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Avon OE on Car that Recreates Racing’s Golden Age

Avon tyres has secured its third OE contract with a British sportscar manufacturer within the space of six months. Avon parent company Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe Ltd has announced the signing of an agreement with Peterborough based manufacturer Vanwall – a postwar racing marque given a new lease of life in the 21st century. This latest deal comes on top of recent contracts with Connaught and Morgan.

Avon’s Turbo Steel 70 has been confirmed as the official tyre for Vanwall’s V12-powered Grand Prix Racer. Starting at £50,000 per car, and built to each customer’s individual specification, the Vanwall GPR V12 is a road legal, two-seater racing car styled on the classic 1950s Formula One cars bearing the same name, made famous at the hands of motor racing legend, Sir Stirling Moss.

25th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Leading Drift Drivers Choose Nexen

Nexen tyres have been chosen as the competition tyres for two of Europe’s leading drifters Eric O’Sullivan and Martin French. The first Prodrift meeting of the series took place in Ireland at the end of April and Eric O’Sullivan achieved first position. After the race, Eric said: “The Nexen 3000 definitely aided the car’s performance and played an important role in the win. The grip from the tyres was so good that on the final lap the speed recorded as I entered the first corner was 86mph.”

23rd May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Tyre Romania Reports 2006 Turnover of £12.7 million

Pirelli Tyre’s operations in Romania ended the 2006 year having recorded a turnover of 60.36 RON (£12.7 million) and losses of 18.49 million RON (£3.9 million). The division has a capital share of 77.16 million RON (£16.3 million). However, while on paper the company’s 2006 appears less than illustrious, late October saw the opening of a new tyre manufacturing facility near its existing steel cord plant in Slatina. The establishment of this new plant, which specialises in the manufacture of high performance tyres and employs about 450 people, required an investment of £115 million.

22nd May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Poland’s Premio Chain Grows

Goodyear Poland’s recently formed Premio retail chain has opened some 45 new outlets in the last eight month. According to the Warsaw Business Journal, the aim is to increase this to 80 by the end of the year. The news follows reports in February that Goodyear had committed to investing over US$100 million to upgrade the UHP production capabilities of the plant over the next 3-4 years. Debica, Europe’s biggest tyre plant according to some, was acquired by Goodyear in 1996 as the company sought to tap the fast-growing Polish market and develop a production base for exports. Exports accounted for 75 per cent of Debica sales last year.

16th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Beru – Quarter Figures Show Mixed Results

Tire Safety System (TSS) manufacturer Beru AG has posted total sales revenues of 116.8 million euros for the first quarter of the 2007 financial year, nearly equalling the sales revenues (117.4 million euros) of the prior-year period. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) reached 14.8 million euros, slightly down from last year’s 17.3 million euros and equivalent to an operating margin of 12.6 per cent.

The company’s Electronics and Sensor Technology division maintained its status as growth area during the quarter, with first quarter sales revenues of 38.8 million euros recorded during the quarter, an increase of 16.6 per cent over the previous year. Beru report that their TSS system was largely responsible for driving this growth.

15th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Winter Range for Interstate

Netherlands based Interstate Tire & Rubber Company has announced the introduction of a new range of exclusive brand Interstate winter tyres for the 2007 season. Called the Interstate Winter IWT-2, the new tyres are produced in China to a European design and intended for European conditions, and to maximise the range’s Europe-wide appeal Interstate will release the Winter IWT-2 in two silica compound variations, a softer compound for Nordic regions and a firmer ‘West European’ compound.

Being designed with winter conditions in mind the range feature three-dimensional sipes on both the inner and outer shoulders, and these sipes are laid out in an interlocking format that prevent the sipes from sticking to each other when subjected to lateral forces, thus increasing dry road stability and handling while providing grip in snow and ice conditions. The centre tread is laid out in a v-shaped pattern, which Interstate claims serves to direct water from the tread area into the wide circumferential grooves positioned on either side of the centre tread.

14th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

NTDA Joins Right to Repair Strategy Group

Following on from the Right to Repair Seminar organised by the NTDA at Brityrex in Manchester earlier this month, the NTDA have been invited to join the powerful R2RC Strategy Group which will run the UK end of the Europe wide campaign. The Strategy Group is made up of representatives from the SMMT Aftermarket Section, the Automotive Distributive Federation and the Independent Garage section of the Retail Motor Industry Federation and other members of the Automotive Aftermarket Liaison Group

The main task of the group will be to manage the UK end of the campaign which will include lobbying of MPs in Westminster and MEP’ in Brussels.

Representing the NTDA will be the newly elected Vice Chairman of the NTDA David White of Kwik-fit who commented: “This issue is one of the most challenging for our sector and I look forward to representing the Tyre and Fast fit interests within this group which has a lot of work to do over the next few years”.

14th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Sub-Standard Imported Tyres Lasting only 500km – Botswana Report

The general manager of Botswana’s Central Transport Organisation (CTO), the government body responsible for providing and maintaining all government fleet vehicles in that country, claims his government has spent some £255,000 on sub-standard tyres during the last financial year. Lt. Col. (ret) Moakofhi Modisanyane has reportedly stated that the blame for the poor quality of tyres supplied to the CTO lies with tyre dealers, whom he claims have acted to maximise their own profits at all costs.

Following a number of complaints from government vehicle users about tyres prematurely wearing, inspections were made of CTO facilities. Sub-standard tyres have been found at several CTO depots. Reports indicate that these tyres were manufactured in Europe and Asia, although were sourced locally. Brand names singled out as those wearing prematurely include West Lake Tire from China and Kyro.

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

ETRMA Joins European Road Safety Charter

At the end of April the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers Association (ETRMA), the representative association for ten of the leading tyre companies operating in Europe, signed up to the European Road Safety Charter. The April 27 signing ceremony was chaired by European Commission vice-president Jacques Barrot in the presence of the Association’s president, Francesco Gori, vice-president Eric de Cromières and secretary general, Fazilet Cinaralp.

“Today I am pleased that at the time of Europe’s first Road Safety Day, the ETRMA has signed up to the Charter and is making strong commitments,” stated Mr. Barrot during the proceedings. “The Tyre Industry’s dedication represents an encouraging signal to achieving the European Road Safety Charter objectives.”

10th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New European Head for Hankook

On May 2 Hankook Tire announced the appointment of Mr. Seung Do Jin, currently executive vice president of the company’s Korea Headquarters in Seoul, to the position of head of Europe Headquarters. Mr. Seung Do Jin, who has been credited with improving and expanding Hankook’s distribution channels within his home country, officially took over the position on May 8. Mr. Seung Do Jin takes over the role from Mr. Seung Hwa Suh who recently became the company’s global CEO.

Mr. Seung Do Jin played an important role in expanding Hankook’s distribution channels through the establishment of more than a hundred automotive aftermarket service shops, known as T-Stations, and in March 2006 he assumed the role of executive vice president at the company’s Korean headquarters. He also served as the managing director of Hankook Tyre UK between 1997 and 2004.

9th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Q1 Sales Praised

Analysts have praised Michelin’s strong first quarter sales which saw sales increase 9.5 per cent when restated from foreign exchange impact. The company also reported market share gains of 4.9 and 4.4 per cent in Europe and the US respectively. “…this gives us comfort in our first half EBIT of 900 million euros, 40 per cent (250 million euros), significantly above consensus,” Deutsche Bank analysts commented, reporting the consensus as 765 million or 120 million euros. Meanwhile Thomas Aney of Dresdner Kleinwort maintained his “hold” rating on Michelin, while raising his estimates for the company.

27th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bandag Reports First-Quarter Financials

(Akron/Tire Review) Bandag Inc. released financial results for the first quarter of 2007.

Consolidated net sales were $227.0 million, compared to $212.4 million in first quarter of 2006, an increase of 7 per cent.

Consolidated net earnings were $14.9 million for the first quarter of 2007, compared to first quarter 2006 consolidated earnings of $5.7 million.

North American business unit volume increased 2 per cent, while net sales decreased 1 per cent. TDS net sales decreased $0.3 million, or 1 per cent. Consolidated operating and other expenses decreased $9.6 million, or 15 per cent, compared to the prior year period. Operating and other expenses decreased in all business units with the exception of vehicle services.

27th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Shows New OTR Tyres at Bauma 2007

Bridgestone Europe has fielded a comprehensive array of OTR tyres at Bauma 2007, the international exhibition for the civil engineering and construction industries held in Munich between April 23 and29 April. Arguably the centrepiece of Bridgestone’s booth at Bauma was the company’s new OTR radials, the VJT and VRQP. Also on show was the world’s largest OTR radial, together with other well-known products for the construction sector.

The VRQP, seen for the first time at Intermat 06, is an E4 tread-class premium rock tyre developed for rigid dump trucks operating under severe conditions such as those found in quarries. Bridgestone report that the VRQP comes with a tread 21 per cent deeper than that of conventional designs, extending wear life and enhancing performance. The tread pattern incorporates angled wide main grooves and is designed with fewer and larger lugs for added grip and stability. Extra block width provides greater lug stiffness, resulting in better ground contact pressure, while a shallow sub-groove further improves traction and lateral stability. Initially available in 18.00R33 size, the VRQP will be joined by a 24.00R35 version towards the end of 2007.

26th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

EU To Finalise Bandag Bridgestone Deal Checks

Reports from a number of media sources indicate the European Commission has set a date near the end of May as the deadline for completing its investigation into the imminent US$1.05 billion sale of Bandag to Bridgestone Americas Holdings. The deal itself is expected to close by the end of June.

Bandag’s significant business ties in Europe prompted the EU Commission to become involved. Observers believe that, as the deal has already been approved by US authorities, there is little likelihood of any new issues from the EU sidelining the deal.

25th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Technology, Practicality Moving Us Closer to Fewer Speed Ratings

(Akron/Tire Review) For too many years, we’ve been explaining to our customers why they need speed-rated tyres. It’s the right choice, for example, if the vehicle came OE with a V-rated UHP radial. To make that rating, the tyre must be able to run at sustained speeds of up to 149 mph.

“But I don’t drive 149 mph,” the customer tells us. And, common sense says they’re right. If you drive that fast, your clothes will go out of style before you get out of jail.

About 30 years ago, speed-rated tyres seemed like a darned good idea. They arrived via Europe, where sporty performance cars and speed-rated tyres were all the rage. The tyres were so good that U.S. tyremakers, who were literally not yet up to speed, were embarrassed.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors