Representatives from Granutech-Saturn Systems report they experienced the highest level of traffic ever at their booth at the Reifen show in Essen, Germany, this past May. According to Mike Hinsey, Granutech’s International Vice President, the benefits from that event continue to make themselves evident.
During May’s Essen show, plenty of rumours about Sibur Russian Tyres was bidding for Amtel-Vredestein were circulating. The difficult part was trying to pin someone down to go on the record and confirm what we all thought we knew at the time. Sibur Russian Tyres’ export department head, Oleg A Kataev, for example was tight-lipped when asked about the Amtel-Vredestein/Sibur negotiations. Instead, he was much more interested in explaining how Sibur’s European service has improved since the company opened a new office in Germany.
At the moment this means increasing supply into Germany and the neighbouring markets, particular with regard to Sibur Russian Tyre’s Tyrex truck brand. This direct, concerted sales effort remains a relatively new venture for the Russian company that has (since the deal with Amtel-Vredestein was completed – see elsewhere in this issue for further details) grown from a very strong to totally dominant position in the its domestic Russian market.
For its 50th year of business Bandag delivered a strong presence at the Essen show with a sizable booth, in which was displayed the company’s latest product and technological innovations. The running of the Reifen Essen was also chosen as an opportunity to give several new Bandag released their first public airing, including the company’s new Application Specific product line featuring Bandag designed premium retread products.
Part of this range is the new BTR-WB (E), the Bandag Trailer Regional-Wide Base. A premium offering for the 3-axle trailer segment, the BTR-WB (E) is, says Bandag, the result of exhaustive testing. Wide base trailer tyres used in regional applications are used under tough operating conditions and must cope with endless tight turns and manoeuvring. The result can often be irregular wear patterns, and Bandag had this in mind when it began developing the new tyre. Several prototypes, hundreds of test tyres and many millions of test kilometres later, Bandag introduced a product it believes performs well in all circumstances.
The newest addition to the Nokian range of summer tyres is the Z G2; a W and Y speed rated uhp tyre, designed for sporty cars and fast driving. It is available in a number of sizes, for wheels from 16″ to 20″ diameter. The Nokian Z G2 has been developed and tested on fast European tracks, as well as on rough-surfaced roads, over several years. Special attention was paid to wet grip and the prevention of aquaplaning. Wear resistance was developed by means of thorough laboratory testing and driving hard durability tests on harsh asphalt surfaces. The tyre is targeted at demanding consumers, and its top-of-the-range performance has been achieved with the help of the latest development and production technology.
American tyre service and recycling machinery manufacturers TSI/SSG (Tire Service Equipment and Saf-tee Siping & Grooving) has reported a busy and successful showing in all three key business segments at this year’s Reifen Exhibition. The company divides its output into siping machines, small tyre service machines (like manual tyre changers and bead seaters) and recycling machines (tyre cutters and wheel crushers).
Since 1998, when TSI/SSG first exhibited at Reifen, the company has seen a large increase in both interest and actual orders in the recycling portion of the business. Export Manager Arvid Vaaten believes that “more and more markets are getting ready to seriously deal with the ever increasing scrap tire problem.”
On July 2 Unite, the UK’s biggest union and the USW, the largest private sector union in the USA and Canada, signed an agreement creating the first global union. The document was signed at the USW’s Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 2nd 2008.
The union, to be called Workers Uniting, will represent three million people from every industrial sector in Britain, Ireland, the USA, Canada and the Caribbean. The agreement to form a global union, said Unite in a press statement, was initiated by the leaders of the two unions in response to the challenges of globalisation, particularly the casualisation of employment and reductions in pay experienced by many in North America and Europe.
Shandong Linglong will soon be exporting high performance tyres from its new factory, commented company representatives at the Reifen exhibition. Work started on the £100 million 40,000 square metre facility last year and progress is said to be at an advanced stage. Full capacity at the plant should be reached by 2010, at which time it will have an annual output of 10 million tyres, bringing the company’s total capacity to 30 million pieces.
Solideal Group has increased prices across its whole product portfolio. In Europe, prices will rise 8-12 per cent. In other countries, prices are set to go up by between 10 and 14 per cent. The new prices will be valid from July to September 2008. Solideal increased prices earlier this year, including a steel surcharge on wheels. Both moves triggered similar responses from other industrial tyre and wheel makers. According to the company, Solideal increased prices due to continuous increases in the cost of raw materials, which have exceeded the Group’s expectations.
Comments given by Pirelli & C Spa chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera indicate that targets for company’s tyre business remain slightly higher despite declining car sales in Western Europe. Speaking to reporters on June 30, Mr. Tronchetti Provera said Pirelli is “working on growing where there is a sustained demand, to improve the profit mix and to reduce costs. Therefore we believe we can meet our targets.”
In its more than three decades of operation Triangle Tire has grown to become one of China’s top tyre manufacturers in terms of output. Annually the company produces, says Triangle, around 20 million units. Of this figure, radials account for as much as 16.5 million units, and the company claims to be the largest tyre manufacturer and exporter in China.
At the Reifen show sales manager Victor Wang spoke with Tyres & Accessories about numerous recent developments at Triangle Tire. Of particular significance, commented Mr. Wang, is a new product line introduced by the company. Called Diamond Back, the passenger car and SUV range is available in four distinct patterns, including the UHP TR968. Boasting some 20 sizes between 17 and 24-inches, the W and V speed rated range offers, says Mr. Wang, low rolling resistance, a high grip tread compound and rim protection flange on the sidewall.
BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems has just celebrated the 30th anniversary of the opening of its commercial vehicle turbocharger factory in the city of Bradford. Only recently, the plant underwent extensive modernisation to ensure that it can optimally meet the ever-increasing demand for turbocharged commercial vehicle engines. In the past ten years alone, output in Bradford has more than doubled to over 400,000 units a year. The main customers include Renault/Volvo, Daimler and above all Deutz, who equips all engines with turbochargers from BorgWarner.
The commercial vehicle industry has been booming for years and new markets in Eastern Europe and Asia promise further growth. Environmentally friendly technologies are required to ensure that manufacturers continue to benefit from the current positive situation. As the market leader in the commercial vehicle sector and with many years of experience, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems makes a major contribution to guaranteeing that even the strictest emissions standards can be met without any loss of driving performance.
Hercules Tire International’s Essen exhibit featured several new products from among its stable of brands. New lines debuting at the show included the Hercules Terra Trac A/T & MR IV SUV, Merit All Country A/T and Ironman Radial A/P.
According to Hercules Corporate Business Development Officer, Joe Recchia, “Never before have we launched so many new lines at once, in our Flagship brand, as well as in Merit and Ironman. We believe our product line-up at Essen clearly shows our commitment in mold investment and in providing our customers the latest in tread design and product range. By partnering with an array of world-class manufacturers, only Hercules can offer a second-to-none combination of quality and availability.”
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Goodyear’s high speed Optitrac R+ farm radial tyre has been approved for fitment to the new 7000 series JCB Fastrac tractor. The specific tyres to be approved, says Goodyear, are the 540/75R28 Optitrac R+ front tyre and 650/75R38 Optitrac R+ rear tyre for the Fastrac 7170 and 7200, and the 600/70R30 Optitrac R+ front tyre and 650/85R38 Optitrac R+ rear tyre for the Fastrac 7230.
“We are very pleased that the high speed road and in-field performance of the new Optitrac R+ tyre has been recognized by JCB and approved for fitment to the new 7000 series Fastrac tractor,” said Eric Martin, OE manager farm and industrial tyres Europe.
Falken Tyres recently invited UK tyre retailers to Germany’s legendary motor racing circuit, the Nürburgring, for a weekend of motorsport. Micheldever Tyres, the UK’s exclusive distributer of the Japanese manufacturer’s products, were joined by dealers from across the UK as guests of Falken for the annual Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club’s 24-Hour race.
As one of the fastest-growing brands within Europe, Falken have made their presence felt in the UK especially with the release of the Assymetric 912 range. During the weekend, retailers commented on the exceptionally high customer satisfaction gained from buyers of the 912 Supertyre. Additional praise for Falken came from Micheldever’s Sales Director, Alan Baldwin: “Product quality is as expected of a top six world manufacturer…2008 has seen a significant increase in our Falken sales.”
Capacity has been expanded at the Turkish joint venture silica facility belonging to Evonik Industries AG. Following the addition of a new dryer, in operation since the second half of last year, capacity at Egesil AS in Adapazari, near Izmit, has been lifted to 40,000 tons a year. Growing demand for tyre silica in Europe is the key factor behind the decision to take such a measure.
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