Hertford based firm Rubber Consultants reports its acknowledgement by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers' Association (ETRMA) as a certified independent testing body. One of the first jobs Rubber Consultants carried out for the ETRMA in this capacity was to independently verify the initial findings of the association’s tests into compliance of the Reach regulation regarding PAH oils.
Pedro de la Rosa, who last September stepped in to replace Nick Heidfeld as Pirelli’s Formula One test driver following the German’s unexpected and ultimately short-sighted departure, has rejoined the McLaren F1 team as official test and reserve driver. De la Rosa originally joined McLaren back in 2003 and worked with the team for more than seven seasons, helping develop cars that scored 29 victories, not to mention the drivers’ world championship with Lewis Hamilton in 2008.
Amendments to the Formula One Sporting Regulations announced by the World Motor Sport Council on March 8 give tyre supplier Pirelli the option of evaluating new types of tyre during race meetings this year. The amendment states that “at certain events, one additional specification of dry weather tyre may be made available to all teams for evaluation purposes.” The Italian tyre maker adds that the option to try out new tyres “will be entirely at the discretion of the FIA, together with Pirelli, and it will only be exercised if the correct opportunity arises.”
While the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association’s study into the presence of ‘high PAH’ oils in tyres sold within Europe revealed all that all non-complying tyres were manufactured in China, the ETRMA made it clear that Chinese manufacture was in no way synonymous with Reach regulation non-compliance. Giti Tire Europe, whose GT Radial brand is produced in China, has also addressed potential uncertainty that may arise over the status of its products.
Jarno Trulli, driving for the Lotus team in the 2011 Formula One season, has suggested that sole tyre supplier Pirelli’s PZero Formula One tyres have “[missed] something in development, because the tyres aren’t balanced yet.” While Pirelli has stated its satisfaction with the current tyre and the quicker wear-rate so far experienced is a deliberate feature to encourage more tactical tussling between the teams. However, veteran driver Trulli believes that: “tyre wear is secondary compared to the tyre's balance problems, because at the moment you get on the track with a new tyre that initially is understeering, and after three laps the behaviour is the opposite, that is impossible oversteering."
Mandatory fitment of TPMS to new vehicles doesn’t kick in until 2012 officially however, due to the lead time necessary in producing 2012 model year vehicles, those same vehicles and the TPMS sensors they will be using are likely to already be in production. So, as we rapidly approach the mandatory introduction of tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) later on this year and with aftermarket suppliers and service providers paying more attention to the subject than ever, the question now is what can we expect from the TPMS market this year?
Two decades ago, the United States was home to more than one billion stockpiled scrap tyres, and only 11 per cent of the annually generated scrap tyres were sent to an end use market. It was, reminisces the Rubber Manufacturers Association, a situation where the tyre manufacturing industry was contending with a nascent scrap tyre industry – and the US Congress wanted results.
In the US, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and its more than 1,550 members are urging the Environmental Protection Agency not to adopt proposed rules that will have a significant impact on the scrap recycling industry – specifically the recycling of scrap tyres.
Bridgestone is preparing to launch its first all weather tyre, the A001, in Northern Europe ahead of the coming winter season. This new tyre, the company says, is intended to meet the safety and performance demands of the region’s fast changing weather conditions.
The UK R2RC (Right to Repair) strategy group has been disbanded, having decided it has achieved the goals it set when it was formed in February 2007. The decision was made at a recent Automotive Aftermarket Liaison Group (AALG) meeting, from which the UK element of the campaign was born, that R2RC end. The AALG accepted that recommendation.
Jim Mazza, the chairman of the campaign, said: “The motor vehicle specific regulations and guidelines introduced on 1 June 2010, which will run until 2023, are a fantastic outcome and far beyond my expectations. These coupled with other European legislation and directives provide strong protection for the independent automotive aftermarket and ensure an ongoing competitive environment from which the motorist will benefit. The UK Strategy Group is very satisfied with the outcome of the campaign.”
Starting 1 September, all California automotive service providers will be required to check the tyre pressure of each vehicle receiving maintenance or repair service at their facility, reports Tire Review. The Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association (AMRA) recently learned the California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposed an effective date of 1 September, 2010 for the adoption of Section 95550 in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.
According to a report in French sports newspaper L’Equipe, Michelin did not officially bid for the supply of Formula One. The French manufacturer’s Competition manager Paul Shorrock told L’Equipe that while Michelin did hold talks to discuss the possibility of re-entering the sport, the company’s official position remained out while “current regulations” remained “in force in 2011”.
Goodyear India Ltd. shares remain listed on the Bombay stock exchange following a failed delisting offer from parent company Goodyear Tire & Rubber. The US tyre maker made an offer to acquire close to six million shares in the Indian company, a figure representing 26 per cent of its equity capital. However it only received bids for around 1.136 million shares at a discovered price of Rs 340 (₤4.96) each. According to the Bombay Stock Exchange’s delisting regulations, the delisting offer would have only been considered successful if at least 3.69 million shares had been tended at or below the discovered price.
The new generation of mixed service tyres from Goodyear Dunlop Europe has been launched, and these products – the Omitrac MSS II steer tyre and MSD II drive tyre – enter the market along with the manufacturer’s claim that they will help operators save money in several ways. Amongst other qualities, Goodyear states the MSD II offers a 17 per cent greater mileage potential while both tyres offer good rolling resistance levels.
Continental Tyre Group, the UK arm of tyre and automotive supplier Continental AG, has sought to clarify comments made on motoring website motortorque.com which criticised forthcoming tyre labelling laws. In an interview published on 4 May 2010 the website said UK managing director David Smith described the planned labelling system as “not worth the paper it’s printed on.”
However, Continental representatives said this was a misunderstanding of what was said: “In a response to a recent direct question regarding the upcoming EU label, the intention was to highlight the benefit to the consumer of the more encompassing tests carried out and published by a number of European motoring magazines and motoring organisations. It was also intended to highlight the consistent leading performance of the major tyre brands in these tests, regardless of which part of the world in which they are produced.”
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