LEGISLATION
Following on from last month’s Spotlight on Northern Europe, Tyres & Accessories spoke to executives from one of the region’s leading manufacturers, Michelin Nordic. Passenger car and light truck marketing director, Vikram Raman and Krista Sivonen, marketing director for industrial products, trucks, agricultural vehicles and earthmover tyres, answered the questions.
Diss-based BERU F1 Systems has been chosen to supply its digital tyre pressure monitoring system DigiTyre for the world’s fastest road car, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. This is the system’s first OE application and a rare example of direct technology transfer from F1 to road car. With temperatures reaching over 100°C and G forces exceeding 2900G, traditional OEM tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) would struggle to last, thus necessitating the DigiTyre derivative.
Russian tyre producer Amtel plans to attract $250 million at an initial public offering in London next month, Reuters has reported. Amtel-Vredestein plans to sell 25 per cent of its stock at the IPO, which is planned for 10 November, the news source said.
“I would like to get rid of the expression ‘controlled distribution’,” one contributor told Tyres & Accessories. And this is because along with this term come some ominous implications – that manufacturers can purposefully steer purchasers towards their own products. Of course, this is said to take place most naturally in a manufacturer owned equity like Michelin’s ATS Euromaster, for example.
However, the concept of ‘controlled distribution’ covers a whole spectrum of different scenarios. These range from the obvious – manufacturer owned entities – to the more subtle influence manufacturers can exert over completely independent wholesalers and dealers. It is seldom as straightforward as one person controlling and another being controlled. ‘Controlled distribution’ does not only refer to the role played out by manufacturer equities alone, but also to a wide spectrum of influence extending as far as the independent wholesaler.
Drivers, the Glasgow-based car enhancement company, is offering customers a free tyre check-up for the duration of the Scottish Tyre Safety Week, which runs from 7 – 11 November 2005.
Whilst most drivers are aware of the importance of looking after their tyres, fewer are aware that specially fitted performance tyres can enhance both the safety and performance of their cars.
A new European Tuning Association has been founded. VATZ (Verband Automobil Tuning/Zubehör – association of automotive tuning/accessories) held its inaugural meeting on the 15th September in Frankfurt. The association will have the task of representing the interests of the entire tuning industry, especially with regard to the legislative bodies, on a national level and international level. As a trade association, VATZ aims to represent the entire spectrum of European tuning providers.
Bridgestone UK is introducing the R249 – a new, long distance steer tyre, for trucks of 16 tonnes and heavier.
Before designing the R249, Bridgestone surveyed almost 1,000 fleets of varying sizes in the six main European markets in order to see exactly what they required from a steer axle tyre.
The MOT turned 45 this week and has come a long way since its implementation in 1960. The annual check does not only test the brakes, steering, lights etc, as it did in the beginning, but now includes emissions testing too.
A staggering four-out-of-five garages remain unaware of changes in hazardous waste regulations, despite new legislation having been implemented from 16th July 2005, according to Global Resource Management (GRM).
Mobile tyre safety checks on company cars and vans, instigated by fleet managers and carried out by Kwik-Fit technicians, reveal that around 20 per cent of vehicles “require attention”.
Typical findings include tyres that are wrongly inflated, the tread depth may be close to, or below, the legal minimum, tyre wear may be irregular, indicating alignment problems, or the sidewall may be damaged. The analysis is based on a month of safety checks – in a typical month, some 490 site visits are made, with 22,500 vehicles inspected.
Recycling has not only become more important to the public, but to the tyre industry too. Tyre recycling has a lucrative future, and tyre shredding is fast becoming a money-spinner for those companies involved. The choice of tyre shredding and recycling equipment manufacturers and distributors is growing, as is the range of casing collection services throughout the industry.
“However, it is one thing to realise the potential of this market but quite something else to actually set up a business that will evolve into a successful and lucrative service,” says Bob Batchford of RJB County Contractors. This is why the company has recently established a new division within the business, RJB Consultancy, to provide a service to both new and established businesses on how to achieve financial reward from tyre recycling.
The NTDA is to run a nationwide series of health and safety “talk-ins” designed to help members get up to speed on new recommendations and legislation affecting tyre retails premises.Supported by the Health and Safety executive and local authorities, the meetings will feature presentations from local inspectors on what to expect when premises are visited by HSE inspectors, as well as detailed information on the new recommendations on manual handling.
It’s official: lead balancing weights are no longer allowed to be used on passenger cars or light trucks. Although there is much talk about the possible negative impact of the end-of-life vehicle directive, today tyre businesses across Europe seem to have adapted to the new situation without any major difficulties. However, the new market conditions have also brought consequences for manufacturers and suppliers. As all the parties involved get up to speed, what has to be taken into account when changing from lead balancing weights to alternative materials? Tyres & Accessories examines the effects of this legislation and the steps that need to be taken by companies across the continent.
By the time you read this article, European directive 2000/53/EC will have come fully into force. This regulation, more commonly known as the end of life vehicle (ELV) directive, will have a profound effect on the tyre trade – banning the sale of lead balancing weights. But is the trade ready? Tyres & Accessories spoke to representatives from weight manufacturers Trax and Remog in order to find out more.
In the coming months a whole raft of EU legislation affecting different aspects of the tyre business is set to come in place. First the Hazardous Waste regulation came into force on 16 April. Now the end of life vehicle directive (2000/53/EC) banning the use of lead balancing weights is upon us. Next up is the Waste Incineration Directive (due to be implemented from 28 December), which is sure to have a knock-on effect on the way tyres are disposed of and at what cost. The last regulation in the current run is the second part of the EU tyre landfill ban (1999/31/EC), which prevents chipped tyres from being disposed of at landfill sites in July 2006 – not to mention the working time directive.
Do you think there is too much red tape or do the regulations make life difficult in the tyre business?
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