Innovation award for Nankang Eco-2
Nankang’s Eco-2 tyre was awarded a 2013 AMPA Innovation Award at the Taipei International Auto Parts & Accessories Show for “achieving increased fuel savings with excellent grip.”
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Continental 3G coach tyre launch signals increased CV specialisation
The link between Continental’s sponsorship of top level footballing events such as the UEFA Champions League and Euro 2012 and its tyre business was made explicit during the latter of these events. In Poland Coaches for players and fans were fitted with Conti’s HSR2 tyre and a specially modified HSU1 respectively by the Conti360⁰ network. Public transportation and its role in Europe remained high on Conti’s agenda moving into 2013 as the manufacturer introduced the first commercial vehicle tyres of its “third generation”: a three product speciality coach tyre line-up. Once again, Conti chose to introduce these products alongside its football sponsorship at St George’s Park in rural Staffordshire, the English Football Association’s new training and development site of which Conti is an official supporter, its branding displayed in various places around the impressive state of the art facility.
Johnson Controls unveils new VARTA brand identity
On 17 January battery specialist Johnson Controls unveiled a revitalisation of the Varta battery brand with a new logo, a new slogan, new product design and a completely revised online presence. The new look is being rolled out as part of the Europe-wide campaign with the aid of the “It all starts with Varta” strapline.
Innovators acknowledged at Tire Tech awards
At the 13th annual Tire Technology Expo awards, held last night in Cologne, Apollo Tyres was honoured as Tire Manufacturer of the Year. Shortlisted alongside Bridgestone, Continental and Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Apollo was selected for the award in recognition of the brand’s continued expansion in the European market, growth underpinned by the launch of key products such as its first high performance summer tyre for Europe, the Aspire 4G, and the inauguration of a new technical centre in Enschede, The Netherlands, a site that has taken on global responsibility for passenger car tyre research and development. Announcing Apollo’s selection as Tire Manufacturer of the year, Tire Technology International noted the company’s “impressive” financial growth; in 2011-12, Apollo’s revenue exceeded US$2.5 billion for the first time.
Yulex, Versalis to produce guayule rubber in Southern Europe
Italian elastomer firm Versalis and guayule biomass specialist Yulex Corporation have announced the formation of a strategic partnership to manufacture guayule-based biorubber materials. Within the partnership, the companies will launch an industrial-scale production complex in Southern Europe.
ATS Euromaster extends Royal Warrant
ATS Euromaster will continue to service The Queen’s tyres, having been granted an extension to 2018 of its current Royal Warrant. The agreement was recently reviewed by the Royal Household Warrants Committee and the approval was granted again as a result of the quality of ATS-E’s servicing standards and expertise, as well as the company’s social responsibility. Evidencing this, the Birmingham based company says it provided details of the work it has undertaken to reduce its impact on the environment, and its corporate social responsibility efforts.
MWSD’s Ellis presents CV wheel safety issue to Euro Parliament
Managing director of Motor Wheel Service Distribution, John Ellis has presented expert testimony to the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) during last week’s (22 January) public hearing into the Roadworthiness Package. Acting in his capacity as director of the Northwest Automotive Alliance (NAA), Ellis presented an introduction and background to the issue, then called for five measures, most prominently the light regulation of the supply chain to enforce existing standards and improved inspection procedures across all EU member states. Ellis, who has pursued the issues confronting the safety of commercial vehicle wheels in the UK over the last few years, said his proposed changes would make for a “far safer” commercial vehicle sector without burdening CV operators with additional costs.
Conti investing in US truck tyre production
Another expansion of Continental’s Mount Vernon, USA plant will commence in order to meet growing North American demand for commercial vehicle tyres. Continental Tire the Americas will invest US$129 million in the plant, with $95 million of the funds going towards expanding CV tyre production, including wide-base truck tyres. The expansion of the Mount Vernon plant’s commercial vehicle production is expected to be complete in mid-2015 and will increase truck tyre capacity to more than three million units per annum. At least 80 new jobs will be created.
Toyo finishes 2013 Dakar with 6 stage wins, 13 podiums
Toyo Tires racers won six stages and 13 podiums during the 2013 Dakar. Team Toyo’s Robby Gordon finished the Rally strongly, winning Stages 11 and 13 while two past Dakar champions, Carlos Sainz and Nasser Al-Attiyah, used the Toyo Open Country M/T-R to win Stage One and Stages Three, Four and Six respectively. Sainz drove the American-built #303 Team Qatar Red Bull buggy, Al-Attiyah the #300 Team Qatar Red Bull buggy, while Gordon competed in the Toyo-supported #315 Speed Energy/Toyo Tires/Mapei Hummer.
Fulda Challenge: An extreme test for athletes – and tyres
Upon arriving in Canada’s Yukon Territory for the 2013 Fulda Challenge, veterans of last year’s event scoffed at the mild weather awaiting them. For goodness sake, the thermometer gave a reading of only minus 20°C – a walk in the park in comparison to 2012, when the mercury sank to a numbing minus 46°C. Yet over the coming days these thoughts were banished as heavy snowfalls delivered driving conditions more challenging than any seen during the Challenge’s 14-year history. In the end, the 2013 Fulda Challenge proved to be not just a test of athletic mettle, rather also a showcase of the conditions in which Fulda winter tyres come into their own.
Al Dobowi expanding European team
Al Dobowi representatives recently shared details of the company’s plans to expand its European commercial team. During the opening months of 2013, Al Dobowi plans to strengthen customer-facing areas at its European head office in London through the appointment of new personnel with particular focus on sales, marketing and customer service.
Conti predicts 1 billion euro free cash flow, EU-bottom out soon
Continental AG expects its full-year 2012 free cash flow to come in at around 1 billion euros. Speaking at an investor’s presentation in New York, Conti CEO Dr Elmar Degenhart upped its previous assessment of about 750 million euros by a third. The statement came as a surprise to financial analysts and apparently even for the CEO himself, who reportedly only found out in the last few hours.
Trelleborg gets “A” grade from AGCO Fendt
Trelleborg recently received the highest rating – an ‘A’ – in AGCO Fendt’s supplier evaluation for 2012. The assessment scored Trelleborg’s overall performance on quality, service, logistics and environmental commitment.
Team Austria takes first place in 2013 Fulda Challenge
After a week on the road, travelling some 1,000 miles to the Arctic Circle, the 2013 Fulda Challenge has ended with Team Austria at the top of the table. The Austrian team, made up of Renate Reingruber and Andreas Leiter, secured overall top points in the ten events in this year's Challenge. Reingruber and Leiter also respectively secured the number once place on the female and male athletes' tables.
Goodyear shows Coach products at Mira product innovation event
Goodyear launched its line of specialist coach tyres at an event hosted by Mira in the Autumn of 2012, and designed to present the brand’s commercial vehicle tyre activities over the course of the year. In addition to providing a look at the Marathon Coach and the Ultra Grip Coach winter tyre, Adam Stanton, commercial marketing manager, Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK, showed the benefits of specialist winter products on other commercial vehicles, advising fleet managers to “look beyond the label” when selecting seasonal products. The company also announced its distribution partnership with Zafety Lug Locks, a Canadian innovation developed to prevent wheel loss accidents. Zafety Lug Locks secure adjacent wheel nuts to each other, creating resistance between two wheel nuts to minimise their ability to rotate and reduce the risk of wheel loss. The product is offered as part of a bespoke fleet proposal to customers of TruckForce.
