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.
(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America has added 12 new 17- to 22-inch sizes to its popular BFGoodrich T/A/ KO light truck/SUV tyre line. The line extension was launched last week to dealers and media at a special programme in San Diego. The new larger sizes, said BFGoodrich officials, mirror size increases seen at OE. While 16-inch light truck tyres remain popular on the replacement side, OEMs have moved to 17- and 18-inch and larger.
This year’s Reifen Messe Essen saw Alliance Tire share its stand with exclusive German marketer, Bohnenkamp. With Alliance president Joseph Anglister leading the way, several of the specialist Israeli manufacturer’s managers were on hand to speak to visitors.
European sales and marketing manager, Rami Einav, confirms that the $85 million dollars the company has invested in recent years is now paying dividends, with Alliance becoming an attractive off-take partner for larger companies. This is particularly important when you consider that the company’s 900 highly productive employees work around the clock, 363/364 days a year.
Fernando Alonso’s (Renault F1 Team – Michelin) victory in Montreal has given Michelin its 100th win in Formula One racing. This latest success, Michelin’s seventh of the season, is the company’s 41st since returning to the sport in 2001. Around the same time Michelin made it clear that it would not tender for a single-supplier series. After an exciting race, the remaining podium places were filled the Bridgestone-equipped Ferrari of Michael Schumacher (2nd) and the Michelin-shod McLaren of Kimi Raikonnen.
Michelin UK plc is to publish revised run-flat repair advice in the coming weeks. Commercial director, Chris Bloor, told delegates at the recent NTDA conference that Michelin would “adapt” its position. Tyres & Accessories (www.tyrepress.com) will publish the official details as soon as they are available.
(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America’s (MNA) earthmover tyre group has introduced the X-Crane AT, designed for self-propelled all-terrain construction cranes. According to MNA, the new tyre ‘’reduces machine downtime, minimizes operational costs, reduces braking on wet surfaces and improves handling on the road and at the jobsite.’’ In addition, the tyre is said to have 7 per cent lower rolling resistance vs. other products, thereby reducing an operator’s fuel cost.
(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America (MNA) and its subsidiary TCI Tire Centers unveiled a new disaster response service unit that will be used in areas hit by natural disasters. The Michelin Disaster Response Unit is a fully equipped 53-foot trailer – a “Tire Center on wheels,” according to MNA. It features six air stations for mounting, dismounting, repairing and balancing tires. The office area of the trailer offers satellite communications capability and sleeps up to six people.
Far Eastern news sources are reporting that Michelin has launched its Pilot Preceda PP2 in Asia, a tyre designed especially for markets like China. Yang Sai Hoi, general manager of Michelin Asia (Singapore) Co. said the secret of the PP2’s performance is Michelin’s True Sport Tire (TST) construction, toting high shoulder reinforcement, joint-less nylon caps and full-width steel beltlines, resulting in enhanced response and handling.
Following Indian manufacturer, Apollo Tyres’ announcement that it has officially completed its acquisition of Dunlop International (DI) Tyres & Acccessories’ Southern African editorial partner, SA Treads, flew to DI’s headquarters in Durban to interview CE Mike Hankinson, MD Pierre Dreyer and Apollo joint managing director and CEO, Neeraj Kanwar.
European passenger car sales grew 12 per cent during May (up 2.5 per cent year-to-date), while the truck tyre market is said to have grown 17 per cent (up 1 per cent year-to-date). Deutsche Bank analysts report that the figures sourced from Michelin point to a completely different story in North America.
Michelin has admitted that it is pleased a class action case brought against itself, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Formula One was thrown out of court. The case was brought following last June’s now infamous US Grand Prix. “Michelin is very pleased with [US District Judge Sarah Evans Barker’s] decision dismissing the entire class action lawsuit,” pitpass.com quoted Michael Fanning, vice president, corporate affairs Michelin North America as saying.
Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner scored a victory in the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hours in front of 235,000 spectators. Audi has effectively succeeded in its bold bid to win the world’s most demanding endurance race with diesel technology. And Michelin rose to the challenge to join its partner on the top of the podium, its ninth consecutive victory at Le Mans. The French tyre firm was also successful in the LMGT1 category with Chevrolet Corvette and in LMP2 with the RML-run Lola.
Pirelli also came away with honours after the LNT British team, Panoz Esperante, won the LMGT2 category. Pirelli took the LMGT2 title with Yokohama-equipped teams following in second and fifth places in the same category.
International readers can download Tyres & Accessories’ publisher, Klaus Haddenbrock’s, personal tribute to the late Edouard Michelin, in French, English and German. Mr Michelin, who tragically died on 26 May, was greatly respected within the tyre industry and will be sadly missed by anyone who knew him. Edouard Michelin is survived by his wife, six children and his father Francois Michelin.
The last message I would ever hear from Edouard Michelin was as follows: “For Michelin it would have been totally unthinkable to leave people in the lurch who have shown their loyalty to our group over so many years.” From an economic point of view, Michelin should have sold its rubber plantation after it became obvious that the plantation in the North of Brazil, close to Salvador/Bahia, could not be managed successfully and would continue to lose money. But, instead of selling the plantation and abandoning the people, leaving them without hope, Michelin looked for other and better alternatives and created the Ouro Verde project.
To download this obituary as a PDF file please click here.
(Akron/Tire Review) Michelin North America (MNA) has signed a three-year deal with Petro:Lube to sell BFGoodrich brand medium truck tyres and Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) retreads. Petro:Lube already offers Michelin brand truck tires at 60 locations.
François Michelin, Michelin managing partner from 1955 to 1999, is 80 today. The grandson of the global tyre manufacturer’s founder, Edouard Michelin (who died in 1940 at the age of 81), François Michelin is also the father of another former managing partner, Edouard Michelin, who died in an accident at the age of 42 on 26 May.
For decades François Michelin led the company with his cousin François Rollier, who died in 1992 at the age of 77. Rollier’s son, who had been Edouard Michelin’s co-managing partner, Michel Rollier (61), recently took over leadership of the company as sole managing partner. In the 1998 Michelin Charter François Michelin is quoted as saying: “Each woman and each man is singular and irreplaceable“ (“Chaque homme est unique et irreplaceable“). Today nothing has to be added to this truth.
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