Labelling
With just three months to go before the mandatory implementation of labelling in November 2012, there are still many questions to answer about exactly who will be enforcing the law and what the penalties will be.
No, Continental’s Herbert Mensching and Dr. Frank Walloch cannot conceive that a tyre maker could solely focus its development on label-related areas just to achieve sales through high ratings. The two men, respectively managing director sales and marketing at Continental’s Commercial Vehicle Tires unit and director of product development for commercial vehicle tyres in the EMEA region, believe a one-sided preference for specific development priorities will evaporate after around nine months at the very latest, as professional truck tyre users are competent at evaluating these products. Instead of placing a focus on criteria such as wet braking or rolling resistance, what is of key importance for commercial vehicle tyres, most likely more than in the passenger car tyre segment, is balanced product development in which other criteria – such as mileage and retreadability – will rank high on the list of priorities.
How much of the market will be ready for the introduction of tyre labelling legislation when it becomes mandatory on 1 November 2012? Who knows? What is clear is that all parties are now allowed to publicly share details of labelling and have been free to do so since 30 May. And al this means it is more important than every to be up to speed. All the latest detail and analysis relating to the forthcoming tyre labelling legislation are now available online with the addition of our Tyre Labelling Special issue. Subscribers can read online now by clicking more.
From 1 November 2012, every new tyre manufactured since July will be legally required have a tyre label. And what’s more the information contained on the label must be presented – physically or electronically – to the consumer at the point of sale. So what better place to start this month’s in-depth labelling special than to take a look at the much vaunted itself and introduce its main features and some of the discussions relating to it?
The latest edition is now available to read in e-paper format. As well as all our regular features, August's Tyres & Accessories includes additional coverage previewing the forthcoming TAFF Awards, OTR tyres and of course Tyre Labelling. As well as this there is our annual Brake feature and the conclusion of our Reifen Essen reoport to look forward to. Subscribers can simply click more to see the digitalized edition.
Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters – to give our new label legislation its full and proper name – comes into force in just a few months. The EU has agreed upon a system of rating tyres using three performance parameters, and almost every new passenger car, light commercial vehicle and truck tyre (C1, C2 and C3 tyres) sold in Europe will come with this rating. But even before its mandatory implementation, murmurs of label scepticism can be heard. Generally, these comments hinge on the label’s limitations, and whether these will hinder consumers from purchasing the tyre best suited to their needs.
SD International used the platform of Reifen 2012 to launch its new winter patterns in both its Pace and Zeta brands, along with the European introduction of the company's PCR range in the Briland brand. The company also communicated with customers about tyre labelling.
Michelin’s newest tyres, the Energy Saver + passenger car tyre and the Agilis + light commercial vehicle tyre score good results on the European tyre label, with the former’s sample size achieving B in fuel efficiency and A in wet grip and the latter’s scoring CB (both with two sound waves at 70dBs if you’re really interested). But at the French manufacturer’s recent event in Stockholm, Sweden to mark the end of its Performance Tour 2012, Michelin representatives preferred to talk about the full range of characteristics developed for its latest tyres than to dwell on good labelling results. Marketing director, Gary Guthrie told Michelin’s guests that the “information contained on the tyre label is terrifically important, [but] it has never been [Michelin’s] philosophy” to focus on selected criteria.
Several Kama-branded tyres produced by the Tatneft-operated Nizhnekamsk Truck Tires Factory and Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory have been voted the winners in the ‘industrial and technology products’ section of this year’s Republic of Tatarstan Best Goods and Services contest. The tyres in question are the Kama 430 in size 395/80R20, Kama NF701 in 11R22.5, Kama NR201 in size 275/70 R22.5 and Kama NF201 in size 275/70 R22.5.
With the launch of the Omnitrac MST II, Goodyear reported that the new trailer tyre for mixed service applications offers up to 15 per cent better mileage than its predecessor but also up to 25 per cent better mileage than a main premium competitor. According to the company, the MST II features Omnitrac Max Technology and complements the Goodyear MSS II and MSD II mixed service steer and drive tyres.
China’s largest tyre maker, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, has become the country’s latest manufacturer to sign up with the Imported Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ITMA). Its membership gives Hangzhong Zhongce access to the very latest technical and legislative regulations affecting the sale of tyres within Europe.
TyreSafe has announced that its next industry briefing will take place on the afternoon of Wednesday 19 September at the Ardencote Manor Hotel in Warwickshire. The organisation will use the occasion to unveil the latest materials and resources available for deployment in October’s Tyre Safety Month and to explain how delegates can get involved with the annual campaign. An update on TyreSafe’s ongoing part worn tyres campaign will also be given during the free event.
With tyre labelling legislation less than 100 days away, EC1222.com has announced the launch of a tyre labelling database. EC1222.com is a subsidiary company of DriveRight, which already provides vehicle and component data to garages.
The start of this year’s Brityrex International is still more than two months’ away, yet organiser ECI International Ltd reports the show is heading for a sell-out and the amount of exhibitor floorspace still available at Manchester’s EventCity has dropped to under ten per cent.
At least one motor insurance company is warning motorists off using imported tyres designed for use in warmer climates. One company, Be Wiser insurance, suggested that such tyres “will not offer the correct grip in Europe.”
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