Commercial Vehicle Tyres
Goodyear has made its new Fuelmax truck tyre available on European markets, including a steer size that the manufacturer believes to be the first with an A-grade for fuel efficiency on the EU tyre label. The new product was launched last year as the commercial line tuned towards better fuel efficiency – the other newly launched product, the Kmax, is likewise tuned towards longevity.
Data derived from tests conducted by independent certification organisations TÜV Süd Automotive and Dekra backs Michelin’s fuel efficiency and safety claims for its current long distance and regional commercial vehicle tyres. TÜV Süd compared the Michelin X Line Energy long-distance tyres against four competing brands in June 2013 on a Mercedes Benz Actros 1842, with a gross train weight of 40 tonnes and equipped with new tyres. In July Dekra compared the Michelin X MultiWay 3D regional tyre against three competing brands fitted on a Mercedes Benz 1820, loaded to a gross vehicle weight of 18 tonnes and equipped with new tyres that were two-thirds worn. Both tests were requested by Michelin and were designed to recreate “real world” conditions.
The tyre market in Saudi Arabia is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12 per cent between 2013 and 2018. That’s according to research published 6 January by TechSci market analysts. According to the TechSci, the strong growth rate comes as a result of continuous growth in automotive sales coupled with the increasing demand for tyres in the replacement market. The report, “Saudi Arabia Automobile Tyre Market Forecast and opportunity, 2018”also says that the majority sales in the country’s tyre market are contributed by the passenger vehicle segment.
Michelin North America will soon begin recalling around 1.3 million light commercial vehicle tyres. The tyre maker says the recall of certain Michelin LTX M/S fitments was decided upon as due to the increasing number of tread loss and/or rapid air loss incidents reports it has received. The recall is expected to begin on 6 January 2014.
Heading up to the first anniversary of the European tyre label’s implementation, Tyres & Accessories took the opportunity to ask about tyre manufacturers’ label experiences with commercial fleet operators. From Chris Evans, director of Pirelli’s UK and Ireland Truck business unit, we learned that fleet reactions to the label have been mixed. “It’s a good tool to help end users collect essential information when choosing new tyres,” he relates. “But fleets recognise the tyre label cannot substitute the wide range of information offered by the manufacturers and service providers which detail many of the other facets of a truck tyre, such as mileage and retreadability. Often a fleet will prefer to test in real time, usually back-to-back with competitor or traditional products to see true performances in their own environment.”
Michelin has won a tyre supply deal for the Teesport based Containerships fleet. With 60 6×2 mid-lifts, fleet engineer Gordon Aitchison says the results of a recent 1,000km trial have helped to identify significant annual cost differences of more than 20 per cent between four different 295/80R22.5 premium brand tyres.
While UK car output provided good news for the industry, commercial vehicles remained in steep decline, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders figures show. CV output dropped 27.5 per cent in September to 6,963 units, meaning 67,609 CVs have been produced in 2013 to date, down 17.9 per cent from 2012.
It’s as old as the pneumatic tyre itself – this year, Continental Tire the Americas’ Aldora Mills tyre cord plant in Barnesville, Georgia celebrates 125 years in operation. The facility began life as a cotton mill in 1888 and began producing tyre cord around 1920. Today the 82,500 square metre plant produces around 16 thousand tonnes of tyre cord fabric a year for use in the manufacture of passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres.
GT Radial has entered the growing multi-usage sector with the launch of the GSR225 Combi Road steer axle tyre. The tyre is initially available in size 295/80R22.5.
Sri Lanka is one of Apollo Tyres’ fastest growing export markets – the company says sales there have increased more than 50 per cent year-on-year since the brand’s introduction into Sri Lanka in June 2011. The Indian tyre maker has now opened its first branded retail outlet within the country.
Michelin believes that its latest commercial vehicle tyre – the X Multi D – will be at the forefront of changes in the 17.5” drive axle commercial vehicle tyre segment. The tyre, aimed at medium weight trucks and midi-coaches is designed to provide improved safety, fuel-efficiency, noise and longevity characteristics when compared with the XDE2 tyres they replace.
Marangoni Commercial & Industrial Tyres has announced the development of a new programme within its Marix range of retreaded truck tyres. The retread product manufacturer says the Energeco brand has the objective of improving the performance of rolling resistance, which the company identifies as a decisive factor in the decision-making process for professional users and fleets operating over long distances. It will also become more prominent when EU tyre labelling’s second phase encompasses retread truck tyre products, the manufacturer says.
New light commercial vehicle figures released today show overall sales were up 12.4 per cent in September and up 8.1 per cent year-to-date. Van sales increased by 10.3 per cent last month, whilst truck demand rose by 29.7 per cent.
Continental will pursue the principle of making commercial vehicle tyres go further for customers with its synergetic TBR retreading facility named the ContiLifeCycle Plant. Announced in 2012 and due to open in Hannover-Stöcken later in 2013, the 10 million euro-plus plant is set to become the world’s first plant to integrate rubber recycling with hot and cold retreading, and will create more than 100 new jobs at Conti’s headquarters. Tyrepress got in touch with Christian Saas, Conti’s director Retread Business Commercial Vehicle Tires, to get the latest information on the plant prior to it coming on line.
Around €40 million will be invested in Continental’s Korbach factory in Germany by 2018, the tyre maker reported on 30 September. The company’s Tire Division will use these funds to establish a specialist production line for 19 to 22-inch passenger car and light commercial vehicle tyres to meet growing international demand from both the original […]
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