Together with the Scottish retreader Alba Tyres, Marangoni Tread has shown that it is possible to put retreaded tyres through harsh conditions. This is demonstrated by the fact that the Malcolm Group, the biggest fleet of items of heavy plant in the UK, has been using the Ringtread technology for 24 years and is more than satisfied with the performance of the Italian retreaded tyres.
(Akron/Tire Review) US tyre shipments this year are expected to decrease by 2.8 per cent compared to 2005, reflecting an overall slowdown in the US economy, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). While GDP growth was 5.6 per cent in the first quarter, second-quarter growth slowed substantially to 2.5 per cent, said the RMA. “Slower growth and higher energy costs appear to be forcing consumers to prioritise spending including postponing tyre replacement,” the organization said.
Hybrid engines and fuel cell technology are gaining in popularity, but for the foreseeable future at least, all cars will need batteries. And that means a potential profit opportunity for tyre retailers. Having said that, battery manufacturers have been put under intense price pressure in recent months as they have watched the cost of key raw materials (such as lead) skyrocket. Interviewing key market players and analysing recent developments, August’s T&A will bring you the latest information from this additional profit area.
(Akron/Tire Review) After weeks of review, TIA has decided to support the tyre fuel efficiency program bill (HR 5632) written by the RMA and recently passed by the House Energy Committee. In making the announcement, TIA said, “The TIA Government Affairs Committee was able to come to consensus after weighing the pros and cons of the legislation.” Separately, SEMA announced earlier this month that it would not support the bill, which calls for NHTSA to create a national tyre fuel efficiency consumer information program that would include a fuel efficiency rating system, requirements for providing such information to tire buyers, and a national consumer tire maintenance consumer education program.
Congestion on Britain’s streets is getting worse, but drivers polled by online insurance broker www.motorinsurance.co.uk have a novel solution: ban elderly drivers from the roads. Government figures suggest that almost nine in ten respondents felt that road congestion was a serious problem in the country . The solution, according to nearly half the drivers (49 per cent) polled, is a total ban on elderly drivers during peak periods.
The EU Landfill Directive banning the landfilling of shredded used tyres came into effect on 16th July 2006, when all used tyres (with minor exceptions) will have to be diverted from landfill and recovered, re-used or recycled. This follows the earlier ban on the landfilling of whole tyres in 2003.
(Akron/Tyre Review) Calling the proposed legislation “unnecessary” and potentially “detrimental to the safety of motorists and passengers,” SEMA has voiced its opposition to HR 5632, the RMA-created bill that calls for the creation of tyre fuel efficiency testing and rating system and accompanying consumer education program. HR 5632 was developed by the RMA last fall, and was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on June 20. Thus far, SEMA has been the only automotive and tyre industry group to make comment on the proposed legislation. At press time, TIA has offered no comment on the bill.
The Tyre Retreading Manufacturers’ Association of Malaysia (TRMAM) has warned customers to expect a 10 to 15 per cent price increase for tyre retreading. In a statement, TRMAM said the move is necessary in view of the dramatic increase in prices of raw materials, especially natural rubber, synthetic rubber and carbon black. “The situation is exacerbated by significant increases in fuel cost and electricity rates, which substantially add to retreaders’ operating costs,” the statement added. However, even with the impending price increase, Malaysian retreads are still significantly lower than most neighbouring markets in the region, including China, Malaysia’s Business Times reported.
Consumers reading the Independent have learnt details of the current End-of-life tyre (ELT) situation through an article published on 29 June. The article, which featured an interview with Tyre Recovery Association secretary, Peter Taylor, used DTI figures for setting the ELT scene – “48 million tyres, weighing 480,000 tons, were scrapped in 2004.” The Independent article reported that “around a quarter of old tyres are reused and around half are recycled in some way.”
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(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America’s (MNA) earthmover tyre group has introduced the X-Crane AT, designed for self-propelled all-terrain construction cranes. According to MNA, the new tyre ‘’reduces machine downtime, minimizes operational costs, reduces braking on wet surfaces and improves handling on the road and at the jobsite.’’ In addition, the tyre is said to have 7 per cent lower rolling resistance vs. other products, thereby reducing an operator’s fuel cost.
(Akron/Tire Review) The House Energy and Commerce Committee has passed a bill that would establish a national tyre fuel efficiency consumer information program as well as a rating system. The bill was one of five energy conservation initiatives that were passed by the House. It would establish a tyre fuel efficiency rating system and a national consumer education program on tyre maintenance. The program would be administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). An amendment to the bill was also passed, preventing the national program from pre-empting the California replacement tyre fuel efficiency law passed in 2003.
Over 23 days an area equivalent to 1,200 football pitches was ploughed, using Continental agricultural tyres and a New Holland tractor, racking up a faultless performance in over 500 hours of continuous use.The ContiContract AC65 demonstrated its efficiency at the “TM Endurance Trial”, a long-running test initiated by New Holland in the French Bordeaux region. From the 20th April to the 13th May 2006, a New Holland TM190 shod with Continental agricultural tyres worked 23 days around the clock on different fields of New Holland customers – just 900 hectares in total.
ABAC, which claims to be the UK’s largest supplier of compressors to the tyre industry has released a nitrogen generator that works with most compressed air systems. It uses a molecular sieve system to remove oxygen and from the compressed air to leave 97 per ent pure nitrogen at up to 12 bar (175 psi). “The system gives more consistent tyre pressures and tyres run cooler, cutting the risks of blow-outs;” says the firm’s Nick Poole. “Lower fuel consumption and longer tyre life should mean a medium haulage fleet will get a pay-back in less than six months.”
Consumers buying four Michelin car, 4×4 or van tyres in a single transaction between 1 June and 31 July can claim up to £50 worth of free Sainsbury’s fuel vouchers. Michelin’s tyres already offer drivers excellent value for money due to their long life and low rolling resistance and with this offer they now cut the cost of motoring even further.
(Akron/Tire Review) A group of investors led by a North Dakota man is moving ahead with plans to turn old tyres into oil. Ervin Lee of Minot, North Dakota, and his group of investors, including his brothers and Ron Nichols, the inventor of the oil-from-tyres process, bought a 9,000-ton pile of tyres from Moorhead’s former Tire Depot earlier this year.
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