A European study conducted by Continental’s Automotive Systems division reveals that a quarter of all motorists in Germany are considering purchasing a hybrid vehicle. These findings are based upon a survey of one thousand motorists, and are a favourable finding for the division, which produces a number of components used in the production of this type of car.
The US agricultural journal Farm Industry News has recognised Michelin’s new Ultraflex Technology as one of the most significant innovations of the past year. The publication presented Michelin Agricultural Tires with a FinOvation Award at a banquet during February’s 2007 Farm Machinery Show held in Kentucky.
Slovakia’s number one tyremaker has held their “Matador Winter Grip” event for a second year, this time at Tále in the Low Tatra Mountains. Testing on what has been called difficult and snowy terrain in weather not conducive to the event, participants were able to experience driving the company’s tyres on a range of vehicles, including models from Mercedes, Skoda, Seat, Jeep, KIA and Honda.
Bridgestone is providing opportunities for the next generation of budding motorsport journalists to reveal their talents through its 2007 e-reporter initiative. The Europe-wide competition, now in its fourth year, offers up-and-coming writers with the chance to interview GP2 drivers and write in-depth race reports from a European GP2 race weekend.
The new extension to the MAHA factory in Germany commenced operation following the Christmas break. The factory extension, built to accommodate the manufacture of 2 post electro hydraulic lifts, is considered by MAHA UK’s managing director, Gus Gregory, to possibly the most advanced lift production facility for the manufacture of 2 post lifts in the world.
Chairman of Germany’s Continental AG, Hubertus von Gruenberg, has been nominated chairman of the Swedish-Swiss engineering ABB Ltd. He will succeed Jeurgen Dormann, who will step down from the roll at the company’s next AGM on May 3.
Von Gruenberg has been Continental’s chairman of the board since 1999 and was the company’s president and chief executive between 1991 and June 1999.
(Akron/Tire Review) The Marangoni Ringnet network is steadily expanding throughout the U.K., Iberian peninsula, Germany, Scandinavia, Benelux and central and eastern Europe, according to Marangoni Retreading Systems. Ringnet is Marangoni’s European network of retreaders and dealers of Marangoni Ringtreads. The network was officially launched in Italy at the Autopromotec exhibition in May 2005.
Chelmsford-based Lodge Coaches has become the first operator in the UK to fit Michelin’s new X Coach tyres to a vehicle in its fleet. The X Coach 295/80 R22.5 X Coach XD tyres incorporate elements of Michelin Durable Technologies – the name given to three new patented technologies which have allowed Michelin to develop a self-regenerating tread pattern and to make advances in tyre architecture.
Kumho Tires has announced that it has been selected by DaimlerChrysler AG to supply tyres for the second generation of the Mercedes Benz A-Class model. Kumho will supply its Solus KH15 in size 185/65R15 for the new hatchback which is manufactured at DaimlerChrysler’s Rastatt plant in South West Germany.
Amtel-Vredestein N.V. has confirmed that talks regarding cooperation in Russia with Germany’s Continental AG have been suspended.
The company further announced that it will consider opportunities to reduce its debt including attracting equity participation in, or spinning off, its AV-TO subsidiary, Russia’s leading auto parts tyre distributor and number one tyre retail centres network.
Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper had previously published the comments of an unnamed member of Continental AG’s board, who said that the “deal has died for now.”
Some motorcycling purists may scoff at the motor scooter with its tiny engine capacity and decidedly un-macho appearance as little more than an appliance on wheels. Perhaps at best an admission of its merit as a cheap means of getting from A to B may grudgingly be granted. But scooters have developed in leaps and bounds since the days of the earliest Vespas and their kin, and today’s maxi-scooters provide a much more comfortable ride and than previous generation offerings, making them suitable, perhaps even enjoyable, to ride both around town and out on the open road.
Automechanika, a leading international brand of automotive parts and service trade shows, will join forces with CarFixWORLD to make its debut in the Canadian marketplace. This event will be presented jointly by Messe Frankfurt, producer of what will now be a dozen Automechanika shows across the globe, and Business Information Group, publisher of over 90 media products in Canada.
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In December last year, 12 sales staff from Belgian tyre distributor Deldo Autobanden paid a visit to the new factory of their partner South China Tire, in Guangzhou.
(India/Rubber Asia) India’s largest manufacturer of steel cord reinforced converyor belts, Phoenix Yule, has announced plans to expand its capacity by as much as 60 per cent. Phoenix Yule is the company created by the privatisation of the conveyor belts division of the public sector Andrew Yule. According to Rubber Asia, currently 74 per cent of its 460 million rupee (£5.26 million) paid-up equity capital is held by Phoenix of Germany, while the rest is with the Government.
South China Tire, producer of Sunny and Wanli branded tyres, is to expand capacity to around 15 million tyres a year with a new plant. The first phase of the new plant began production in September 2006, and offers additional production of two million tyres (the total capacity is six million tyres). The total project will take up till 2012 to complete, with a final annual capacity of around 15 million tyres.
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