While presenting its nine-month 2018 results, Michelin has predicted a significant slowdown in passenger and truck tyre market conditions in the second half of the year. However, the well-known tyre manufacturer also predicted “sustained growth” in the speciality sector, which consists of OTR, two-wheel, aircraft and agricultural tyres.
Ten winter SUV tyres – from premium brands to a so-called “budget tyre from the Far East” – were put to the test in this year’s comparative evaluation from Auto Bild Allrad. The German 4×4/SUV publication examined size 235/60 R18 107H/V products, fitting the tyres to an Audi Q5 for testing in wet, dry and snow disciplines. Happily, the testers found no truly dreadful tyres within the candidates’ ranks.
When Michelin acquired truck tyre supplier and service provider Tructyre almost a year ago, it gained one of the UK’s most successful independent commercial vehicle tyre management groups. It now intends to evolve this asset into Britain’s largest national heavy tyre business by merging Tructyre with the heavy tyre operation currently belonging to ATS Euromaster.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has introduced a new tyre retail process that integrates online purchases with real-life fitment. “Roll by Goodyear”, as the new approach has been named, will start out in the Washington, DC, metro area where Roll by Goodyear showrooms and the multiple installation options will be available. The goal is to offer consumers the chance to purchase interchangeably between online and in-store, according to the company.
Bridgestone has said its double NTDA Tyre Industry Awards 2018 victories “endorse” its “hard work over the past 12 months.” The manufacturer was presented with the Staff Training & Development accolade, along with the headline Tyre Manufacturer of the Year award – the third time it has claimed the honour in the past four years.
Cooper Tire Europe is to enter a 10 month consultation period to decide the future of light vehicle tyre production at its Melksham, Wiltshire facility. News sources suggest that light vehicle tyre production currently in Melksham would be shifted to its factory in Serbia, pending the outcome of the consultation. The company states that the proposed change is a result of the “cost-competitive, globalised environment.” It adds that the Melksham facility “in its present form is not competitive within the Cooper global manufacturing network or the tyre industry at large.” It is Cooper Tire Europe’s highest cost production facility, and the company adds that it considers expanding or updating the facility to meet its light vehicle tyre needs to be “not economically feasible.”
Rema Tip Top was presented with the Tyre Industry Award for product innovation for a product it calls a “revolutionary, innovative and economic solution” designed to preserve workshop tools and equipment. The Expel compressed air filtration device eliminates condensate pervasive in compressed air systems, removing 99.9999 per cent of liquid, oil, water and other contaminants down to one micron when installed at point of use.
The striking of a ceremonial gong at precisely 9:30am this morning marked the listing of Prinx Chengshan (Cayman) Holding Limited on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Today’s listing follows nearly a year of preparations and represents an important step in the company’s growth and internationalisation strategy. Trading under stock code 1809, Prinx Chengshan is the first China-based tyre manufacturer to join the HKEX.
The winners of the 2018 “Tyre Industry Oscars” have been announced at the 89th National Tyre Distributors Association annual dinner, with a Bridgestone double in the tyre manufacturer and staff training and development categories headlining the event. More awards were added this year for excellence in tyre retail, with small, medium, and large business categories, as well as an overall winner. Presenting was television personality Mark Durden-Smith, who injected welcome energy and humour into procedings. Tyrepress also announced the results live via its Twitter feed.
This year Amazon really stepped up its presence in the tyre space, especially in the USA where the company is now dominant across online retail in general. To be specific, a whopping 50 per cent of everything bought online is from Amazon. But these figures are not just an American phenomenon. In the UK, 33 per cent of online retail is conducted through Amazon. This makes Amazon the fifth biggest retailer in the UK, just behind the big supermarkets. The point is that, now we know Amazon is moving into the tyre space, anything that is happening in the US has resonance in the UK market as well.
National Tyre Distributors Association chief executive Stefan Hay and national chairman Prashant Chopra have opened the 2018 Tyre Industry Conference, stating that the annual forum is “more important than ever” given the current business climate. Chopra added that the current period of uncertainty pre-Brexit has seen an increase in numbers for the association’s membership, with core tyre retail businesses such as Morecambe’s Westgate Tyres alongside more tangentially related firms like Banner Batteries having joined the association in the past 12 months.
Bridgestone has taken pole position in the 2018 Tyres & Accessories global social media ranking. The world’s largest tyre manufacturer’s @Bridgestone handle rose an impressive seven places to take first place from last year’s winner Michelin. Both @Bridgestone’s Klear and RightRelevance scores were of the highest order, with just three points separating them, resulting in a very high average of 87.7, which was ultimately three points clear of second place.
Michelin’s social media influence continues to lead the pack in the UK, according to our latest social media influence for companies operating social media networks for the local markets. And what’s more, the entire top three on this year’s table is the same as it was in 2017 – meaning Continental retains second place and Dunlop keeps third.
On 1 October Hexpol completed the acquisition of 80 per cent of the shares of Italian compounder Mesgo Group from previous owner Francesco Caldara and co-owners. Hexpol describes Mesgo as “an industry leader in high performance elastomers as fluorocarbons and silicone”. In addition, Mesgo also specializes in conventional rubber compounds and thermoplastics. The major customer segments Mesgo focuses on are industry, consumer products, transportation and automotive. Mesgo Group reports annual turnover of around 100 million euros, with around 180 employees in six facilities.
Continental’s WinterContact TS 860 has won its third consecutive Auto Express winter tyre test. The tyre beat strong competition from major manufacturers, most notably Hankook, whose Winter i*cept RS2 received a “commended” rating in second place, in a test tweaked this year “to better reflect UK driving conditions”. Outside the winter tyre competition, Auto Express also commented that the all-season control tyre, the Michelin CrossClimate+, not only finished close to the top in dry and wet tests, but was also only behind Hankook’s star performer in the snow – a result Auto Express described as “remarkable”.
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