fuel Archives - Page 84 of 110 - Tyrepress

Posts

MA-Z4S Joins Growing Maxxis Performance Range

The recently unveiled Maxxis MA-Z4S is now available in the UK, exclusively supplied by Group Tyre. The unidirectional UHP tyre is sold in sizes from 195/50 R15 to 255/35 ZR20, and brings the Maxxis performance tyre range to a total of 200 sizes with solutions for every application – from, general motoring to the demands of professional motorsport.

Tread design is intended to maximise the all-season characteristics of the MA-Z4S. Its V-shaped tread pattern features four high-void circumferential main grooves for effective water dispersal on wet roads, plus multiple grooves and siping for snow conditions. Underneath the all-season tread is a solid centre rib, reinforced casing and body ply structure designed with improved handling and high-speed stability in mind, while the hard bead filler compound is intended to deliver better cornering.

14th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

ATA Calls for Speed Limit, Limiters

With diesel and gasoline prices at historic highs, the American Trucking Associations is calling for speed limiters on new trucks and a national 65 mph speed limit. The association made the recommendation as part of its call for the Bush Administration to act quickly to ensure an affordable supply of oil for the nation’s 3.5 million truck drivers and American consumers.

As ATA pointed out, fuel costs are beginning to surpass labor as a trucking company’s largest expense, with high fuel costs affecting the cost of everything delivered by truck. The ATA offered a multi-point plan it says will help drive down diesel fuel prices, which included a nationwide maximum speed limit of 65 mph and requiring speed limiters – set at 68 mph – on new trucks. In addition, the ATA called for the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a national diesel standard, strict action on cases of price gouging, a reduction of regulatory barriers to adding new oil refineries, and a suspension of the 12 per cent FET on the purchase of auxiliary power units which cut off-hour engine idling.

10th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Cut Down on Fuel Costs With Pilot Road 2

Michelin is offering £20 of free fuel with any set of Pilot Road 2 motorcycle tyres purchased before May 31. Customers will be given a claim form, and upon receipt of the form Michelin will send out a fuel voucher redeemable at any Sainsbury’s petrol station.

10th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Re-Tools Truck Tyre Site

Goodyear has reworked its commercial tyre Web site – www.goodyear.com/truck – making it easier for fleet maintenance managers and owners to take advantage of the company’s various educational tools and data, the tyremaker said. Steve McClellan, Goodyear vice president of commercial tyre systems, said the company is moving “more of its process controls online, and a new, more-relevant Web site is an obvious addition.” The site features a dealer locator; allows users to find tyres by application, wheel position or size; fleet management tools; information about Goodyear’s emergency roadside assistance program; information about software and Web-based tools to help track tyre costs, tyre performance and retreading; and tyre technology updates.

10th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Company Applies for Tyres to Diesel Patent

Paul Archer, a former firefighter from Durham, has applied to patent an invention that turns old car tyres into good quality diesel oil. Thanks to a suggestion from his patent attorney, his business now expects to earn millions from selling licences worldwide. From the germ of an idea in the early 1990s, Paul Archer (who now lives in the East Midlands) and his business partners have formed a company – UTD Research Ltd – and built a working prototype that is now set to process up to two million old tyres a year at their first UK plant near Wrexham, North Wales.

The UTD invention means that the environment can be spared the harmful effects of millions of tons of old tyres being tipped into landfill sites, and increasingly scarce fossil fuels can be eked out with the oil recovered from used tyres. In a recent televised test, reclaimed oil from UTD’s process was mixed with fuel-station diesel to power a standard family saloon car. With no modifications at all, the car performed normally.

7th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyrenet Goes Paperless with Tyre-Check Partnership

The Tyrenet network of independent tyre dealerships has joined forces with Tyre-Check. Since being formed four years ago with just 23 dealers, Tyrenet’s membership has grown to include 450 dealerships in both the UK and Ireland. Tyrenet managing director, Mike Riley commented: “Tyrenet is always looking to move forward and by partnering Tyre-Check the company will be pioneering a new and bold incentive to take the truck tyre fleet management market to a new ‘paperless’ level of efficiency…It is a very exciting period for Tyrenet as we are partnering Tyre Check not just in the UK and Ireland but throughout Europe in due course through the Tyre European Network (TEN).”

According to Riley: “There is no doubt that the Tyre-Check system offers fleets of all sizes complete control of a job including the ultimate costs and service. At the same time there is the ability to see the actions taking place in real time and by working within the Tyrenet operation the opportunity to select any brand of tyre. Finally the Tyre-Check system has been designed to enable a low entry point, which means affordable initial cost and the chance to gradually invest in due course.”

4th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

IJ McGill Switches to ATS Euromaster

Bristol-based I.J. McGill Transport, a member of the Palletline network, has appointed ATS Euromaster to manage the tyres across its fleet of 40 commercial vehicles and 45 trailers – fitting Michelin tyres as standard. The new agreement reportedly replaces a previous Bridgestone contract managed by a local independent tyre dealer and will see ATS Euromaster work in partnership with I.J. McGill’s in-house maintenance team, supporting the complete fleet spectrum, from panel vans to 44 tonne tractor units.

Ian McGill, Managing Director of I.J. McGill Transport, says: “Tyre management is critical to the efficient running of any commercial vehicle fleet, and through ATS Euromaster’s Web Reporter service we can now view up-to-date details and inspection reports concerning any aspect of our tyre contract at the click of a button.

4th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Rolls Out ‘Ultra-Premium’ Regional Highway Radial

Toyo Tire USA Corp. has launched the M154TM, which is calls an “ultra-premium,” all-steel regional highway tire for commercial trucks. The M154 was created using “e-balance,” Toyo’s new proprietary design technology for commercial truck tyres that creates a stiffer belt package, stiffer bead construction and optimisation through computer simulation technology. Toyo said e-balance results in improved fuel economy.

Primarily designed for steer axle positions, Toyo said the new five-rib tyre, with a 22/32nds inch tread depth, can be used at all wheel positions.

2nd April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

BFNT Factory Going Green with Hydrogen Forklifts

Quiet, emission-free forklifts powered by hydrogen fuel cells are now moving materials around the Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT) plant in Aiken County, South Carolina. BFNT officials, along with the Economic Development Partnership of South Carolina, unveiled at the plant on March 31 a new “green-powered” forklift fleet that is replacing traditional battery-powered forklifts. Officials also announced the installation of a hydrogen fuel pump across from the plant that will be used by BFNT as well as other surrounding businesses. The plant is exchanging 23 forklifts this year and 20 in 2009 to create an all-hydrogen fleet. The fuel cells are a direct replacement that last longer than batteries and save time by refuelling instead of recharging.

“We are very excited about this new green initiative,” said Plant Manager Mike Rose. “This is a natural step for a technology-focused company like Bridgestone. Using this cutting-edge technology in a practical way helps our teammates and plant visitors get familiar with this clean, alternative energy. We’re proud to be among the first in the neighbourhood to use this green, clean fuel in our material movers.”

1st April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin OE for Honda Civic in India

Michelin India Tyres disclosed on March 31 it has begun supplying tyres to Honda Motors India for their Civic saloon. The tyre chosen for the Civic is the premium Energy MXV8, a tyre Michelin India CEO Jean Paul Caylar said is “truly designed for comfort and chosen by the main Asian car makers for its silence and fuel savings.

“We see this as a first step in starting a relationship with Honda in India to compliment an already very close partnership we share with Honda worldwide” said Caylar. Director of sales and marketing for Honda in India, T Natsume, added ”we are extremely pleased to have Michelin as one of the partners for the Honda Civic.”

1st April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Dr. Neumann to Head Restructured Conti Powertrain Division

The Powertrain Division of Continental AG is to be restructured worldwide in an attempt to make the most of its production facilities within a two-year period and address production cost issues. According to Continental this restructuring programme is the result of a thorough analysis it conducted into the division’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We offer a broad range of products and we are convinced that they hold significant market potential that we will be able to fully exploit in the near future,” commented Continental Executive Board member Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. “But to achieve this we have to ensure that we are properly structured. We will undertake a global restructuring programme with the aim of optimising production within a period of around two years and achieving a much better balance between high-cost and low-cost locations.

28th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Stapleton’s Extends Sapphire/Saltire Contract

Stapleton’s Tyre Services has extended its contract with resource recovery company Sapphire and tyre collection and recycling firm Saltire, by two years. The deal will enable Sapphire to continue a regular supply of tyre chips and whole tyres to cement companies across the UK to use as fuel – including its joint owner Lafarge Cement.

Scrap tyres have been providing a sustainable fuel alternative for the cement industry for well over a decade, providing an environmentally-beneficial outlet for the 40 million tyres removed from UK vehicles every year.

Sapphire has operated a recovery service for Stapleton’s via Midland’s-based Saltire Recovery Limited for the past year – the two-year contract extension is testament to the excellent service offered by the Saltire-Sapphire partnership. Peter Allen, Commercial Director of Stapleton’s, commented:

26th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Greatec Tyres Earn US SmartWay Certification

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) announced its Greatec wide base drive and Greatec wide base trailer radials have been added to the EPA SmartWay-certified list of commercial tyres. Besides meeting SmartWay’s fuel efficiency specifications, BFNT says that Greatec radials offer the additional advantage of allowing fleets to increase payloads.

Tyres that earn EPA SmartWay certification must achieve at least three percent better fuel economy than the average new tyre. Last summer, four Bridgestone-brand commercial truck tyres were approved for EPA-certified SmartWay tractors and trailers. The R287 steer, R280 steer, M720 drive and R195F trailer radials – and now Greatec drive and Greatec trailer radials – have earned EPA SmartWay certification.

20th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone and FIA Announce Joint Environmental Campaign

A collaborative effort between Bridgestone Corporation and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to reduce the environmental impact of motoring is now underway. The campaign is called “Make Cars Green”, and Bridgestone, as a global partner of the FIA, will support and promote this campaign on a worldwide basis, working with national automobile clubs to promote more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient driving behaviour.

The Make Cars Green campaign will communicate “10 points for greener motoring*” throughout the world to encourage drivers to “think green” when they drive. Bridgestone will announce specific details of its programmes in June, 2008, however the fundamental 10 points are as follows:

20th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

TGI Opens Dominican Republic and Venezuela Offices

Tire Group International (TGI) recently opened new sales offices, expanding its Caribbean and South American operations. The first is located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and the other in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Heading these new sales office will be Esteban Martinez (Venezuela) and Guillermo Quintanilla (Dominican Republic). Mr. Martinez comes to TGI with over 25 years of experience in the tyre industry with particular expertise in the Agricultural, Off the Road, and Industrial segments, and Mr. Quintanilla was formally with Shell Oil Company and has extensive experience in the passenger and light truck segments.

19th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors