Falken Tyre Europe has unveiled a new ultra-ultra-high-performance (UUHP) tyre, the Falken Azenis RS820. It says this new pattern is designed to offer responsive handling, balanced wet and dry grip and impressive feel on both road and track.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) is collaborating on a project to eliminate batteries in TPMS and similar devices by replacing these with electricity generated through tyre rotation. Reporting on the progress of its work with Professor Hiroshi Tani of Kansai University in Japan, the Falken brand manufacturer says the partners have successfully generated stable electricity over a wide range of speeds by employing two types of generating devices.
The Falken Eurowinter HS02 and HS02 Pro ranges have grown since their arrival last winter and are now respectively available in 45 and 74 dimensions. For this winter, they’re joined by a new all-season tyre, the Falken Euroall Season AS220 Pro. Designed to perform all year round and available in Europe since mid-September, Euroall Season AS220 Pro is aimed specifically at performance-oriented vehicles.
Falken Tyre Europe has launched the Wildpeak R/T01 rugged terrain tyre, a new flagship expanding its 4×4 tyre portfolio for demanding off-road applications. The new tyre means the Sumitomo Rubber Industries global flagship tyre brand now has a tyre for every off-road application. The company states that the R/T01 was “engineered with adventure in mind”; the tyre’s tread design and structure promote high traction performance in the most difficult conditions. Falken will distribute the Wildpeak R/T01 from the first quarter of 2024 with an initial range of nine sizes, ranging from 16 to 20 inches, with a speed rating of Q. The Wildpeak R/T01’s designation as a professional off-road tyre (POR) means it has no further EU tyre labelling information.
Falken Tyre Europe will continue its fruitful partnerships with two top clubs; Borussia Mönchengladbach from Germany and Atlético Madrid from Spain for the upcoming season. Sports marketing agency Sportfive initiated the original collaborations with the clubs and has acted as an intermediary for these latest extensions.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Motorsport Department has selected Avery Dennison’s AD Maxdura tyre tag for use by endurance racing teams on Falken tyres. Teams will benefit from new data to help them prepare and improve race performance. With a unique RFID transponder implanted in each tyre, information can be read automatically and used to identify precisely which tyres are in use from the pit to the track. To further boost control, as well as stock and performance management, the Avery Dennison Maxdura Tire Tag enables teams to optimize real-time inventory and logistics. In addition, providing a unique ID for each tyre is intended to “improve reuse and recycling processes after the race to make events more environmentally sustainable.”
Alongside its real-world motorsport efforts in the 2023 NLS championship, the Falken racing programme is about to step up a gear following its acceptance into the 2023/24 24H Series Esports championship. Falken sim racers finished fourth overall when participating in a ‘pre-qualifying’ session for the championshi, clearing the official Falken’s Esports team to field a GT3 car in the six-round online racing series, which gets underway with the virtual Spa Francorchamps on 1 October.
With manufacturers taking various strategies to achieve electric vehicle tyre growth, there is an opportunity for distributors to support tyre retailers in building consumer understanding of this still-new segment of the tyre market. It is arguably more important than ever that the leaps forward in EV tyre product development be supported by a well-informed distribution chain. Having assisted with EV tyre workshops and training sessions over the past two years, Graham Mitchell, Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) wholesale director, updates Tyres & Accessories on its latest support for EV tyres, as well as its latest product range and view of the developing market.
Falken’s recently launched short film, ‘A Monument to the Art of Racing,’ has been nominated for the ‘Best Event Film’ prize at the International Motor Film Awards 2023. We’ll have to wait a month to find out whether the judging panel has chosen the Falken film – this year’s winners will be announced during a ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London on 21 September.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd achieved lower profit in H1 2023 despite increasing sales and operating profit. The company has nonetheless upwardly revised its full-year profit forecast from 21,000 million yen to 23,000 million yen (£127.1 million, US$162.2 million).
Sumitomo Rubber Group sold 110 million tyres worldwide in 2022 and is well aware of the importance that these products be recycled at the end of their working lives. For this reason, three group companies are collaborating to explore new recycling technologies.
While the all-season tyre market in the UK has started its ascent from a low base, it remains the fastest growing consumer car tyre segment. The trend has been supported by the last five years of manufacturers’ all-season product development, which have reduced the compromises involved in fitting a tyre capable of performing well in moderate winter weather conditions all year round. Leading independent UK tyre wholesaler Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) has been strengthening its all-season range with exclusive brands, including the new all-season tyres from its owner Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ global flagship brand Falken and long-term MTS partner GT Radial, the recent addition of Turkish brand Petlas to its line-up, and further product additions from brands such as Runway and Ovation. MTS wholesale director Graham Mitchell tells Tyres & Accessories about how the wholesaler views the all-season (and winter) tyre segment in the UK, as well as the company’s plans to support its dealer network with the increased interest in these adaptable products.
The Falken tyre brand celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and Falken Tyre Europe has marked the milestone at an event not far from its headquarters in Offenbach am Main, Germany. For the company, the anniversary is also an opportunity to look back on the past four decades.
Sumitomo Rubber Group, Japan-headquartered manufacturer of the Falken tyre brand, has published its 2022 annual report. Within the 49 pages of the Fact Book 2022 the company reports its performance in the 2022 financial year – a 58% year-on-year drop in profit despite higher sales revenue – as well as information about its operations around the world, including in the UK.
Armchair racers can experience the thrills of competing at this year’s Nürburgring 24h Race thanks to Falken Tyre and a new video on the brand’s YouTube channel. In ‘A Monument to the Art of Racing’, Falken distils hours of action into less than three minutes.
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