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Norbar’s New Wrenches

Norbar has enhanced its range of torque wrenches with the addition of two brand new TruTorque models ideally suited to tough environments. The new models increase the TruTorque range of wrenches from 1N.m to 300 N.m and encompass outstanding durability.

Philip Brodey, Sales & Marketing Director of Norbar, said: “This development provides our customers with even greater reliability, resilience and range of choice. The Trutorque is accurate to +/– 3 per cent of reading, which exceeds all international standards. And, as each wrench is supplied with a coded calibration certificate it makes compliance and traceability an exact science. We believe our design team has produced the best tool for UK and World markets at a very competitive price.”

20th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Unipart Automotive Launches Apprentice Scheme

In the wake of Gordon Brown’s announcement to increase the number of apprenticeships for 16 to 18-year-olds, Unipart Automotive is launching an apprentice scheme across its Unipart Car Care Centre network from September 2009. Funded by the Learning & Skills Council, the programme will enable apprentices to benefit from skills training and continuous professional development, ensuring motorists receive the highest standards of service from the independent garage sector.

The three-year training course will provide successful students with both ATA and NVQ Level 3 qualifications. Apprentices will go through a strict selection process to ensure the most promising candidates are selected. In addition to the structured programme, those who are chosen for the Unipart course will also learn about the importance of using OE matching quality parts, garage accreditation and customer service, as well as elements of the industry renowned Unipart Way to give them tools to help with the day to day running of a workshop. With on-the-job training at Unipart Car Care Centres, the apprentices will be provided with Unipart-branded clothing, protective equipment and specific tools along the way.

20th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Grouptyre Provides 4×4 Response Wales with Maxxis Tyre Trial

A newly-launched volunteer organisation that works alongside Emergency Planning officers and provides logistical support to the emergency services, local authorities and GPs in the event of severe weather conditions and emergency situations, is considering switching its vehicle fleet to Maxxis 4×4 tyres. 4×4 Response Wales is currently trialling the Maxxis Bravo all-terrain tyre after Grouptyre, the country’s leading independent tyre wholesaler and exclusive distributor of Maxxis 4×4 tyres in the UK, agreed to supply a test set of tyres for evaluation purposes.

“Our members are currently using a variety of tyres…but we have heard good things about Maxxis and, pending a positive evaluation, we are seriously contemplating switching,” says 4×4 Response Wales co-ordinator Mark Margetts. “Since our team of volunteers use and maintain their own vehicles, they are very interested in a brand of tyre which is robust, absolutely reliable and affordable, and we are most grateful to Grouptyre for giving us this opportunity to see just what Maxxis can do.”

20th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

HiQ Makes £100,000 Breast Cancer Care Pledge

HiQ is aiming to raise £100,000 for Breast Cancer Care as part of a new partnership agreement between the tyre retail chain and the charity. HiQ made its ambitious pledge at the British Touring Car Championship media launch on 19 March, where the charity officially met franchisees and company bosses for the first time. Dozens of fundraising activities will be organised throughout the year to coincide with the BTCC calendar, and fast fitters across the HiQ network will be encouraged to take part in as many events as possible to swell the coffers at Breast Cancer Care. HiQ has set the £100,000 target, which will be achieved if every centre around the network can raise £500 during the course of the year.

Marketing manager Geraldine McGovern said the charity was the perfect fit for HiQ, as it reached out to a family audience: “We are all extremely excited with Project Pink and the opportunities that exist with Breast Cancer Care. We think the charity fits perfectly with what we are trying to achieve at HiQ. Not only is the charity close to all of our hearts, but no fast fit company reaches into the family market to help remove the intimidation associated with the fast fit sector.”

20th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Announces 26th North American Highway Hero

Goodyear has announced the winner of its 26th Goodyear North American Highway Hero Award, honouring Colorado truck driver Jorge Orozco Sanchez. He saved the lives of two young girls after a horrific highway accident last October. The announcement was made at a special awards banquet during the Mid-America Trucking Show. Alongside the award, he also received a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond, a plaque and a specially designed ring.

An independent owner-operator, Orozco Sanchez was hauling grain on Oct. 28, 2008 on Highway 392, north of Greeley, CO, when an SUV suddenly crossed the centre line and crashed head-on into his tractor-trailer rig. After impact, the truck pushed the SUV backward down the road for about 200 feet. As the vehicles stopped moving, a shaken Orozco Sanchez quickly jumped from his cab and went to the other vehicle. There, with flames already beginning to surround the vehicles, he saw two girls, strapped into their car seats and crying, and a woman up front who was not moving. Working with a passer-by who used a fire extinguisher to fight back the flames, Orozco Sanchez used his knowledge of child car seats – he has two young children – to rescue the two girls.

One of the youngsters was extracted quickly, but the fire was getting bigger and the smoke was so thick he had trouble seeing into the vehicle. He was finally able to remove the other girl, then the truck’s saddle fuel tanks ruptured and exploded, creating an inferno. The 27-year-old mother died in the crash. Orozco Sanchez sustained burns on his arms from the rescue and was taken to a nearby hospital. The fire reduced the cab and the SUV to rubble, also burning the side of a nearby building.

20th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TIF: UK Tyre Replacement Market Over 34-35 million Units

The Tyre Industry Federation has announced that its estimates put the UK replacement car tyre market at well over 30 million units. The new figures, which include 4×4 and light van tyres, represent the first time an official estimate has been as high as 30 million units annually. The TIF data is based on figures contributed by the tyre manufacturer associations and the Tyre Wholesalers Group of the National Tyre Distributors Association. These indicate that sales into the UK market totalled 29.7 million units in 2007, before imports, retreads and part-worn tyres.

20th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Previews the Australian Grand Prix

The 2009 season of Formula One looks set to usher in a new era for the sport, with rule changes aplenty, a newly-formed and perhaps, dare we say, competitive team for perennial underachiever Jensen Button and – most interestingly in this writer’s opinion – the return of slick tyres from Bridgestone’s Potenza brand for the first time in over eleven years. It is the tyres that are at least partially responsible for the radically overhauled cars this year, which are sure to catch the eye. The latest aerodynamic regulations, designed to reduce downforce, mean that the cars look very different from their counterparts of twelve months ago. Round one of the 2009 World Championship gets under way with the ING Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park on 29 March.

Since slick tyres require a new method of marking to designate between compounds, as the previous method of painting one of the grooves with a white line no longer applies, Bridgestone has used the opportunity of launching a new system to show its continued support for the FIA’s Make Cars Green campaign by marking the softer of the two dry compounds available for each race with green sidewall markings. The now renamed “wet” tyre (formerly “extreme” tyre) will also feature a green line in a central groove. As before, two compounds of tyre will be available for every grand prix, with the requirement that both are used in the race. In a change from the previous allocation philosophy employed for the past two seasons, Bridgestone will now bring non-consecutive allocations to most events. For the Australian Grand Prix the medium and super soft tyres have been selected from the range of hard, medium, soft and super soft.

20th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Mayfield Back at Del-Nat…as President

Well-traveled tyre executive Jim Mayfield has been named president of Del-Nat Tire Corp., returning to the company he once served as marketing vice president. Mayfield took over for Ed Fabrizio, who left the private brander last December without explanation. Mayfield was marketing vice president for Del-Nat from 2004 to 2006, and subsequently held posts with Stamford Tyres and most recently with Yokohama Tire Corp.

Prior to joining Del-Nat in 2004, Mayfield held marketing and sales management posts with Continental Tire North America and Michelin North America. Dick Erickson, Del-Nat chairman, said, “Jim’s level of knowledge in our industry combined with an intimate understanding of our company makes him the right choice to lead Del-Nat to future growth and success.” (Tire Review/Akron)

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

State Officials Clash on Goodyear Topeka Request

Kansas officials have reportedly disagreed over a decision whether to respond affirmatively to a request from Goodyear to provide nearly $38 million in state aid, in order to continue operating from the company’s plant in Topeka. The tyre manufacturer says that it will commit to $250 million-worth of spending on equipment upgrades at the plant if Kansas is willing to offer its suggested incentives. Goodyear says that without the upgrades, up to 700 jobs may have to be cut.

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear to Test Twice More before NASCAR Indianapolis

Following the tyre problems witnessed at last year’s Indianapolis NASCAR round, at which teams were forced to pit after every ten laps for fresh rubber, Goodyear will test its tyres at the Motor Speedway twice more this year. The additional tests join the two already performed, and are scheduled for April and June. The Allstate 400 will be run on 26 July.

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess to Continue “Green Tyre” Development

Plastics & Rubber Weekly has reported that Lanxess is to press on with its development of reduced rolling resistance tyres including the rubber additive nanoprene, which is said to reduce wear without a similar reduction in grip. The plastics news source reports from Dusseldorf that Lanxess chairman Axel Heitmann told journalists at the company’s annual press conference on Tuesday 18 March that the company was well placed to deal with financial problems such as the 32 per cent decline in volume experienced by Lanxess’ performance polymers business.

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli Nominated for Award

The only video game to bear the name of a tyre manufacturer in its title racing simulation Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli has been shortlisted in the 2008 North East Digital Awards in the Best Example of Game Development category. The game was developed by Gateshead-based driving game specialist Eutechnyx.

“Ferrari Challenge was a labour of love for Eutechnyx and so you can imagine how pleased we were when it was so well-received by the audience and critics,” said Brian Jobling, Managing Director of Eutechnyx, “To now be recognised in the North East Digital Awards is a great honour.”

Published by System 3 in the UK and by Activision-Blizzard in the US, Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli was released in the Summer of 2008 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii. Offering players the chance to race some of the world’s most prestigious and desirable cars, the game uses Eutechnyx’ IAM– Intelligent Assist Mode– Technology to tailor the game to suit the player’s skill level and allows gamers to choose how real they want their racing experience to be. This gives players a unique gaming experience suited to their skill level to ensure a fun, exciting challenge.

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

JK Announces New Indian Tubeless Range

JK Tyre today announced the launch of its new Ultima NXT tubeless tyre range. With sizes suitable for the Maruti 800, Maruti Wagon R, Maruti Zen, Zen Estio, Alto and Hyundai Santro, the new range represents an attempt by the Indian manufacturer to grab a larger slice of the domestic small car pie.

“With the launch of Ultima NXT, we demonstrate our leadership in advance technology in tyres. The unique features of the Ultima NXT range of tyres include high control, smooth and silent drive. This captures all the benefits of the product and the experience we would like to give to the customer,” states company marketing director A S Mehta.

The tyres boast hydroplaning channels for increased wet handling and anti-aquaplaning. They are also equipped with the company’s new “Unique Split Wing” design which aims to provide better dry and wet traction.

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Presents Millionth Energy Saver to PSA Peugeot Citroën

The Auto Channel reports that on Monday 9 March, 2009, Michelin presented PSA Peugeot Citroën with the millionth Michelin Energy Saver tyre, reaffirming the strategic partnership between the two groups. The Energy Saver made its debut exclusively on the Peugeot 308 in 2007.

Michelin states that its ‘green’ technological solution “generates fuel savings of nearly 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres in combined cycle driving, resulting in a reduction in CO2 emissions of nearly 4 grams per kilometre.” In recognition, it states of its “performance and the exceptional teamwork demonstrated by the partners,” PSA Peugeot Citroën presented Michelin with an Innovation award in May 2006. Today, this tyre technology is widely deployed on a large number of Peugeot and Citroën vehicles.

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin India Launches Primacy LC

With a view to increase its market share in the high-performance tyre segment, Michelin today launched its new product for the Indian market. “With the launch of ‘Primacy LC’ tyre, we are hopeful of increasing our market share in high-performance tyre segment significantly,” Michelin India CEO Jean Paul Caylar said in a statement. The new tyre is set to become the company’s next ‘best seller’ in Asia Pacific, he said, replacing its previous generation Energy MXV8 tyre.

The new product is aimed at cars such as Skoda Octavia, Skoda Superb, Skoda Laura, Toyota Innova, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry and Maruti SX4 Zxi.

19th March 2009/by Tyrepress Editors