Product News Archives - Page 50 of 260 - Tyrepress

Tyre industry professionals need to know what the latest product developments are. Look no further than the Tyrepress.com product news tag,

Posts

Truck OE Tyre Sales Down 74%

European truck tyre OE sales reportedly fell an enormous 74 per cent in April, while replacement tyre volumes were down 44 per cent. The figures, which are sourced from leading tyre manufacturer Michelin, show that most global markets are affected (China aside). As far as truck tyre sales are concerned, the good news is that everyone’s best guess is that this segment cannot remain under this “particular pressure” forever and that there is still a good chance of improvement, or at least a slowing in the downward trend in time for the second half of 2009.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Mixed Reaction to Conti Compromise

While Continental and the German IG BCE union arrived at a compromise regarding the company’s Hanover-Stöcken truck tyre factory, Germany’s Bild-Zeitung reports the decision to suspend production has far from won the universal admiration of employees. The paper records “indifference, anger and disappointment” amongst the affected employees – close to 430 of whom will be let go by next year at the latest.

“We have been taken for a ride,” one employee was quoted as saying. “As ‘little people’ we can not at all appreciate what this compromise brings.” Another said: “Unions and works councils are so weak, we feel betrayed. I have worked my fingers to the bone for 20 years – all for nothing.”

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Power to the Elbow

Need extra leverage or extended access when ratcheting? Laser Tools say the new Laser 1/2″D Extending Ratchet is the answer. The 1/2″D ratchet features an extending function, which simply releases the spring loaded mechanism on the handle and the ratchet grows from 460mm (18″) to 601mm (24″). Manufactured from polished Chrome Vanadium and with 72 teeth gearing for a smoother operation, the ratchets are expected to retail at around £35.00.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

ContiTread Range Ready, says Marangoni

According to Marangoni, the partnership agreement it signed last year with Continental, involving the launch of the new range of ContiTread precured tread strips, is now fully operational. The agreement with the Marangoni Group allows resellers of Continental truck tyres, who already provide, or are interested in providing a cold retreading service, to use original ContiTread patterns manufactured at Marangoni’s Ellerbrock factory in Germany and take advantage of the technical and logistic support offered by the Italian group’s European platform. The agreement also contributes to the Continental Group “ContiLifeCycle” project in markets where the ContiRe program has not yet been established, or where a cold-retread product is also required.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Expresses Concerns Over EU Tyre Labelling Plans

Discussions on the EU Commission’s plans to introduce a tyre label continue, and Conti claims that experts are still sceptical about the problems involved. The manufacturer has also voiced its own concerns, highlighting some potential issues that could make it difficult for consumers to understand the label.

The manufacturer notes it already has tyres in its portfolio that easily meet the proposed high threshold values, however Conti says it still recognises a distinct need to clarify what will be implemented in terms of threshold values and certification, and points to a particular need to ensure the label signage contains clear graphics. All suggested designs to date, the company adds, have been hard for the consumer to understand, especially those indicating braking distance on wet roads. Continental comments that this particular graphic is “hardly recognisable as such”. A further Conti concern is that so far no agreement has been reached on a precise and meaningful measuring process for braking characteristics.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Trelleborg Introduces New Forestry Products

Trelleborg Wheel Systems has launched a number of new products, including upgraded forestry tyres from the Twin Forestry range and new rims. Six dimensions in the Twin Forestry line have been upgraded, either with upgraded capacity or a higher load index. The four sizes with upgraded load capacity are: 750/45-30.5 T428 173A8; 750/50-26.5 T428 174A8; 650/60-26.5 T428 172A8; and 600/55-26.5 T422 160A8. The 710/45-26.5 dimension has been expanded with two new versions with a higher load index: 710/45-26.5 T428 168A8 and 710/45-26.5 T422 168A8. In addition, Trelleborg also released a new 24.5-inch rim dimension, a flat bar reinforcement that is a cross between the unique box reinforcement and the round bar reinforcement, and a new hump, suitable for forestry tyres with a high load index.

“We are investing heavily in further developing the range,” said Lars Eriksson, product manager for forestry tyres. “Our focus is on maximum customer benefit in terms of the optimal balance between important tyre properties, such as durability, service life and traction, with consistent ground care and comfort.” Trelleborg will be displaying its new products during the Elmia Wood trade show, which takes place June 3-6 in Jönköping, Sweden (Tire Review/Akron)

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Strikers Plan New Protest Strategies

Striking workers at tyre MRF’s Arakonam and Puducherry plants in India are considering surrendering their important ration and voter identify cards in protest against a wage agreement signed with a rival labour union. The worker’s sit-in strike began on May 9 and led to a lockout being declared at the Arakonam site on May 17. Production at both locations has come to a complete halt as a result of the industrial action.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bush Tyres Opens New Bourne Retail Branch

BA Bush & Son and its wholesale operation B.A.B. Distribution (a member of the wholesale group Grouptyre) has invested in a new retail facility. At a time when many businesses are contracting, the family concern, which this year marks 60 years in business, is celebrating by opening its 14th tyre retail depot in Bourne, Lincolnshire, at the end of April. The expansion is set to continue in July/August when the company is scheduled to open a new, purpose-built tyre retail centre in Spalding. According to company representatives, branch number 15 is “absolutely state of the art” and even has its own bridge.

“We always aim to reinvest profits in the company and are taking advantage of economic conditions to implement an aggressive growth strategy designed to increase our market share throughout Lincolnshire, Humberside and East Yorkshire by providing unrivalled levels of customer service,” said director Tom Bush, adding: “For many years we have met the needs of customers in Bourne from our Boston and Sleaford branches, so it was logical to develop a stand alone facility, albeit linked to and fully integrated within our retail operation, which would enable us to provide a more comprehensive and better quality of service to customers in this area.”

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New Equipment Enhances Marangoni’s Approach to Tyre Testing

Testing new products, verifying their conformity to international approval standards and the development of new solutions, notes Marangoni, are essential elements in the research performed by leading tyre manufacturers. To help it carry out these activities in the most scientific and detailed manner possible, the Marangoni Research & Development Centre in Rovereto, Italy has implemented a new tyre tester it calls “Ruota Strada”. This new unit is set up for the indoor testing of all types of tyre, including passenger car, industrial, earthmover and high performance products.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti to Buy Parts of Schaeffler?

It appears the tables have turned for Continental and Schaeffler. According to Reuters, sources with “knowledge of the matter” report Schaeffler is considering a plan to sell a large piece of its business to Conti in order to address its sizable debt. The ball bearing manufacturer is struggling with debts of close to 11 billion euros and has announced plans to reduce annual labour costs by 250 million euros – a sum equivalent to the laying off of 4,500 employees.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Reports Solution to Stöcken Factory ‘Conflict’

The conflict regarding plans to end commercial vehicle tyre production at Continental’s Hanover-Stöcken plant has been resolved, the company reports. Continental management, the IG BCE trade union and employee representatives have reached an agreement on a solution that, in Conti’s words, “makes use of all instruments the labour market provides and opens up prospects for 2010.” The agreement will see the suspension of commercial vehicle tyre production at Stöcken as of the end of 2009, a move supplemented by a number of other measures.

“The package is the result of several rounds of intensive talks that came close to being bro-ken off at a number of points. In the end, however, the two sides moved closer and, against the backdrop of a dogged and complex economic situation, faced up to their responsibility,” said Werner Bischoff of the IG BCE Executive Committee following talks on May 19.

19th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Appoints New PR Firm for World Cup Tyre Campaign

Continental has negotiated a deal reportedly worth six figures with Inside Media for consumer PR in the UK, selecting the firm after pitches from five companies. PR Week’s Chloe Markowicz reports that the German manufacturer has given Inside Media a UK brief that will include the promotion of the brand’s safety message and its involvement in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The commercial vehicles side of the business will still be related in the media by Conti’s existing agency Automotive PR and motoring PR will be processed in-house.

The major focus is said to be in publications outside the sphere of the traditional motoring press, with the more generalised lifestyle media specifically in the frame. Continental’s communications manager Laura Hardy told Tyrepress.com, “Inside Media are working to increase our press coverage outside of the motoring pages. A lot of drivers don’t read the traditional motoring media but we still want to take the Continental brand name and our safety message to them, that’s why we’ve chosen Inside Media who are specialize in national press and lifestyle media coverage.”

19th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TyreSafe Reporting Record Interest in Bike Tyre Safety Month

April’s Bike Tyre Safety Month saw the TyreSafe website receive the highest number of visits to its website to date, the safety organisation has reported. According to a statement, the tyre safety campaign saw tyresafe.org receive 26,700 visits during the month-long campaign, a 185 per cent increase from April 2008.

TyreSafe’s Bike Tyre Safety Month aimed to raise awareness of the importance of tyres in road safety. Top tips for bike tyre safety maintenance together with key tyre safety advice were shared with bikers via a dedicated page on the TyreSafe website, where visitors were also offered the opportunity to register for the organisation’s newsletter and receive a free tyre valve extension. The campaign received support from a wide range of organisations, such as the Motorcycle Industry Association, the Institute of Advanced Motorists and the British Motorcyclists Federation.

19th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Event Mobile Tyres Reports 10,000th Happy Customer

Online and mobile tyre fitting business Event Mobile Tyres has reportedly received over 10,000 positive testimonials on its website. The company broke the 10,000 mark prior to going to press with the news, so the running total is understood to be in excess of 10,313. Speaking to Tyres & Accessories, IT and marketing manager Dave Jones explained that despite having had so many customers satisfaction rates remain very high. In real terms this means there have only been six or seven negative comments compared with five-figures of positive responses.

Here’s what the 10,000th happy customer, Andrew Sturgeon, said: “Competitive prices and friendly, helpful staff mean I don’t waste time searching the web because there seems little point in going elsewhere. Above all they keep you informed so you don’t waste time waiting. Now been using them for five years.”

19th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Monaco GP Grip “Main Challenge” for Bridgestone Tyres

Bridgestone is to exempt the Monaco Grand Prix from its Formula One race tyre allocation policy of varying the compounds used by at least two degrees in an effort to attain more grip on the slippery streets of Monte Carlo. The company announced that it is bringing its soft and super soft Potenza slicks to the event, which begins officially with practice sessions on Thursday. Bridgestone will also debut a new softer compound intermediate tyre, designed to deliver more grip in the wet. It will be used for the remainder of the 2009 season.

Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone’s director of motorsport tyre development, appears ready for the difficulties posed by the street race in Monaco: “Finding grip will be the main challenge… This is a very interesting circuit, and one where the track is made of many different types of surface as well as there being public road markings on the track. Also notable is that F1 does not run on Friday, so the track conditions can change quite a lot between Thursday and Saturday. When there is no racing taking place, public vehicles and also people use the track. This makes it difficult for rubber to build up and the surface can become dirty again, which does not help the track surface develop well for racing.”

19th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors