In the USA, Multistrada is recalling 6,318 Achilles Desert Hawk A/P LT in size LT215/85 R16 115/112R 10PR. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) recall notice, the tyres have the DOT date code range 1915 to 3618.
American Tire Distributors, Inc. (ATD) has written to customers saying that the company is making “making significant progress with [its] recapitalization process” in a letter published on the firm’s recapitalisation website on 28 October 2018. According to the company, the steps taken “will strengthen our financial position as we continue our successful, game-changing transformation. We have a clear roadmap for the next steps in this process and the support of our key financial stakeholders has us on track to emerge by the end of the year as a stronger company with less debt that is even better positioned to serve our customers.”
Following the news that UK car production fell almost 17 per cent in September, Justin Benson, head of Automotive at KPMG UK suggested the latest SMMT car manufacturing figures could motivate government to consider automotive industry incentives:
Point S has launched a new version of its private label winter tyre. The new product’s launch is part of the renewal program of the Point S branded tyre range. It follows the market introduction of the new Summerstar 3+ that took place early this year. To support this, a new European campaign has been introduced this year with the personified tyre characters: the SummerHero and the WinterHero.
Jiangsu General Science Technology Co. Ltd. is set to invest around US$300 million in the construction of a tyre manufacturing facility in Thailand. The news follows earlier reports published in the Spring that Jiangsu General was considering Cambodia for the investment.
epyx is expanding its low price tyre initiative. According to the company, the project, which has so far concentrated on franchise dealers, is now moving into the independent garage sector. Called 1link e-procurement, it allows independents to access a much more competitive level of tyre pricing than they generally been able to achieve, the company says.
Hankook is suppling tyres for the BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo in a development the company sees as completing its luxury OE portfolio. Hankook already provides both UHP summer and winter tyres for the BMW 7 Series. The BMW group’s new Gran Turismo will now also be delivered with Ventus S1 evo 2 ultra-high performance (UHP) run-flat summer tyres. The tyres were developed in Hanover and are produced at the company’s European factory in Hungary. Specifically, the car will be supplied with special 245/45 R19 98Y RSC front and 275/40 R19 101Y RSC rear run-flat sizes.
Hankook has launched its new Ventus S1 Evo 3 tyre at driving event in Slovenia. The UHP market-orientated tyre, which was informally described as a “sporty summer tyre” will be available in 17 to 22-inch sizes in order to supply fitments to vehicles from the Mercedes A series right up to the likes of Lamborghini.
Maxxis is joining forces with German electric carmaker e.GO. The strategic partnership will see Maxxis create tyres for the manufacturer’s future models. The latest e.Go to be launched is the aptly named ‘Life’. Being fully electric, the car will produce more torque than its comparable combustion-powered peers, which will present Maxxis with some very specific development challenges. The brand is set to re-engineer its premium sports tyre, the Victra Sport 5, to fit the ‘Life’, with modifications to include a unique sidewall design to help balance strength, performance and durability on the roads. Being OE on the TX electric taxi means Maxxis has plenty of experience in producing tyres for electric vehicles, making it the perfect partner for e.Go.
The Trump administration upped the ante once again in the ongoing trade war between the USA and China on 18 September with the introduction of tariffs on all US$200 billion of imports including basically all categories of tyres, retreads and inner tubes. At President Trump’s direction the additional tariffs will initially be set at 10 per cent and will take effect on 24 September 2018. However, as of 1 January 2019, the level of additional tariffs will increase to 25 per cent.
Avon Tyres is the new headline sponsor of Fleet Live, the largest event for the fleet sector in the UK, attracting over 2,000 visitors, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham on 9-10 October.
Established in 1885, Avon has a long history of developing, producing and selling tyres. The British brand will showcase its van and 4×4 tyre ranges suitable for fleet vehicles on stand E40 at the NEC. Avon is a well-established name in the fleet market and its highly-popular AV11 van tyre is the tyre of choice of many leading fleets as it offers excellent value for money thanks to its mileage performance and ability to withstand the harsh demands of urban driving where its resistance to impact damage is a key benefit. It is available in a range of fitments to suit vehicles such as the Ford Transit, Iveco Daily, Vauxhall Vivaro, Volkswagen Transporter Window Van and Mercedes Sprinter.
Visiting CITExpo in 2018 had the potential to be a gloomy affair. A trade show that has specifically targeted medium-sized tyre Chinese manufacturers as a gateway for raising global interest, the trading environment in major export markets in Europe and North America have not been the most hospitable, with tariffs or anti-dumping duties affecting various product segments. In the UK, we heard from a major Chinese truck tyre importer that business had effectively been put on hold with the announcement that the EU was imposing tariffs in May. Pressure had also been mounting domestically, as the Chinese government moved to bring a halt to production at factories it considered to be too polluting, which led to upstream supply chain problems, as raw materials suppliers to the tyre industry were among those affected.
DriveRightData is promoting its parc data as “the ultimate forecasting tool for the tyre professional”. According to the company, the strength of its system is that it matches “accurate and comprehensive reports on the number of vehicles in a territory…to DriveRightData’s unique tyre information”. Available in 77 countries and collated from national registration databases, the combination is only said to be supplied by DriveRightData.
Bridgestone Americas’ Aiken, South Carolina, passenger and light truck tyre and its Aiken OTR tyre plants have been accepted into the South Carolina Environmental Excellence Program (SCEEP) for their recycling, conservation and community support. SCEEP, a programme highlighting outstanding workplace environmental improvement, is implemented through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. SCEEP was designed to recognize and reward South Carolina facilities that have demonstrated superior environmental performance through pollution prevention, energy and resource conservation, and the use of an environmental management system.
Under Linglong Tire’s ‘5+3’ strategy, the company aims to establish three tyre factories around the world in addition to five facilities in China. The tyre maker’s first international plant was inaugurated in Thailand in 2014, and yesterday Linglong Tire announced its Board of Directors’ approval of plans to build a second in Serbia. Construction of a new facility 30 miles north of Belgrade is expected to commence in the first half of next year and ultimately give Linglong Tire an annual capacity of 13.62 million tyres in Europe. The project involves an investment of US$994.39 million.
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