre niche blossom into a mainstream segment, seen the implementation of regulations such as REACH and the EU tyre label, and looked on in amazement as end users stopped sniggering at Chinese-made tyres and began looking upon them as a serious, and cheaper alternative to established brands.
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Top tyre manufacturers deny involvement in tyre test manipulation
Along with Nokian’s admission and apology for “mistakes” in its practices concerning tyre tests, the Finnish tyre manufacturer stated that “several operators in the field… have been suspected or evidence has been presented against them of differences between tyres in magazine tests and tyres that are for sale in stores.” After the Nokian statement’s implication of other tyre manufacturers in malpractice regarding independent tyre testing, Michelin immediately responded by stating categorically that it has “never designed or manufactured tyres specifically for tests conducted by the media, automobile associations or any other organisations.” Tyres & Accessories approached 11 more of the world’s leading manufacturers, many of whose products regularly appear in magazine tests, for their response to the question: Have you ever designed or manufactured tyres specifically for tests conducted by the media, automobile associations or any other organisations? Listed below are their responses.
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Michelin giveth, Michelin taketh away – French investments, retreading plant closure
In what it calls a “series of decisions that adapt its industrial and service activities in Clermont-Ferrand,” French tyre maker Michelin has announced the closure of a retreading facility at its headquarters site and a further 164 job cuts in its Engineering operation. At the same time, the company has outlined plans to invest €90 million into projects at three Clermont-Ferrand locations.
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Goodyear reveals spherical concept tyre at Geneva Motor Show
Goodyear has unveiled its latest concept tyre, the Eagle-360, and it’s one of the more radical departures from traditional tyre design; it is a sphere. The 3-D printed model presents a long-term vision of future mobility, in which autonomous driving is expected to be more mainstream. Goodyears video demonstrating its vision of the Eagle-360s place in the future of autonomous mobility is embedded in the full article.
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Cooper increases football alliance as Avon becomes Everton’s Official Tyre
Avon Tyres will become the Official Tyre of Everton Football Club in the Barclays Premier League 2016/17 season, with three other partnerships giving the brand exposure at every professional level of the sport in the UK. The brand joins its sister Cooper brand in football sponsorship, the latter having been the Official Tyre of Arsenal for the last two seasons.
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Falken to launch new UHP tyre, Azenis FK510
Falken has announced the launch of its latest ultra-high performance tyre for high-end vehicles, the Azenis FK510. The tyre is the company’s response to the continuously growing demand for UHP tyres. The new flagship Falken tyre has already received a ‘Highly Recommended’ rating from testers at German auto magazine, Autozeitung (Issue 6/2016). The German association of technical inspectors, GTÜ, also gave the tyre ‘Highly Recommended’ status.
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Honesty is the best policy
As in life, when it comes to tyre testing, honesty is the best policy. Nokian Tyres’ “worst day ever” happened at the end of February – with the Finnish manufacturer and well-known winter tyre specialist accused of manipulating tyre test results for a decade and then apologising for “mistakes” relating to tyre tests. The two quickest responses to the story were from Nokian Tyres itself and – more surprisingly – Michelin, which deftly pre-empted the widening of questions relating to tyre testing by putting out a statement of its own. As a result, both Nokian and Michelin have adopted exactly the right approach, from a communications perspective at least. Looking at the story through this lens we can see practical examples of the golden rules of PR in action – control the narrative, take initiative and tell the truth.
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ADAC tyre test: Why Pirelli’s results were missing
This year’s ADAC test of 15-inch tyres for small and compact cars included the comment that a Pirelli tyre took part in the test, but was not included in the final results table as the testers noticed “marked variations” in performance for a number of test criteria. This caused a few raised eyebrows, given its publication on the very day that allegations of tyre test rigging by Nokian Tyres surfaced, so Tyrepress.com contacted the ADAC to find out more.
Continue Reading Nokian accused of rigging tyre test results for a decade
Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti has accused Nokian Tyres of making bespoke tyres for tyre testers in order to improve its test results. And what’s worse the paper says it has been going on for 10 years. Kauppalehti cites internal Nokian emails it has seen as being evidence supporting its story. Following the publication of this story, Nokian Tyres has issued a statement saying it regrets any mistakes it made in the way it handled magazine tyre tests.
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Budget tyres declared a “high risk” in GTÜ summer tyre test
As a way of introducing its 2016 summer tyre test, German vehicle inspection organisation GTÜ poses the question: Is expensive really better when purchasing tyres? To provide an answer, GTÜ – together with car magazine Auto Zeitung – evaluated 14 size 225/45 R 17 summer tyres that ranged in price between €210 and €430 per set. The test candidates included recent releases from Dunlop, Goodyear, Falken and GT Radial, as well as several products described as “budget tyres from the Far East.”
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