After a two-year absence due to the pandemic, the Ronal Group is returning to the Essen Motor Show to present both its Ronal and Speedline Corse brands of wheels. In addition new products from these brands, visitors will see the Energy Wheel concept, the exactly meaning of which is being revealed on-show.
Iochpe-Maxion increased its sales by at least 29.2 per cent worldwide in the past nine months to 12.79 billion Brazilian real (2.47 billion euros). Since pre-tax profits (EBIT) rose meanwhile by only 4.6 per cent to 1.1 billion real (208 million euros), the EBIT margin of the world’s largest wheel manufacturer fell by two percentage points to 8.4 per cent.
The truck steel wheel plant that Maxion Wheels and Inci Holding have jointly built in Turkey is ready to open, and during last week’s IAA Transportation show the two companies additionally announced plans to set up a facility for manufacturing aluminium commercial vehicle wheels. Maxion Wheels says adding forged aluminium commercial vehicle wheels “rounds out” its globally leading steel wheels portfolio, making Maxion a “one-stop option for truck and trailer manufacturers.”
Maxion Wheels has joined non-profit bodies the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) and ResponsibleSteel, and claims as such to be the first wheel manufacturer to become a member of these organisations committed to the responsible sourcing, production and use of aluminium and steel.
In markets where green electricity is not readily available from the grid, on-site solar power generation is an important way of bridging the green energy gap. The Maxion Wheels Saraburi plant in central Thailand is the company’s first to use solar energy to decarbonise aluminium wheel production.
In order to optimise the efficiency of its aluminium wheel production facility in Limeira, Brazil, Maxion Wheels has created a virtual replica of the plant’s production processes. By employing ‘Digital Twin’ technology, the world’s largest wheel manufacturer can anticipate how the actual plant performs under specific conditions, thereby ensuring it achieves the highest levels of efficiency and efficacy. Maxion now intends to roll out the technology at other facilities around the world.
Wheelwright Limited’s management team recently acquired the company from previous managing director Kevin Greer through a management buyout process. According to the company, “this means that Wheelwright Limited is now owned and operated by the same team of experienced enthusiasts that helped the Kent-based company achieve its existing position as the country’s leading supplier of aftermarket wheels and chassis-related products.”
Wheel manufacturer Borbet says that production is continuing “without disruption” after a fire at its Solingen site in Germany. Fire services were called out on Tuesday to deal with a thermal reaction in an outside IPC container in which aluminium sludge was stored for disposal.
The Ronal Group is launching the R68 multi-spoke wheel to complement its aftermarket range. The new wheel features “20 opposing yet interrelated spokes” which “merge into a single technical and visual unit”. The R68 is available with two different surface finishes – jet-black as well “hyper grey”, which is a new Ronal colour.
Netherlands-based tyre wholesaler Heuver is now a European distributor for the Xlite range of aluminium truck wheels. These wrought aluminium truck wheels, produced in accordance with TÜV and ISO9001 norms, are stronger yet 40 per cent lighter than a standard steel equivalent.
Following on from the Ronal R62, which can be customized with coloured design elements, Ronal Group is launching another product with two different coloured applications: the Ronal R67.
Aluminium casting and automotive parts specialist, Citic Dicastal kicked off production at its second aluminium wheel factory in Morocco at the end of December 2020. With a budget of 350 million euros, the Chinese wheelmaker aims to double its capacity in Morocco to 6 million wheels and create a total of 1,250 jobs. According to local news reports, the Dicastal-made wheels are destined for vehicles made by the French OEM PSA Group as well as exports.
Speedline Truck has added the SLT 3698 to its range of forged light alloy wheels. According to the company, the SLT 3698 is the first forged light alloy truck wheel in 22.5 x 9.75-inch to meet the more “extreme” needs of megatrailers.
Mak has added a 23-inch fitment to its Speciale and Speciale-D (Deep) range. According to the company, the Special 23” is designed to satisfy the most demanding drivers of cars such as the Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne Coupé.
BBS’s provisional administrator, Thomas Oberle, as provisional insolvency administrator, has clarified that there are not “structural problems” at the firms two plants in Schiltach and Herbolzheim. And therefore, that was not the reason for the well-known wheel brand’s recent insolvency our German group publication Reifenpresse.de reported.
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Ronal Group
Arno Borchers/Profil Verlag
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Ronal
Moroccan Department of Industry
Speedline Truck
Mak
BBS