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Tyre War a Close Fought Battle

While Michelin appears confident about maintaining its apparent advantage in the MotoGP tyre war, competitor Bridgestone believes the fight is still too close to call.

With the switch from 990cc to 800cc bikes in 2007 a greater emphasis has been placed upon cornering, with the bikes’ reduced power allowing greater cornering speeds. Michelin has replaced their 16.5-inch front tyre with a 16-inch alternative that permits lighter handling, and this new tyre performed well during February’s qualifying tests in Qatar, with Honda’s Dani Pedrosa achieving the fastest times.

7th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Upgrades Advan Site

(Akron/Tire Review) Japan’s Yokohama Rubber Co. has redesigned its Web site for its Advan tyre brand – www.advan.com – and an international version of the site at www.advan.com/english. The updated site features additional information on products and motor sports events, some specific to Yokohama’s home market.

6th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Bringing New Rubber to Geneva

Japan’s Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd will use the 77th Geneva Motor Show to introduce several of its latest products to Europe. Amongst these are the new additions to the company’s flagship ‘ADVAN’ range, including the ‘ADVAN Sport Z.P.S.’, a run-flat version of Yokohama’s popular performance tyre, the S8 ADVAN Sport, developed exclusively for Audi, and the ADVAN Winter. Yokohama proudly states these tyres have been specially developed for the OE segment and will be fitted to some of the world’s most desirable cars.

1st March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Signs Top Local Driver for APRC

Indian tyre major MRF has signed up popular Indian driver Gaurav Gill to compete in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) for a full season this year. Addressing a press conference to announce MRF drivers for the championship, K M Mammen, MRF’s chairman and managing director, said “this is the first time that an Indian will be vying for honours in the event by competing in six of the seven legs. Gaurav (Gill) is also the first Indian to register with the FIA for the APRC Series.”

28th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental ‘Working Hard to Reduce CO2’

In the last five years, Continental, claims to have reduced CO2 emissions by more than 30 per cent per product tonne. “The current discussion in the European Union surrounding climate protection and the latest CO2 targets for the automotive industry underline the fact that, especially with our hybrid systems, we are offering forward-looking technology,” stresses Manfred Wennemer, chairman of the Continental Executive Board.

23rd February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Set to Offer Citrus Oil-Made Tyre

(Akron/Tire Review) When life hands you lemons, make lemonade, so the old saying goes. For Yokohama Rubber Co., citrus oil may hold the key to reducing petroleum content in its tyres, reducing production costs and reducing impacts on the environment. The company says its has developed a process that combines citrus oil with natural rubber to form a new compound, which it calls Super Nanopower Rubber (SNR), that cuts the use of petroleum products in tires by 80 per cent.

16th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Japan to Increase Prices

Following news that it is raising the price of replacement truck and bus tyre prices in Europe, Michelin has announced its intention to raise the price of winter tyres for cars and trucks in Japan as of April 2, in response to company concerns over material costs.

6th February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bandag Purchase Approved

Bridgestone Americas Holding Inc.’s US$1 billion acquisition of Bandag Inc. has received early approval from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC ended a required 30-day waiting period for the acquisition ahead of schedule, on January 29, announced Bandag in a prepared statement. The 30-day period was not scheduled to end until February 8.

30th January 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Signs Deal with India’s Metro Tyres

Indian tyremaker Metro Tyres is planning the production of tubeless motorcycle tyres as part of a technical collaborative deal with Continental AG. The tyres will initially be manufactured principally for overseas markets, although domestic sales will follow at a later date.

24th January 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyremakers Take Note

According to automotive industry analysts, during 2006 China overtook Japan to become the world’s second largest market for cars. During 2006 7.2 million vehicles were sold in China, a 25.1 per cent increase on the previous year’s sales. Japan, now ranked number three, sold a mere 5.7 million vehicles in comparison.

15th January 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Falken Head Retires

(Akron/Tire Review) Falken Tire Corp. announced that Hideo Honda, chief executive officer and chairman, has retired as of Jan. 1. Honda will return to Japan where he will serve as an advisor to Sumitomo Rubber Industries for the remainder of the year.

Replacing Honda as CEO and chairman is Yasushi (Tank) Tanaka, a former director at SRI Tire Trading Ltd. in Tokyo. Tanaka joined SRI in 1976 and spent the majority of his career in the export and OE departments.

4th January 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Build New Japanese Facility

Bridgestone Corporation has announced its intention to construct a facility in Japan for producing large and ultralarge radial tyres for fitting to mining and construction vehicles. This decision comes in response to increasing worldwide demand for such tyres, fuelled by escalating global mineral resource production.
The new facility will be built in the southern city of Kitakyushu, on a 20 hectare site within the Hibikinada Industrial Area. Requests for building permits have already been made, and following negotiations with city officials Bridgestone hopes to conclude an agreement during the first half of 2007.

21st December 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Juma Al Majid Yokohama Partnership

Emirates tyre and battery distributor, Juma Al Majid Est recently celebrated its continuing partnership with Yokohama by running a test drive and launch day for the Japanese manufacturer’s Geolander range of tyres at the Expo Center, Sharjah. Present on the occasion were Mr Morita, general manager, Mr Hanatate, general manager, Mr Ghulam Nabi, department manager, Mr Longie, deputy GM, Mr Yoshimura, GM, Mr Miyamoto, GM, Mr Yagita, manager engineering and other senior officials. With the year 2006 so far having yielded strong results, Juma Al Majid Est. & Yokohama foresees a bright 2007 with the prime focus of quality service and customer satisfaction.

11th December 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Two SEMA Awards For Dunlop Direzza

(Akron/Tire Review) Goodyear’s Dunlop products took two top awards during the recent SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Dunlop’s Direzza Sport Z1 tyre received two SEMA International New Product Awards. In separate awards, Australia’s Hot 4s & Performance Cars magazine and Greece’s top enthusiast publisher Option Press also recognized the brand new Direzza Sport Z1 tyre. Developed and built in Japan for professional drifting, the Direzza Sport Z1 delivers high grip, excellent control and consistency, according to Dunlop. The tyre will be available in Spring 2007 in 17 sizes.

8th November 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

The g-Force

BFGoodrich’s award winning g-Force profiler has proved unstoppable at this year’s FIA World Rally Championship. BFGoodrich has swept the board winning every round in every country so far, but you have to remember the company supplies tyres to five out of the six teams in the event. Either way, the WRC demands a broad spectrum of tyre types and, as such, BFGoodrich has produced variations of the g-Force Profiler, capable of taking on every type of terrain encountered. With the mass of the car rarely distributed evenly on all four wheels at the same time, the battle is to control the tyre pressure.

BFGoodrich’s award winning g-Force profiler has proved unstoppable at this year’s FIA World Rally Championship. BFGoodrich has swept the board winning every round in every country so far, but you have to remember the company supplies tyres to five out of the six teams in the event.

7th November 2006/by Tyrepress Editors