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.
Harley-Davidson has gone and made itself an electric motorcycle – and Michelin has developed tyres to fit the ‘e-hog’. Michelin Scorcher Sport tyres have been selected as original equipment for the new Harley-Davidson LiveWire.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has returned to fitting Michelin tyres on its heavy fire appliances, after positive feedback from other stations across the UK praised the tyres’ exceptional grip and stability in all weather conditions.
Last month, a Bugatti Chiron became the first near production car in the world to break the 300 mph barrier, after reaching an independently verified speed of 304.773 mph (490.484 km/h) at Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test track in Germany. The Chiron wore Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 – the world’s fastest street legal tyre – for the speed record attempt.
Tyre production at Michelin’s plant in Bad Kreuznach, Germany has been supplemented by a new facility dedicated to making 18- and 19-inch rim diameter tyres. Its entry into operation introduces the larger diameter into the plant’s production portfolio for the first time. The new machinery replaces equipment used to manufacture 14- and 15-inch tyres, products that have seen a significant drop in customer demand.
Long-distance touring enthusiasts rejoice: Michelin had introduced a GT version of its Road 5. The tyre maker states that the Michelin Road 5 GT has been “developed in exactly the same spirit and to the same rigorous standards” as its 2018-launched sibling, but focuses on the specific requirements of touring bike riders looking for “safety, comfort, long life, stability and sheer riding enjoyment” in a range of conditions.
As we reported in July, progress is being made at European and international levels towards deciding on a wet grip test for worn tyres. Michelin actively supports this development and claims that driving on tyres to the legal tread depth of 1.6mm can be completely safe. The tyre maker is therefore critical of a magazine test that suggests this isn’t the case at all.
Sony has appointed Michelin ‘official tyre technology partner’ for its PlayStation brand’s Gran Turismo franchise. The collaboration was announced in New York on 23 August, at the PlayStation Theater on Broadway.
Unveiled in July, the Michelin X TWEEL SSL 2 – an airless tyre for skid steers – features a completely new wheel developed and manufactured by GKN Wheels. The Tweel is a single, fully-integrated unit which replaces the traditional tyre/wheel/valve assembly. This means there is no need for costly and time-consuming wheel and tyre mounting to be carried out – and once the unit is bolted to the vehicle, there is no air pressure to maintain.
Michelin North America says that prices for selected Michelin and BFGoodrich passenger and light truck tyres will increase by up to five per cent from 1 September. Specific details haven’t been publicly announced – Michelin invites its customers to “discuss details concerning the price increase directly with account managers.”
The 2015-initiated collaboration between the Michelin Group and the French office of the World Wide Fund for Nature has been renewed for a further four years. The tyre maker will continue working with WWF France towards sustainability within the natural rubber market. In the coming four years, the partnership will further develop an existing pilot project in Indonesia and additionally open up the collaboration to include sustainable mobility and the protection of biodiversity.
Weaker demand from vehicle manufacturers put the brakes on Michelin’s business in Europe in the first half of 2019. The company attributes the slackening of original equipment demand to a number of factors.
Goodyear is making headlines for its global motorsport comeback, but is by no means the only tyre maker presenting its latest tyres for the 2020 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at this week’s Prologue test. Michelin says it has also brought its freshly-developed endurance tyres to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain to give teams and drivers a “valuable opportunity” to fine-tune their cars’ set-ups ahead of the WEC season opener at Silverstone on 1 September.
Wheely-Safe reports that Aberdeen City Council is fitting Michelin Tyre Pressure Management System (TPMS) Light Fleet across 200 new Renault light commercial vehicles. It has been specified on all new Renault Kangoo, Master and Trafic vehicles – comprising a mix of panel vans, plus chassis cabs with Derby, dropside and tipper bodies – joining the council’s vehicle fleet in 2019.
Businesses could be extending their tyre replacement intervals and taking advantage of greater efficiency savings if company car and van drivers were encouraged to take greater care of their tyres, advises Michelin’s fleet team. The tyre manufacturer is prompting fleet managers to remind drivers of four simple steps they can take to extend tyre life, improve uptime, cut running costs and reduce environmental impact.
The workforce at the Michelin tyre plant in Hallstadt, Germany was told yesterday that tough times lie ahead. These words came from plant manager Jens Schlemmer; he informed employees that demand for tyres from the factory has been affected by the current tense market situation the country’s carmakers and their suppliers are facing.
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.
