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.
Bri-Stor Systems, the UK’s largest manufacturer of light commercial vehicle conversions and van storage, will have fitted more than 1,000 Michelin Tyre Pressure Management System Light Fleet kits throughout a number of major fleets by the start of 2019.
Gwendal Poullennec has succeeded Michael Ellis as international director of the Michelin Guides. He began in this role yesterday and will manage the 32 editions of the Michelin guide and lead the global team of Michelin inspectors, reporting directly to Pascal Couasnon, director of gastronomic and tourist activities in the Michelin Group.
After reviewing the main external factors, namely the markets, raw materials costs and currency effects, Michelin has confirmed its guidance for 2018.
Tyre testers have labelled all-season tyres a ‘compromise’ purchase in past years for their inability to deliver the performance of both summer and winter tyres whenever the weather snaps its fingers and demands this. In its evaluation of the current generation of all-season rubber, Germany’s auto motor und sport harbours no illusions that such a compromise still exists. It wanted to know, however, whether the compromise can be effectively reduced through considered choice of product – the answer, the publication shares, is that it can.
It isn’t just retreaders who have suffered at the hands of cheap tyres imported from the Far East. In a statement issued today, Michelin confirms that its plant in Dundee “continues to face extremely challenging trading conditions, primarily due to the influx of cheap tyres from Asia and falling demand for premium tyres in smaller dimensions.”
As of 5 September, Pascal Couasnon has succeeded Alexandre Taisne as director of its Mobility Experience business line, a role he will carry out in addition to his supervision of the Motorsport business line (Competition). Matthieu Bonardel, formerly director of the Michelin group’s Connected Tires department, is Michelin’s new Motorsport director. He will act in this capacity under the supervision of Couasnon.
Soltyre’s Brechin branch has joined Michelin’s pan-European Exelagri network. Soltyre’s first centre in Dumfries previously gained Exelagri accreditation in 2013, and its new Brechin depot passed the 48-point Michelin audit months after opening in January of this year.
Chiltern-based Kensham Farms specified a second set of Michelin AxioBib tractor tyres after a first set showed grip and longevity above expectations. The first set of IF 600/70 R30 and IF 800/70 R38 tyres were fitted as original equipment on a John Deere 8360R tractor purchased as new in 2013.
During last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, Jead Todt disclosed that a second tyre maker has expressed interest in becoming exclusive Formula 1 tyre supplier for the 2020 to 2023 seasons. He didn’t reveal the company’s name – he claimed not to have the information at hand – however we confirmed it wasn’t Michelin.
Imagine a motorcycle tyre tread that regenerates itself with evolving sipes. How is this possible? As you eat up the miles, grooves appear and the tread pattern on the tyre increases to maintain the best possible water evacuation. That’s what XST Evo sipes do. The sipes can be found on the Michelin Road 5, the first motorcycle tyre to utilise 3D metal printing technology.
According to local news sources, the Michelin earthmover tyre factory in Starr, South Carolina will reopen today. The Anderson Observer writes that the facility’s reactivation will be made official at an event held at the plant today.
Wiltshire-based M&N Transport has taken on Michelin’s Effitrailer telematics system following a successful three-month trial on ten assets. The bulk haulier, which specialises in grain and aggregates, is now rolling out the system across 40 trailers – six of these are new builds and 34 are in the process of having it retrofitted.
Apollo Tyres’ presence in the truck tyre sector has been bolstered by the appointment of Steve Miller as TBR sales manager, bringing with him over 20 years’ experience, having worked for Kumho on reintroducing the TBR range in the UK, Bridgestone as a national fleet manager (commercial) and Michelin as a sales manager.
Back in June Bakers Dolphin Coach Travel – one of the longest established independent coach companies in the South West – announced that Michelin was a four-way trial that saw the French tyre manufacturer’s products pitched against fitments from three competitors.
Lothian will continue to roll on premium Michelin tyres after the largest municipal bus company in the UK renewed a three-year Effitires contract with Michelin solutions.
The new agreement will see Michelin solutions supply, fit and manage tyres across Lothian’s fleet of more than 800 single and double-deck buses, which is used to operate more than 70 services in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas of Midlothian and East Lothian.
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