SD International introduces winter ranges
Shanghai-based manufacturer, SD International has introduced winter tyre models across several of the company's established private brands – Pace, Zeta and Maxtrek.
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Conti’s first winter tyre for coaches evolves for summer use
NewsContinental has developed its first winter coach tyre, the HSW 2 Coach. Designed primarily for safety, but with the varying road surfaces involved in coach travel applications, quiet running, comfort and economy also in mind, the tyre, suitable for use on all axles of the coach, uses “intelligent tread pattern design” to provide the characteristics necessary for winter passenger transportation. But the really clever bit is that the tyre has been designed to wear in a way that will make it suitable for continued use when spring arrives.
Michelin releases latest market figures
Company NewsOn 5 September Michelin updated its tyre market statistics, and reported a four per cent year-on-year upswing in Europe’s (including Russia and Turkey) original equipment passenger car tyre market for July 2012. Year-to-date, however, the segment market is still down three per cent. A six per cent decline was reported for Europe’s replacement market passenger car tyre business. Replacement sales are down ten per cent year-to-date.
Bridgestone all-weather tyres equipped for all seasons
NewsDuring a visit to Bridgestone’s Sweden Proving Ground earlier in the year, Tyres & Accessories drove in temperatures way below freezing in some of the most extreme conditions in Europe, using the manufacturer’s current Blizzak LM-30 winter rubber, and the prototype of its successor to be, the LM-32, which remains in development for the moment, as well as a comparative summer weather tyre, which behaved about as well as one would expect on heavy snow. There was, however, an intermediate all-weather tyre option, which the company is particularly focusing on in Oceanic climates such as that found in the UK.
Bridgestone Europe names new Consumer, Western region heads
Career TracksBenoit Raulin has taken on responsibility for Bridgestone Europe’s French and Benelux markets after his appointment as managing director of the company’s Western region. He succeeds Eric Gaétan in the role following the latter’s appointment as managing director of Bridgestone Europe’s Consumer business unit in Brussels.
New Hankook releases planned for IAA
NewsLast year’s IAA show in Frankfurt, Germany drew tens of thousands to view the latest cars and automotive technology. This year the IAA focuses on commercial vehicles, and at the 2012 exhibition – which takes place in Hannover between 20 and 27 September – several leading tyre makers will show off their latest products and developments. At Hankook’s exhibition space, in Hall 16, Stand A30, the Korean manufacturer will hold the world premiere for the latest additions to its ‘e-cube’ concept. These new products, says Hankook, take “into account the current spirit of the times” and thus the range has “correspondingly been developed further in regard to the increasing demands in the area of environmental friendliness.”
Bridgestone to present ‘Total Tyre Care’ portfolio at IAA
NewsThe upcoming IAA Commercial Vehicles 2012 fair in Hannover, Germany will serve as an opportunity for Bridgestone to present its new Total Tyre Care programme. Describing Total Tyre Care, Bridgestone says it offers fleets “carefree tyre management through a flexible range of complementary truck tyre programmes.”
Dunlop-shod LMP2 takes ALMS overall victory in Baltimore
MotorsportThe American Le Mans Series’ LMP2 prototype category has become something of a Dunlop specialism in recent seasons, the tyre supplier says. In 2011, Dunlop supplied winning vehicles’ tyres in both International and European Le Mans Series, as well as the Le Mans 24 hour race with Greaves Motorsport. This year, all but one of the teams in the American Le Mans Series, in addition to all the teams in the European series and the new FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMP2 category, have chosen to run on Dunlop tyres. In the latest round of the ALMS, Christophe Bouchut and Scott Tucker led a one-two finish for Level 5 Motorsports at the Baltimore Sports Car Challenge, the Dunlop-shod team’s second overall win in ALMS with the Honda Performance Development ARX-03b prototype.
Apollo’s Kalamassery plant damaged by fire
NewsA fire broke out in the mixing department of Apollo Tyres’ Kalamassery on the evening of 2 September. According to a company statement, nobody was injured in the blaze. Fire crews battled the fire for several hours before gaining the upper hand, and machinery and rubber is said to have been destroyed. Apollo says the unit will be out of commission several days. In the meantime, alternative arrangements for supplying mixed compound have been made.
Michelin celebrates motorcycle landmark at Ace Café
NewsIt is 25 years since Michelin launched the first radial motorcycle road tyres, and the French manufacturer has announced that it will mark the occasion at London’s Ace Café. Michelin will attend the venue’s regular monthly ‘Streetfighter Night’ on Friday 7 September, with ex-250 and 500cc world champion, Freddie Spencer. Spencer will arrive at the café at around 18:00-18.30 on a Michelin Pilot Road 3 liveried Virgin Limobike, which has been painted to mark to company’s switch to the ground-breaking Michelin sport touring tyres, which are now fitted to its entire fleet of Yamaha FJR1300s.
Milltek Sport releases ‘Toyobaru’ performance exhaust system
Product NewsMilltek has designed and manufactured a new exhaust system for all three variants of the anticipated ‘Toyobaru’ – a vehicle the company describes as “one of the most hotly-anticipated tuner cars of the last decade”. The Toyota GT86, Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S – the three versions of the tuning car – is to be offered gains in power “throughout the rev range”, according to Milltek. The exhaust manufacturer’s engineers worked alongside leading Subaru tuner Litchfield to create a design that enhanced the normally aspirated flat-four engine.
Alliance, Titan show latest releases at US farm show
NewsAgricultural customers in the US had the chance to get up close to Titan Tire and Alliance Tire Group’s latest offerings at the Farm Progress 2012 Show in Iowa this week, reports Tire Review. New on the scene from ATG are the Galaxy Muddy Buddy, the Alliance 354 Radial R1-W in increased flexion size IF380/90R46, and the Alliance 354 in increased flexion size IF480/80R50; Titan displayed the Goodyear IF Ultra Sprayer and the Goodyear IF DT830.
Project Eagle lands Goodyear a place in CIO 100
NewsThe US edition of CIO magazine, a publication aimed at senior IT executives, has named Goodyear Tire & Rubber one of its 2012 CIO 100 winners. Upon receiving the accolade, Goodyear vice-president and chief information officer Jim McKinnon said “winning the CIO 100 award is tremendous recognition for the success of our multi-year project, which has aligned all of the company’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa on a common business platform.”
Fleet makes mileage savings with Continental
NewsFamily-run steel haulage company Randall Barber Transport reports that it is saving an average of eight pence per kilometre per tyre with Continental, with each tyre travelling up to 10,000km further compared with the fleet’s previous brand of tyres. The company also say it is enjoying the benefits of technical advice from the manufacturer’s Technical Services team. The firm originally selected Continental as preferred tyre supplier in 2009.
Redesigned European Aeolus site goes live
NewsIt’s new, it’s improved – it’s the revamped Aeolus Tyres European website. The addition of agricultural tyres to the Aeolus range prompted Netherlands-based wholesaler Heuver Tyrewholesale to thoroughly redesign the aeolus-tyres.eu site; Heuver says the new site is now divided into three product groups and four languages, and features product overviews and brand information. The site has also been optimised for use with smart phones and tablets.
