In May, analysts reported that Q2 European trailer registrations were 44 per cent down and that full-year 2020 trailer registrations were set to be down north of 28 per cent. Now however, the same analysts – Clear International – are echoing the findings of other indicators and suggesting that things will turn out slightly better than expected this year.
On 10 October Texa president Bruno Vianello inaugurated the company’s new German branch in Obersulm, north of Stuttgart. Covering more than 3,000 square metres, the new location triples the dimensions of the old premises in Langenbrettach, which had been operational since 2002.
The UK new car market declined -4.4 per cent in September, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The sector recorded 328,041 new registrations in the month – the weakest September since the introduction of the dual number plate system in 1999 and some -15.8 per cent lower than the 10-year average of around 390,000 units for the month.
The UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market grew by more than a quarter (+26.4 per cent) in September, according to the latest SMMT figures. In total, 52,096 vans, pickups and 4x4s were registered in the month, up some 10,880 units on a weak September 2019, when regulatory changes distorted the market.
Overall registrations remain under great pressure, but the latest new car sales figures point to another bumper month for electric vehicles. Meanwhile, diesel-fuelled internal combustion engine vehicles have taken the biggest hit. There are also signs that vehicle ownership preferences are changing. But what does this mean for the shape of the car market that feeds aftermarket tyre sales?
Pirelli is exclusively supplying tyres for the new McLaren 765LT, the British supercar company’s fastest-ever Super Series car to lap a circuit. P Zero Trofeo R tyres were chosen as the starting point for this latest collaboration. Now, the Trofeo R has been further refined in a joint effort from Pirelli and McLaren to meet the high-performance requirements of this latest car. For drivers who are less inclined to use their cars on track, the Pirelli P Zero tyres are also available.
Delphi Technologies has added eight additional first-to-market brake pads in its aftermarket braking programme. According to the company, together with the existing range, these latest applications means its brake pad line-up offers more than 98.5 per cent coverage for the European car parc.
Having received approval back in June, Qingdao Sentury Tire has successfully completed its Initial Public Offering (IPO) and is now listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (China) as of 11 September 2020. 11 per cent of the company’s shares were valued at 1.31 billion yuan (162 million euros; £149.859 million) by investors, resulting in a theoretical total valuation of 1.47 billion euros. The offered shares offered were oversubscribed 2887 times over. But what is the company planning to do with its newly-raised funds?
At the end of July Nexen Tire confirmed that it is supplying N’blue S and Winguard Sport 2 tyres as original equipment (OE) fitment to the latest Volkswagen Golf.
Global sales of Global Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) are projected to reach 9.49 million units in 2020, with pickups contributing to 4.62 million units. According to research by Frost & Sullivan, the global economic impact of COVID-19 caused the market to decline by 19 per cent in global LCV sales from 11.72 million units in 2019. The European market is said to be worst hit, with countries such as Italy and Spain facing an average decline in LCV sales of 35 per cent to 50 per cent in 2020.
AGCO has named Alliance Tire Group, Ltd North American Direct Materials Supplier of the Year during its 2020 online North America Supplier Event. Alliance was recognized by AGCO for “performance in cost, collaboration, innovation, account management, coordination and flexibility”. AGCO officials noted that Alliance – the only tyre supplier recognized during the event – exhibited strong coordination and alignment with AGCO and improved factory efficiency.
UK motorists are some of the fastest adopters of online car buying, something that is rapidly becoming the new normal in Britain, Germany and Spain, according to research conducted by online car retailer carwow. A survey of over 1000 consumers who bought a car through carwow since dealerships were allowed to reopen found 54 per cent of recent the company’s customers in the UK said they would continue to do the bulk of their car buying online from now on. In Spain it was 45 per cent and it was 38 per cent in Germany.
PJSC Tatneft and JSC Allur Group of Companies are establishing a joint tyre manufacturing facility in Kazakhstan. The factory will produce passenger car, light truck and truck tyres. The planned production capacity is 3 million passenger and light truck tyres as well as 0.5 million truck tyres per year. Production is expected to start in 2022. The project will create about 800 jobs, according to Tatneft.
Cooper Tire Europe is supplying tyres to 4×4 tuner Brute Jeeps. Cooper will provide Brute, which focuses on creating exclusive customised editions of the Jeep Wrangler, with “professional off-road tyres”.
Künz, an original equipment manufacturer of machinery including the rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTG) used in ports, is fitting Continental’s CraneMaster tyres to its new Freerider RTG.
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Texa
SMMT
SMMT
SMMT
Pirelli
Delphi Technologies
Alexander Migl; Wikimedia CCAS 4.0
Tordiantor; Pixabay
AGCO
Carwow
Tatneft
Cooper; Brute
Künz