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Vipal Rubber has announced that it is launching a new pre-cured tread for use on drive axle fitment tyres in the “highway” segment. Known as the DV-RT4, the name means it is designed by Vipal – “DV” and is for use in the drive axle, highway segment – “RT”. According to the Brazilian based retreading manufacturer, The DV-RT4 is designed for “those looking for more efficiency and profitability in highway cargo transport operations”.
In case you haven’t heard, as much as 65 per cent of Pirelli is in the process of being sold to ChemChina. It’s a complex plan and there’s a long road ahead, but the deal has been done and so takeover wheels are in motion (see page 28 for complete coverage of this part of the story). So what’s next? The deal can’t fail to have an impact at Pirelli, but what about the other top five tyre manufacturers and beyond? We hinted at market consolidation in this column last month, with reference to restructuring proceedings at Shandong Deruibao Tire Co., Ltd and possible contagion in China; and Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera made the market aware of that he was planning to sell his stake within two years in January 2014. But few would have named this particular bidder and this particular timing. Now we are faced with the possibility, even the likelihood that the Pirelli/ChemChina deal is going to precipitate further micro and macro consolidation within the tyre market – even a re-shuffle of the tyre industry’s top 10.
The Pon Group has invested heavily in expanding its tyre business in recent years. After acquiring Euro-Tyre in 2010, the Dutch firm also took over German tyre wholesaler Reifen Gundlach. Jannes Bouman, Pon Group senior vice-president responsible for the Pon Tyre Group, now reports a further recent acquisition; the company has acquired a majority share in German B2C online tyre retailer Goodwheel GmbH.
Prior to the start of yesterday’s Malaysian Grand Prix, Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery expected teams to make three tyre change stops during the race. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel opted to stop only twice, and this may well have been the decisive factor in his 8.57 second victory over Lewis Hamilton. The Malaysian GP victory was the first win for Vettel and Ferrari since 2013, and this fourth victory in Malaysia – the 40th of his career – means that Vettel is now the most successful driver in the history of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Suckling Transport has renewed its Effitires contract with Michelin Solutions. The company wants to increase safety further through effective tyre management. The Effitires contract – Michelin Solutions’ name for an outsourced tyre management deal – covers the entire 168-strong Suckling Transport fleet of tractor units and trailers on a fixed pence per kilometre (PPK) contract.
Dubai-based importer-exporter Zafco is to expand the reach of the Thai commercial vehicle tyre brand, Otani. The manufacturer was incorporated three decades ago with the aim of becoming a leading manufacturer of agricultural, off-the-road, and commercial bias tyres in Southeast Asia. Otani has since expanded its TBR range, and now has an eye on Europe, having displayed its 14-size Expero TBR range at Reifen 2014 on Zafco’s stand.
The Zeetex brand has celebrated what it sees as a significant step forward in the recent Auto Bild magazine summer tyre test. The independent test rated 53 tyres based on their dry and wet braking distances, with the top 18 put forward to a “final”, at which point the magazine tested a range of characteristics: noise, mileage, fuel economy, handling, and braking efficiency on dry and wet surfaces. The Zeetex ZT 1000 was the cheapest tyre to make the final.
Avon Tyres has more than doubled the number of fitments available in its AV11 van tyre range. A total of 15 sizes are now offered by Avon stockists; the new additions include 15 and 16-inch rim fitments suitable for an array of popular light commercial vehicles, including the Iveco Daily, Vauxhall Vivaro, Volkswagen Transporter Window Van and Peugeot Boxer. Speed ratings of up to 118mph are available.
Nankang Tyre UK, the distributor of Nankang brand tyres, is to offer a range of prizes in a competition marking its partnership with the filmic return of the Road Warrior, Mad Max: Fury Road. The top prize, a Supercar Track experience for two adults at Monza, including return flights, private airport transfers and three nights in luxury accommodation in Milan, is joined in the giveaway by merchandise sets, Mad Max trilogy bluray boxsets and Odeon cinema vouchers. Visitors to the Nankang Tyre UK website can enter the prize draw here.
Schrader International, a company well known for its direct TPMS sensors and which has an even longer history with valves reaching back decades, makes one of its first appearances on the European aftermarket trade show circuit following the company’s acquisition by Sensata in October 2014. With this in mind Tyres & Accessories asks what the firm is likely to be showing in Bologna.
Giti Tire has introduced nine new sizes to the GT Radial Champiro FE1 range. Positioned as an all-round premium passenger car tyre for the performance C and D vehicle segments (including such bestsellers as the Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 308 and Kia C’eed) the tyre now has more than 95 per cent coverage of its target sector. Launched in 2014, Giti expects the tyre to become one of its biggest sellers.
The Avon Tyres British GT Championship will begin at Oulton Park over the Easter bank holiday, signalling the tenth year of Avon Tyres as the series’ title sponsor. the tyre supplier has introduced a revised slick tyre for the 2015 season, to be supplied to all GT3 and GT4 teams on the grid. Avon says the tyre has increased durability and performance across a greater range of ambient and track temperatures.
WheelRight and the Highways Agency are trialling a drive-over tyre pressure measuring system at Keele Services between junctions 15 and 16 of the M6 (southbound) in what is thought to be a world first. The pilot scheme, which is running in association with motorway services firm Welcome Break, centres on a novel system that measures tyre pressure without any on-board equipment and without drivers having to leave their vehicles.
The most recent issue of German motoring publication Auto Zeitung contains the results of its size 215/65 R16 H/V SUV tyre test. Nine tyres were fitted to a VW Tiguan 2.0 TSI and evaluated for their performance on wet, dry and off-road surfaces and well as for comfort, noise and rolling resistance; Auto Zeitung voted the Goodyear EfficientGrip SUV its test winner.
On 22 March 2015 Pirelli was sold to ChemChina in a move that was both broadly expected and yet surprising at the same time. Expected inasmuch as Pirelli’s top management had been hinting at an exit for the last couple of years. Surprising due to the identity of the successful bidder and because of the speed at which the acquisition appears to have been agreed. But it was not a surprise who had been in high level talks with the Chinese for around three years. Here Tyres & Accessories compiles the latest details relating to the enormously influential story and considers what the impact will be on the company itself as well as the wider market place.
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