Dutch tyre manufacturing equipment maker VMI Group has announced plans to launch a new “Flexx” belt builder in February. According to the company, this technology offers the ability to produce OE quality belts for products up to UHP tyres in “a flexible and cost effective way.” VMI reports that one way it does this is by utilizing an extrusion process rather than calendaring.
The influence of non-premium brand tyre manufacturers and of non-European produced tyres has markedly increased in the wider European agricultural tyre market. Something else that the data suggests is that a degree of desegmentation has occurred because all this has been set against a series of financial crises in Europe and its respective national markets. Not only are there opportunities for those entering the right niche at the right time, it would seem that there are opportunities for those entering the market at a different position to the historically dominant players.
Recently Goodyear launched its FleetOnlineSolutions Mobile Technical Evaluation (FOS Mte) for OTR tyre into the Europe, Middle East and Africa region business area. The internet-based tyre management programme allows fleet inspection reports to be filed online at the time of each visit, quickly giving the customer information on the performance of each tyre in the fleet. It also provides relevant information in actual cost terms for greater transparency.
Eurotire sponsored the “TechGorMet-21 Century” Conference, which took place in St. Petersburg, Russia between 14-16 November 2012. The underlying theme for this conference was “New Technologies for Mineral Extraction and Processing Control”. Over 200 people from over 12 countries participated in this International Scientific and Practical Conference.
In the words of Nigel Hampson, Infinity Tyres’ head of business development, the high ratings Infinity truck tyres have earned for the European tyre label should help to eradicate “once and for all” some of the prejudices associated with Chinese-made tyres. Hampson shares that the brand’s truck range “has achieved a C, or higher, on braking over wet surfaces.” Out of Infinity’s 32 truck tyre models, the A01 and the F830 were classified with an ‘A’, and 20 models received a ‘B’, while the remaining 10 achieved a ‘C’. For Hampson, this “confirms the philosophy behind our road safety and wet road performance achievements.” For rolling resistance, nine Infinity models obtained a ‘D’, 22 got a ‘C’ and the INF F865 achieved a ‘B’.
These days, two major trends within the European retreading sector are making the use of shearography systems increasingly necessary. First, casings are becoming harder to source due to weakness in the new tyre market and the growth in new tyre manufacturers’ involvement in retreading; they strive to retain ‘their’ casings within their own systems. Second, the focus on quality amongst medium-sized retreaders is becoming ever more important – both customers and the business’s competitive environment demand this. In an interview with Tyres & Accessories, market leader Steinbichler challenges those retreaders who continue to believe they can’t afford investments of 100,000 euros or higher: “For each of our customers, an investment in shearography has been crowned with economic success.”
Kings Road Tyres (KRT) has launched a new corporate website, bringing together its full portfolio of brands online for the first time. kingsroadtyres.co.uk is designed to allow customers to identify hundreds of applications for the Truck and Bus, Agricultural, Industrial and Construction, Consumer, OTR and High Speed Crane, Pneumatic Industrial and Tubes and Flaps ranges stocked by KRT. It also provides dealers with access to KRT’s online stock enquiry and ordering system and a facility to lodge trade enquiries.
Kings Road Tyres (KRT) has announced that it will open its 2013 programme of trade show and exhibition appearances at the two-day LAMMA show in Newark, Nottingham, on 16 and 17 January.
The 11th International Mining and Machinery Exhibition (IMME) took place in Kolkata, India between 5 and 8 December. During the show Apollo Tyres launched the largest OTR tyre produced in the country, the XTRAX 40.00‐57.
US wholesaler Tire Group International has expanded its international sales team with the appointment of Luis Torres as the company’s new vice-president of international program sales. Torres, who has more than 25 years of experience within the tyre industry, joins TGI from the Alliance Tire Group, where he served as export sales manager. Prior to this he was director of export sales at Hercules Tires International. According to TGI, Torres boasts a vast amount of experience in all tyre segments, with particular emphasis on agricultural, industrial and OTR.
OTR tyre firm Eurotire has appointed Courtland Acosta as its business development manager in Mexico and Central America. The move reflects the company's commitment to expansion throughout Mexico and Central America, answering the region’s growing interest in Eurotire’s offerings. In his new role, Acosta will assist regional manager, Tom Sawyer, to further develop the business there and to support the future opening of a new sales office.
Italian truck manufacturer, Perlini Equipment SpA has delivered the first 14 of its 90 ton dump trucks fitted with Eurotire rubber from its manufacturing facility in Drobeta Turnu Severin, Romania to the Brazilian port of Santos. The partnership between the two companies is part of a joint program created to promote Eurotire products and Perlini machines. One of the largest steel makers in Latin America, Usiminas will use the trucks at its iron ore mining operations.
Chinese manufacturer Techking has announced that, after stringent testing, Terex Demag Germany has officially approved the Techking 445/95R25 (16.00R25) 174F ETGC tyre size for its all terrain mobile cranes.
Marangoni’s retreading machinery business, Marangoni Meccanica reports that the company has completed the acquisition of retreading equipment manufacturer TRM. According to the company, this development represents the achievement of its targets of the “rationalization and innovation” of its business although further details about exactly what this means have not been released.
Techking is highlighted the fact that its tyres were fitted to Sandvik equipment at the recent Minexpo show in Las Vegas, which ran from 23 – 26 September 2012. According to the company, Techking tires were mounted on the Sandvik original underground truck and were shown on the Sandvik booth at the event’s central hall.
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