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The recent history of how we deal with end of life tyres has been littered with ideas, but surprisingly few real success stories. In this opinion piece, Tyre Recovery Association director, Peter Taylor OBE shares his view on the use of tyres in rubberised tarmac.
We’ve become accustomed to hearing reports of alleged copyright infringements related to tyre and, particularly, tread pattern design. Typically these involve products from Chinese manufacturers, however our German sister publication Neue Reifenzeitung has published news of a copyright infringement dispute that played out here in our part of the world – and ended with a ruling in favour of the alleged copy.
Titan International has announced that its subsidiary, Titan Tire Reclamation Corp., (TTRC) is leasing ten acres (4 hectares) of land from Suncor Energy, north of Fort McMurray, Canada for ten years to operate a pyrolysis system developed by Green Carbon, a company controlled by Fred Taylor, brother of Titan International chairman and CEO Maurice Taylor. Titan Tire Reclamation has already engaged in negotiations with various companies operating in Canada’s oil sands regarding the disposal of OTR tyres and conveyor belting.
Slovakian news sources are reporting that Apollo has chosen Hungary over Slovakia for the site of its new 500 million euro tyre factory. According to the reports, is was “the business environment in Slovakia” pushed the manufacturer towards the other site when choosing from a shortlist of two.
Car rental company Hertz UK has recorded a 23 per cent drop in its average tyre spend per vehicle, two years after adopting a Michelin tyre policy. Latest figures show the average total cost of ownership of tyres per vehicle has dropped by almost a quarter since 2010.
When using generic tyres in 2011 the cost of tyres per vehicle dropped by two per cent compared to the previous year. After the business adopted a Michelin tyre policy in 2012 the average cost initially increased by three per cent compared to the 2010 figure. A year later the average total cost of ownership of tyres per vehicle had dropped by 23 per cent compared to 2010.
Bridgestone representatives have dismissed reports that the company is considering acquiring up to 500 tyre depots in the UK in a bid to go head-to-head with the leading tyre retailer in the UK, Kwik-Fit. According to the reports, which surfaced over the weekend in The Telegraph, Bridgestone “is seeking to buy eight to 10 regional automotive retail groups within a year and merge them into one brand.”
Due to a strong free cash flow in 2013, Goodyear Tire & Rubber is reallocating approximately US$1.1 billion of its 2014-2016 cash flow – $300 million of this will go towards establishing a new consumer tyre facility in the Americas. Goodyear aims for the plant to begin production in the first half of 2017 with an annual capacity of around six million tyres, an amount that will be expandable as demand increases. Site selection to identify a suitable location for serving North and Latin American customers is now underway. Total plant investment will be in the vicinity of $500 million.
Collaboration between Yokohama Rubber and Kumho Tire will become even closer following the signing of a cooperative research and development agreement and a license and technology exchange agreement on 31 May. The agreements are based on the master technological alliance agreement signed by the two companies on 15 February, an agreement that in turn followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 29 November 2013. Under this latest agreement, Yokohama Rubber and Kumho Tire will begin joint research and development on new tyre-related technologies, including ultra lightweight tyres and other environmentally friendly tyre technologies, as well as new concept tyres.
Taiwanese manufacturer Kenda has sold products into European markets for some time, but Reifen 2014 is seen as an opportunity to enhance and solidify its position. This rejuvenation of Kenda’s European business is inspired by the establishment of a new European headquarters in Oldenburg, Germany, and two key appointments.
Reifen 2014 has opened at Messe Essen, Germany. 670 exhibitors from 44 countries are exhibiting this year, including two thirds from outside Germany, making it one of Germany’s most international expos. Many of the world’s leading tyre and related industries sector, including the 20 largest tyre manufacturers, are present at the show, which continues until Friday, 30 May. The exhibition organiser said that it expects 19,000 visitors from 130 countries during the show’s four days.
Later this year, Ari Lehtoranta will succeed Kim Gran at the helm of Nokian Tyres. Lehtoranta will join the tyre maker on 1 September and take over as president and CEO on 1 October. He is currently employed by Kone Corporation as executive vice-president, Central and North Europe. Kim Gran will continue in his current positions until 30 September and then use his option to retire. Gran has led the company since 1 September 2000. He will continue to be a member of the Nokian Tyres’ Boad of Directors.
Grip and fuel efficiency are often the focal points of improved tyre technologies, yet the third EU label metric of noise is an important consideration for many motorists. Goodyear Dunlop has announced new technologies in both its premium brands designed to increase comfort through reduced noise levels inside the vehicle when driving – a feature not actually measured in labelling, but one that could prove attractive to consumers wanting to hear more of their engine tone or in-car entertainment.
Frank Tore Larsen now leads the Norwegian Rally Championship by 28 points, following outright victory in his Kumho-shod Ford Fiesta R5 on the recent Rally Sorland – the first gravel event of the 2014 series. Kumho’s European motorsport manager Steve Thompson commented: “Frank has adapted magnificently to the Fiesta R5 and it’s great to see […]
The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) held its annual seminar at the Ardencote Manor hotel, Claverdon, Warwickshire on 16 May. It featured sessions on the state of the market and the forthcoming WISH code of practice review by Peter Taylor, further talks on the Responsible Recycler Scheme audit process plus PAS107QP from Gary Nelson of Abricon Ltd, plus an update from Environment Agency National Waste Enforcement Campaigns manager Paul Keay, a best practice case study from Apollo Vredestein (UK) Ltd managing director Stuart Jackson and introductory and closing remarks from association president Mike Wilson of Michelin Tyre Plc.
Following the announcement that Michelin will be the new exclusive tyre supplier to MotoGP, Dunlop announced it would continue to concentrate on its current supply partnerships: “MotoGP continues to be a very strong global event and we are proud of our long-standing relationship with the MotoGP organizers through our continued supply to the FIM Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships. Dunlop is in the fortunate position of having many strong partnerships with motorcycle manufacturers and leading championships around the world. We have taken the decision to focus on developing and supplying tyres for these important partners for the immediate future,” stated Sanjay Khanna, managing director, Dunlop Motorsport and Motorcycle EMEA.
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