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More than 66 people have been injured in a huge motorway pile-up on the A2 between Hanover and Peine in Germany. According to Reuters reports, 259 cars were involved in the huge accident. 10 people are reportedly fighting for their lives. Police said the pile-up was believed to have been caused by a combination of heavy rain and excessive speed.
MIRA, the leading automotive design, development and certification consultancy, has chosen a Hofmann geodyna 6900p wheel balancer for its vehicle dynamics laboratory. The geodyna 6900p wheel balancer features a number of patented innovations, including virtual plane measurement to ensure accurate balance results that are insensitive to ambient conditions such as temperature, humidity, fatigue and overload. In addition, it also includes a so-called “WeightMiser” function which allows removal of sufficient vibration from a tyre and wheel by applying a lower amount of weight than a normal balance function recommends, thereby reducing the amount of costly balance weights required.
Following a contract extension between Goodyear and the United Steelworkers union, Michelin North America has also agreed with the USW to an extension of the labour agreement with company employees. The two parties, currently in negations over a new master agreement, have given their consent to a four-week extension, which expires on August 15.
The Corvette has been ‘king of the hill’ in the American performance car word for more than half a century, and the latest incarnation of the fibreglass bodied Chevrolet comes with a range of engine options delivering up to 638hp. A car so well endowed in the motor department obviously needs a tyre up to the job, and Michelin now has a product for the entire model range. The manufacturer has announced that its Pilot Sport PS2 ZP (zero pressure), already supplied for the Corvette C5, C6, and ZR1 models, will as of August 1 become available on the Corvette C6 Z06. The addition of tyre sizes for the C6 Z06, says Michelin, completes the transformation of its UHP portfolio that began in December 2007 with Michelin’s very first original equipment fitment for the Corvette ZR1.
Several hundred employees from Continental AG’s Clairoix facility in France assembled outside a courthouse on July 17 during the appearance of seven of their colleagues. The seven workers were answering charges related to property damage at a regional government office in April. If found guilty, the accused face up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to 75,000 euros.
The seven are accused of stormed the office in April following the Clairoix factory’s announced closure. Furniture and computers were thrown from windows and files were removed from cabinets and strewn about. Authorities estimate that around 40,000 euros worth of damage occurred.
Double Coin Holdings Ltd. announced on July 17 the intention to sell its 28.5 per cent shares in Shanghai Michelin Warrior Tire Co. Ltd (SMWT); the company says it believes this transaction is in the best interest of SMWT’s shareholders. The share sale will follow the applicable process and rules that apply under Chinese laws and regulations. At the same time a second shareholder, Shanghai Minhang United Development Co., Ltd, will also sell its 1.5 per cent share.
Michelin claims another industry first with the launch of its accredited earthmover tyre repairs programme, which is designed to raise the standard of repairs and ensure increased safety, performance and value for operators. Launched in partnership with Rema Tip-Top, this UK initiative has been developed by Michelin as a worldwide pilot ahead of its possible introduction in other countries.
“There are national standards in place for the repair of road tyres but currently no legislation which sets a standard for off-road tyre repairs,” explained Chris Logan, commercial director of Michelin Earthmover and Industrial Operations.
Goodyear has announced that it is to close its Philippines tyre plant, cutting 83 per cent of its staff within the country in the process, reports The Wall Street Journal. The reduced demand and the high costs of running the facility mean that the Las Pinas plants products “are not competitive in the marketplace,” according to Pierre Cohade, Goodyear Asia-Pacific regional president.
The closure will happen at the end of the current quarter, with 500 out of the 600 Philippines workers laid off. According to reports, the company’s sales and marketing departments will remain unaffected. As previously noted on Tyrepress.com, Goodyear plans to cut much of its worldwide capacity over the next two years, and this latest closure will account for 2 million of the 15 million units of annual production due to be shed. The Wall Street Journal report concludes that Goodyear will record approximately $20 million in charges as a consequence of the closure.
A survey involving 14,500 AA members has indicated that the most irritating habit of road users is that of tailgating. 36 per cent of the sample group told Populus, in conjunction with the AA, that “close following” was the worst of the idiotic pieces of driving seen on Britain’s roads. The survey heralds the arrival of the latest drive to improve the standard of driving in the UK, the Autocar/AA Drive Better Campaign.
The AA’s president told Autocar that tailgating was also a very dangerous bad habit: “Survey respondents were spot on to highlight their irritation with tailgaters. Data reveals that leaving pure human error aside tailgaters fall just behind ‘loss of control’ as the major cause of crashes. It’s a problem not only on motorways but also on dual carriageways, country lanes and in road works. Some tailgate to bully drivers out of the way, others because they just don’t think of the potentially tragic consequences of their actions.”
Nitto Tire U.S.A. has added six new sizes for its luxury-touring tyre, the NT850 Premium. Among the new sizes, Nitto said, are OE replacement sizes for popular sedans, including the Acura TL, BMW 3-Series, Ford Fusion and Infiniti G35.
Sold exclusively through American Tire Distributors, the NT850 is backed by a national marketing campaign that includes in-store displays, print and online advertisements, and a newly launched website – www.NT850.com.
The six new sizes – all extra load – include 205/55R16 94V, 235/50R17 100V, 225/45ZR18 95W, 225/60R18 104V, 235/50ZR18 101W and 245/45ZR18 100W. All of the new sizes have a UTQG of 500AAA, and are backed by a 30-day consumer satisfaction guarantee and a 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty. (Tire Review/Akron)
Falken Tire Corp. has promoted Ron Papcun to vice president of operations. Papcun joined Falken Tire in October 2002 as director of operations, and will now be responsible for managing the company’s distribution centers, logistics, facilities management, customer service and supply chain functions. (Tire Review/Akron)
From today, motorists can be confident of receiving fair and honest services from the automotive sector, says Motor Codes Limited. Announcing the launch of its new comprehensive website www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk and the addition of another Code to bolster its armoury of consumer protection, Motor Codes Limited aims at providing a robust method of delivering ever-increasingly high levels of customer service to motorists.
The website, which is now the central source of advice and information for motorists who need help and advice on a whole range of subjects – not just Codes of Practice – is supplemented by a freephone advice line 0800 692 0825 for when the motorist needs to talk to the experts.
The Ontario government has reportedly announced rebates of up to $10,000 to people who buy plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles after 1 July 2010. Premier Dalton McGuinty said his government aims to have one out of every 20 vehicles driven in Ontario electrically powered by 2020. The size of the rebate will depend on the vehicle’s battery capacity.
Local news sources quote automotive analyst Dennis DesRosiers said the incentive plan isn’t well thought through: “The fact they are offering such a high upfront incentive is an admission that there is high risk for this technology,” Mr. DesRosiers said. “Years before the vehicles are available they’re putting a bribe of $10,000 in the market place and the only reason they do that is because they anticipate they aren’t going to sell.” DesRosiers said the government would have been further ahead if it followed the lead of the U.S., which has invested $25-billion in a fund to promote electric battery technology. (Tire Review/Akron)
According to the Khaleej Times, the use tyre market is alive and kicking in some parts of Abu Dhabi. Healthy demand exists for larger size commercial vehicle tyres, with examples changing hands from between Dh 200 and 700. However the country’s authorities are increasingly voicing their concern over the practice of fitting used tyres to vehicles: According to Colonel Hamad Adeel Al Shamsi, director of the Abu Dhabi Police’s Department of Traffic and Patrols, used tyres were responsible for the death of 13 persons and severe injuries of 16 persons last year. For this reason the department has intensified its inspection of substandard and worn out tyres and launched campaigns to educate motorists about the importance of safety of tyres.
ATS Euromaster opened a new “flagship fast-fit centre” in Huddersfield Street, Galashiels, following investment of more than £800,000. The new centre, which opened in May, is located 200 yards from the previous site, which is being demolished to make way for the A7 trunk road extension.
Situated directly opposite the Gala Water Retail Park, the new facility boasts five vehicle work bays, including one dedicated to commercial vehicles, and is equipped to provide a complete range of fast-fit services for motorists including tyres, brakes, batteries, shock absorbers, exhausts and oil. Open six days a week, it is manned by a team of six highly skilled technicians.
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