News from the world’s largest tyre industry show, Reifen 2014, at Messe Essen, Germany
Gaither Tool’s new corporate imagery made its European debut at Reifen 2014, with the Jacksonville, Illinois company’s European office also showcasing the all-new XL Smart Cart and extended Bazooka product range.
Pirelli launched its latest commercial vehicle tyre evolution of the Series:01 and a new range of Novatread tyres at Reifen, emphasising durability and safety. Compared to previous generation products, the new range of Pirelli truck tyres offer a longer tyre life, greater ease of rebuilding, and improved roadholding on both wet and dry surfaces, the manufacturer states.
OTR brand, Maxam Tire showed 24 tyres from the company’s comprehensive range of radial OTR, construction and industrial tyres on a large stand in Hall 6. The MS401 dump truck tyre proved particularly hard to miss; the tyre has an overall diameter of 2.7 metres and weighs 1,497kgs.
Techking made its fifth appearance at Reifen in 2014, with a stand in Hall 3 showing its OTR, TBR and PCR tyre lines. In the OTR segment Techking displayed its Generation II Proadt, Etcrane and Snowking products. The company says that longevity has been the key improvement for its Generation II products; the tyres can now reach 90 per cent of that of a tier one brand tyre, Techking claims, adding up ultimately to a lower total cost of ownership.
The Aeolus stand at Reifen 2014 highlighted the brand’s significant development in various European markets over the last year, with a well-proportioned stand in Hall 3 for the first time. Director of EU and CIS, Chen Lei told Tyrepress that the brand has been promoting its European business with an emphasis on shows in 2014.
Remog S.p.A. used Reifen 2014 as a platform to present a number of new products, including a new adhesive weight designed for original equipment alloy rims. This zinc adhesive weight series includes five to 60 gram sizes; Remog says the dimensions for these weights are 15mm x 5.8mm, except for five to 15 gram single weights, which are only 4mm high. The company adds that the connection between the different sections of the adhesive weights make them flexible and easy to mount on rims. Furthermore, Remog S.p.A. adds that the epoxide powder used achieved a 480 hours resistance in saline fog tests.
Indian tyre maker Ceat Ltd. aims to build up a stronger presence in the European passenger car and commercial vehicle tyre markets in the coming years. As the company explained during Reifen 2014, its plan is to work together with local distribution partners for its Ceat and Alutra brands – using a separate partner for each – in a number of European national markets. Initial steps have already been taken and Altura-brand passenger car and truck tyres will thus be launched in Europe next year. From the products on Ceat’s Reifen show stand, it appears that both company brands generally utilise identical patterns.
ATG used Reifen 2014 as a platform for presenting itself as a company and for presenting its goals. At a press conference during the Essen show, CEO Yogesh Mahansaria led top management, including chief of marketing and sales Angelo Noronha and head of research and development Dr. George Ronai in a talk about products and plans.
Just a couple of months before the Essen show, Silverline International Ltd became the UK distributor for the American Atturo tyre brand. So it was a pleasant surprise to bump into Silverline’s Chris Dawson during the Reifen show who explained the strategy behind taking on this brand.
With its sights set on gaining a bigger part of the European tyre market, on 27 May Apollo Tyres introduced two new tyres in Essen. The two new tyres, Apollo Alnac 4G All Season and Apollo Alnac 4G Winter tyres, joined to the existing range of Apollo Alnac 4G tyres being sold in Europe. Both tyres were developed in Apollo Tyres’ Global R&D Centre in the Netherlands and have been optimised to suit the requirements of European drivers and the European road network. While this was going on in the foreground, in the background the company has been involved in complex discussions relating to its much publicised plans to build an Eastern European factory. To this end Tyres & Accessories spoke with chief marketing officer Marco Paracciani. But first the new products…
At the end of April Cam International previewed its new e-jobsheet.com product at the CV Show. In May the product got its official launch at the Reifen show in Essen. In the month between the two events, the company finished the prototype system that it developed in partnership with Bridgestone and secured the interest of two further partners. Tyres & Accessories interviewed Bridgestone Europe’s Neil Purves (senior manager, automated inspection and systems development commercial product) and Cam International’s Steve Daly in April and attended the launch in May in order to find out more.
A lot has been going on at Nexen this year. Much of this activity has been taking place within the European market. And more still was going on during the weeks before, during and after the Essen Show.
Less than two weeks before the exhibition opened the company highlighted its recent progress with first quarter results punching above the company’s weight. During the exhibition the company was ostensibly there to display examples from its range and launch three new products – the N’blue HD Plus, Winguard SnowG and Winguard WT1(see textbox for more about what was actually presented in Essen). But it quickly transpired that there is more than this going on.
Mid-way through the Essen Show, the people behind one of the largest plots in hall three (home to the Infinity, Westlake and Linglong brands) announced that they are changing their corporate identity. And while this did mean the unveiling of a Zenises logo and a new range of Z branded tyres, speaking to chief executive officer Harjeev Kandhari reveals that the concept goes far further than this.
At the previous Reifen show in 2012, Malhotra Tyres launched its 85 series agricultural radials. The Indian manufacturer says that based on the positive customer response to this range and per its expansion plans, the Malhotra agricultural radial portfolio has now been increased to include 65 series and 95 series ranges. These two new lines were introduced at Reifen 2014. Company director, Mr. Raghav Malhotra, showed Tyres & Accessories the new Farm Xtreme 65, an R-1W agricultural radial, and the 95 series Sprayer RC 950 row crop radial.
Kumho Tire used this year’s Reifen show for a number of global premieres. The Korean tyre maker introduced the new all-season Kumho Solus HA31, which will enter the market in autumn and gradually replace the Solus Vier KH21. The new range will be available in a total of 35 sizes for 13 to 16-inch rim diameters and 80 to 50 profiles. Compared with the predecessor tyre, Kumho claims marked improvements in key performance areas, including wet handling and braking on snow. And while the Solus HA31 demonstrates Kumho’s interest in the growing all-season segment, the tyre maker also presented a new dedicated winter product at Reifen.
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