The first quarter of 2013 appears to have been a "brutto trimestre" for Pirelli & C. SpA, with the Italian firm’s net profit dropping 41.7 per cent year-on-year between 1 January and 31 March. It was, in Pirelli’s words, a period “characterised by an economic scenario still strongly influenced by the crisis affecting Europe, where the demand for goods and services continues to shrink.”
Last December, Thomson Reuters named Michelin and Goodyear Tire & Rubber two of its 100 most innovative organisations for 2012. Michelin reports receiving an award last week for this achievement; in sharing this news, the tyre maker states that the Thomson Reuters award is “significant for Michelin” as it focuses attention exclusively on companies that generate a “sizable amount of innovation.” – For example, only businesses that have accumulated 100 or more patents in the past three years are qualified for consideration.
A French study has demonstrated the effectiveness of Improved Flexion (IF) tyres at reducing soil compaction compared to a set of caterpillar tread tracks. The study, organised by the French National Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA), measured the soil compaction rates on a 3.5 hectare plot of farmland after a loaded combine harvester fitted with three different mobility options – a set of Michelin CerexBib 800mm IF tyres, a set of CerexBib 900mm IF tyres and a set of three 760mm roller caterpillar tread tracks – passed over it.
On 25 April, Pirelli Tyres Limited submitted an application with Carlisle City Council to extend the warehouse facility at its Carlisle factory plus make other improvements to the Dalston Road site. Pirelli will add a further 4,060 square metres or so of warehouse space. The extension, which will include four loading bays, will increase the warehouse facility’s total size by approximately a third.
Despite several leading supermarkets dropping fuel prices at the pumps, new research from leading vehicle remarketing company BCA, highlights that fuel costs remain a major concern for motorists. When BCA polled over 720 used car buyers in March it found that three quarters claimed the price of fuel is their biggest worry when it comes to motoring costs and over a third are frustrated by the lack of action by the Government to tackle fuel prices. Three quarters of motorists use their car every day and one in five drivers are particularly concerned about the rising costs of motoring because they rely on their car for their work.
Giti Tire has helped an employee at Thwaites Brewery to achieve the fundraising target for his first London Marathon, following a request made to a local dealer while fitting GT Radial’s Champiro UHP1 tyres. Gary Ackerley’s request reached managing director Europe, Richard Lyons, who was happy to offer a donation towards his fund for Children with Cancer UK.
Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced its plans to build a new head office in Itami, Hyogo Prefecture next to the site of its Tire Technical Center. The Japanese manufacturer, whose current head office is in Osaka said that the company plans to relocate in August 2015, the month in which Toyo will celebrate its 70th anniversary.
Motorists in London are more likely than those in any other part of the UK to fail their MOT as a result of simple, easy-to-fix, issues such as blown bulbs, worn tyres and cracked windscreens. The research, conducted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), indicates that around 1.5 million MOT failures each year could be avoided if motorists carry out simple visual checks of their vehicles and forewarn their dealer of issues, before the annual test of roadworthiness.
Back in October 2011, analysts at Deutsche Bank predicted that natural rubber prices would average US$4.50 a kilogramme in 2013. At the moment it looks as if that projection way off – last week, natural rubber prices reached a new low, sinking in excess of eight per cent to $2.50 a kilogramme.
The new Primewell Sport 910 has been hailed “a true ultra-high performance (UHP) flagship tyre for the quality sector” by Giti Tire’s country manager UK, Brian McDermott.
Speaking ahead of the product’s UK launch, he cited the main characteristics of the Sport 910, including the new asymmetric tread pattern design, exclusive compound and manufacturing advancements as being key to delivering excellent handling and ride comfort.
Organisers have announced that the 2013 International Rubber Research & Development Board (IRRDB) conference will ask “Are we ready for Green Technologies?” The event is being held in London and is scheduled to run 24 – 26 June 2013. The conference has been organised jointly by the IRRDB, Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) and its UK–based research facility the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (TARRC).
On 12 April, Cooper Kunshan Tire broke ground on its new Asia-Pacific Technology Center in China. The ground breaking ceremony was attended by Chuck Yurkovich, Cooper’s vice-president of Global Research and Development, Allen Tsaur (Cao Kechang), vice-president and general manager, Cooper Asia Operations, along with regional and government representatives.
Following a slow year in 2012, the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has published first quarter 2013 figures showing that the decline has continued.
According to the association, which represents the European operations of some of the largest tyre manufacturers in the world, the market for consumer tyres fell 12 per cent (to 46.6 million units) in the first quarter. This is said to have been because of, amongst other factors, bad weather conditions, delay of the change from winter to summer tyres, and not least the current economic environment.
The UK tyre industry has been taking deliberate steps to develop its fledgling winter tyre market for more almost a decade. Over the years improvements have accelerated with the passing of time. Now, new research produced by market analysts GfK suggest sales are accelerating faster than ever.
Pirelli has launched the third generation of its Sottozero winter tyre. The Winter Sottozero 3 is designed for cars with medium to large capacity engines and places an emphasis on grip in all conditions and tyre longevity.
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