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.
A win for Michelin-shod Manthey Racing in the shortest ever 24-hour Nürburgring race in history. Thanks to a 14-and-a-half-hour interruption, last weekend’s event was little more than a sprint, with the quickest competitor completing just 59 laps of the Nordschleife before the close of play.
On-track competitiveness may not seem reconcilable with sustainability, but Michelin begs to differ. It presented its case to this end at the 2021 Movin’On Summit.
Bulmans Bulk & Haulage is specifying Michelin tyres as original equipment on all new trucks, and as replacements across its truck and trailer fleet, after reaping the benefits offered by Michelin’s accidental tyre damage guarantee. The customer, which is a FORS bronze member, operates approximately 60 DAF tractor units and 70 trailers, fitting 315/80 R 22.5 X Multi Z and D tyres on its steer and drive axles respectively, and 235/75 R 17.5 X Multi T2 fitments on the mid-lift. All Fruehauf trailers benefit from a 385/65 R22.5 X Multi T replacement tyre policy – which offers versatility and longevity in all seasons.
The eleven leading tyre manufacturer members of WBCSD’s Tire Industry Project (TIP) have launched a Roadmap to accelerate tyre value-chain impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 to address some of the world’s most pressing issues by 2030. The members of TIP, in alphabetical order, are: Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper Tire, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho Tire, Michelin, Pirelli, Sumitomo Rubber, Toyo Tires, and Yokohama Rubber.
The Blue Ocean Awards, inspired by the Blue Ocean Strategy – the simultaneous pursuit of differentiation and low cost to open up a new market space and create new demand – took place yesterday. Michelin is the event’s major sponsor as well as sponsor for an awards category. Michelin presented its International Mobility Award to Tarmac Technologies and SUN Mobility, two start-ups that are contributing to the development of mobility.
Michelin is partnering with Arity, a mobility and data analytics company founded by American insurance company The Allstate Corporation, to develop data-powered solutions for transportation departments and city authorities, with the aim of improving road safety across the USA. This partnership will combine the expertise of Michelin Driving Data to Intelligence (DDI), who are the Michelin Group’s in-house data analysis boffins, with Arity’s database. This database, which contains nearly 100 million consumer connections, is said to be the largest repository of driving behaviour data in the world.
As of 1 May, Michelin is offering a range of electric bus tyres that can also be adapted for use on conventional vehicles. Although it developed the Michelin X Incity EV Z for electric vehicles, the tyre maker says the range is “especially efficient when used on traditional buses.”
The current season is Michelin’s ninth consecutive year with the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), and it has developed a new range of tyres for the headlining Le Mans Hypercar class which replaces LMP1 as the premier class in 2021. All five cars competing in Le Mans Hypercar this year race on Michelin Pilot Sport tyres that were developed almost entirely created using virtual tools.
Sales of Michelin tyres were 7.5 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2021 compared with a year earlier. This rise in sales volumes was driven by 20 per cent year-on-year market growth for truck tyres in the first quarter of 2021 and nine per cent market growth for car and light truck tyres.
An in-depth study into the impact of traffic and tillage on soil compaction has found agricultural machinery running low pressure Michelin Ultraflex Technology tyres could boost farmers’ yields by 4 per cent, helping to ‘feed the world’ for years to come. Harper Adams University – a specialist provider of higher education for the agricultural and rural sector – has been leading the investigation, utilising one site at its campus in Newport and another site in the USA in conjunction with the University of Illinois.
More than 40 per cent of Harley-Davidson motorcycles come factory fitted with Michelin tyres. The latest Harley to ride on the French firm’s products is the Pan America 1250, which is fitted exclusively with Michelin tyres.
Every year, 1.6 billion car tyres are sold worldwide in total. The PET fibres used in these tyres represent 800,000 tonnes of PET per year. With regards to Michelin alone, this represents nearly 3 billion plastic bottles annually. That’s why the France-based global tyre maker has been looking for ways that bottles can be recycled into technical fibres for use in the company’s tyres. Now, the company has validated that Carbios’s enzymatic process does exactly that, giving Michelin a step forward in its sustainability plans. Indeed, Michelin describes the development as “a major step towards developing 100 per cent sustainable tyres. Michelin has successfully tested and applied”. Michelin is committed to achieving 40 per cent sustainable materials (of renewable or recycled origin) by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050.
From its base at Seoul Incheon Airport in South Korea, Air Premia will soon start operating regional flights to Vietnam (Hanoi) and Japan (Tokyo), with plans to fly intercontinental routes in the coming years. By 2024, Air Premia aims to have a fleet of ten Boeing 787-9 aircraft fitted exclusively with Michelin tyres. The Air Premia-operated Boeing 787-9 planes will be equipped with Michelin Air X tyres featuring patented Near Zero Growth (NZG) technology.
While anyone prioritising ride comfort above every other factor should steer clear of low profile, higher rim diameter tyres, motorists who want a more dynamic driving experience certainly benefit from a couple of extra inches and a flatter sidewall. Auto Bild has tested 15 size 235/35 R19 tyres suitable for sporty compact cars such as the VW Golf GTI, Audi S3 and Seat Leon Cupra.
Michelin Tyre will sponsor the inaugural Responsible Recycler Scheme (RRS) Member of the Year Award in 2021. The National Tyre Distributors Association has added the accolade to its suite of Tyre Industry Awards, recognising its closer ties with the Tyre Recovery Association. The TRA’s Responsible Recycler Scheme has promoted best practice in tyre recycling for many years, while the sector has been generating increased interest with several key investments announced over the past 18 months. The award reflects the rising profile of tyre recycling in the UK, with the associations recognising the need to promote the best performing companies in this vital industry. Michelin’s sponsorship of the award joins the manufacturer’s commitment to switch to 100 per cent renewable, recycled and bio-based materials for its tyres by 2050, restated recently as part of the manufacturer’s strategic framework.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
Jonathan Gill, Harper Adams University
Carbios