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At this month’s Reifen 2014 show in Essen, Germany, Hankook Tire will occupy more than 300 square metres of exhibition space at in Hall 3.0 (stand 3A32). At this, the 11th occasion the tyre maker has exhibited at the trade fair, Hankook will display an extended UHP line-up and will highlight its recent original equipment segment activities.
The ‘Rubin’ project jointly conducted by Continental and the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME) has been honoured with a GreenTec Award. A 60-member jury panel determined the two parties’ work on producing natural rubber from dandelions worthy of a 2014 award in the ‘Automobility’ category. The awards ceremony took place in Munich, Germany on 4 May at the start of the IFAT environmental technology trade show. A total of 14 awards were given out.
Bridgestone has signed a development contract with Invitalia, Italy’s agency for inward investment promotion and enterprise development, for the upgrade of Bridgestone’s Modugno plant in Bari, which employs some 800 workers. A total of €41.3 million is being invested in the project, including a €12.4 million grant from Invitalia. The agreement between the tyre maker and government agency was signed in Rome by Bridgestone Italia CEO Roberto Mauro and Invitalia CEO Domenico Arcuri.
The world of tractor pulling awaits Mitas following the development of the company’s first prototype tractor pulling tyre and the signing of a sponsorship agreement with the European Tractor Pulling Committee (ETPC). The Mitas Powerpull has been developed using a similar manufacturing process to that used for the Czech tyre maker’s high-power tractor tyres, and Mitas says the production version of the Powerpull will be available this year. The first test prototypes were cured at the company’s Otrokovice factory in April.
Carlisle based tyre brand Dmack has been awarded a place in the final of the Cathay Pacific China Business Awards. Local news source North West Evening Mail reports that the company is shortlisted in the Rising Star category. The awards recognise UK and Irish businesses demonstrating existing positive returns and ongoing plans for future investment in China and Hong Kong, with the Rising Star award given to those opening Chinese operations in the last five years.
The Spanish grand prix at Barcelona allowed Pirelli to showcase the solidity of its 2014 Formula One rubber, supporting the manufacturer’s assertion that its tyres would not repeat the 2013 specification’s well-publicised problems. As one of the season’s most demanding tracks, the 2013 Barcelona grand prix was won on a four-stop strategy; in 2014, eight of the top 10 finishers completed the 66 laps with two.
Honda took two wins over the World Superbike Championship weekend at Imola, as Briton Jonathan Rea moved into first place in the overall standings, taking the Pirelli Best Lap awards in both races. While the existing soft compound Diablo Superbike tyre was used to great effect, Pirelli also regarded the meeting as a successful first outing for the new SC1 S1699 compound EVO fitment, with many riders in this category opting to use the tyre.
April reports of the Sailun Group’s move to raise capital of “up to 1.2 billion yuan” (c. £114 million) through the private placement of shares is just the latest positive step in the development of a name still in its adolescence. While the merger with Jinyu in 2012, only its tenth year in existence, placed the company alongside larger manufacturers in China, overseas developments have followed, with a large factory in Vietnam online since February. Developing a European base has also come quickly, with Sailun establishing an office headed by managing director Martin West in Solihull by 2010, who has worked quickly to build partnerships with local wholesalers in the various European markets. Meeting West in Solihull, Tyres & Accessories asked how corporate growth has informed Sailun’s approach to the European market.
Once again, Trelleborg will partner with the Tractor of the Year awards. The latest round of this agricultural sector honour kicked off with an event in France on 6 and 7 May; at the “Tractor of the Year 2015: Let the challenge begin” function in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Swedish tyre maker also launched a new advertising campaign to promote the qualities of its TM1000 High Power agricultural tyre.
Following the news of two new commercial vehicle tyre releases and another European show debut at Reifen 2014, GT Radial has announced that it will complete its new product line-up with a van and a car tyre too. Designed for the growing heavy duty, high speed van market, GT Radial will officially launch the Maxmiler Pro in Essen while revealing their new PCR tyre, designed for “all-round, premium comfort”.
Most of us know the ‘20p test’ but in the years to come we’ll be able to spend our loose change rather than use it to gauge tread depth. Continental says it intends to add an automatic tread depth reading feature to its eTis (electronic Tire Information System) and aims to make this available for fitment on new vehicle models by 2017. According to Continental, this new feature is made possible by “intelligent software” that deduces tread depth from gradual changes in tyre rolling characteristics. An in-tyre pressure sensor infers running characteristics from the variations in tyre deformation.
Federal Tyres is using its link with Manchester United FC to foster its current focus on the Russian market. The Taiwanese tyre maker invited a select group of Russian tyre dealers and journalists to the UK this week as part of its ‘Awaken the Champion Inside’ campaign in Russia. The guests watched Manchester United take down Hull City by three goals to one and Federal used the three-day event to develop stronger connections with its Russian distributors, dealers and customers.
Finland’s Nokian Tyres Group has reported a year-on-year decline in sales, operating profit and earnings during the first quarter of 2014. Despite a growth in sales volumes, currency devaluation – particularly in the Russian rouble – led to net sales between 1 January and 31 March declining 6.3 per cent to €311.9 million. Operating profit for the period was €68.4 million, 10.4 per cent below the same period a year earlier, and profit for the period amounted to €38.7 million, a year-on-year drop of 39.1 per cent. Earnings per share came to €0.29 as opposed to €0.48 a year earlier.
On 16 April, Pirelli handed out its 2014 Supplier Awards, the third such awards organised by the Italian tyre maker. Nine companies out of the thousands of suppliers Pirelli works with were singled out for recognition based on their performance in a number of areas, including quality – of course – but also “innovation, total cost of ownership, sustainability, global presence, level of service (which includes logistic performance) and speed of execution.” This year the spotlight was firmly on European suppliers, with companies from within this region taking eight of the nine awards.
Developed and tested in the World Endurance and national championships, Pirelli is supplying a new World Superbike tyre to premier class EVO riders. The tyre uses a very soft performance compound that, according to the supplier, should offer an advantage, especially at high temperatures. The fourth round at Imola will see Pirelli supply the new SCO EVO compound to the premier class, while debuting the standard SC0 compound in the Supersport class.
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