Product Development
Schrader has announced an investment of £56 million-plus, creating 241 new jobs at its Carrickfergus and Antrim TPMS facilities. The major investment will see the company expand its production facilities over the next three years. It is also undertaking five research and development projects, and a major staff training programme to equip its engineers with the latest design and production techniques.
Pirelli has launched the Cinturato P1 Plus tyre in the US. A summer ultra high-performance tyre aimed at luxury, mid, full-size and sport cars, the Cinturato P1 continues Pirelli’s successful “Plus” strategy derived from original equipment product development. However, according to the company, the Cinturato P1 Plus is dedicated to the aftermarket and includes an increased emphasis on treadwear.
A lot has been said about the tough year in our market during 2013 and the reasons for this, but despite such talk many larger wholesalers managed not just to turn a profit, but to enjoy a very good year. Deldo Autobanden N.V. was one such company; sales and organisation director Tom Van Dyck tells Tyres & Accessories that while the Belgian wholesaler’s results last year weren’t on the level experienced between 2010 and 2012, they were still the fourth or fifth best in the company’s 40 year history.
Cooper Tire has released its 2013 third quarter financial report, carrying with it the scars of the failed Apollo Tyre deal and the linked issues with the Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Company (CCT) joint venture. Cooper could not report before now as a result of unrest and lack of cooperation at CCT’s Rongcheng facility in reaction to Apollo’s attempted acquisition. The company said that it will produce Q4 and full 2013 financial reports later in March.
Sailun’s Vietnam factory, its first manufacturing facility outside China, is now fully online having opened officially opened on 30 November. The factory is currently expected to supply 7.8 million tyres annually to the Middle East, South East Asia and South America, employing 850 people.
Aviation tyre manufacturer Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Limited has distanced itself from Goodyear Dunlop’s decision to end motorsport tyre production in the UK later this year. In a short statement, the company points out that it is “in no way connected to Goodyear Dunlop” and clarifies that “there are no changes to the operation of Dunlop Aircraft Tyres.
Schrader International, the leading global manufacturer of sensing and valve solutions, was presented with Frost & Sullivan’s 2013 North American Price Performance Value Leadership Award in Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) in early February. Frost & Sullivan recognized Schrader as the best-in-class leader for the design and manufacturing of valve and sensing technologies for TPMS, in both the original equipment and aftermarket channel
Nokian Tyres reports the use of ‘military-grade materials’ in its latest winter SUV tyre; by this it means aramid, which is present in the sidewall and provides the Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV additional protection against impact damage. The new tyre also utilises what the tyre maker says is the “most modern stud technology in the business”; Nokian says the end result is a tyre that offers “maximum peace of mind to drivers who can now completely enjoy the performance of their sports utility vehicles.” The Hakkapeliitta 8 SUV is designed for larger 4×4 and SUV vehicles.
Continental Tire the Americas has thanked “everyone who came from near and far and braved the weather” to attend the opening of its Sumter factory in South Carolina. Despite the arrival of an Arctic cold front, on 28 January several hundred guests, including Germany’s Ambassador to the US and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, attended the facility’s official inauguration.
Pirelli has released the first details of its Formula One tyre line-up for 2014 ahead of the first winter test in Jerez. The supplier will bring new tyres designed to operate with the wide range of regulations brought in for the 2014 season, which Pirelli describes as a “technical revolution”. Headlined by the presence of […]
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has appointed Stephen Ray as its new financial director. He replaces Oliver Burns who worked at the company for six years. Before moving to Dunlop, Stephen Ray spent 13 years at LINPAC Group, a producer of plastic packaging for the retail, catering, manufacturing, packing and food sectors.
At its recent annual conference, Maxxis International and UK distribution partner Stapleton’s (Tyre Services) Ltd announced the appointment of Alan Littlewood to the position of Maxxis brand manager. Maxxis International says Littlewood has taken on the role to help strengthen the Maxxis brand throughout the UK and to further develop the partnership between Maxxis, Stapleton’s and the Maxxis Key Dealer network.
While the North American tyre market struggled to create demand for additional volume in 2013, Bill Sweatman, president of Marangoni Tread North America, announced the company managed to achieve a 70,000 unit sales increase for the year. “Growing faster than the market is a key indicator that we continue to collectively provide our customers with best-in-class products, service, support and the best network of independent dealers in the industry,” he said.
Exclusive tyre supplier to Formula One, Pirelli has issued a response to a deleted tweet by the Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg following a high-speed tyre failure in Bahrain. The manufacturer explained that there were “a number of prototypes, which were completely innovative in terms of structure and compounds” as part of its development plans for the 2014 tyre range.
KYB Corporation reports that it has been working closely with Nissan Motor Co. Ltd with a view to developing a world-leading direct adaptive steering system. KYB will supply the electronic control unit (ECU), gear assembly and reaction motor for the new system, which is fitted to the Skyline as the first vehicle in the world to go into production with this new technology fitted.
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