Legislation Archives - Page 26 of 48 - Tyrepress

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Measuring tread depth at speed possible with new Apollo Vredestein facility

To underline the company’s emphasis on road safety and the environment, Apollo Vredestein has unveiled a state-of-the-art laser tread depth measuring station at its Enschede site in the Netherlands. The addition of this new unit, says the tyre maker, will make visitors more aware of the importance of having the correct tread depth in terms of both their safety and the environment. The station was built in accordance with Apollo Vredestein’s ISO 14001 environmental certification, as was the tyre pressure station installed by the company in 2008.

2nd May 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

TAFF Award winner Envirotyre in administration

The North of England and Scotland’s largest tyre collection firm, Envirotyre, has gone into administration according to various reports. Based on the Kingmoor Industrial Estate in Carlisle, the company provides tyre disposal services to around 1,500 tyre outlets across the region, and was the recipient of the 2010 TAFF Environment Award. Local news source, Carlisle’s News & Star says that the company’s administrators RSM Tenon is urging interested buyers to come forward for the company’s assets, valued at £1.822 million at the beginning of 2010. The company also possesses the UK licence for the Compactyre technology, a “patented, hydraulically-driven compactor that punctures and compresses a tyre to less than one-quarter of its original size”, making waste tyres easier to handle.

28th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental recommends global OEMs adopt direct TPMS technology

Company News, International News, News, Product News

Continental recommends car manufacturers worldwide adopt the consistent use of direct measuring technology in their new car models to ensure “vehicle tyres are always inflated to an optimum level.” Writing in a press statement promoting the international tyre, TPMS and automotive supplier’s position on the issue, Continental said its recommendation is based on “steadily rising requirements to take on TPMS” and also reflects the “significant potential of direct measuring technology, making it possible to exploit the greater contribution to CO2 reduction.”

18th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Dunlop’s James Bailey informs One Show viewers about tyre labelling

James Bailey, who was appointed director, brand PR in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region for Goodyear Dunlop at the beginning of the year, has appeared on BBC Television’s The One Show, explaining to segment presenter Carol Vorderman the importance of correct tyre pressure, tread patterns and tread depth for driving in the wet. Bailey took the opportunity to talk about the tyre label – with a close-up of the label itself – showing it to around 4 million teatime viewers of the magazine show. The 14 April edition of the show can be accessed by UK internet users via the Corporation's iPlayer website for the next week.

15th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Taking the initiative

Editorial/Comment

Recent months have seen a flurry of activity in the road safety and legislative lobbying arenas. During March and April this culminated in the surreal combination of blimping, debating, campaigning and contesting – all focusing in on improving road safety in general and tyre and wheel integrity in particular.

5th April 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Westlake responds to ETRMA report with re-tests of its own

Since ETRMA made its research public, most of the named tyre manufacturers have remained silent, however representatives of the largest Chinese-based tyre manufacturer named by the survey responded by writing to ETRMA asking for more information about the testing methodology. Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber, which is responsible for manufacturing the Westlake brand, is asking for access to the tested tyres for tracing purposes, re-testing the tyres at an independent test centre in the UK and has subsequently taken legal action in Germany.

Speaking at a press conference in London on 23 March, technical consultants working on behalf of Hangzhou Zhongce-owned brand Westlake explained that they have hired ETRMA-accredited test centre Rubber Consultants (formerly known as TARRC) in a bid to demonstrate compliance with Reach legislation. Hertford-based Rubber Consultants announced that it had been acknowledged by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers' Association (ETRMA) as a certified independent testing body on 22 March. One of the first jobs Rubber Consultants carried out for the ETRMA in this capacity was to independently verify the initial findings of the association’s tests into compliance of the Reach regulation regarding PAH oils.

30th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Will European agencies take clean oil enforcement action?

The jury is still out – so to speak – on whether or not there will be any action taken as result of the recent ETRMA findings relating to clean oil compliance in tyres. The official body responsible for enforcement of the Reach rules in the UK, the Environment Agency (EA) was one of the first to go on the record in response to the ETRMA’s findings. In a statement entitled “ETRMA press release – our view” the EA summed up its position.

“We have received information from…ETRMA about possible breaches of REACH restriction 50 concerning PAHs in extender oils and tyres. This information was released by the ETRMA in a press release [on] 1 March 2011…” EA said in the statement dated 7 March.

30th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

'We are here to stay': Hangzhou Zhongce invests in R&D expansion and new HQ

Already purportedly the largest tyre manufacturer based in China (with annual turnover equating to around US$3.38 billion in 2010) and currently number 11 in the world, Hangzhou Zhongce reports that it expects to climb up the rankings following the opening of a new factory during the middle of next year.

In the medium term the ambition (something that Chinese manufacturers are seldom short of) is for the company to maintain a top 10, perhaps ninth, and beyond. Although this could mean leap-frogging other fast-growing Far Eastern competitors (including the increasingly influential Korean set), during a recent meeting in London with executives and research and development heads Hanzhou Zhongce representatives reiterated their intentions of becoming world-class players, inviting partners to “craft a better future” through the Chinese tyre maker's Westlake brand. The CEO of the Westlake brand, who reports directly to the president of Hangzhou Zhongce and who was introduced as Mr. Ge, was in attendance.

30th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

UK environmental charity launches ‘better tyres’ campaign

National charity Environmental Protection UK has launched a campaign encouraging motorists to save money on fuel and reduce the environmental impact of their road journeys through choosing energy efficient, low noise and safe tyres. The Campaign for Better Tyres was officially launched by Transport Minister Norman Baker in London on March 29.

30th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop SP WinterSport 4D launched

On 14 March Dunlop launched its latest high performance winter tyre – the SP Wintersport 4D – with the frozen lakes of Sweden providing a suitably cold and slippery environment for journalists from across Europe. Following on from the critically acclaimed SP Wintersport 3D, the new cold weather rubber boasts lower fuel consumption (due to 11 per cent better rolling resistance) and greater road handling and safety capabilities than its competitors and predecessor.

The Dunlop SP Wintersport 4D is available in 37 variants covering over 84 per cent of the total European car parc. Sizes range between 195/65 R15 and 255/35 R19. While the tyre is being released across a range of H to V speed ratings, Tyres & Accessories understands that W-rated variants will be made available shortly, making Dunlop's latest cold weather product a true UHP winter tyre. Audi and BMW are among the OE marques already associated with the newly launched product.

17th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess net income up tenfold in 2010

Demand for synthetic rubbers from tyre industry customers proved a strong driver of growth for Lanxess last year. The German specialty chemicals company describes its 2010 results as “outstanding” and believes its performance was aided by the company’s strategic set-up and a general business recovery. Announcing the firm’s annual results at its annual press conference on March 17, Lanxess chief executive officer Axel C. Heitmann said the company’s “growth story is set to continue” following last year and an “excellent” start to 2011.

17th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

100 new jobs to result from Schrader/Ford TPMS deal

A contract signed between Schrader Electronics and the Ford Motor Company has the potential to create up to 100 new automotive sector jobs in Northern Ireland. Under the terms of the agreement, Schrader Electronics will supply its direct tyre pressure monitoring systems for fitment to Ford’s European model range between 2012 and 2015. This supply deal includes equipment for fitment on the strong-selling Ford Fiesta and Focus ranges.

9th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Giti reassures consumers on Reach compliance

While the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association’s study into the presence of ‘high PAH’ oils in tyres sold within Europe revealed all that all non-complying tyres were manufactured in China, the ETRMA made it clear that Chinese manufacture was in no way synonymous with Reach regulation non-compliance. Giti Tire Europe, whose GT Radial brand is produced in China, has also addressed potential uncertainty that may arise over the status of its products.

7th March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti reports global growth in winter, OEM sectors

On March 3 Continental AG will hold its annual press conference, at which it will provide detailed information on its performance in 2010, a year in which the automotive supplier says it emerged from the crisis “in impressively good shape.” The company has already reported an increase in annual sales from 20 billion euros in 2009 to “at least” 25.5 billion euros last year, a figure helped by the “positive performance” of the company’s car tyre division.

2nd March 2011/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental: Car patterns to feature on 4×4 tyres

When it comes to the development of the 4×4 tyre segment, there are still two sides to the market, according to a Continental UK analysis. But on one side at least there are clear signs of the car-ification of 4×4 tyre line, something that has developed in parallel with continued purchase of SUV type four wheelers.

25th February 2011/by Tyrepress Editors