In Vermont, the International Paper Co. started a two-week test burn of tyre chips this week. The prospect of burning tyres has aroused considerable opposition and emotion in the state, with Attorney General William Sorrell, who went to court to try to stop the test burn on Vermont’s behalf, claiming that there could be increased emissions of 21 pollutants, some carcinogenic..
With 130 million customers spending £3.8 billion a year buying items on-line and through its 670 stores, the Argos retail business needs a massive logistics back up. This requires a fleet of 600 tractor units and 1400 trailers operating from 11 distribution centres strategically located throughout mainland UK. That means that at any given time there are well over 5,000 tyres in contact with the road on Argos vehicles.
Aldi is fitting Michelin A2 Energy tyres to all vehicles based at its southern distribution centre in Chelmsford, Essex, following a 12 month road test which demonstrated a fuel saving of 2.3 per cent. The trial saw a 38-tonne Scania tractor unit (X268 KON) fitted with Energy tyres, with fuel consumption measured on a weekly basis and compared against figures for the same vehicle over the previous 12 month period.
Continental AG’s two tyre divisions – Passenger and Light Truck Tires and Commercial Vehicle Tires – are addressing the company’s vision of making individual mobility safer and more comfortable with about 850 employees in the field of research and development (R&D). In order to manage the balancing act between scientific curiosity and practical use both tyre divisions have implemented an innovation management system. The tasks of the system include actively seeking new business fields and motivating staff to incorporate new ideas.
Michelin picked up two prizes at the 7th annual Greenfleet Awards yesterday. The Stoke-on-Trent based company won tyre manufacturer of the year (the runner-up was Bandvulc Tyres) and the Industry Innovation award. The 2006 GreenFleet awards were held on 11th October at Arsenal football club’s new Emirates stadium. The awards recognise local authorities, manufacturers and innovators for their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of transport. Around 500 guests saw racing driver and TV personality Tiff Needell present the awards in 25 different categories.
Delticom AG, known as mytyres.co.uk in the UK, is aiming to make its debut on the Frankfurt stock exchange this Autumn. In 2005 Delticom reported 129 million euros in sales, an increase of approximately 60 per cent. Roughly 5.6 million euros of this was EBIT, according to German newspapers.
“We see good possibilities of developing our already strong international operational readiness further in the coming years around the good growth opportunities that are opening in the online tyre market,” commented Delticom director, Dr Andreas Pruefer.
The answer needed to win Michelin’s ‘Truck Challenge’ competition was that 28.69 litres of fuel were saved by using Michelin A2 Energy truck tyres on the 1,250 kilometre route between Clermont-Ferrand and Hanover. In case you are wondering what all this is about, two identical trucks left Michelin’s Ladoux research centre near Clermont-Ferrand on 25 September 2006 to travel to the IAA International Truck Show in Hanover, where they arrived the day after. They both carried the same amount of fuel and the same load, and travelled at a maximum speed of 90 km/h. According to the French manufacturer, the only difference was their tyres: one was fitted with Michelin E2+ tyres and the other with Michelin A2 Energy low rolling resistance tyres.
A new website (green-car-guide.com) designed to give drivers green motoring information includes advice on tyres. In addition to the usual suggestions of driving in the correct gear and warnings that 4×4 are not the most fuel efficient, a 17-page report on the site also advises motorists to keep an eye on their tyre pressure and condition. Interestingly the report also promotes the use of so-called eco tyres such as the ContiEcoContact and the Michelin Energy products.
(Akron/Tire Review) AAIA reports that National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed reducing some of the early warning requirements and reporting burden for manufacturers called for under the TREAD Act.
In Australia, a recycler named John MacVicar has suggested that a diesel fuel production facility that he is planning to build north of Adelaide could import scrap tyres from New Zealand as raw material. Mr. MacVicar, who heads up AAA Recycling in South Australia, is said to be currently recycling tyres offshore.
Weld Wheel Industries, a Kansas City maker of high-performance automotive wheels, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A Kansas City Star report said the 21-year-old family-owned business lost $1.1 million in the first six months of this year on net sales of $21.8 million. The bankruptcy petition said the company has total assets of $31.6 million. Weld Wheels has signed an asset-sale agreement with American Racing Equipment Inc. in southern California. American Racing will pay $17 million and assume various debt and lease obligations, according to local news sources.
The Davanagere, India district administration has banned the use of tyres as fuel in puffed rice industries from 27 August, Deputy Commissioner M B Dyaberi told New India Press. The district administration has identified 60 puffed rice industries for installation of wood gasifiers and the list has been handed over to Puffed Rice Industry Owners Association, the deputy commissioner added.
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.
County Down-based Mulgrew Haulage Ltd has adopted a Michelin Four Lives tyre policy across its fleet of 70 tractor units, fitting a mixture of new and Remix tyres supplied by local independent tyre distributor A1 Tyres. The decision to fit Michelin ‘E’ segment regional tyres replaces an existing procurement policy with Pirelli and follows the successful performance of a number of trial tyres which demonstrated a lower cost per kilometre, according to Michelin.
On 18 July the US Tire Industry Association (TIA) announced its support of House Resolution 5632, after “much deliberation,” TIA has decided to support H. R. 5632. The TIA Government Affairs Committee was able to come to a consensus after weighing the pros and cons of the legislation, the association said in a statement. “We were very pleased to receive feedback and questions from our membership regarding H.R. 5632,” said TIA President, Bob Malerba. “It was extremely helpful to our Government Affairs Committee in making a decision on whether to support the bill.”
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