Trelleborg Professional Centre programme launches
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has launched its agricultural tyre dealer programme at a meeting of its key dealers. Taking place at Mercedes Benz World, Brooklands, the event provided the chance to “share information, which is the crux of why we are here,” according to Trelleborg marketing manager Bruce Lauder’s introduction. The network of 28 Trelleborg dealers that have chosen, and been chosen, to cooperate in the Trelleborg Professional Centre (TPC) programme were invited to participate in an extended discussion during the conference. Trelleborg’s managing director UK and Ireland Andrea Manenti outlined the TPC concept, gave an overview of the UK agricultural tyre market and the manufacturer’s place within it and answered dealers’ questions.
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Dmack targeting ‘correct’ dealers to deliver mid-range PCR strategy
Now in the second phase of its rollout of passenger car tyres, World Rally Championship tyre supplier Dmack is seeking the right partners around the world for its Shandong Yongtai manufactured road tyres. The company has quadrupled the number of sizes in its PCR tyre range of four patterns in the first half of 2014. Tyrepress interviewed managing director Dick Cormack, communications director Glenn Patterson, and newly appointed sales director Greg Graham at the company’s office and warehouse facility in Carlisle.
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New Falken tyres, technologies introduce brand’s next generation in Europe
Showcasing significant technological and performance breakthroughs, Falken launched its latest Azensis and Sincera products at the Ascari Race Resort near Malaga, Spain. Tyrepress took the opportunity to speak to Isamu Ishida, managing director, Falken Tyre Europe, and Matt Smith, managing director UK & Ireland, about the direction of Falken post Sumitomo and Goodyears Dunlop joint venture, having sampled the benefits of the new tyres at Ascari.
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Bahrain GP: Rosberg finishes on ‘faster’ tyres – but Hamilton wins
Tyre strategy was central to one of the most closely fought grands prix in recent history, with a thrilling finale set up by a safety car when there were just ten laps left to go. After the restart, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton led on the medium tyre from his teammate Nico Rosberg, who used a different two-stop strategy to finish the race on the faster soft tyre. Despite having a tyre that was theoretically slower, Hamilton was able to hold off Rosberg – who set the fastest lap – to take back-to-back victories.
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HiQ warns of state of British roads, as car repairs rise
The extremely wet British winter has had a devastating impact on the state of roads across the UK, a report by the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) has revealed. As a knock-on effect of the potholes, fast fit and garage network HiQ says that more motorists have been forced to repair their cars, increasing the number of such jobs by 14 per cent in November 2013 – February 2014 compared to the same period in 2012-2013.
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Falken adds run-flats to Ziex ZE914 Ecorun line
This summer, run-flat fitments will join Falken Tyres’ Ziex ZE914 Ecorun range. Falken says the run-flat version retains the standard variant’s rolling resistance and wet weather characteristics and is additionally able to run for at least 80 kilometres or 50 miles at 80km/h with zero air pressure. the first fitments to be released will be 225/50RF17 94W and 225/45RF17 91W sizes suitable for the BMW 1, 3 and 5 Series.
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Pirelli aiming for LCV replacement market leadership with Carrier range
After three million kilometres of testing with some of the leading European fleets, Pirelli has launched a new range aimed at van operators. The tyre maker says its Carrier line guarantees a long tyre life, reduction in rolling resistance, better performance in the wet and increased comfort compared to previous generation tyres. Pirelli claims technology it developed for the UHP segment has been utilised in the Carrier; the tyre is said to have been created using state-of-the-art design criteria already successfully applied to the P Zero and Cinturato P7, albeit with an increased emphasis on two key factors for the van market – safety and total life cost.
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Commercial vehicle wheels classed as ‘safety critical item’ in EU law
Motor Wheel Service Distribution’s (MWSD) commercial vehicle wheel safety campaign has been successfully incorporated in the new European Union (EU) Roadworthiness Package, which will become law in May 2014. The new law, adopted by both the European Parliament and European Council, states: “compatibility between parts and components, such as between wheels and wheel hubs, should be treated as a critical safety item and should be checked during roadworthiness testing.”
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Groundbreaking takes place for Bridgestone’s factory in Russia
Almost a year after Bridgestone’s plans to establish a joint-venture factory in Russia’s Ulyanovsk Oblast region were made public, groundbreaking was held at the site of the tyre maker’s future passenger car radial factory on 1 April. The facility will be erected on an 81 hectare site around 900 kilometres (560 miles) southeast of Moscow, and production is expected to start in the first half of 2016. Plant output estimated to reach approximately 12,000 units a day by the second half of 2018.
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Blackcircles ‘growing’ revenue through 1,200 fitting centres
Blackcircles.com has announced a growth in revenue of 20 per cent to £27.8 million (versus £23.2 million in 2012). The online tyre retailer said that the latest full year results mean its revenues have a compound annual growth rate of 22 per cent since 2008. EBITDA increased to £1 million. The results follow the announcement of former Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy’s appointment to the Blackcircles.com board.
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Goodyear’s SUV concept tyre
While we covered Goodyears AB rated SUV tyres and chip-in-tyre technology earlier in March, and while we alluded to Goodyears latest concept tyre back then as well, the concept is also worth talking about in some more detail. Billed as the future of SUV tyres, Goodyear’s concept has been designed as part of the company’s ongoing research into potential tyre technologies. The concept, which has not yet been named, builds on a standard SUV tyre with a large central groove. Thanks to this groove the tyre has a reduced contact patch with the road, which in turn could improve the tyre’s overall rolling resistance, supporting ongoing efforts to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 released from the car. The reduction in this rolling resistance means that car engines do not need to work as hard to push the tyre forward against the friction created by its contact with the ground.
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Pirelli tyres withstand difficult conditions in Malaysia as drivers disagree on quality
Pirelli characterised Malaysia as one of the toughest tests of the year for tyres thanks to its high track temperatures and an abrasive surface. Yet the reduced graining and lack of blistering illustrates the indisputable increase in durability over the much maligned original 2013 tyre allocation. Even so, the decision to provide the hardest compound […]
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Kumho Auto GP 2014 tyre supply lines up with Formula One
Pirelli currently has an exclusive tyre supply deal with Formula One until the end of the 2016 season, but another manufacturer appears to be positioning itself for a run at single seat motorsport’s zenith. Kumho has been the sole tyre supplier to the F1 feeder series Auto GP since 2012, and has provided a product designed to provide its drivers with experience of the type of tyre management fundamental to today’s grand prix racing – the level they all aspire to.
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Nexen investing US$800 million in new Czech Republic tyre factory
After weeks of speculation South Korean tyre manufacturer Nexen Tire has confirmed that it is investing US$800 million in the construction of a new tyre factory in the city of Nošovice, in the east of the Czech Republic.
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Russia a growing part of Pirelli’s business?
For Pirelli, Russia is “still a developing market”, and as we found out a week or so after Tyres & Accessories interviewed global marketing vice-president Matteo Battaini at the recent Geneva Motor Show, Rosneft’s purchase of 13 per cent of Pirelli’s shares means Russia is also still a developing part of Pirelli’s ongoing business strategy.
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