Product News Archives - Page 242 of 260

Malaysian Retreading Association Increases Prices

The Tyre Retreading Manufacturers’ Association of Malaysia has announced the second price rise this year for retreaded tyres. This latest round of increases takes effect on July 1 and will see prices go up by between 5 and 18 per cent.

According to a June 12 report in the country’s China Press newspaper, service charges at retail tyre outlets will also increase by 20 per cent. Quoting a spokesman for the retreading association, the daily reported that manufacturers are finding it hard to cope with current conditions. “Initially the association wanted to increase the price of tyres by 25 per cent. But fearing a backlash from consumers, we decided to raise it to between 5 per cent and 18 per cent.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Adds 8 Sizes to Summer Performance Tyre Range

Product News

Marangoni has added eight new sizes to its 2008 UHP range, four in the Verso line-up and four in the Mythos line. The new offerings in this segment confirm, states the Italian manufacturer, its increasing specialisation in high and ultra-high performance tyres.

The Verso line has been extended with four new sizes for premium mid and larger-sized vehicles such as the Audi A4, Alfa Romeo 159, Mercedes C Class and Saab 9-3, as well as for MPVs such as the Fiat Ulysse and the Renault Espace. The new sizes are, 205/60 and 215/60 for 16-inch rims and 215/50 and 225/50 for 17-inch rims. The Verso 2008 range now includes the following sizes:

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Introduces Eco-Friendly Tyres at Essen

Product News

Amongst the 30 products Kumho displayed at the Reifen Essen show was the company’s new eco-friendly tyre, the Solus KH19. This flagship environmental product is based on proprietary technologies including KADAS (tyre structure simulation technology), ESCOT (tyre contour optimisation technology) and TTIA (tyre-terrain interaction analysis). The Solus KH19 boasts a 35 per cent improvement in rolling resistance and a six per cent decrease in CO2 emissions. Its construction is of eco-friendly materials, including low PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) oils and non-petroleum fillers, and a tread pattern that Kumho refers to as ‘nature based’. This pattern, says the South Korean manufacturer, is not only intended only to reinforce the tyre’s green image; it also provides a smoother ride. The Solus KH19 will be available from this autumn.

“This is a milestone year for Kumho as we strengthen our focus on making ‘greener’ products,” said Sae-chul Oh, CEO and president of Kumho Tires. “These new tyres improve fuel efficiency, lower CO2 emissions and run more quietly. We have also re-engineered our manufacturing process to make it more environmentally friendly. Kumho has taken this leading role in environmental issues because it allows us to provide tangible benefits to our customers, while simultaneously helping the planet.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Micheldever Introduces Discount for Senior Customers

Product News

As the cost of running a car continues to spiral upwards, Micheldever Tyre & Auto Services in Hampshire is offering a helping hand for the over 60’s through a special 5 per cent discount on tyres and a variety of other crucial replacement car components. The money saving offer is available to anyone over 60 years of age each Thursday, and includes tyres, exhausts, wheel alignment, brakes and suspension components.

Research by Micheldever has indicated that car owners are delaying replacement of safety components such as tyres and brakes because of the increasing cost of motoring. “This clearly is a false and dangerous economy” said Ashley Balch, Manager at Micheldever. “Tyres in particular are all that connect a car with the road, and so delaying replacement could prove to be a bad move. Pensioners are particularly vulnerable as they often rely on their cars for essential journeys. Our special offer, we hope, will help make a contribution to reducing the burden associated with the cost of motoring for pensioners.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

US Distributor Recalls 6 Million Defective Tyre Valves

Product News

A distributor in the US is recalling around six million Chinese sourced tyre valve stems after it became apparent a number of them were improperly manufactured and could increase the risk of accidents. According to Ohio based distributor Tech International, the recall will go ahead even though only an estimated 8,600 of the six million valves are defective.

The valve in question is a replacement snap-in tyre valve, model TR413, manufactured between July and November 2006. The products are said to have been manufactured by manufacturer Shanghai Baolong Industries Co. in China. According to the details of the recall, the valve’s rubber component may crack after some six months of use, causing a gradual loss of tyre pressure. According to Tech International, the defect was identified after “a small number” of faulty valves were reported by customers and one distributor.

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bada Touts Benefits of Steel Weights on New Site

Product News

Hennessy Industries has launched a new Web microsite to support its Bada steel wheel weight products. The site – www.steelwheelweights.com – promotes the environmental benefits of its Bada steel wheel weights. The microsite is also accessible through a link on the Hennessy Industries web site at www.ammcoats.com. “The majority of wheel weights are made are still made of lead, but that is quickly changing,” said Don Vanderheyden, group marketing manager for Hennessy Industries Inc. “The new microsite will educate independent dealers and retailers, merchandisers, and aftermarket companies about the full line of non-lead products Bada now offers and the technical and environmental benefits associated with our steel wheel weights.” (Tire Review/Akron)

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Two-Thirds of Jobs to Go at Goodyear Tyler Plant

Product News

About two-thirds of the remaining workforce at Goodyear’s Tyler, Texas facility will be made redundant in August. According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph newspaper, the tyre major has informed the United Steelworkers Union of its plan to lay off approximately 110 people between August 6 and 19. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notice received by the union stated the “permanent mass layoff has been necessitated by a lack of work at the plant.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Prepared for All WTCC Race Weather

Product News

As this summer’s weather becomes more and more unpredictable, with almost as many dry FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) races so far as there have been events held in the wet, Yokohama is making sure its Advan wet racing tyre provides the top possible level of grip. The sole supplier to both WTCC and Formula Master introduced a new wet weather tyre, featuring improved compound and construction, for the WTCC this year.

The Advan 240/610/R17 A006 is confirmed for the entire 2008 and 2009 seasons and incorporates non-aromatic oil in advance of the new 2010 regulations. “Aromatic oil is used throughout the tyre industry,” explains Yokohama technical consultant Ian Beveridge. “We know this will change in 2010 and, with the opportunity which arose in creating a new wet weather tyre for the WTCC, we have implemented this change in our compounds already.

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone European Prices to Increase

Product News

Bridgestone Europe NV/SA has announced price increases on all of its tyre brands and categories. The price rise will apply in all European countries, however the UK and Northern Ireland will be affected more than those countries in the euro zone. Increases here will be in the range of between 8 and 12 per cent, as opposed to between 5 and 8 per cent for most of Europe. The new prices will take effect in each market in coming few months.

“Even after we increased our prices earlier this year, the raw material prices continue to increase beyond our expectation,” commented According to Gerry Duffy, vice president Sales & Marketing of Bridgestone Europe. “The recent increase in the cost of commodities such as oil, natural rubber, iron ore and others heavily affects the costs of almost all the raw materials we consume. As its financial impact is so huge and hard to offset only by our internal efforts, we have to recover some of those costs by this price increase.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Releases Le Mans ‘Key Figures’

Premium, Product News

The Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race begins tomorrow, and Michelin states it welcomes the opportunity to showcase the performance of its products and push out the envelope in terms of the technology it employs. The French manufacturer has released a number of ‘key figures’ associated with the race:

150 : The number of different ingredients that go into a Le Mans tyre. These include both natural and synthetic rubber, styrene brutadiene (for grip) and polybrutadiene (durability), as well as textile fibres (nylon, polyester), resins, sulphur, wax and oils.

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13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Unity Tyres Moves into New 28,500 sq ft Warehouse

Product News

After 26 years the Unity Tyre Co Ltd Northern Division has moved to new purpose built offices and a 28,500 sq ft warehouse in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Unity has operated its tyre distribution and wholesale service to Northern Division customers from the original site at Walk Mills, Keighley for almost three decades. Originally a woollen mill warehouse, Walk Mills was restricted in the amount of space available for the increase in stock holding that the company had planned as part of its expansion strategy. Unity needed to find premises that would allow scope for it to increase its stock holding so it could offer even more choice of products to its existing customer base in the North of England, as well as service the results of its successful sales and marketing drive.

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Tyres Named a Candidate for Nordic Environment Price

Product News

Finland’s Nokian Tyres is one of 37 candidates competing for the Nordic Council’s Nature and Environment Prize 2008. The regional environmental prize is contested by companies throughout the region, and this year sees entries from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the hard-to-spot-in-the-atlas autonomous island of Åland

The theme for this year’s Nature and Environment Prize is lower energy consumption with better tools. The prize will be awarded to a Nordic product, invention or service that helps to reduce people’s energy consumption. To be eligible, a product, invention or service must be potentially applicable to all of the Nordic countries and make a significant impact. It can be anything from a single object to a major system.

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Three Jailed Over Marine Hose Industry Cartel

Product News

Three men have been imprisoned for rigging bids, fixing prices, restricting supplies and allocating customers within the global marine hose industry following prosecution by the Office of Fair Trading in Britain. This is the first case of its kind since the implementation of a law in 2002, which gave the consumer watchdog the ability to crack down on cartel activities.

The UK-based trio, Peter Whittle, David Brammar and Bryan Allison were sentenced to jail time of up to three years after pleading guilty. The men had already been successfully prosecuted in Texas, but the British stretch will serve towards the 20 to 30 months they were handed by the US court. After sentencing, the OFT named Dunlop Oil and Marine Ltd, Bridgestone Corp, Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd, Parker ITR S.r.l., Manuli Rubber Industries SPA and Trelleborg Industrie SA as the businesses involved in the cartel. An investigation into these companies’ activities, conducted by the European Commission, is ongoing.

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Titan International Announces Stock Split

Product News

Titan International announced on June 11 that the company’s Board of Directors approved a five-for-four stock split with a record date of July 31, 2008, and a payable date of August 15, 2008.

“This action is being taken to show our stockholders how much we appreciate their support,” said chairman and CEO Maurice M. Taylor Jr. “We are optimistic that 2008 will continue to be a period of further growth in sales and earnings as we proceed with the implementation of 57- and 63-inch off-the-road tyre production in the third quarter.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

HiQ Decides Against Management Buyout

Product News

Goodyear Dunlop UK’s management has decided not to sell the HiQ tyre chain to a team of four managers led by retail director Neil Burrows. Instead the company will continue with its plans to sell franchises in 15 regional zones across the UK. HiQ’s management team will be based at Goodyear Dunlop’s TyreFort in Birmingham. Tyres & Accessories understands that, despite missing out in the bidding process, all four managers involved in the buy-out proposal will be offered roles at Goodyear Dunlop.

Mark Brickhill paid tribute to the quality and vision of the Management Buyout Team’s proposal: “The team presented a thoroughly professional bid, concept and business model. An announcement on specific future roles will be made shortly, with announcements on the individual regional franchise partnerships to follow after the due diligence process with each successful applicant.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

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