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European Release for Bridgestone Turanza ER300 Ecopia

Bridgestone has released its premium Turanza ER300 Ecopia grand touring tyre in Europe, and according to the company versions of the Mercedes S-Class and Opel Insignia fitted with the tyres have already been introduced onto the market. Outside of these two OE fitments, the new Ecopia tyres will be progressively available in the replacement market from April 2009, initially in 15 different sizes from 14 to 17 inch and H to Y speed ratings. More sizes will follow in the near future, states Bridgestone.

6th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Crain’s ‘Automotive News Europe’ Publication to Close

Crain Communications, publisher of the Tire Business and European Rubber Journal titles, reports it has begun the process of moving production of its Automotive News Europe publication into its US based primary title, Automotive News. The standalone European publication, which was headquartered in Munich, Germany and written in English for the European automotive industry, will close.

“The worldwide economic crisis is causing everyone to make difficult, dramatic decisions,” said Keith E. Crain, chairman, Crain Communications Inc. “In tough times, it is important to stay focused.”

6th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Formula Two Re-Launches on Avon Tyres

Avon Tyres has been named official tyre supplier for the FIA Formula Two Championship, a series re-launched in 2009 after a quarter-century absence from the motorsport calendar. The first round of the championship will take place at Valencia, Spain, on 31 May.

The championship, which will feature 24 identical cars designed by the Williams F1 team, has been created to be the ultimate feeder category for Formula One, while remaining an affordable series for aspiring young drivers.

5th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

First European Sale of Marangoni Ringbuilder 3000

Marangoni Retreading Systems, the Marangoni Group business unit operating in the retreading materials and technology sector, has announced the installation of the first “Ringbuilder 3000“ in Europe. This building machine was introduced by Marangoni Retreading Systems two years ago and is designed for large retreaders; the unit is able to produce at least 200 Ringtread retreads per eight hour shift while at the same time occupying a small floorspace. The RB 3000 allows a single fully automated machine to extrude the cushion gum directly onto the casing, fill the craters, apply and suitably roll the ring, thus creating a tyre ready to be vulcanised. Its high level of automation guarantees outstanding productivity, savings in labour and faster processing times. Initially developed solely for the American market, it has now made its European debut in response to the recent trend towards the significant growth of continental Europe’s larger retreaders.

3rd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama to Launch New Eco-Tyre at Geneva Show

Yokohama Rubber plans to hold the European launch of its new ‘dB super E-spec’ at the Geneva Motor Show, which gets underway on March 3. The tyre is, according to Yokohama, the “ultimate eco-tyre designed to be environmentally friendly in all respects.” Other new releases will be the “ADVAN NEOVA AD08,” released in Japan in February and marketed here in the summer, and the W.drive cold weather tyre – the latest in the four-product “.drive” series – which will be released this coming winter.

2nd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Gets Top Reviews From German Mags

Kumho Tire received some favorable press in Europe recently, earning honors in tyre tests conducted by German automotive magazines. The company received an overall assessment of “very recommendable” by Autozeitung, and its Road Venture MT KL71 was selected as “Off Road Tyre 2009” by German 4×4 magazine “Off Road.”

“European automotive magazines from Germany, Great Britain and Sweden hold tests several times a year to compare and rank performance of recommendable tyres,” said N.W. Cho, senior researcher for Kumho. “The tyre test results influence the purchasing decisions of European consumers, as they are an official recognition of performance and quality.” (Tire Review/Akron)

2nd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Renault-Nissan And Elektromotive Join Forces

The Renault-Nissan Alliance and UK company Elektromotive, a pioneer in zero emission transport infrastructure, have announced they are collaborating in the Partnership for Zero-Emission-Mobility, with the aim of accelerating the installation of charging networks for electric vehicles (EVs) in cities.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the two companies ahead of an imminent and dramatic rise in the number of EVs on Europe’s roads, with the Renault-Nissan Alliance starting sales of purpose-designed EVs in Japan and the US from next year and globally by 2012.

2nd March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone E-reporter Contest Now Open to Part-Time Students

With just four weeks before the closing date for entries, Bridgestone has announced that eligibility for its e-reporter contest has been extended to part-time students. Any student from within Europe studying any part-time course can now submit an entry, the company says.

Students can submit their e-reporter entry online at www.bridgestone.eu/e-reporter anytime before Tuesday 31 March 2009. As part of their entry, candidates will need to demonstrate that they have the journalistic flair required to write a newsworthy story and develop creative interview questions. This year, entries can be submitted in English, Dutch, French, German, Polish, Spanish or Portuguese.

27th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Watts Launches Sherpa Industrial Pneumatic Tyre Range

Watts Tyre Group has launched its latest industrial pneumatic tyre, the Sherpa range. According to the company, Sherpa has been designed to outperform other tyres in its class through design, construction and materials. Internal laboratory tests have shown that that range is “highly durable” and “performs exceptionally across a range of applications and environments.”

Watts CEO Jean-Paul Mindermann commented: “We are very pleased to bring this product to market, it is an exceptional tyre and one that we believe will establish us as a true contender in the premium sector with a price/quality ratio which will be hard to beat…Our dealer and OEM partners highlighted to us that they wanted a high performance pneumatic product and so we have produced one.”

27th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Global Tyre Demand Down 35% in January

Global tyre demand fell by approximately 35 per cent in January, according to manufacturer data. The figures, supplied to Deutsche Bank by Michelin, show the huge fall was prompted by a 50 per cent drop in OE demand, but could also be seen in a 20 per cent drop in replacement sales.

Deutsche Bank analysts pointed out that the figures are the worst for 30 years, compared to a -3.5 per cent fall in 1991 and a 16 per cent drop in the fourth quarter of 2008. The analyst put the falls down to people driving roughly 5 per cent less; postponing their tyre purchases; and dealers reducing their inventories. Michelin sales volumes are expected to be approximately 15 per cent lower than 2008 in the first quarter of 2009, according to Deutsche Bank.

The marked collapse in demand is said to be reflected across both the truck tyre and passenger car tyre segments and in both Europe and North America. Only China attained single digit growth.

25th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

East Europe Plans Affected by Apollo Capex Reduction

According to Apollo Tyres vice-chairman and joint managing director Neeraj Kanwar, the company has reduced its capital expenditure plans for the next two years from Rs 30 billion (£414 million) to Rs10.5 billion (£145 million) due to the global economic slowdown. Part of this reduction involves placing the company’s Eastern Europe capex plans on hold.

In a February 25 interview on Indian business television channel NDTV profit, which was later reported by Reuters, Kanwar said “Our capex has come down from 3,000 crores (30 billion rupees) that we were planning to spend in the next 2 years to 1,050 crores (10.5 billion rupees) which we were planning to spend in India.”

25th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Further Expands Forest Rider Range

The Nokian Forest Rider product family has been expanded with new sizes intended for large and heavy tractors. These further additions to the Forest Rider range are designed, says Nokian, for demanding and highly challenging usage conditions such as the harvesting of energy wood and building & maintaining forest roads. Suitable for tractors ranging from 200 to 500 horsepower, the new products fill a gap in the Finnish manufacturer’s existing line-up.

24th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bekaert Sales Top 4 billion Euros in 2008

Bekaert, supplier of steel cord to the tyre industry, has reported consolidated 2008 sales of 2.66 billion euros and combined sales of 4.01 billion euros, and increase of 22.5 per cent and 17.3 per cent respectively. Growth in consolidated sales stemmed 17.7 per cent from organic growth, largely driven by passed on raw material price increases, and 5.8 per cent from the company’s acquisitions in Vicson (Venezuela) and in Proalco (Colombia). Fluctuations in several exchange rates largely compensated each other with a net negative impact of 1.0 per cent. Even in the fourth quarter of 2008, the economic downturn notwithstanding and compared with a strong last quarter of 2007, Bekaert posted consolidated growth of 5 per cent.

23rd February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Automotive Appoints New Romanian R&D Head

As of February 1, research and development for Continental Automotive in Romania is being headed up by Dr. Christian von Albrichsfeld. The 12-year Conti veteran is coordinating the research and development activities of Continental in Romania at a national level in its Timisoara, Sibiu and Iasi sites. Dr. von Albrichsfeld has taken over this position from Christian Ruediger, who was in charge of the team in Romania for two years and finished his term in the position on January 31.

19th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Announces Temporary Closures at European Facilities

Bridgestone Europe has announced temporary closure of factories in the region following worsening market demand during December, January and February, especially in the OE tyre segment. According to Bridgestone, these temporary shutdowns will affect the bulk of its European facilities, including the company’s plants in Béthune, Bari, Bilbao, Burgos and Poznan. Only the Tatabánya factory in Hungary and the agricultural line at the Puente San Miguel plant in Spain have been exempted from this action, reports Gert Meylemans, senior manager at Bridgestone’s European Communications Office. These temporary closures are already being implemented, Meylemans adds, and employees affected by the closures are being continuously informed as circumstances change.

19th February 2009/by Tyrepress Editors