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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced on 25 December 2014 that Suzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd. (the manufacturers Chinese tyre plant) held a ceremony and festival on 1 November marking the third phase of tree planting at the factory in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. The tree planting is part of the Yokohama Rubber Group’s worldwide Yokohama Forever Forest Project.
UK Hunter equipment distributor, Pro-Align has identified the increased relevance of winter tyres as a key reason to ensure the efficiency of their tyre changing equipment. “Historically, there has been little appetite for winter tyres in the UK which meant that when workshops were removing tyres, they were normally being scrapped so it didn’t matter if the tyres were damaged in the process,” explains Paul Beaurain, managing director, Pro-Align. “However, now that there’s been quite a sizeable growth in the winter tyre market, workshops need to ensure that they do not cause any damage when removing and refitting tyres.”
Late last year, the Yokohama Rubber tyre factory in Hangzhou, China was certified by city authorities as a ‘Hangzhou City Environmental Education Base’. The company views this certification as significant as, out of the some 300,000 companies operating in Hangzhou City, only 30 have been granted this certification – and the Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd facility is only one of four certified manufacturing operations. The certification was granted on 26 November 2014, and is the second environmental recognition the Yokohama facility in Hangzhou has received. In 2013, Hangzhou Yokohama Tire was certified as an Environmental Education Base by the Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, where the company’s facilities are located.
Starting 5 January, Stephen Marsh has taken on the role of retail development manager at Hankook Tyre UK. Marsh brings with him 30 years of industry experience at numerous companies, including Kwik Fit, Pirelli, CPK Auto Products and Stapleton’s Tyre Services, and he is tasked with the goal of contributing to the further development and expansion of the Hankook Masters Program in the UK. The tyre maker views his extensive experience as a trainer as an important skill that will allow him to provide added value to the network. Marsh will also work with other regional retailers and assist in developing the reach of Hankook’s portfolio.
Alongside the announcement of its introduction of P Zero branded tyres into the BRDC Formula 4 Championship, Pirelli has launched its 2015 motorsport calendar at Autosport International. The tyre manufacturer is to compete in four key disciplines: single-seaters, saloon cars, sports and GT cars, and rallying.
Dmack has launched the 2015 edition of its Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy with a new car and an expanded line-up at the Autosport Show 2015. The series for emerging rallying talent is driven by tyre manufacturer Dmack and rally preparation experts M-Sport. It is competed over six rounds and five FIA World Rally Championship events, to which Dmack has been a tyre supplier since 2010.
Pirelli has been unveiled as the new tyre supplier to the BRDC Formula 4 Championship. The deal, agreed with BRDC F4 creator and promoter MotorSport Vision, Pirelli will fit P Zero brand tyres to all the MSV F4-013 cars from 2015. The new deal was revealed today at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham. The series had been supplied for its first two years by Yokohama, though the series’ goal of becoming a Formula One feeder series would have made the current F1 supplier’s tyres an attractive proposition.
The eighth annual “Asian Essen”, Reifen China took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in the first week of December, with some of the Chinese tyre industry’s major players rubbing shoulders for the last time in 2014. The European side of the Sino-German partnership behind the annual show, Messe Essen stated that it expected the presence of around 120 exhibitors in hall W1 and 15,000 trade visitors. This latter figure, unconfirmed at the time of writing, takes into account the other three-quarters of the twin exhibition; RubberTech China 2014 and the International Exhibition on Rubber & Elastomer, led by the China United Rubber Corporation, comprised around 500 exhibitors across another three halls (W2-4). Messe Essen CEO, Oliver P Kuhrt stressed the importance of the ‘Reifen’ brand’s presence in China, stating in his introduction to the show that it “stands for the success of a fair made in Essen extending across borders”. With about two thirds of the exhibitors at May’s Reifen 2014 visiting Essen from outside Germany, Messe Essen also noted the importance of Reifen China in recruiting Asian participants, whose attention the exhibition organiser has drawn in Shanghai.
Liverpool wholesaler Kirkby Tyres, a market leader in the UK agricultural tyre sector, has recently expanded, purchasing a further three acres adjacent to its site for the expansion of warehousing and logistics. The company now has nearly 10 acres at its HQ; the latest development represented significant growth. “Support from our key suppliers is enabling Kirkby to expand in the OE and aftermarket within the UK and Ireland,” MD Dave Dorrity told Tyres & Accessories. The wholesaler supplies Alliance, BKT and Malhotra brand tyres to the segment, as well as becoming the exclusive Trelleborg wholesaler for the UK last year. Ahead of LAMMA, Dorrity gave T&A a rundown of current activities with its major brands, as well as detailing a new deal with Linglong.
Japanese tyre manufacturer Toyo Tires has announced the UK launch of its road-legal track tyre, the Proxes R888R. The tyre will be displayed at Autosport International, which begins tomorrow (8 January 2015). The tyre previously made its global debut at the Essen Motorshow in November.
The new, 54,000 ton per annum Alliance Tire Group factory in India’s Gujarat state is now in operation. The company reported the inauguration of its third facility (the others being Hadera, Israel and Tirunelveli, India) in the second half of December 2014, and said the US$150 million facility in Dahej will reach full capacity in early 2016. At this date it is expected to employ some 1,500 workers.
Kings Road Tyres (KRT) has appointed Fred Carroll as its new senior sales executive for Ireland, based at its Dublin sales and distribution centre. His recruitment represents a restructuring of the distributor’s sales operation in Ireland, reflecting a renewed focus on growing sales in the country. Carroll, 41, brings more than 18 years tyre industry experience to his new position, joining from a similar role with Mileage Tyres. Prior to that, he worked with Kirkby Tyres in Dublin and KwikFit in both Athlone and Dublin.
Having made its public debut at Autosport International 2014, Zenos Cars will return to January’s show with the launch of its second lightweight sports car. The Zenos E10 S has been developed over the last 12 months, featuring a 250bhp turbocharged, 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine and windscreen, the car will run on Avon’s ZZR tyres in sizes 195/50 ZR16 (front) and 225/45 ZR17 (rear).
Tech Europe says it is “delighted to be able to offer the most comprehensive TPMS solution available in Europe today.” Key components of Tech Europe’s programme, which is run in partnership with Tyresure, include a complete range of OE and aftermarket sensors, ATEQ diagnostic tools, and a comprehensive TPMS website and online ordering system (www.techtpms.com).
Our review of the year at the end of last year, pointed out how many sources had expected better times for the tyre retail market in 2014. Now as we move forward into 2015, Tyres & Accessories examines the current case for the demand recovery in the market. Many of the wider economic indicators point to broad economic recovery. At the same time pay is rising and inflation is levelling off at around 1 per cent, meaning household incomes should be rising. Furthermore fuel prices are lower than they have been for years. And of course, all this should lead to greater tyre sales volumes and even improved product mix. It is customary to be positive and even optimistic at this time of year, wishing everyone a happy new year etc, but the question remains with regard to our tyre market predictions - will it?
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