Micheldever’s 4×4 tyre specialist distributor Southam Tyres has announced that it will add the Falken WildPeak WP/AT01 all-terrain tyre to its range. Falken Tyres UK director, Matt Smith says: “Falken will be adding more size ranges for the UK replacement market in order to meet the demand for performance 4×4 and SUV tyres.”
SRH Hamburg has extended its fleet contract with Bandvulc Tyres in conjunction with Vergölst GmbH, Bandvulc’s exclusive service provider partner in Germany. This means an extension of three years on the Wastemaster MKIII tyre, much to the delight of Simon Arnold, Bandvulc’s overseas business development manager:
Bandvulc is upgrading the Galahad fleet management software used by its 23 member Key Partner Network through the introduction of its ‘Gateway’ programme.
Pirelli Tire North America has launched a new associate dealer programme. It is known as FasTrack, and Tire Review reports that dealers and their sales teams can earn rewards on all eligible Pirelli tyres sold at retail. Those enrolled also will be provided access to Pirelli’s exclusive online training network.
Dana Holding Corporation has officially opened a 12,000 square-meter (129,000 square-foot) technical centre in Wuxi, Jiangsu Provence, China. The Dana China Technical Center will provide advanced product and applications engineering for original-equipment manufacturers in the light-vehicle, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway markets in China and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Bridgestone has introduced an upgraded version of its Blizzak LM-80. Displaying the new Blizzak LM-80 EVO at the Geneva motor show, the tyre maker said the new SUV tyre features three improvements designed to upgrade snow and wet performance: New sipe distribution for traction, a new silica-rich compound developed exclusively for European winter conditions, and an optimised centre rib and shoulder block design for improved handling and road holding.
Infinity Tyres Europe has announced a new distribution partnership covering Greece and several other southern European markets with the Athens-based Saracakis Group. The deal covers PCR, TBR, OTR and agricultural product lines. Saracakis has almost 100 years’ experience in the automotive business and today supports long-standing distribution agreements with Honda, Mitsubishi, Volvo and Komatsu amongst many other world-class brands.
Schrader is partnering with Fuller Brothers, the manufacturer of the Tire Life tyre and rim protection product, in order to distribute Schrader’s complete Off-The-Road (OTR) range. The partnership was formally announced at the 2013 Tire Industry Association OTR Conference held from 20-23 February 2013 in Puerto Rico.
The Geneva Motor Show is now underway and Apollo Tyres has presented its brand-new Alnac 4G there. This tyre, the second 4th generation product from Apollo, is specifically designed for compact and mid-size car segments. The Alnac 4G will initially be available in 29 V and H speed rated sizes. Apollo shares that all sizes have a ‘B’ wet grip label rating and a ‘C’ rolling resistance rating; noise levels are 69db.
Nissan will fit Bridgestone’s Potenza S001 tyres to its new European market Nismo. The tyre manufacturer will supply wider 245/40R19 sizes on the front and 285/35R19 on the rear with a “tailor-made” compound. The tyre will respond to the V6 344-horsepower coupe’s cornering, sporty handling and power, Bridgestone says.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company has reported its fourth quarter and full year 2012 results, including record net sales of US$1.1 billion in the final quarter, and increase of two per cent on the same period a year earlier. Operating profit also reached record levels in the fourth quarter, amounting to $124 million – $65 million higher than fourth quarter 2011 and 11.7 per cent of net sales. The company reported net income attributable to Cooper Tire & Rubber Company of $1.15 per share, or $73 million in the fourth quarter.
Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) has announced an expansion to the xlite forged aluminium wheel range, manufactured by Wheels India, launching two of the lightest super single wheels on the market. The 11.75×22.5 wheel, with a 0mm inset and 10x26mm mounting holes, boasts a weight reduced by 1.6kg to 22.1kg. The new 120mm inset wheel weighs 3.7kg less than its predecessor at 24.3kg. Both wheels have an increased load index from 4,500kg to 5,000kg.
The Department for Transport has released statistics relating to road traffic in Great Britain in the fourth quarter of last year and for 2012 as a whole. Over the year, the volume of all motor vehicle traffic fell by 0.4 per cent to 302.6 billion vehicle miles. Cars accounted for 79.4 per cent of all motor vehicle traffic, which is broadly the same proportion as in recent years.
Myers Industries has reported full-year 2012 figures, which feature a 40 per cent increase in earnings per share (EPS) growth. This was reportedly driven by productivity gains and new product introductions. 2012 net sales were US$791.2 million compared with $755.7 million in 2011. However, it has to be said that this was mainly held up by strong sales performance in the Engineered Products and Material Handling Segments. In fact, according to the company, it was the relative strength of these segments that “more than offset sales decreases in the Distribution and Lawn & Garden Segments.
First Industrial Tyres Ltd (FIT) has opened its fifth distribution depot. FIT, which was founded in 2010 by Edward Woolley, has opened the depot in Newbury, Berkshire with a view to serving the south and west of England. Prior to his latest venture, Edward Wooley was managing director of Mobile Industrial Tyres Ltd and Watts Industrial Tyre Services Ltd.
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