Just over two weeks after reports surfaced that the UK government was targeting automotive suppliers for British manufacturing investment, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced plans to build a new £350 million engine plant in Wolverhampton. According to reports, the new factory will create around 750 skilled jobs to serve demand from Asia.
Porsche has fitted the latest version of its 911 model with Pirelli’s P Zero ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres. Two different compounds of P Zero were specially developed for the new Porsche 911 Carrera which has its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week in sizes 245/35 ZR20 front and 295/30 ZR20 rear.
In August 2010, Michelin signed a five-year tyre supply agreement with Cessna covering supply to the US aircraft manufacturer’s business jet range. The tyre maker now reports this agreement has been expanded to include supplying tyres for piston-engine aircraft. Under this enlarged agreement, Michelin tyres are now fitted on nearly all Cessna piston aircraft and most Citation business jets.
Hankook Tire’s European factory has expanded its original equipment supply to the European market with the manufacture of the Optimo K415 to be fitted to the KIA Sportage, the car maker’s most popular family SUV, now taking place at the Hungarian site. Hankook says its investments in the factory show its effort “to meet the requirements of leading car makers aiming to increase the OE tyre production rate from the current 10 per cent to 20-25 per cent of the total production during the upcoming years.” Besides serving KIA, the Hungarian production site has supplied OE products to the European operations of Volkswagen since 2009 and Hyundai since 2008.
Japanese vehicle makers are set to increase their production output between October 2011 and March 2012 and this is likely to lead to a shortage of synthetic rubber. At roughly the same time Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone notified OEMs that orders for passenger car tyres are likely exceed its domestic production capacity leading concerns that the country could be in line for both a synthetic rubber and a domestic tyre shortage.
Yokohama Rubber reports it is supplying original equipment tyres to Mazda’s latest model Demio, which went on sale in Japan on June 30. The compact car, known as the Mazda2 in many export markets, is a facelifted version of the popular model first released in 2007; the updated car is fitted with the Japanese tyre maker’s Aspec A349 BluEarth in size 175/65R14 82S.
Toyota has approved the Toyo Proxes A20 as original equipment for its 2012 North American market Prius v, which is scheduled to go on sale this autumn. The all-season tyre is being supplied to the Prius in P215/50R17 for inclusion in an optional package that also includes 7 X 17-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels.
Continental has announced its latest two original equipment contracts with Mercedes-Benz. The German tyre maker will supply tyres for the CLS saloon and high-end versions of the Mercedes Viano and Vito vans.
The German trailer industry is undergoing a very rapid revival in its fortunes, according to consulting group Clear. Output of trailers has been boosted by three key demand growth factors, says the firm’s latest report on the subject.
Firstly, the German market itself has recovered from the nadir of 2009 in splendid style: sales of trailers will exceed the combined demand of France, the UK and Italy in 2011 as it did in 2010. Secondly, exports of trailers from Germany increased by 90 per cent in 2010 as markets in both East and West Europe, with a very few exceptions, started to recover. Thirdly, stocks of finished trailers which had accumulated as the recession bit, had been large cleaned out, leaving the industry in a very lean condition. This meant that all new orders went straight into increased production.
Mercedes-Benz has selected the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 as an original equipment fitment for its new CLS. The Goodyear tyre, which was launched earlier this year, will be fitted on the four-door performance coupé in size 255/40R18. This newly-announced OE fitment, Goodyear Dunlop notes, is one of 30 original equipment deals involving the tyre.
Daimler-Smart, manufacturer of the diminutive Smart Fortwo, has granted Yokohama Rubber a third original equipment approval. The Japanese tyre maker has been approved as an original equipment supplier for the current Smart Fortwo and will supply its S. drive AS01 in sizes 175/50R16 77T for the front and 215/40R16 82T for the rear. This latest approval builds upon a relationship with the Daimler AG subsidiary that began in 2002 with homologation of original equipment tyres for the Fortwo Coupe Brabus, and was continued with selection as an original equipment supplier for the Smart Fortwo Brabus in 2007.
Industry analysts have suggested that Chinese OEM Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) is in pole position to purchase GM’s Opel European operations. If the speculation that a large Chinese OEM is in position to purchase such a large European firm turns out to be correct, it also raises questions about what such a trend might mean for the tyre industry.
Renault Sport has chosen Bridgestone’s Potenza RE050A as original equipment for its 265hp Mégane R.S. Trophy, which was released onto the market on June 20. This limited edition of 500 cars is fitted with the Potenza in size 235/35R19; this choice of tyre will, Bridgestone comments, allow the Mégane R.S. Trophy “to reveal its sporty spirit, versatility and comfort.”
Voith Industrial Services has appointed Jack Callaghan in a bid to further expand the company’s business in wheel and tyre assembly operations throughout the UK and mainland Europe. Callaghan, who has more than 20 years’ experience in wheel and tyre operations in the automotive sector, has been appointed business development manager based at Voith Industrial Services’ UK headquarters in Warwick.
Yokohama Rubber has begun original equipment supply for Toyota’s new Prius ἀ, or alpha, in the Japanese market. The hybrid car, which went on sale May 13, is fitted with the Advan dB in size 205/60R16 92V.
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