Alliance Tire Group has selected the Netherlands town of Halsteren as the location for Alliance Europe BV’s new office, commenting that the site positions it well to ensure improved responsiveness and to serve the market in a quick and reliable manner. The company adds that the move to a new office “facilitates the group’s ability to provide excellent customer support and sales services to its European business partners.”
The prototype tyre containing the BioIsoprene technology developed by Goodyear and Genencor is gaining much attention at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, yet Goodyear points out that products it has already made available to consumers are also represented at the high profile event. The tyre major notes that journalists covering the conference are being transported around the Danish capital in a pre-production example of the electric-powered Renault Fluence Z.E. fitted with its EfficientGrip tyres.
From February 2010 onwards Bridgestone’s latest “full spec” sport touring tyre will be available in European markets. The Battlax BT-023 replaces the BT-021, and the Japanese manufacturer reports that the new tyre offers a significant upgrade in mileage and wet performance compared with its predecessor, as well as by meeting the handling expectations of the most demanding sport riders. All in all, adds Bridgestone, the BT-023 provides a wider range of choices for larger bikes by delivering consistent high-level touring and sport riding performance.
Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe has reported the recent appointment of a new communications director for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. According to EMEA region president Arthur De Bok, Belgian Tom Delforge began in the role on September 1, replacing Chris Aked, who has retired.
Michelin is naming – and shaming – the ten locations in the UK where you are most likely, according to results from its 2009 Fill Up With Air campaign, to encounter motorists driving on dangerously under-inflated and even punctured tyres. The roadshow visited 24 cities around the UK during the summer, and checked more than 4,500 cars over a three-month period. And what did Michelin find out? It seems UK motorists are still unaware of how important it is to check tyres regularly. Liverpudlians were found to be the worst offenders, with more than half of the cars checked being driven with dangerously under-inflated tyres.
The UrbanMax is the latest member of Goodyear Europe’s Max Technologies family, a range promoted by Goodyear Dunlop Tires Europe as featuring the latest technology materials, dedicated tread patterns and durable carcass construction. The UrbanMax MCA and MCD Traction comprise a new line-up of all-season tyres for municipal vehicles, including city buses, fire engines and garbage trucks, and the benefits the manufacturer states these products deliver include high mileage and superb braking on wet and snowy roads.
Henk van Tuyl has been appointed director of Goodyear Dunlop Tires’ Tire Technology Commercial Tires – Europe Middle East and Africa division. Van Tuyl, who is originally from the Netherlands, has worked for the company for more than 21 years and took up his new post on October 1.
On November 19, vehicle engineering specialist MIRA announced the opening of a new office in Brussels. This location, says MIRA, will support the growth of its research and development projects within the EU and be better placed to react to Europe’s evolving political landscape and deliver appropriate technology advice to policy makers.
Thailand-based P.C. Products International is a leading manufacturer of wheel balancing weights in Asia, with 20 years' experience of supplying original equipment to an impressive list of major automobile clients, including Ford, Toyota, Honda, Chrysler, Isuzu, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. The company has invested heavily in R&D, as well as quality control and engineering design, working closely with vehicle manufacturers to tailor products towards specific OE requirements. The quality assurance department has access to a full facility testing laboratory which includes high-tech testing equipment such as the grain inspection machine and pull-force clip testing meter. Products are manufactured strictly to the OEM's own specifications and the JASO standard for general markets. P.C. Products International exports to Europe, America and the Middle East, as well as Asian markets.
Mytyres.co.uk – the UK part of Europe’s largest online tyre retailing group Delticom AG – is warning the increasing number of motorists considering part worn tyres that this is an example of false economy and a potentially dangerous decision. Whilst it is difficult to establish the number of part-worn tyres on sale in the UK, research suggests that the number of tyre retailers looking to supply this type of tyre because of the current economic climate is increasing. Tyres & Accessories’ best estimate for the size of this market puts the figure at up to 2 million units.
Bridgestone is reported have its eyes on a third of India’s growing passenger car market, and is increasing both capacity and its nationwide dealership network in order to accommodate this. The Press Trust of India reports some Rs 2.59 billion (£33.6 million) is to be invested in the company’s Pithampur facility in order to boost production 40 per cent to 15,000 tyres per day by the middle of next year. “The Indian market is our top priority in the Asia-Pacific region,” Bridgestone Asia Pacific general manager for Consumer Marketing Department Yoshihiro Tanabe told PTI. “We are going to put more focus on the Indian market than ever and are considering and discussing many possibilities for expansion.''
Continental Commercial Vehicle Tires Retread Europe has become the latest company to join the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau (TRIB). Upon announcing the division’s signing up, Christian Beindorff, Head of Operations Retread Europe for Continental, commented: “We are pleased to be a member of TRIB and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship between our organisations.”
With tyre manufactures increasing their interest in marketing their tyres through drifting as the sport grows in popularity, the Infinity brand is no exception. In Europe, the Moskou Drift Team has been using the company’s INF-050, supplied by Eurotyre. The Team Manager, Michael van Seggelen remarked, “We are very grateful for the support of Eurotyre and Infinity Tyres (Europe) – the tyres are very reliable and enhance the drifting effect – we would recommend them for any ultra high performance tyre experience.”
Apollo Tyres’ new Rs 20 billion (£257 million) facility in India’s Chennai state is expected to be operational from the start of December, and the company states the plant should attain a peak daily capacity of 14,000 tyres by the middle of next year. Of this total, commented the company on November 8, 8,000 will be passenger car radials and 6,000 truck and bus radials.
Cooper Tires has launched a ‘cashback’ promotion for the final two months of 2009, offering customers up to £50 when they buy two or four qualifying tyres. The offer applies to the Cooper Zeon 2XS and Cooper Zeon CS6 performance car tyres, as well as the new Cooper Zeon 4XS, Cooper Zeon XST and Cooper Zeon XST-A range of 4×4 tyres. Products in the Discoverer STT and Discoverer S/T 4×4 line-ups are also included.
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