It’s been on the market here since 2004, but for our neighbours on the other side of the pond the Michelin X-Traction earthmover tyre range is so new you can still smell the factory-fresh rubber. The first offering in the range, a size 27.00R49 tyre, will be introduced into the North American market on July 1. This initial size will be followed up by a size 24.00R35 variant in September and two 33-inch fitments next year.
The US state of Virginia is getting closer to eliminating millions of abandoned tyres that for decades have accumulated at hundreds of locations across the state. And now many of them are put to better use. The state has been working since the early 1990s to clean up the tyre piles, which have long been a major environmental and health problem because they pose a fire hazard and are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The old tyres can be recycled, with the material used as a landfill cushion, mulch and as a fuel source.
Bridgestone’s Eco-Rally 2010 will feature appearances from Ross Brawn, Patrick Head and Nico Hulkenberg with more names to be announced. Now in its fourth year, the Bridgestone Eco-Rally takes place on Wednesday 7 July and will showcase all the latest in low and zero emission vehicle technology in a convoy from Brighton’s seafront to London’s Hyde Park. At the finish line, it will join the UK’s largest sustainable transport exhibition, free to attend, at the Royal Albert Memorial.
Shandong Linglong reports that despite import restrictions upon Chinese tyres in a number of markets including the US, Argentina and India, the company has relied upon a “flexible marketing strategy” and introduced new products to counter any resulting downturn. And the company’s approach appears to be working – according to Shandong Linglong, between January and April 2010 the total amount of foreign exchange it earned through exports has grown 56.47 per cent year-on-year. This is, the company states, a sufficient amount to have enabled it to already realise its 2010 export target.
Michelin has announced a new promotion for motorcyclists buying and fitting a pair of Michelin Power Pure or Pilot Road 2 motorcycle tyres. Between 1 June and 31 July, purchasers of these tyres will receive £20 of fuel vouchers from selected dealers throughout June and in all dealers throughout July.
Samworth Brothers are, as Tyres & Accessories reported in February 2008, well acquainted with receiving high mileage from their Michelin tyres. Now the tyre maker reports that the chilled consolidator has clocked up more than 723,000 km on a set of Michelin XDE2+ drive axle tyres which were fitted as original equipment on a MAN TGA 26.440 6×2 tractor unit it operates. The tyres were removed at 723,417 km, with 4mm of tread remaining, and regrooved for a second life. It is expected that the regrooved tyres will cover up to an additional 180,000 km before being returned to Michelin for remoulding into Remix tyres.
In coordination with National Tire Safety Week, Hankook Tire America Corp. is offering tips and advice to ensure consumers’ tyres are in good working condition for summer travel, reports Tire Review. “Not maintaining proper tyre inflation pressure costs consumers hundreds of dollars during their driving lifetime,” said Bill Bainbridge, director of brand communications for Hankook Tire America Corp. “Even slightly underinflated tyres require more energy and build up damaging heat more quickly. This leads to reduced fuel economy and paying more for gas than you need.”
The Tyre Recovery Association is taking steps to improve public understanding of the ‘green fee’ charged by dealers to dispose of old tyres when new rubber is fitted. A selection of free point of sale materials posters and leaflets focus on the wide range of uses and applications for recycled tyre materials, such as synthetic sports pitches, children’s playground surfaces and fuel sources for cement kilns.
Isn’t the internet wonderful? Not only has it given us the opportunity to find love, do our shopping and watch endless hours of video from the comfort of our own homes, thanks to Michelin and French motoring association Automobile Club de l’Ouest we can now participate in one of the world’s most celebrated motorsport events without donning a racing suit or even demonstrating exceptional driving talent.
Continental Tyre Group has announced the appointment of Darren Meikle as truck sales manager based in Southern Ireland. According to the company, this new position has been created to provide customers with a dedicated account manager in their immediate area. Darren will be responsible for overseeing the requirements of dealers and fleets in the Republic of Ireland, working closely with colleague Noel McGrath who has responsibility for Northern Ireland and the ROI border counties.
Darren, 35, joins Continental with over 10 years experience in the transport industry originally working with Irish Shell (now Topaz Energy) within the Fuel Cards team and from there taking on responsibility as truck sales manager for Advance Pitstop.
A new Hyster H25.00XM-12 forklift truck fitted with an IMT TH3536 tyre handling attachment will be showcased on Elite Truck Bodies’ stand at Reifen 2010 in Essen. The idea, according to the company, is to demonstrate the most efficient way of handling and changing large tyres on vehicles operating in open-cast mining and construction applications.
Bridgestone’s soft tyre took reigning world champion Jenson Button in his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to the top of the time sheets in sweltering conditions on the first day of practice for the Turkish Grand Prix. Button set a 1:28.280 lap time in the afternoon session at the undulating Istanbul Park Circuit as the latest specification Formula One cars met the tough challenge of the notorious Turn Eight for the first time. Button’s Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton went fastest in the morning, using the hard compound Bridgestone Potenza.
On Sunday May 30 the 10th Michelin Challenge Bibendum gets underway. This year the five-day event is being held in Rio de Janeiro, and Michelin states that during the course of the week it will present future generations of its low fuel consumption tyres, the first prototype tyres for electric vehicles (which can reportedly increase vehicle operating range by almost ten per cent) and motorised wheels plus the Michelin Active Wheel, both products intended to optimise the design of electric and hybrid vehicles.
This year’s ‘Fill Up With Air’ roadshow promises to be the biggest ever, and Michelin hopes to use the opportunity to spread the message that UK motorists are throwing away more than ₤440 million pounds each year by driving on under-inflated tyres. The show is touring the UK and Ireland from May until October, with Michelin campaigning at every stop to raise driver awareness to the fact that incorrect tyre pressure can wear tyres out more quickly plus increase fuel consumption – the research also unearthed that more than 370 million litres of fuel are being wasted each year, contributing to an additional one million tonnes of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere.
Research by Micheldever Tyres Services shows that over 30 per cent of cars coming into the company’s flagship outlet in Hampshire have at least one illegal tyre – up from 19 per cent one year ago. Furthermore, over 80 per cent of cars have badly worn tyres, with a tread depth below 2mm.
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