Tyre industry pioneers, Michelin has a long history. Having begun in 1889, Michelin is now the second-largest tyre manufacturer in the world after Bridgestone and larger than both Goodyear and Contineantal.
Benefitting from “premium positioning” in Q1 2023 despite “weak markets” around the world, Michelin increased its consolidated sales 7.4% year-on-year, to 6.96 billion euros. Tyre volumes, on the other hand, were down 6.6%. Michelin confirms its 2023 full-year guidance.
Michelin is recalling more than half a million all-season light truck tyres in the USA and Canada as they carry the 3PMSF symbol on the sidewall but do not comply with related local legislation. The voluntary recall affects up to 542,110 aftermarket Michelin Agilis CrossClimate C-Metric tyres produced in France and Poland.
According to comments from Florent Menegaux, we shouldn’t expect to see Michelin in Formula One from 2025. Speaking to US-based automotive site The Drive, the chief executive stated that Michelin isn’t interested in supplying tyres to F1 unless the FIA alters its view on how they should perform. In short, the French firm doesn’t want to make tyres that liven proceedings by falling apart.
The Annual Meeting of Michelin Shareholders will take place on Friday 12 May, and amongst the plethora of information contained within the accompanying Notice of Meeting document, the company shares a few words on activities in Russia. Its message is largely unchanged since the previous update two months ago.
In June 2020, India’s government introduced new legislation that significantly limited tyre imports into the country, with companies intending to do so requiring a license. As one of many manufacturers affected by this rule, Michelin scaled back its imports of passenger tyres and limited these to selected products for performance cars. Further expansion in India will require local production, and the question for Michelin doesn’t seem to be if, but rather when.
Arriva North West has returned to Michelin after a period with a rival supplier, and says certainty of supply, product quality and in-house expertise drove its decision to switch back. The bus operator has signed a five-year contract with the Michelin Services & Solutions division.
After the two corresponding titles for winter and all-season tyres went to Michelin, Goodyear was invited to the top step of the podium for the accolade of being “Top Manufacturer Summer Tyres” for a second consecutive year. Second and third place respectively went to Michelin and Bridgestone.
No movement occurred on the podium of Brand Finance’s most valuable Tyre brands ranking for 2023, but while Michelin, Bridgestone and Continental respectively retain first, second and third places, Sailun appears on the radar as the fastest-growing tyre brand.
The ‘magic triangle’ of tyre development depicts the conflict between efficiency and safety, but must we really sacrifice one quality when optimising the other? Auto Bild looks at a trio of tyres in an attempt to answer this question.
On 29 March, Scandinavian Enviro Systems and Antin Infrastructure Partners announced the formation of a joint venture. Michelin is supporting this JV, which it expects will “create the world’s first large-scale tyre recycling group.”
On 27 March, Michelin presented the 2023 restaurant selection of the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire. It named 20 restaurants that are newly awarded One Michelin Star; two restaurants that receive Two Michelin Stars and four restaurants that receive a Michelin Green Star.
Six well-known tyre manufacturers have teamed up to provide their customers with easier access to agricultural tyre pressure indications. Information from Apollo Tyres, Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin, Nokian Tyres and Trelleborg Wheel Systems is now available in a single app, Agro Tyre Pressure. Swiss firm Anura Associates developed the app for the tyre makers.
On 17 March, Linglong Tire announced that it hired Yu Hang as its vice president. The tyre manufacturer stated that the appointment of Yu Hang is to enhance Linglong’s brand value and competitiveness, optimise and improve its “product + service + value” system, build a world-class brand influence, and enhance Linglong’s international competitiveness.
The complete data isn’t out, but a preview of the Brand Finance Global 500 gives a clear insight into what we can expert from the market research company’s tyre ranking when in is published in the coming weeks. The headline news is that Michelin has significantly extended its lead at the front of the pack when it comes to tyre brands.
The electric vehicle tyre market is evolving quickly, with manufacturers adding EV-appropriate technologies to existing ranges and in some cases launching new lines of specialist products. These products have several goals, most notably offering range-maximising fuel economy, increased resistance to wear, reducing noise, and the ability to carry heavier loads, all while demonstrating greater sustainability and continuing to offer a high level of safety performance. Naturally these characteristics require technological advancements in order to reconcile contradictory demands; for example, making lower-weight tyres that consume fewer materials while also increasing ruggedness to reduce wear and tyre emissions. With tyres specified for electric vehicles now appearing on the European aftermarket in greater numbers, the need for independent scrutiny is becoming greater, and German magazine Auto Motor und Sport has responded by comparing three of the newest EV-specified products with current flagships, fitted to comparable Kia EV and internal combustion engine (ICE) models.
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Prinx Chengshan