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Bandvulc Hosts Network Seminar

Bandvulc Tyre Contracts recently hosted a seminar on tyre contract management in Stratford upon Avon with its network of partners. The main aim was to identify areas of opportunity for growth.

“It’s been the case in recent years that tyre management and centralised administration have become more and more popular. It’s also the case that when acquisitions take place the regional and local fleet operators can become part of a national network themselves,” says Philip West, Sales Director of Bandvulc, adding: “With this background the independent tyre distributors can find it difficult to maintain the relationships they have had with the larger fleets”.

5th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Chicago Pneumatic Increases Socket Range

Chicago Pneumatic has announced a large extension to the company’s existing range of sockets. The addition of 500 individual sockets and 16 new sets represents a large increase in the product range available, encompassing in total 44 socket sets and 774 impact sockets.

Gary Rigg, the company’s UK business line manager comments that the update has been prompted by customer feedback: “we had some feedback from customers and distributors that a good impact socket line needs to cover all their needs in term of types and sizes. This is the reason why we drastically expanded the range. We also took this opportunity to improve the quality of the new impact socket line”.

5th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

International Tyre Exhibitors Sign Up for Tyrexpo Asia’09

International exhibitors are already confirming plans for the new products and displays designed to catch the eye of tyre industry buyers at next year’s Tyrexpo Asia March’09 exhibition. For Singapore-based manufacturer and distributor Omni United, the sales focus next March has already been agreed as its Radar ranges of bus and truck tyres, designed in India and manufactured in China. Radar OTR tyres will also form a very prominent stand presence, with products ranging in size to cover mining and industrial equipment from 21 to giant 57-inch wheel sizes.

Confirming the company’s plans, senior vice president, Shivi Kalra said: “Tyrexpo Asia’09 is an important opportunity to interact with current customers, showcase our expanding ranges of products and meet potential new customers. Next year the focus will be on our ranges of SUV, PCR, TBR and OTR tires – all marketed under our Radar private brand range.”

5th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Forklifts ‘Fill’ the Benefits of Zeus Technology

Having been working on development for some time, Zeus Tyre Filling Solutions has launched a new additional range of high performance tyre filling compounds branded TRIOfill, based on a unique “3-Part (PUR) Based – Chemicals Technology.”

Supplementing its well known “PolyFill – range, TRIOfill represents a new and more advanced tyre filling specification, that is designed to deliver a cleaner, greener product and a reduced carbon footprint. However, it is also said to considerably improve tyre fill’s physical properties, when compared with the more traditional (pure liquid) compounds.

According to Zeus TRIOfill offers unique advantages in terms of physical strength and its unique component characteristics are said to offer a much wider range of benefits to both FLT users and OEMs, particularly in terms of the plant hire companies.

Here, says Zeus, the new tyre filling formulation, not only delivers greater flexibility of tyre use and applications, but it also raises overall FLT tyre performance. One example of this is the increase in operational safety levels, particularly when operating at their maximum lift heights, because of the extra stability the tyre fill provides. In addition Zeus representatives told T&A that other key benefits of reduced costs include: increased operational mobility, and putting a stop to all pneumatic blow outs, punctures and tyre pressure losses.

Furthermore, TRIOfill comes with a new re-engineered “Fully Integrated – Pumping & Mixing Unit” that is not only the first pumping system to be electrically driven, but is designed to be much faster, cleaner, greener and more economic, than competing PU pumping systems.

“This unit, together with the innovative benefits of TRIOfill’s specification, now offers many original equipment manufacturers, an ideal, cost effective, safe and green tyre filling solution, in their considerations for driving out cost, improving supply line efficiencies and updating their own operational procedures, especially when linked to Zeus’s unique waste tyre filling materials collection & recycling service,” Zeus’ promotional literature explains.

5th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli-equipped Citroën C4 Wins Acropolis Rally

In an Acropolis stage famed for its punishing surfaces, Sebastien Loeb claimed his fifth victory in seven events to regain the lead of the Drivers’ championship.

After the event, Loeb was full of praise for his C4 WRC, reserving particular commendation for the performance of his Pirelli Scorpion tyres: “We drove with the idea of preserving the car and the tyres on an incredibly rough surface. The Pirelli Scorpion tyres were able to resist stages that were truly a massacre, so the overall conclusion is very positive – particularly considering that these tyres do not have anti-deflation mousse and that they have to adapt themselves to a very wide range of different surfaces.”

5th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Aufine Announces Price Increase

The Qingdao, China-based Aufine Group has become the last tyre manufacturer to announce additional price increases.

In a statement released to the press, Aufine’s management explained that the as yet unknown price increase will take effect from 1 July. The company puts the price increase down to the continuing price pressure manufacturers are receiving from the raw material suppliers.

5th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

CERM Research Shows Michelin Leads Motorcycle Tyre Performance

CERM (Centre d’Essais Routiers Mécaniques) has tested Michelin’s Pilot Road 2 and new Anakee 2 motorcycle tyres against the leading competitors in the market, with strong results for the French manufacturer. The Pilot Road 2 was tested against the Dunlop Roadsmart as an update to previous tests against six major competitors’ sport touring tyres; while the Anakee 2 was compared to two direct, major-brand competitors – the Metzeler Tourance EXP and Bridgestone Battle Wing. In both cases the tests involved two criteria: wear resistance and wet-surface grip.

The initial sport touring tyre tests, conducted in 2006 and 2007 compared 120/70 R 17 and 180/55 R 17 Pilot Road 2 tyres fitted to Suzuki Bandit 1200s with six comparable tyres from other premium manufacturers. The result were good, from Michelin’s perspective, and showed that the French tyres not only lasted longer but also offered better wet handling than its competitors, defying the supposed performance payoff between the two characteristics. According to Michelin, the same performance advantage was proven again in the 2008 tests against the Dunlop Roadsmart.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Launches the Winter Sottozero Serie II

The latest evolution of Pirelli’s performance winter tyre has been unveiled at the Swiss ski resort town of Zermatt. The Winter Sottozero Serie II, a tyre the Italian manufacturer states will meet the needs of the most demanding drivers by adapting to conditions typically encountered during the autumn and winter months, has been released in two distinct performance versions: the W210/W240 for high performance cars, and the even more extreme W270 for super sports models. Pirelli reports that Porsche, Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo have already homologated the new Sottozero as original equipment.

“Despite global warming, winter is still here,” commented Pirelli Tyre CEO Francesco Gori at the Sottozero Serie II launch in Zermatt. Mr. Gori however emphasised that a change in thinking has taken place at Pirelli in response to recent climatic trends, along with changes in automotive technology and European regulations. The new tyre was thus designed not just for regions receiving significant winter snowfall; rather it is a tyre for low temperature conditions. Today’s more unpredictable weather conditions, says Pirelli, with dry spells when snow is traditionally expected, and sudden heavy rainfall in the late winter or at the beginning of autumn, means a need has arisen for the development of versatile tyres guaranteeing safety not only on snow and ice, but also on wet or slushy surfaces when temperatures fall below 7 degrees, a temperature that alters both the road surface and the behaviour of a tyre.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Transport Secretary Says No to Mega Trucks

The SMMT is reporting that transport secretary Ruth Kelly has rejected proposals to run “significantly longer and heavier” truck on British roads.

The decision follows the publication of an independent report which suggests that their introduction in the UK would be impractical on either a permanent or trial basis. “This study shows that super-lorries are not compatible with British roads. Not only are there clear environmental drawbacks, but such vehicles would be unsuitable for many roads and junctions, while providing the infrastructure to accommodate them would require substantial investment.”

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Invests $65 million in Egypt Tyre Plant

The Pirelli Group is to increase truck and bus tyre production capacity in Egypt by 50 per cent through the investment of $65 million dollars in its Alexandria TBR plant. The announcement was made by the Chairman of Pirelli & C. SpA, Marco Tronchetti Provera, to Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister, Mohamed Rashid, on the occasion of the Italian-Egyptian inter-governmental meeting taking place in Rome. The new investment will allow the factory in Alexandria to increase its annual production to 1 million pieces and become the largest site for manufacturing radial tyres for industrial vehicles in the MEA (Middle East and Africa) area.

According to an official statement on the matter, the growth of production capacity will be focused on “the most advanced product and process technologies able to express maximum performance both in terms of the needs of emerging markets and with respect to the requirements of the main customers in Continental Europe.”

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Report No Contact Over Truck Tyres

Continental has responded to claims from German news sources that Italian rival Pirelli are interested in buying the German manufacturer’s truck tyre business, stating that they have yet to be contacted. A spokeswoman for Continental said that “There are no sales talks whatsoever”.

The speculation follows reports in Germany’s leading commercial economy newspaper Handelsblatt that Pirelli’s Chairman, Marco Tronchetti Provera, has declared definitively the company’s interest in truck tyres. Coupled with the attention devoted to Continental’s truck tyre business by the German company’s management in April this year, conjecture continues to develop as to the fate of the department.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli to Start Russian Tyre Plant Negotiations

Pirelli & C. SpA and has signed a letter of intent to begin negotiations for the construction of a car, light truck and heavy truck tyre plant in Russia. The letter was sent to the Russian State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology Industrial Product (also known as Russian Technologies). The new facility will also produce steel cord tyre reinforcements and automotive filters.

Russian Technologies and Pirelli have agreed on an exclusivity period for the negotiation of the final agreements, until 30 September 2008. Upon its establishment, the two partners would jointly control the Joint Venture, while Pirelli would be responsible for the development of the business strategy and running operations of the Joint Venture, which would be carried out under the Pirelli brand name.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama to Put Up Consumer Tyre Prices

Yokohama Tire Corporation have announced that increases in U.S. consumer prices will come into effect on 1st July 2008 due to the rising costs of energy and raw materials.

In addition, consumers can expect to see in-line adjustments announced at a later date, while commercial Light Truck, Medium Truck and OTR (off-the-road) tyre prices will not be affected.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

ATMA Issues Anti-Dumping Plea

Indian news sources have reported that the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) have requested a government-implemented anti-dumping duty on radial truck and bus tyre imports. The request follows concerns over the 1,300 per cent increase in Indian tyre imports from China in the last five years.

According to business commentary in India, the increasing cost of raw materials in India has left domestic tyre manufacturers exposed to the challenge from cheaper Chinese imports.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bandengroothandel Mast Offers Versatile Industrial Range

Bandengroothandel Mast’s fastest development in recent years has been the evolution of its large harbour, quarry and mining tyre ranges. This development gained momentum when the company became established as the appointed European distributor of Chinese manufacturer, Tianli.

During the course of 2007 Mast introduced a number of new ranges and additional patterns in the CargoMaster series including new options in solid tyres for skid steer. Another new product being developed has been radial OTR tyres, which are currently being tested and are expected to be available in the UK and Europe in the near future. This new CargoMaster range is produced in China and will be offered in smaller sizes including 23.5 25 plus larger sizes will be phased in during the course of 2008.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors