At this year’s CeMAT show in Germany, Continental Commercial Specialty Tires is exhibiting a range of new products from its portfolio, including the V.ply port range, which will enjoy its local premiere at the exhibition. The tyre maker is presenting itself as “Your Premium Partner for Smart Solutions” at the show and is exhibiting at stand L11 in hall 25.
This year, Nokian Heavy Tyres is introducing a new winter tyre aimed at contractors such as those engaged in winter road maintenance and snow clearing. Nokian claims this new addition to its portfolio, the Hakkapeliitta TRI, as “another first from the inventor of winter tyres” and says it introduces totally new technologies that will benefit users in winter contracting and snow clearing businesses. These innovations include a “revolutionary tread design, tread block siping with siping activators and specially designed winter tread compound”; features said to “ensure that the user has superior traction and the best possible handling without compromising the economy of use.”
Trelleborg Wheel Systems has taken its European Interfit industrial tyre dealer support programme to North America, reports Tire Review. Officially launched on March 31, Interfit gives industrial tyre dealers the “opportunity to expand their business, generate more revenue and reach new customers,” Trelleborg said.
Luxembourg-based supplier of construction and all-steel radial OTR tyres Maxam Tire has released an app featuring information about the company and its product portfolio. The app also contains a TKPH/TMPH (tonnes-kilometre per hour and ton-miles per hour) calculator that can be used to determine the right tyre for the job required. As on Maxam’s website, there is a ‘Dealer Reserved Area’ on the new app, allowing customers to save their TKPH and TMPH calculations and forward them via e-mail if required.
Not many companies operating in the OTR tyre business either locally or further afield are very happy at the moment. While the manufacturers of new tyres in particular must contend with substantial losses and respond to the weak market with discounts, retreaders – as is often the case – occasionally benefit from the situation. The global mining sector has especially suffered as a result of sinking raw material prices, a phenomenon that in turn has directly influenced the production of and consequently the demand for tyres; in contrast, the construction sector has lately shown signs of stability in Europe. Nevertheless, it is important for companies within this market segment to adapt to conditions. With this in mind, in recent months Rösler Tyre Innovators has made several important decisions.
Maxam Tire personnel have recently returned from the USA, where the company took part in the Conexpo exhibition, held from 4-8 March in Las Vegas. Conexpo is one or the world’s premier shows for the construction, mining and earthmoving sectors, held once every three years and attracting over 2,400 exhibitors and more than 125,000 visitors over the five days of the show. The Maxam stand was 164 m2 (1800 sq. ft) in area and on show were 10 of the extensive ranges of Maxam construction and radial OTR tyres.
Yokohama Rubber’s North American subsidiary, Yokohama Tire Corporation, has promoted Dan Funkhouser to the position of director of commercial dealer business. In this new role, he will be responsible for all commercial dealer and associated national account business.
Additional space to expand Michelin’s Waterville truck and OTR tyre plant in Canada has been found – at the town’s civilian airport. According to Tire Review, on 10 March councillors in Nova Scotia’s King County voted to close Waterville Municipal Airport on 30 September and make the airport land available for purchase by the province or Michelin. While the tyre maker has not confirmed any expansion, it is understood that the layout of the plant and its equipment is such that expanding onto the land currently occupied by the airport is the only option open to Michelin at the Waterville site.
Although construction work at Bridgestone Americas’ new Aiken County plant in South Carolina is still ongoing, Tire Review reports that the production of 9-foot OTR tyres has already begun there. The tyre maker is building a 1.5 million-square-foot (approximately 140,000 square metre) facility to produce OTR tyres for quarry and construction machine applications. Bridgestone says equipment to produce larger 12-foot tyres should be ready by 2015.
Titan has expanded its OTR product range with new Low Sidewall (LSW) options for light, medium and heavy-duty equipment. These tyres, with their larger rim diameter and smaller sidewall than standard tyres, offer improved equipment stability and performance.
After a century of development, tyres are getting cleverer than ever. Now they are beginning to think for themselves – or at least feed back information automatically. For much of the history of tyres, research and development focused on materials, compounds, construction and processes – all things that have brought tyre technology to where it is today and will take it through tomorrow and beyond. What’s different now is that in the last couple of years we have seen the rise of “clever” tyres, intelligent tyres, even cyber-tyres – call them what you will. The point is that these products are seeking to transform the tyre from being a passive component that runs fine as long it has tread remaining, is cared for correctly and avoids sharp objects. Now it is becoming an active part of modern connected vehicles, providing feedback as to the tyre’s type, state and even environmental conditions. All this is exchanged with the vehicle’s on-board computers in order to optimise performance. In the case of passenger cars this means sharing such data with ABS and ESP, helping the car “feel” the road and conditions.
Bridgestone has announced three new US-based marketing appointments within its Bridgestone Commercial Solutions business. Matt Loos has been promoted to director of truck and bus marketing, Michelle Lane has been promoted to director of off-the-road marketing, and Cassandra Kilareski has joined the Bridgestone Commercial Solutions marketing team as senior manager of marketing communications and digital.
Supply and demand within the OTR tyre market has greatly fluctuated in recent years. While tyre makers could hardly keep up with demand only a couple of years ago, last year supply was much stronger than demand. Tim Easter, director of OTR sales for Yokohama Rubber’s US operation, Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC), has shared his views on these OTR market ups and downs, what the outlook is for 2014 and beyond, and what products Yokohama is bringing to market.
Swedish manufacturer Husqvarna’s decision to move its manufacturing operations to Poland led to specialist tyre and wheel supplier Starco’s Polish operation assuming responsibility for the supply of complete wheel assemblies and aftermarket spare parts for Husqvarna lawn tractors.
Maxam Tire is to exhibit a selection of its OTR radial and construction tyres at the upcoming CONEXPO exhibition, held in Las Vegas from 4-8 March 2014. CONEXPO proves that there is more to Las Vegas than gambling, as the show is one of the major events in the construction sector, with 2,400 exhibitors and […]
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