On 22 April Tyres & Accessories reported that Michelin was restarting production at its Stoke-on-Trent retread manufacturing facility. Roughly six weeks later, we caught up with factory manager Francois Levert in order to find out the latest.
Continental has become the first tyre manufacturer to offer commercial tyre technicians the chance to gain and renew their REACT licence online via the ContiAcademy.
The new online offering has been set up to ensure technicians working across the UK can remain up to date with REACT (Roadside Emergency Action Concerning Technicians) licencing, despite restrictions on public interaction ongoing in light of Covid-19.
Continental Tyres and Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK have created a new integrated digital Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
In recent years, the popularity of multideck trailers has steadily increased as more and more fleets – especially those transporting in the grocery sector – recognise the environmental and cost benefits that these space-maximising trailers can bring. However, such trailer configurations are not without issues. A heavier load and greater frequency of use can lead to tyre pressure challenges and temperature build up around trailer wheels.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is providing “on-demand and on-location professional vehicle services for Turo” a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace via its AndGo platform. The AndGo by Goodyear offer for Turo hosts is currently available in Southern California, with more markets coming soon.
Continuing our series investigating UK Police fleet tyre demand, we looked a little closer at the differences between the various regional forces tyre preferences. Despite the fact that, as we have seen, tyre purchasing is based on a national framework agreement, there was a surprising amount of variety in both tyre policy and what actually happened when the rubber hit the road, so to speak.
During recent weeks and months, the coronavirus lockdown has seen miles-driven figures fall through the floor. However, some fleets don’t stop moving. And, as anyone who has clapped for our carers will tell you, the blue-light services have been as busy as ever. Of course, the medics, police and firefighters rely on tyre technicians to keep them mobile. So, with this in mind, and as part our June magazine’s Fleet Tyre feature, we have been investigating what the blue light fleet’s tyre demand really looks like.
Prometeon Tyre Group is donating one euro for each tyre sold in Europe in May to the International Committee of the Red Cross’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of its Together initiative, Prometeon has invited suppliers, customers and its staff to donate as well. Furthermore, Prometeon will match its suppliers’ contributions.
Bandvulc, a Continental Tyres subsidiary is the preferred choice for leading contract hire and fleet management company, Specialist Fleet Services (SFS). Indeed, SFS, a leading contract hire and fleet management supplier to local authorities across the UK, is seeing its relationship with Teignbridge District Council move into an 18th year, something the companies credit in part to the tyre supply and management contract with Bandvulc.
While much of the tyre industry has helped keep Britain rolling during the coronavirus lockdown, commercial vehicle technicians have played a particularly key role since they have serviced the fleets that have kept the blue lights flashing, the food deliveries moving and much more. In order to gain an inside perspective, Tyres & Accessories spoke with Bridgestone North Region Commercial Business Unit Director Greg Ward who, prior to his promotion into this role in October 2019, served as the company’s commercial sales director, UK and Ireland, for 17 years.
Analysis of commercial vehicle trailer demand in the USA conducted by ACT Research has found that April 2020 trailer orders were down 97 per cent compared with March 2020 and down 99 per cent compared with April 2019.
Bearing in mind that Pirelli’s high-performance leading product portfolio is based on an OE-homologation heavy “perfect fit” strategy, it is no surprise to learn that the Italian-based manufacturer is pitching it tyres as “the perfect fit for fleets” as well.
Durham City Transit Company (DCTC) and Tyrata, Inc., have completed a test and evaluation protocol trialling Tyrata’s Drive-Over System (DOS) and data analytics. The solid-state DOS automatically collects and analyzes tyre tread depth as buses drive over the low-profile, speedbump-like sensor.
Following initial claims earlier this year, a group of former shareholders and directors of retreader and commercial vehicle tyre supplier Vaculug have denied that financial accounts were manipulated ahead of its sale to Grantham Capital and launched their own legal action against the new owner.
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) registrations fell -22.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, with 9,193 units registered, according to Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures. Fluctuations in the sector’s naturally long fleet renewal cycle, together with lockdown measures introduced partway through March affected HGV registrations, rounding off the first three months of the year down some 2,666 units.
Following the news at the end of April that Bridgestone Europe has restarted its new tyre manufacturing following the widespread coronavirus-related lockdowns, Tyres & Accessories asked Bridgestone UK truck and bus product manager Terry Salter to confirm reports that the Bridgestone Bulldog retreading factory in Lincolshire will reopen in June. But will that be a full opening or a gradual opening? And what about Bridgestone’s Bandag network of retread franchisees?
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Michelin
Continental
Continental
Turo
Statista; Tyre Industry Publications Ltd
Goodyear; HiQ [@HiQAutocare] via Twitter)
Prometeon
Bandvulc; Continental
Bridgestone
ACT Research
Pirelli
Tyrata
Vaculug
SMMT
Bridgestone