Goodyear has announced the introduction of 14 new Omnitrac MSS II and MSD II truck tyre sizes. Typically for use on vehicles operating on and off road, such as those in service on construction sites, waste tips and quarries, the ranges now cover all the major sizes and include variants with Duraseal technology, Goodyear’s air loss prevention system in the event of a puncture.
With its “Evergreen” brand, Chinese tyre manufacturer Shandong Jinyu is making a voluntary environmental commitment. As the company explained at the CITExpo show, which took place in Shanghai during September, it has committed itself to use the most environmentally-friendly materials possible in the production of its Evergreen brand passenger car and truck tyres and has simultaneously introduced environmentally-friendly production processes at its factory in Dawang, in China’s Shandong Province.
China’s Longxing Chemical Industry, which supplies carbon black and electricity to “major tyre makers” in the people’s republic is reportedly planning to raise 400 million yuan by issuing a maximum of 45 million shares at 9.26 yuan per share in a private placement.
Hankook Tire reported third quarter 2011 global sales of 1.69 trillion won a 23 per cent increase from the same period last year. The tyremaker’s third quarter operating profit came in a 129.9 billion won.
Continental Tyre Group Ltd has appointed Mark Griffiths as communications assistant to work alongside communications manager, Laura Hardy within this newly created role, covering all aspects of the brand’s public profile.
Griffiths 24 recently returned from a year living in Paris teaching English. Before this, he studied for his BA Journalism degree in 2008 graduating with 1st class honours, going on to complete his MA in Automotive Journalism in 2010 with Merit.
Work on phase two of Hankook Tire’s Rácalmás plant in Hungary is now complete. The tyre maker began its project to expand the plant in September 2009 and produced its first ‘phase two’ tyre in November 2010; now the Rácalmás factory is gearing up to produce 12 million tyres per annum and boasts a workforce of 1,900.
Sri Lanka’s Global Rubber Industries, manufacturer of the Globe Star, Ultimate XT, Peak Master, Performer and Air Ryde brands, has opened its second plant. The US$6 million facility, which has the capacity to produce 400,000 solid industrial and press on band tyres a year, was declared operational on September 8.
Pirelli has announced plans to invest some $500 million in a new truck tyre factory in Argentina that will meet increasing demand for commercial vehicle radials there and in the surrounding region. Construction of the new facility is scheduled to begin early next year and the first phase of development, which will continue until 2014, will require an investment of $300 million in order to give the plant a 700,000 unit per annum production capacity. Second phase development is expected to double the plant’s capacity through an additional $200 million investment and increase its workforce from 700 to 1,200 people.
Danish firm Starco’s strategy for the years 2010 to 2014 is to grow its aftermarket business from 40 to 50 per cent of the total and to double turnover by 100 million to 200 million euros by 2014. As part of its global strategy, the company has announced the establishment of a tyre manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka. The new plant, which represents an initial capital investment of around two million euros, will specialise in the manufacture of solid rubber tyres. These will be marketed worldwide under the Starco brand name.
Goodyear has launched a successor to its Regional RHT range of trailer tyre and claims the new product outperforms the tyre it replaces in a number of key areas. Perhaps most importantly, the new Regional RHT II, which is intended mainly for use on vehicles operating in the regional haul sector, boasts up to 30 per cent better mileage than its predecessor. This greater mileage potential is said to be due to a new tread compound and 15 per cent more wearable rubber volume; the tread of the Goodyear Regional RHT II is 10 mm wider and has eight per cent more depth than that of the Regional RHT.
Following an all-cash transaction valued at approximately US$725 million, wheel manufacturer Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. has been acquired by Iochpe Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Brazilian automotive and railway wheel and chassis manufacturer Iochpe-Maxion S.A. The deal will combine Hayes Lemmerz’s global wheels business with that of Iochpe-Maxion.
Buoyed by better economic data from the US, natural rubber prices in Malaysia and Thailand increased for the third straight day. According to Bloomberg, March delivery natural rubber pricing increased 1.4 per cent to US$4,020 per tonne on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange. Rubber pricing also improved from the second quarter’s 15 per cent falloff.
At its most recent Investors Day, held at the company’s Cuneo site in Italy, Michelin confirmed its growth outlook for the coming decade. The French tyre major anticipates the global passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyre market reaching 1.5 billion units in 2015, a figure representing a 25 per cent growth on 2010 figures. Looking further ahead, an additional 20 per cent growth in the years between 2015 and 2020 is expected, with 1.8 billion tyres sold in this sector worldwide in 2020. Michelin notes that 70 per cent of this volume growth should occur in ‘new’ markets.
Bosch reports that members of its battery range landed both ‘Best Buy’ and ‘Recommended’ accolades in this year’s Car Mechanics magazine awards. The tests used to determine the best product in each category looked at usability, durability, capacity and cranking. The Bosch S5 Silver Plus, which features 610 cranking Amps, a 63AH capacity and a five-year warranty, was determined the ‘Best Buy’ – with the maximum score of 20/20, while the – Bosch S4 Silver, with 540 cranking Amps and 60AH capacity, received a ‘Recommended’ accolade.
Nexen Tyre Europe GmbH recently invited partners from numerous European countries to the Nürburgring to test the quality of Nexen’s new Nexen N’Blue ECO and Nexen N’Blue HD fuel-saver tyres.Over fifty dealers from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Great Britain, France and Italy travelled to the Eifel (Germany) on 7 September to learn about both Nexen and its newest products. Participants were offered extensive test drives on the Nürburgring grand prix track. Using VW Golfs equipped with either the new Nexen N’Blue ECO or Nexen N’Blue HD summer tyres, the market specialists were shown the fuel-saver products’ driving and handling properties.
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