Delticom AG, Europe’s leading Internet tyre retailer, has increased revenues by approximately 34 per cent year-on-year in the first 9 months of this year to 146 million euros (2006: 108.9 million euros). EBIT rose by 69 per cent to 6.9 million euros (previous year: 4.1 million). At the same time, net income for the period was up by 92 per cent to 4.8 million (previous year: 2.5 million euros).
The 5th China International Tire Expo – CITExpo 2007 to you and me – welcomed a number of well-known first time exhibitors. Amongst this group of companies making their debut appearance at CITExpo was Taiwan’s Nankang Rubber Tire, a company with a growing international reputation. Through wholesalers such as Kirkby in the UK and De Klok in Germany and the Benelux countries, the Nankang brand, along with the Sonar range also produced by Nankang Rubber Tire, has found its place as an option for purchasers seeking affordable rubber for their vehicle.
This is a short extract. Tyrepress and Tyres & Accessories subscribers can log in below to read the full article.
If you are not yet a Tyrepress or Tyres & Accessories subscriber, you can change that here.
Becoming a member has benefits such as:
Suspension specialist Eibach UK has extended its technical partnership with Vauxhall’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship works team VX Racing following its successful 2007 season. Eibach supplied the team with performance springs and is proud of the contribution the springs’ immediate response, reduced body roll, increased stability and enhanced cornering ability made towards clinching the Drivers and Manufacturers Championships.
The extended deal was brokered by Triple Eight Race Engineering (888), the Greatworth-based organisation responsible for Vauxhall’s motorsport operations, which was highly pleased with Eibach’s contribution to the race-winning Vauxhall Vectra. “Eibach is the perfect partner for VX Racing,” said 888’s Commercial and Marketing Director Franck Marie. “Without doubt, Eibach has been an integral part of our success in 2007.
Maha UK reports that 2007 has proven to be a very successful year in terms of its relationship with the Trade Group, and has increased the partnership sales to the Group’s garage equipment arm by at least 50 per cent over 2006. The Cambridgeshire based dealer sells most of its MOT and ATL bays through the Trade Group and their car brake testers. The Trade Group, a national organisation of garage equipment specialists and installers, have premises positioned throughout the UK, providing the advantage of a personalised local service combined with a countrywide sales and service network.
Maha UK is proud of its success over the past decade and beyond in offering a quality product and back up facilities it believes to be second to none; this is also true for the Trade Group. The partnership between the two began in 1998 and has steadily grown over the years to become a strong force in the UK garage equipment industry. Gus Gregory, managing director of Maha UK, says, “The success of Maha UK is not only due to the quality of the product but the also the excellence of the personnel in the Trade Group.”
It is considered the most extreme Maserati of all time – with 755 horsepower under the bonnet and a maximum speed of 202 mph – and it is designed exclusively for the racetrack. Now, Hubert Haupt, entrepreneur and former driver in Germany’s Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters racing series, has become the first driver to put a Maserati MC 12 Versione Corse through its paces on a regular street.
Haupt drove the MC 12 on a series of test laps on Italy’s Adria Raceway, and later secured the first-ever approval to drive the car on public roads. Taking charge of this level of power and race technology out amongst other drivers is no small responsibility, so Haupt selected tyres he was confident would handle his MC 12 well – the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT, in dimensions of 315/30 ZR 19 on the front axle and 325/35 ZR 19 (106Y) XL on the rear.
India’s largest tyre manufacturer, MRF, has unveiled a new high performance PCR line. Called the MRF ZSLK, the tyre features a silica reinforced compound that is said to reduce rolling resistance, thus providing economic and green benefits. MRF reports that, in addition to in-house tests conducted by the company’s R&D centre, the ZSLK series has undergone testing with the globally respected technical services firm, Germany’s TÜV.
Toddington, Gloucestershire-based Pro-Cut Europe, is aiming to explain its operation after exhibiting at Equip Auto 2007 in Paris between 14-20th October. Pro-Cut Europe attended the Paris exhibition to recruit distributors for the continent. Showcasing the PFM 9.19, the worlds best on-car brake lathe, Pro-Cut Europe Directors Guy Carter and David Smith informed would-be business associates about the unique selling points of the machine and the rapid growth being enjoyed by the brake lathe market.
Pro-Cut Europe have sole distribution rights for the brake lathe in Europe and with development of the UK market meeting forecast expectations, the rapidly expanding Pro-Cut Head Office has already laid the foundations to extend the companies presence in the Continent. Pro-Cut Europe developed the infrastructure for European expansion in the German market 3 years ago and have already sold just under 500 lathes.
Goodyear Dunlop has announced the appointment of Robert Scholte as vice president of supply chain for the company’s EU and EEMEA regions. Scholte joins the company from Nestle Purina Petcare where, for the past 3 years, he has been European Supply chain director. The appointment is effective 1 January 2008.
In a joint statement, Arthur de Bok, president EU, and Jarro Kaplan, president, EEMEA, said: “This appointment follows our recent announcement of the new supply chain organization across both regions. Robert joins us with an outstanding background, covering all the supply chain elements….he has held senior positions with responsibilities for raw materials, manufacturing, logistics, through to the final delivery of products to customers. We have underlined the strategic importance of this position and have found an individual who will work with all areas of the company to provide the most effective supply chain to our customers.“
A few months ago Marangoni, one of Europe’s leading retreading systems providers, finally received the patent for its latest ring building technology, the best part of a decade after this technology first went into development. With the patent in hand, the Italian company recently invited journalists to see its RMS (Ring Modular System) technology in action. For Marangoni RMS represents the latest evolution in tread ring and retreaded tyre building technology, utilising an advanced level of automation. As a result Marangoni claims that the new machinery saves space, and completes the process in 30 per cent less time, consequently saving money on heat and electricity.
Belgian wholesaler Deldo, who in September completed an 8,000 square metre extension of its central warehouse in the port city of Antwerp, has announced plans to further extend the facility. In January the company will begin the work of adding a further 10,000 square metres to its warehouse/storage premises, giving the company a total warehouse space of 70,000 square metres.
The company claims its facility to be the largest in Europe and intends in part to use the increased space to further its stock of winter tyres, thereby improving availability. The company reports it is now able to offer neighbouring countries, such as Germany, a 24/48 hour delivery service.
Kumho’s European motorsport division has enjoyed considerable success across a range of motorsport series in 2007. Perhaps the highlight of the year was the success of the Le Mans LMP2 class-winning Lola Zytek of Binnie Motorsports. As the car was shod with Kumho Tyres, Binnie’s success represented an historic achievement for the Korean tyre manufacturer, competing at Le Mans for only the third time.
Kumho supported both the Binnie Motorsports entry, comprised of Bill Binnie (US), Allen Timpany (GB) and Chris Buncombe (GB), and the Kruse Motorsport Pescarolo Judd of Tony Burgess (Can), Jean de Pourtales (Fr) and Norbert Siedler (Aut). The Binnie Car won LMP2 outright and finished 18th overall. Sadly the Kruse car did not survive the full 24 hours.
Said Bill Binnie: “We experienced just about every type of weather during the race from dry/warm conditions to torrential rain and used Kumho’s full arsenal of tyres as a result. They all performed admirably and were a key element of our victory.”
Continental AG is to substantially expand its presence in China through the establishment of a new tyre manufacturing facility in the city of Hefei, Anhui province. Conti will invest a total of about 150 million euros into the project, and construction is scheduled to get underway in mid 2008. A date of early 2010 has been put forward for the start of tyre production. An appropriate investment plan for the project was agreed upon on October 28 and the company is currently in the process of obtaining the required permits from China’s central government.
“With this move, we are entering one of the world’s most dynamic tyre markets, following careful analysis and intensive preparation,” stressed Continental Executive Board chairman Manfred Wennemer in Hanover on October 28. “In addition to Automotive Systems and ContiTech the Passenger and Light Truck Tires division will thus have a production location in China and profit from the continuing positive development.”
The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) has released a position paper on improving tyre noise in response to the European Commission’s invitation for public consultation on the topic, made in preparation for the drafting of new regulations. The submissions are intended for the new ‘Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Advanced Safety Features and Tyres’, a regulation that would most likely be used to replace most of the separate safety-related directives that currently come under the vehicle type-approval Framework Directive.
In its response, T&E urges the European Commission to propose, without delay, effective standards to reduce noise emissions from passenger and commercial vehicle tyres. “It must be kept in mind that road traffic noise is first and foremost a serious and widespread public health problem,” reports T&E. “Noise is often at the top of the list of citizen’s concerns over their quality of life and living environment.” The organisation adds that more than 200 million EU citizens are exposed to levels of road noise, the major source of environmental noise in Europe, that potentially pose risks to their health.
The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) has released a position paper on improving tyre noise in response to the European Commission’s invitation for public consultation on the topic, made in preparation for the drafting of new regulations. The submissions are intended for the new ‘Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Advanced Safety Features and Tyres’, a regulation that would most likely be used to replace most of the separate safety-related directives that currently come under the vehicle type-approval Framework Directive.
In its response, T&E urges the European Commission to propose, without delay, effective standards to reduce noise emissions from passenger and commercial vehicle tyres. “It must be kept in mind that road traffic noise is first and foremost a serious and widespread public health problem,” reports T&E. “Noise is often at the top of the list of citizen’s concerns over their quality of life and living environment.” The organisation adds that more than 200 million EU citizens are exposed to levels of road noise, the major source of environmental noise in Europe, that potentially pose risks to their health.
The organisers of the Tire Technology Expo 2008 are confident that next year’s show will be the largest yet and boast its best ever conference programme and speaker line-up. Held between February 19 and 21, 2008 at the Köln Messe exhibition centre in Germany, the exhibition is, despite its location, organised by Surrey’s own UKIP Media & Events, organisers of the Testing Expo China event held alongside CITExpo in Shanghai.
Next year’s Tire Technology Expo will host more than 140 exhibitors and therefore floor space has been increased, and those attending the show will also be able to enjoy the free gala dinner and Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence presentation held on the evening of February 20.
The Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence are being judged by an international panel of renowned tyre industry experts and their criteria reflects the true scope of the products and equipment that will be on show at Tire Technology Expo 2008, with categories comprising:-
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
