OTR Tyres is hoping to offer customers a chance to preserve the scarce supply of earthmover tyres by including a new tyre data capture system into its tyre management system, TotalTyreLogic. The company says that the new addition makes it the world’s first commercially available, fully electronic, inspection and tyre management system.
In Canada, Michelin says it is placing an emphasis on employing Nova Scotians of African origin. According to Nova Scotia based newspaper The News, the manufacturer made this pledge on November 24 in partnership with the African Nova Scotian Partnership network and the provincial government. As part of the agreement, Michelin will share information on its hiring process with African Nova Scotian career centres across the province, where job opportunities are posted.
The final round of this year’s FIA GT Championship, which took place on the new Argentine circuit near Mendoza, saw a victory from the PZero Racing-equipped Saleen S-7R from Longin-Kumpen (PeKa Racing). This triumph compensated the Belgian squad for the bad luck they endured earlier in the season, and highlighted the partnership between the American supercar and Pirelli tyres: a combination that has, comments Pirelli, been winning since 2004.
AF Blakemore and Son Ltd has decided to switch tyre suppliers to Pirelli Truck Tyres. Blakemore’s Wholesale, Food Service and Spar Distribution Divisions currently deliver to over 5,255 outlets with a fleet of 350 vehicles ranging from 3.5 to 44 tonnes.
TandN Products has unveiled a NASCAR approved “Saf to GO” lug nut that tells fitters when the nut is snug to the wheel by indicating when two full threads are exposed out of the top. Developed by a NASCAR winning crew chief in partnership with a high-tech racing component manufacturer, the new product is designed to be used with any hub using 5/8-18 conventional racing piloted wheel studs. When threaded onto a stud, a coloured plastic ring on the end of the nut is shattered as the threaded portion of the stud pushes up on the ring. Thus exposing the contrasting colour of the nut, and indicating the nut is safely snug to the wheel and has two full threads exposed. These Teflon coated lug nuts are manufactured with 4140 steel, and heat-treated to keep from rounding. The technology is said to have a patent pending.
Lombard Vehicle Management has extended its long-standing business partnership with Kwik-Fit Fleet through to the end of 2009. The new agreement sees Kwik-Fit Fleet supply a range of fast-fit services through its 675-strong nationwide network of centres and 200-strong mobile operation to Lombard, which manages a fleet of more than 115,000 cars and light commercial vehicles.
A handful of employees from Goodyear Dunlop togged up in their warmest and braved the winter chill to help brighten their local landscape. Eight employees planted over 130 hedges and trees in partnership with British Waterways, creating a tranquil orchard in the midlands. The tyre maker reports the area in Wombourne, Staffordshire, has been transformed from muddy disused land to an oasis of calm for local residents and visitors to enjoy.
“Last year members of the HR team helped to improve the environment for wildlife at our local canal system as part of our commitment to helping our local community,” said Darren Green, Heath, Safety and Environment manager at Goodyear Dunlop. “It proved to be such a good team building exercise that we are back again, and this time planting trees. The hard work was well worth the effort when we think of all the people who will benefit from this new woodland which we are sure will be enjoyed for years to come.”
On the evening of November 7 Turkish tyre manufacturer Brisa commemorated its 20th anniversary. The company was established through a partnership between Sabanci Holding and Bridgestone in 1988, and senior management from both firms were in attendance at the Four Season Hotel in Istanbul to mark the occasion with a gala dinner.
The Sabanci Holding and Brisa management team, along with Bridgestone Corporation executives hosted a wide range of guest, including representatives from the business world, Brisa’s business partners, company employees and members of the press. Ms Güler Sabanci, chairman of Sabanci Holding, Mr. Shoshi Arakawa, Bridgestone president and CEO and Mr. Bülent Savaş, president of Brisa, shared the history of their partnership and the various successes the 20 years together have yielded.
When they’ve finished doing service on your car, that set of old tyres removed by the local garage or fast fit can now potentially return and see further life on your feet. Footwear manufacturer Timberland has teamed up with Green Rubber to launch two new collections featuring outsoles made using recycled rubber from discarded tyres. These outsoles will contain a 50/50 blend of Green Rubber compound and virgin rubber compound, the blend of the two materials necessary in order to maintain the durability and performance characteristics Timberland footwear is known for.
Pirelli may gain global recognition through its artistic and iconic calendar, but Goodyear has the blimp – and a 58 metre long airship floating in the sky is a spectacular way for the tyre major to promote its brand. The company has operated blimps since 1925 and currently has three in service. One of these airships, the Spirit of Goodyear, recently became the first Goodyear blimp to meet another illustrious American icon – the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
ATS Euromaster has gained the Lloyds TSB Autolease tyre supplier contract, the UK’s second largest hire fleet in the car and van sector. The new three year agreement sees Lloyds TSB Autolease adopt a completely new tyre policy with Michelin tyres being fitted as replacements across its fleet. These will be fitted predominantly through ATS Euromaster’s nationwide network of 470 service centres and fleet of mobile service vehicles, which can be booked to fit tyres at a customer’s home or place of work.
Steve Phillips, Deputy Operations Director at Lloyds TSB Autolease, says: “What came out very clearly through the tendering process was ATS Euromaster and Michelin’s willingness to work in partnership with us to deliver a quality service that really adds value to our customers.
The number of rogue drivers on Britain’s roads has dropped significantly, the results of a joint police and Government operation, released by the Department for Transport, indicate. Compared with a similar operation in 2006, fewer motorists were found to be driving without a valid licence, insurance or MOT. Operation V79, carried out by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and its Scottish counterpart ACPOS in partnership with the Department for Transport, showed that:
* The level of unlicensed drivers stopped fell by half over two years – to 0.8 per cent from 1.6 per cent in 2006
* The level of uninsured drivers stopped fell to 1.2 per cent from 1.9 per cent in 2006
* The level of vehicles stopped which required but were without a current MOT fell to 1.5 per cent from 4.2 per cent in 2006
* The level of drivers stopped without valid vehicle tax fell to 1 per cent from 2 per cent in 2006
* The level of drivers committing a serious offence, such as no insurance, or driving whilst disqualified, fell to 3.4 per cent from 7.5 per cent in 2006 while the number committing any of the offences looked for – which included failing to notify change of vehicle ownership, illegal vehicle number plates – fell to 11.1 per cent from 21 per cent in 2006.
At the end of October Watts Tyre Group announced that it has entered a partnership with the world’s leading manufacturer of off-highway wheels, GKN Wheels FAD, part of the off highway division of GKN plc. The agreement will see Watts service the agricultural and construction equipment aftermarkets in the UK and Ireland. As a result of the deal Watts will distribute GKN Wheels FAD’s range of agricultural wheels for vehicles such as trailers and tractors as standalone units to the market in general and as fitted tyre and wheel assemblies to OEM’s in the agricultural and construction sectors.
Rhodia and Dow Corning Corporation have announced an agreement for the development and commercialisation of new silica/silane products to support the tyre industry’s drive for energy efficient, safer motoring.
This agreement aims to develop and commercialise innovative silica/silane combinations, principally for the tyre industry where the association of precipitated silica and silane is used in low-energy tyres to help reduce the rolling resistance and hence the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The silane is the component which enhances the interaction between polymer and silica.
Premier Distribution Partnership (PDP) has announced the launch of a unique E-Learning programme to the UK garage trade. The E-learning programme is a CD based comprehensive diagnostics training programme and is a development of the PDP’s Diagnostic Support Programme, a series of on site training courses lead by Frank Massey, which was launched in January 2008.
Tony Parr, PDP Chairman and Managing Director of PDP member BMS explained “The original Diagnostic support programme was launched in January 2008, to tremendous trade support and with over 2000 attendees at the regional launch evenings. The E-Learning programme now takes this one step further and is a full diagnostics training programme in DVD format, which allows mechanics to update their knowledge of the latest diagnostic techniques without having to leave their busy workshops, resulting in no unnecessary travelling, loss of income, or time away from the business. Frank Massey passes on his knowledge and skills built up over 38 years of running his own highly successful repair workshop, in an easy to understand and follow format, at a pace and time the viewer controls.”
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