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Bridgestone Urges ‘School Run Mums’ to Think Before You Drive

With the new school year upon us many mums are gearing up for the term time school run. But a survey conducted by Bridgestone UK indicates that a disturbing number of women could be putting themselves and their children in danger every time they head out on the road. The survey revealed women to be the worst offenders when it comes to tyre safety, with many not even carrying out basic yet potentially life-saving tyre checks.

More than half of all female respondents (54.1 per cent) have not checked their tyre tread depth in over a month – including 21.5 per cent who have never checked it. More than three quarters of the women surveyed were unsure of the legal safety requirements for tread depth, and 84 per cent did not know that they could face fines of up to £2,500 and lose three points from their licence for each tyre with insufficient tread.

The survey was conducted as part of Bridgestone’s Think Before You Drive campaign, run in association with the RAC Foundation and FIA Foundation. Some worrying statistics highlighted by the study include:

31st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New and Improved

There are two types of European winter: the winter we know and grumble about, with coats, scarves and the heating cranked up a few notches – and then there’s the mind-shatteringly cold northern winter, an environment so unforgiving that even the careless act of touching a metal surface with an ungloved hand may result in the loss of a few layers of skin. So with two vastly different definitions of winter existing within the one region, it makes sense for a tyre manufacturer to recognise this distinction when developing a winter tyre range. Michelin has done exactly this, and offers different winter products in different markets. In Scandinavia and Russia the tyremaker sells products like the Latitude X-Ice North, a studded, blocky, heavily siped tyre designed to tackle severe Nordic conditions. But such a tyre would obviously be ridiculously excessive for a shopping trip to the high street or commuting on the M25, so for our milder, yet deceptively hazardous winters, Michelin offers a more suitable range.

30th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Late Michelin Chief to Receive Honour

(Akron/Tire Review) The late CEO of Groupe Michelin, Édouard Michelin, has been awarded the prestigious Calstart 2007 Blue Sky Leadership Award. Calstart said the award was “for his vision and global leadership to further advance transportation technologies.”

The award will be presented at a luncheon on September 6 at Caltech in Pasadena, California. Receiving the award will be Damien Michelin, Edouard’s brother.

“This year’s Blue Sky Award winners are at the forefront of the fight to combat global warming, ensure our energy independence and to create sustainable, quality jobs,” said Calstart president and CEO John Boesel. “Mr. Michelin’s legacy is unparalleled in clean transportation: he introduced a genuine competitive spirit and gave global recognition to the need for – and development and marketing of – more fuel efficient technologies. This action matches the award’s vision: taking clean and sustainable transportation products to the marketplace.”

28th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Declares October ‘Tyre Safety Month’

UK tyre safety organisation TyreSafe is co-ordinating a national tyre safety month in October to raise awareness of the crucial role that tyres play in road safety and avoiding crashes, particularly in the wet. The campaign will strongly focus on tyre pressure and how correctly inflated tyres can reduce both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Tyre Safety Month, which TyreSafe claims is the first campaign of its kind arranged by the country’s tyre industry, already has the backing of major tyre companies and retailer groups in the UK together with numerous government and non-governmental organisations. The campaign will be led by motoring journalist and Channel 5 Fifth Gear television presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson.

24th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Tire America Launching New Tyre, Sizes at Truck Show

(Akron/Tire Review) Hankook Tire America Corp. plans to unveil its newest medium truck tyre and extensions to existing lines at this week’s Great American Trucking Show in Dallas.

New is the Hankook TL01, a trailer position six-rib radial. Hankook claimed the new tyre delivers low rolling resistance for fuel economy and long life, has multi-angled siping for wet traction, and a groove on the outer rib for irregular wear resistance. The tyre also has stone ejectors to protect against stone drilling.

The TL01 is available in sizes 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5.

Hankook is also adding sizes to existing truck tyre lines, including: AM02 – 445/65R22.5, AM06 – 315/80R22.5 (10,000 lb. load capacity), and AH12 – 275/70R22.5

22nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin India Introduces Regrooving Service

Michelin India has announced it will begin offering a truck tyre regrooving service which it claims will add about 20 per cent to a tyre’s total lifetime mileage. The regrooving will be performed through Michelin’s dealer network, and technicians will be given training in operating the handheld regrooving guns used in the process.

The regrooving process can potentially add up to 4mm of fresh grooves on a tyre and decrease fuel costs by as much as 10 per cent. “The company’s aim is to make our customers happy by helping them get maximum mileage from the tyres, more so because our products are at [the] high end in terms of price,” said Jason Cooper, Michelin India road staff manager.

21st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

RFID Solution Fights Counterfeit Tyres

(Akron/Tire Review – RFID Update) A new RFID system by Advanced ID and SkyeTek is being touted as a potential solution to counterfeit and grey market tyres.

SkyeTek’s UHF RFID reader modules used in Advanced ID readers can capture tyre tag identification data for authentication. The readers integrate with the company’s software to provide tyre performance data and other information to help manufacturers, distributors, and fleet operators manage tyre inventories.

“We think maybe one out of five tyres is counterfeit or came from the grey market, and is not manufactured to the standards of the world’s top manufacturers,” Advanced ID CEO Dan Finch. “It’s a big problem that the industry doesn’t talk about a lot, in part because it has traditionally required expensive identification and tracking solutions.”

21st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Truck Tyres Now More Appealing in Nova Scotia

(Akron/Tire Review – Halifax Chronicle Herald) A rule change introduced August 16 by the Canadian province of Nova Scotia will make a double-wide tyre produced by Michelin more attractive to local truckers.

Nova Scotia has increased the weight limit for axles equipped with the new-generation wide-based single tyres to 7,700 kilograms per axle from 6,000 kilograms per axle.

The tyres, called X-One and made by Michelin at its Waterville, Nova Scotia plant, are considerably wider than the older-style single tyres and have been specifically designed to replace dual tyres.

Transportation Minister Angus MacIsaac said the new rules make wide-based single tyres a more attractive option for truckers who want to cut operating costs and energy consumption.

Single wide-based tyres reduce rolling resistance, improve fuel economy and allow truckers to carry additional payload on roads that are capable of handling the increased weight, Michelin claims.

Peter Nelson, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, welcomes the option. “Next-generation wide-based tyres are to be celebrated for their efficiency and safety,” said Nelson.

20th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Iran Designs Nano Tyres

International News, Product News

Iran’s Polymer and Petrochemical Institute incorporated “highly friction-resistant” nanotechnology into the development of vehicle and aircraft tyres. According to a Meridian Institute report, Iranian researcher Mohammad Karrabi said: “In this method, the frictional resistance of tyres has been increased through calculating the mechanical characteristics of them. Lower rolling resistance and higher frictional resistance will lead to less fuel consumption.” He also said that the use of nanotechnology will help Iran’s automobile manufacturers compete in the market. The project, which was launched with support from the Presidential Office last year, will be completed by next year.

14th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Underlines its Commitment to the Environment

With green policies and procedures the subject of widespread debate in the global tyre market, Bridgestone has reiterated its commitment to achieve the highest possible standards of environmental performance.

The global corporation, including Bridgestone UK, is vowing to continue improving its eco-impact through a series of measures ranging from manufacturing tyres containing more environmentally-sound ingredients through to reducing levels of waste, replenishing natural rubber supplies and reducing the carbon footprint of its global production, sales and logistics network.

All tyres manufactured by Bridgestone are certified to the international ISO14001 standard, which specifies requirements for an effective Environmental Management System (EMS). To this end the tyre major has implemented its own Product Orientated Environmental Management System (POEMS).

14th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Hendrickson Launches New Automatic Tyre Inflation Unit

US supplier of truck suspension and related equipment, Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems, have introduced a new variation of its automatic tyre inflation system for trailer units. Named the Tiremaax CP (Constant Pressure), the new unit features a more simple design than the original Tiremaax, which has now become known as the Tiremaax EC (Electronic Control).

Both Tiremaax systems draw from the trailer’s air supply to help keep trailer tyres properly inflated. The mechanical Tiremaax CP unit continually checks tyre pressure without pressurising the axle or wheel ends and employs a pneumatic controller to direct air to tyres that fall below a preset pressure level. A signal light illuminates only when attention is required to alert the operator of tyre or system leaks.

The unit’s mechanical design, free from electronics, transducers and pressure switches, allows for easy maintenance of the Tiremaax CP. The CP requires no special tools to adjust tyre pressure settings and operates on either 12- or 24-volt electrical systems.

10th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti OE for New Fiat 500

Following the successful reinterpretation of the Volkswagen Beetle and the Mini, Italy’s iconic pint sized town car has made a comeback, and in its 2007 guise is equipped with tyres from Continental. The new Fiat 500, the visual if not technological successor to the hugely popular rear-engine car built between 1957 and 1975, will sport Conti rubber on all standard sizes of rim – 14, 15 and 16-inch.

The majority of tyres supplied by Continental will be in the 165/65R14 T size. Roberto Zazzara, who is responsible for the original equipment tyres that Continental delivers to Fiat, explains: “We supply Fiat with the ContiEcoContact 3, a tyre that offers low rolling resistance and thus reduced fuel consumption, and we are Fiat’s sole supplier for this size.” In terms of 15 and 16-inch tyres, Continental is equally well-represented with its ContiPremiumContact 2, which also offers low rolling resistance. Both tyres have been designed to ensure short braking distances on wet and dry roads, good lateral guidance and comfortable driving characteristics, combined with low rolling resistance.

7th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Use Pneu-Logic Tyre Inspection Technology

Michelin has signed a five-year contract that will see the French tyremaker utilise tyre inspection technology produced by Advanced ID Corporation. On August 6 the RFID technology specialist announced that its tyre division, UK based Pneu-Logic, will provide Michelin’s French reseller EDP with a hardware platform and software application specifically designed to meet the needs of Michelin’s global Business Partners. This product has been named URM and implementation of the technology has begun in more than ten European countries.

Ken Field, Pneu-Logic’s Sales Director for Europe, stated, “This is an excellent example of working with a very good reseller and Michelin to deliver a solution with substantial benefits to Michelin’s partners and customers. Based on the Pneu-Logic platform, EDP has developed the URM software to meet the exact needs of Michelin’s partners who deliver much of Michelin’s world renowned service.”

7th August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Credential Tyres Fuel Successful Tarmac Trials

The trial use of tyre chips as an alternative fuel in the high temperature cement kiln at Tunstead Quarry, near Peak Dale, Buxton, has been “a resounding success,” according to Credential Environmental. The kiln operator, Tarmac Buxton Lime and Cement, says the equivalent of 2 million old tyres have now been used and the trial has demonstrated that using tyre chips gives significant environmental benefits, including a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and a 15 per cent cut in emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx).

All of the ‘Critical Success Factors’, set by the Environment Agency for the trial, have reportedly been met. “It’s good news for the local environment and also for wider society as fossil fuel consumption has been reduced while a beneficial use has also been found for a waste which was previously disposed of in landfills”, says Hasan Bobat, Fuels Development Manager.

Steve Patterson, director of Credential Environmental, who provided the tyres, said: “This promises to be an exciting breakthrough for the recycling of used tyres and we’re delighted to be collaborating with Tarmac on the trials.”

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin to Run Air Fill Up Roadshow

Michelin’s European ‘Fill up with Air’ campaign is coming to nine UK locations, the NTDA has reported. The roadshow will enable motorists to have their tyres checked and the pressure adjusted for free. DfT statistics show that 6 per cent of all fatal motorway accidents in the UK are caused by under-inflated tyres. In addition, driving with your tyres under inflated by as little as 8psi causes a three per cent increase in fuel consumption. If everyone pumped their tyres up to the correct pressure, UK motorists would save an estimated £1 billion a year in fuel costs.

Michelin’s ‘Fill Up With Air’ roadshow has been running in Europe for a number of years and offers drivers the opportunity to have a free tyre health check conducted by technical experts from Michelin. The roadshow will take place in the following locations:

Ashford 25/26 July
London 31 July/1 August
Banbury 2/3 August
Liverpool 7/8 August
Manchester 9/10 August
Hull 14/15 August
Stafford 16/17 August
Edinburgh 21/22 August
Oxford 28/29 August

30th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors