Bridgestone reports its first-ever original equipment run-flat tyre fitment on a General Motors vehicle with the selection of its Potenza RE050A RFT for the 2013 Cadillac ATS. The Potenza is being supplied to GM in size 225/40RF18 88W (front) and 255/35RF18 90W (rear) for fitment on the ATS Premium Collection, the highest level package available on the new Cadillac.
After a week on the road, travelling some 1,000 miles to the Arctic Circle, the 2013 Fulda Challenge has ended with Team Austria at the top of the table. The Austrian team, made up of Renate Reingruber and Andreas Leiter, secured overall top points in the ten events in this year's Challenge. Reingruber and Leiter also respectively secured the number once place on the female and male athletes' tables.
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When hearing the name Pirelli your thoughts may turn to Formula One, however the tyre maker also supports races where the highest speed imaginable isn’t the top priority. Such a case is its partnership with the Green Rally of Montréal, formally known as the Rally of Alternative Energies of Montréal and Hydro-Québec. Pirelli will act as the official tyre supplier of the series with its Cinturato ‘Green Performance’ range.
The point S network has extended its presence in North America by joining forces with Pneus Unimax, on of the largest independent Canadian networks. Pneus Unimax operates in Quebec, the Atlantic Provinces and Ontario, and is owned by 77 independent tyre dealers who manage 133 outlets under the Unipneu banner. This alliance with Pneus Unimax means that point S is now present in 27 countries worldwide with 2,500 points of sale and combined annual purchases of 15 million tyres.
Bridgestone has secured a premium original equipment deal in North America with its selection as standard fitment on the top-line ‘Platinum’ version of the new 2013 Cadillac XTS. The Platinum’s 20-inch rims will be equipped with the Potenza RE97AS in size P245/40R20 95V, and the tyre is also available as an optional upgrade on the ‘Premium Collection’ version of the new Cadillac flagship.
The US National Highway Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a recall notice from North American truck manufacturer Navistar. According to the company, the problem is that “over time, due to corrosion and fatigue, the wheels may crack, resulting in possible wheel separation from the vehicle.”
Goodyear has converted the last bits of its former Truckwise truck tyre programme to the FleetHQ moniker, reports Tire Review. Announced at the recent Truck World event in Toronto, Goodyear rebranded its Canadian fleet tyre and service to FleetHQ. The new Canadian brand will “create a consistent business solutions brand that offers products, services and information tools for trucking fleets and owner/operators throughout North America,” the company said.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations has combined its current Affiliated Dealer, TireStarz and Family Retail Dealer programmes under one umbrella for the United States market. This new independent retail dealer programme has been named the Bridgestone Affiliated Retailer Nationwide Network and will encompass over 2,500 points of sale nationwide.
Escalating raw material costs are behind Toyo Tire Canada’s decision to increase prices for winter passenger car and light truck tyres by up to 3.5 per cent. The new pricing will take effect 1 April 2012.
Florida, US-based wholesaler Tire Group International has appointed Brett Romberg its new territory manager for Canada. TGI says Romberg’s new role can be viewed as part of the company’s development goals for the North American market. According to the wholesaler, Romberg has worked in varying industries and brings a significant amount of Canada-based commercial experience with him to this new role. “Brett is a welcomed addition to our ‘TGI family’ and his experience and skill set will help solidify our position in this market,” commented Orlando Delgado, senior vice-president of Sales and Marketing.
Bridgestone is to be the title sponsor of field hockey’s equivalent of cricket’s Indian Premier League, a competition designed to raise the profile of the sport in one of its key markets. The eight-franchise Bridgestone World Series Hockey competition starts on 29 February in Chandigarh, with the home Comets taking on the Bhopal Badshahs. The tournament will be broadcast in India on the Neo Sports network, with international coverage providers still to be announced. In addition to the 150 Indians, players will participate from around the world, including some from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations reports it has reorganised the Bridgestone Commercial Group and set up an integrated mining tyre business unit. The new business unit, Bridgestone Mining Solutions, combines all mining tyre sales, service and sales engineering, as well as a select group of US and Canadian stores, into one integrated structure. Shawn Rasey will lead the new organisation as vice-president, Bridgestone Mining Solutions.
Toyo Tire USA has issued a recall of more than 70,000 Toyo Extensa A/S tyre sold in North America between 20 September 2009 and 6 November 2010. In a recall notice submitted to the US-based National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Toyo reported that some 225/60R16 97T sized Extensa tyres may have “been produced with a kink in the bead area” near the rim that could under certain circumstances eventually lead to a crack developing there. Thus a risk of tyre failure exists and Toyo says it will notify owners and replace tyres free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on 2 February, and has also been extended to Canada.
The president of Michelin Canada, Dana LeBlanc, has spoken out against legislation being introduced by the Province of Nova Scotia. The legislation LeBlanc opposes is Bill 102, an amendment to Nova Scotia’s Trade Union Act. This amendment will introduce first contract arbitration in Nova Scotia. Critics of Bill 102 claim it is a job killer that will give unions a foothold in non-union workplaces.
Vietnam’s Southern Rubber Industry Joint Stock Company, or Casumina, has reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a US partner and will erect a new passenger car tyre factory. Work on the new plant should begin before the end of the year and the project’s stated total cost is VND3.7 trillion (around £112 million), including an investment of some £19 million from the US partner. The factory is expected to enter operation late in 2012 and have an annual output of 1.5 million tyres per annum. Two thirds of the new factory’s output is said to be earmarked for the US market; other named export markets are Canada and Australia.
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