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Michelin Receives Ferrari Technology Award

The ninth Podio Ferrari awards – the annual awards recognising Ferrari's global partners and suppliers, took place on July 14. In total five awards – Ferrari Technology, Ferrari Innovation, Italian Excellence and the President’s Award together with a Special Award for Sustainable Energy – were presented to companies that distinguished themselves for their technical and technological excellence, innovation and product development in partnership with Ferrari. The ceremony was attended by Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, CEO, Amedeo Felisa and the Scuderia Ferrari drivers, Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella.

22nd July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

BKT Continues Off-Highway Market Growth

In the off-highway tyre sector, Balkrishna Industries Limited – better known as BKT – is going from strength to strength. When Tyres & Accessories met with senior BKT management at the Reifen 2010 show, we learned the Indian manufacturer holds the ambition of attaining segment leadership within five years and a ten per cent market share. And as the top men at BKT outlined, this goal is no idle dream.

8th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Releases HTS Straddle

Nokian Tyres has released a new tyre for straddle carriers. This new radial tyre, the HTS Straddle, is designed for work in harbours and goods terminals and combines, says Nokian, the high load-bearing capacity desired by operators with excellent driving comfort appreciated by drivers.

5th July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Alliance ‘Well Placed’ for Global Growth

Between establishing a new factory in India and acquiring assets from GPX in North America, the Alliance Tire Group (ATG) has been busy in the last couple of years. And in terms of new products, this momentum is continuing. At the Reifen 2010 show Tyres & Accessories learned the company originally intended to bring along all the new tyres it’d released in the previous four months. “But then we realised there’d would have been no space on our stand for anything but tyres,” said an Alliance representative. “Our range is growing very fast.”

2nd July 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Dinex Achieves A/S TS-certification

Dinex A/S, the exhaust manufacturer, has completed implementation of the Quality Management System ISO/TS 16949 and has achieved the certification. This latest announcement, made at the end of April, follows the news in June last year that the Dinex Group’s fifth production facility, Dinex Latvia, achieved the ISO 9001:2008 certification.

19th May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Gears Up for Centenary Celebrations

As part of its centenary celebrations, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has commissioned the publication of a new book and commemorative film that tell the story of the company’s past and present and outline its future direction. Both will be launched at a gala event held to coincide with the opening of the Farnborough International Air Show on July 19. The evening event at the Wapping Project is anticipated to bring together many of the company’s customers, suppliers and senior figures from the aviation sector.

13th May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

New Technical Centre Staff to Boost Cooper Innovation

An increased pace of new product development has prompted Cooper Tire & Rubber to increase staff levels at its three technical centres. During 2010 a total of approximately 40 new employees will come on board, including several at the company’s European Technical Centre in Melksham. Cooper states that 25 engineers and scientists will also begin work at its North America Technical Center in Ohio and 13 at its Asian Technical Center in Shanghai.

11th May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Brickhill: Tyre Labelling to Facilitate Tyre Value Conversation

Legislation, UK News

his last public engagement before completing his transfer to Brussels. Goodyear Dunlop’s new vice president of the company’s EU Consumer Business Unit talked at length on a wide range of subjects including what he sees as “the cornerstone of our branding strategy”; his thoughts on the newly launched Dunlop High Performance Centre and the rest of the company’s retail involvement; Dunlop and HiQ’s roles in the BTCC and his experiences with the company over his time in the UK hotseat. Here, tyrepress.com presents Brickhill’s thoughts on his new role in the company’s EMEA division and his views on tyre labelling. The whole interview will be printed in the May edition of Tyres & Accessories Magazine.

6th May 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Releases Porsche Cayenne Specialist Tyres

Michelin has launched three new ranges of tyres designed and homologated to fit the new Porsche Cayenne. While Michelin’s continuing branding and product development pursuit of ecological savings seems to chime oddly with the SUV, Porsche’s latest strategy, which it calls “Porsche Intelligent Performance”, involves manufacturing vehicles that deliver enhanced performance while also consuming less fuel and are therefore more efficient and less polluting. This strategy, the French giant explains, “corresponds perfectly with Michelin’s strategy of designing and producing tyres that provide the most balanced performance.” Michelin says its tyres, “especially those that will be fitted on the new Porsche Cayenne, are designed for superior performance in terms of safety-enhancing grip as well as fuel-efficiency and total mileage”.

29th April 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Prototype Nokian Tyre Demonstrates Positive Rolling Resistance Qualities

A prototype summer tyre developed by Nokian Tyres is said to have demonstrated 64 per cent superior rolling resistance against a premium ‘eco’ tyre in testing conducted by the Finnish tyre maker. In a test held on March 9, a Toyota Prius was fitted with the prototype tyres and also with Michelin Energy Saver tyres (both the same dimensions and pressure) and rolled down a ramp in neutral gear in windless conditions. As Nokian explains, the distance the car rolled corresponds directly with the tyres’ rolling resistance – the further the car rolls, the lower the rolling resistance. Nokian reports that the car managed to roll 129 metres when fitted with its prototype tyre, while it stopped after 78.9 metres when fitted with Energy Saver tyres.

25th March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti: High Performance Segment Offers Attractive Growth Opportunities

Despite the continuing automotive industry downturn, Continental says it sees attractive opportunities in the high performance tyre market segment. Continental AG board member and head of the company’s Car Tyre Division, Nikolai Setzer, says new technologies and investment in research and development will aid Conti’s growth in this particular market. He also believes the company can boost its replacement market business through further success with OEM customers.

8th March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Shandong Linglong to Invest $200 million in China Proving Ground

Shandong Linglong Tyre Co., Ltd., the third largest tyre manufacturer in China and approximately number 16 in the world, has announced plans to invest $200 million in the construction of a “world class” proving ground in China. Company president Mr Wang Feng told Tyres & Accessories the investment will be spread over four years and will take the form of a three phase plan, beginning with passenger car tyre testing facilities when the proposed proving ground opens in 2012, and expanding to include truck and OTR testing facilities by the time it is completed in 2016. Currently the company is in the process of getting the necessary government approvals for its proposed plot of land, but Mr Wang said the company plans to be in a position to announce the further details at the end of the first half of this year. And the new facility will be a “First class proving ground in terms of size and quality,”he explained. Considering the relatively low cost of land in China, company representatives highlighted the fact that money it plans to invest in the new site will go a long way. Linglong's proposed investment equates to roughly 10 per cent of a year's turnover ($1.79 billion in 2009; over $2 billion expected in 2010) spread over four years.

8th March 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Kramer Elected Goodyear CEO & President

On April 13 Richard J. Kramer will slide into the pilot’s seat at Goodyear and take the controls from Robert J. Keegan. The company’s Board of Directors announced Kramer’s upcoming appointment as Goodyear Tire & Rubber chief executive officer and president on February 24, and further stated his election to the board. Keegan, who has served as CEO and president since 2003, will remain executive chairman of the board.

24th February 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Aldo Pagliari to Take Over as Snap-on CFO

In the US, toolmaker Snap-on Incorporated has announced that Martin M. Ellen, senior vice president – finance and chief financial officer, has left Snap-on to become executive vice president and chief financial officer of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. To allow for an appropriate transition, Ellen will remain as Snap-on’s chief financial officer until 31 March 2010. Effective the same date, Aldo J. Pagliari, currently president – Snap-on Equipment, and formerly group controller/director of finance for the Snap-on Commercial and Industrial Group, will succeed Ellen as Snap-on’s senior vice president – finance and chief financial officer.

17th February 2010/by Tyrepress Editors

Momentive Takes Over Conti R&D Facility

The purchase of a number of assets and sublease of laboratory space from Continental Tire North America has enabled Momentive Performance Materials USA to set up a 2,000 square metre tyre research and development laboratory. The Charlotte, North Carolina site is said to offer state-of-the-art capabilities and will help Momentive provide faster innovation for customers in the tyre and rubber industry while helping the company reduce new product development cycle times. Momentive has also employed five ex-Conti R&D personnel to work at the facility.

27th January 2010/by Tyrepress Editors