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Attendance Up at Tyrexpo Asia

The organisers of Tyrexpo Asia, ECI International, have announced that this year’s attendance figures broke all previous records. A total of 3,219 visitors passed through the Singapore Expo Centre’s gates between September 11 and 13. This represents a 9 per cent increase on the number of visitors at Tyrexpo Asia 2005. Statistics also indicate that guests from more than 88 countries were in attendance.

According to ECI International’s Rowena Suthers, 20 per cent of those exhibiting have already booked their exhibition space for the 2009 Tyrexpo Asia show, scheduled to be held between March 24 and 26, 2009. The earlier date of March has been selected, says Ms Suthers, to “give everyone who supports the show the very best opportunity to maximise their investment.”

20th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Settlement Reached in Ex-Union Workers’ Complaint

(Akron/Tire Review) Avoiding a formal hearing before the National Labor Relations Board, USW Local 2 (Akron) reached a settlement in the complaint made by former union members who claimed they were fined and harassed after crossing picket lines during the 86-day USW strike against Goodyear.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which represented the three former union workers, said the settlement was reached last week.

The former union members claimed they were fined $620 each and subjected to harassment at their homes and on the job. USW Local 2 claimed it had the right to fine the members for quitting the union during a strike, but denied the harassment claims.

The settlement calls for Local 2 to post a document in the Akron Goodyear plant telling union members to refrain from ”threatening bargaining unit employees with internal union fines and termination,” and to not attempt to intimidate employees at their homes or otherwise attempt to coerce them. The union will also drop all internal charges against the three workers and expunge their union records.

While the settlement states that the agreement ”does not constitute an admission that the Charged Party violated the National Relations Act,” it does allow the three workers to pursue civil action against the union.

22nd August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New Speed Record for ContiSportContact Vmax

Less than a month after Continental was admitted to the Guinness Book of Records for car performance modifier Jan Fatthauer’s 388 km/h dash, which saw the Continental ContiSportContact Vmax officially recognised as the world’s fastest production tyre, a new record using Conti’s performance tyre has been set.

On July 17 the German tuning company motoren technik mayer (mtm) set a new speed record of 393 km/h at the Papenburg high-speed test track in northwest Germany. The double-engined Bimoto Audi TT, capable of giving out a colossal 735 kW (1000HP), was fitted with ContiSportContact Vmax tyres. Prior to conducting the test mtm owner Roland Mayer conducted evaluations on a number of tyres in order to select the right high-speed rubber to use. Summarising the test results, he noted “at the high speed attained by the Bimoto, the ContiSportContact Vmax displays distinctively good driving stability.”

25th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

August 2007 – Tyrexpo Asia

In September Tyrexpo Asia will celebrate its second decade with a show the organisers anticipate will break all records for exhibitor numbers. This year’s event, to be held in Singapore between September 11 and 13, promises once again to attract both exhibitors and visitors from around Asia and the world. In our August edition Tyres & Accessories previews the region’s longest-established dedicated tyre exhibition.

5th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Ex-Carlisle Workers Protest in Trinidad

Former employees of a Trinidad & Tobago based tyre factory acquired by Carlisle Tire & Rubber in 1995 have protested over severance money owed to them for more than a dozen years. Earlier this year the country’s Industrial Court ordered Carlisle, who took over the assets of the Caribbean Tyre Company, to pay more than TTD$10.6 million (£854,000) in outstanding benefits, with a payment deadline of February 23. To date Carlisle has not complied with the court’s ruling.

The workers involved in the current protest were employed by the Caribbean Tyre Company Ltd, who made them redundant in 1995. The company paid 70 per cent of the workers’ severance with the promise that Carlisle would re-employ all of them. Carlisle closed down operations in Trinidad & Tobago in September 2003, allegedly after workers began protesting working conditions and outstanding wages. About 400 employees lost their jobs during the closure.

4th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

It’s ‘Guinness Time’ at Conti

In the world of high-speed tyres Germany’s Continental has demonstrated it has nothing to be ashamed of following the entry of one of its products, the ContiSportContact Vmax, into the famed Guinness Book of Records as the world’s fastest standard production tyre. Certification experts from TÜV Süd Automotive in Munich recently served as independent technical witnesses to confirm the Conti tyre’s status, a pre-condition for entry in the revered book. First unveiled three years ago, the ContiSportContact Vmax is approved for use at speeds up to 360 km/h (225 mph), and carries a ‘ZR’ rating – the top designation on the speed rating scale, Y, does not accommodate speeds in excess of 300 km/h.

The tyre is based on the ContiSportContact product family and underwent further development to achieve substantially enhanced high-speed characteristics. Top priority in this context was efficient tyre cooling, whilst maintaining good handling and positive characteristics in the wet. “When developing this high-tech tyre, which is approved for road use, we were able to call on experience gained in the design of high-performance tyres for original equipment and for our technology partners in the customising sector” explained Holger Berkmann, tyre developer at Continental. “Adopting Formula One concepts would not help us here, as high-speed tyres approved for road use have to build up grip on wet and dry roads and they are also expected to achieve an appropriate mileage.”

29th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

John Bean Alignments V3D Makes Alignment ‘Child’s Play’

John Bean, a brand within Snap-on Equipment, has introduced a new easy-to-use wheel alignment system that offers the accuracy of 3D digital imaging technology for just over £7,000 – the same price as a conventional close-coupled device (CCD) aligner.

V3D Lite enables vehicle set up and alignment readings to be taken in under two-minutes through a simple process that automatically guides the technician with clear instructions and easily understood colour graphics. The operator has only to enter basic data, mount a robust acrylic target on each wheel and roll the car backwards and forwards a short distance to obtain a detailed and accurate reading. 3D modelling also ensures that alignment results are not compromised by the non-measurement of wheel run-out promoted by some manufacturers.

V3D Lite enables the customer to use an existing lift and empowers a greater number of workshops to gain a new or improved revenue stream alongside their core business. The PC-based system also features a colour printer, allowing detailed pre- and post- alignment reports to be presented to the consumer. Records are also stored and updated on the system, providing a full audit trail for all checks carried out.

26th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Digital ePen to ‘Revolutionise’ Offsite Data Transfer

An innovative new way of turning hand written paperwork into electronically transmittable data is set to transform the way in which tyre businesses process information from mobile technicians and other remote workers. Using state-of-the-art hardware, experts at Cam Systems have developed an affordable electronic ballpoint ink pen, which allows a workforce to capture information on paper at one location and transmit it via a Bluetooth enabled device, to another.

The so-called Cam-ePen system is expected to be particularly popular with tyre dealers providing on-site service and roadside breakdown assistance. It will also play an important role in capturing workshop records and job cards or timesheets, in fact practically anything that is currently being documented on paper can be adapted. It means paperwork based reports and signature authorizations can be completed instantly with real time data exchange linked to a central data management system.

22nd June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Gives Tyre Safety Training in Africa

International development agency Transaid has launched a Tyre Safety Awareness Campaign in Malawi and Zambia, which commenced with a series of training courses led by Phil Rochester, a Training Manager at Michelin’s head office in Stoke-on-Trent. The initiative forms part of Transaid’s wider programme of work on road safety and professional driver training, which aims to reduce the number of road traffic crashes in Africa, which records 10 per cent of all such incidents, despite having just four per cent of the world’s total vehicle parc.

A total of 10 training courses were delivered over a two week period to key audiences which included traffic police, road safety agencies, road transport operators and public transport operators. Each course provided basic information on safety checks and how to avoid dangers associated with poorly maintained tyres, with training delivered to 270 people.

30th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Stapleton’s Unveils New Look ProfitLink

Stapleton’s, one of the UK’s largest tyre wholesalers, has refreshed ProfitLink, its online stock ordering site. As one of the first distributors to offer an online ordering system, Stapleton’s understands how important it is for customers to be able to view stock availability before placing an order. Stapleton’s trading director, Steve Parker, commented: “ProfitLink has been available for a few years now and has been very successful. We’ve had fantastic feedback from customers about how easy it is to use and how much they rely on being able to check availability of stock.”

“ProfitLink is a sophisticated business tool used by many customers and is growing in popularity. It allows customers to place orders directly via their computer as well as accessing manufacturer’s technical information, view images of the tyres to help with identification of tread patterns.”

The new look site maintains the easy to navigate drop down menus, live stock and up to date pricing information along with the ability to manage accounts at anytime by checking the progress of orders and viewing or printing copy invoices.

25th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Stapleton’s Unveils New Look ProfitLink

Stapleton’s, one of the UK’s largest tyre wholesalers, has refreshed ProfitLink, its online stock ordering site. As one of the first distributors to offer an online ordering system, Stapleton’s understands how important it is for customers to be able to view stock availability before placing an order. Stapleton’s trading director, Steve Parker, commented: “ProfitLink has been available for a few years now and has been very successful. We’ve had fantastic feedback from customers about how easy it is to use and how much they rely on being able to check availability of stock.”

“ProfitLink is a sophisticated business tool used by many customers and is growing in popularity. It allows customers to place orders directly via their computer as well as accessing manufacturer’s technical information, view images of the tyres to help with identification of tread patterns.”

The new look site maintains the easy to navigate drop down menus, live stock and up to date pricing information along with the ability to manage accounts at anytime by checking the progress of orders and viewing or printing copy invoices.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

RMA Supports E-Registration

(Akron/Tire Review) Electronic registration of tyres should be permitted, according to the RMA, which voiced its opinion to NHTSA. The agency is considering changes to voluntary tyre registration regulations.

Current Federal regulations require tyre retailers to provide paper registration cards to tyre buyers, who then may or may not mail them back in. Registering tyres makes it easier for tyre companies to contact tyre owners in the event of a product recall.

According to the RMA, “no more than 10% of tyre registration cards are currently returned to manufacturers and a significant number of these cards are inaccurate, incomplete or illegible.” The trade group believes the return rate would “substantially improve” if tyre buyers could use the Internet or “other electronic means” to register their tyres.

23rd March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Nokian Tyres Carry Rally Champ to Ice Speed Record

A new world record speed for driving on ice has been achieved using a vehicle fitted with Nokian Hakkapeliitta studded winter tyres. Four-times world rally champion Juha Kankkunen reached a speed of 321 km/h on a track that had been ploughed on the ice in the Gulf of Bothnia on Finland’s west coast, next to the city of Oulu.

5th March 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Strong Growth in China

Analysts have reported strong growth in both tyre production and exports in the Chinese market, with exports growing at a substantially faster rate than production. Quoting data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics, analysts state that 2005 was a year of steady growth for China’s tyre industry, with output reaching 283 million units, an increase of 18.7 per cent over the previous year. This equates to sales revenue of more than RMB80 billion ( £5.25 billion ).

2nd February 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Keep Your Distance with ACDIS

Accidents in heavily congested traffic are a part of many motorists’ driving history and are often impossible to avoid. In start-stop traffic the temptation to ignore recommended safe distances between vehicles is very strong, especially on multi-lane roads where some drivers treat cutting across lanes as if it were a sport.

17th January 2007/by Tyrepress Editors