Magnum D'Or Resources reports that truck tyres utilising its SRI Custom Compound have successfully passed the 2,500 kilometre validation trials they were undergoing at the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia. The tyres were fitted to a rear axle of a light commercial vehicle alongside Bridgestone BS100 tyres in size 7.00 –16 12PR in order to test performance and wear resistance.
Distributor Cambrian Tyres has announced that it has introduced the ready to ride Continental RoadAttack 2 to its range. The latest bike product from the German tyre manufacturer is its first tyre to offer complete riding safety as soon as it is fitted, according to Conti. The ContiRoadAttack 2 is available now from Cambrian Tyres, coinciding with the start of the 2010 season. Continental will be producing the tyre in six front sizes and seven for the rear (see below). Approvals have already been obtained for over 250 bikes (from manufacturers including BMW, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha).
Michelin has announced the world premiere of its Power Pure, which the French manufacturer says is the lightest sports motorcycle tyre in its category. As a result of the decreased weight, Michelin says the Power Pure tyres offer “unmatched handling with greater responsiveness and enhanced riding pleasure.” They are available now.
The World Expo is considered by many to be the Olympic Games of the economy, science and technology. Since the first such event, the Great Exhibition of 1851, was held at the Crystal Palace in London’s Hyde Park, the World Expo has been held more than 40 times in locations around the globe. This year’s exhibition, Expo 2010, is said to be the largest world’s fair ever, with more than 135 countries and 48 organisations already registered to take part and at least 70 million visitors expected to attend. On January 29 Michelin announced its presence as a major sponsor at the French Pavilion during the Shanghai based show.
Michelin and the Volvo Group have signed a contract extending the agreement that has made Michelin the Swedish automotive manufacturer’s main tyre supplier since 2003. The two companies will now work together on innovation projects. Under the contract signed on 25 January 2010, Michelin will supply truck tyres as original equipment for vehicles assembled by Volvo in North America, South America, Europe and, for the first time, Turkey, and marketed under the Volvo Trucks, Volvo Buses, Renault Trucks and Mack Trucks trade names.
One of India’s largest tyre manufacturers has released a statement looking at the link between the 250-plus deaths that occur on the country’s roads every day and the recently observed statistic that 75 per cent of vehicles run on incorrect tyre pressure. Apollo Tyres’ survey found that amongst 36,000 tyres tested over six months, “only 22 per cent of cars… had with the OE recommended inflation.” The company suggests that while the winter season sees the highest number of road accidents, with “fog, cold, roadside revelry and…drinking and driving… the major causes”, perhaps incorrect tyre pressure should also be addressed as part of the problem. Apollo began the self-titled “Safe Drive” programme in 2006 “to educate and create awareness on the benefits of proper tyre care among passenger car and commercial vehicle users.”
Nearly three million motorists have had a run-in with another vehicle during the recent winter weather, according to research by Continental Tyres. One in 10 drivers are said to have crashed into cars in the last month during the snowy and icy weather. 45 per cent said they had two or more near misses over the cold snap. The average motorist involved in a prang has done £320 worth of damage – but a third failed to own up to their wrong-doing if the accident was their fault. Another 34 per cent avoided involving their insurance company in order to keep their ‘No Claims Bonus’.
Just days after announcing plans to use football as a means of highlighting its attractiveness as an employer, Continental has outlined plans to “put stock in fresh expertise, new ideas and, thus, increasing innovative prowess in the form of highly qualified junior staff” during 2010. “This year we plan to hire around 1,000 university graduates and young professionals worldwide,” reported Continental Executive Board member Heinz-Gerhard Wente. A quarter of these new recruits will be employed in Germany, he added. The automotive supplier says that while it will primarily focus upon hiring engineering and natural science majors, it is also looking for business and economics graduates.
Nearly £1 million of funding has been awarded by the Technology Strategy Board, a government established public body, to a consortium led by advanced battery manufacturer Axeon. The partners, who will match the funding, state they are developing new battery chemistries that will deliver high energy densities, thus making them ideal for use in plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs). The £2 million project aims to accelerate the introduction of next-generation batteries that offer higher energy density combined with lower cost. It will, says Axeon, take advanced battery chemistry out of the research laboratory and into a real-world prototype PHEV application and help to consolidate the UK’s position as a strategic centre for battery development.
High performance motorsport technology supplier Cosworth has renewed its partnership with Beru specialist division bf1systems for the exclusive distribution and ongoing support of bf1systems’ DigiTyre products in the USA. The renewed agreement now includes the new Infra Red Tyre Pressure and Temperature Monitoring System, which utilises infrared elements built into the wheel sensors to give engineers what is said to be the most accurate tyre carcass temperature data.
Some Rs 8 billion (£109.7 million) are to be invested in a new JK Tyre & Industries greenfield facility and the construction of a new research and development facility. The new plant will reportedly produce passenger car and truck and bus radials for both the domestic and export markets, however no specific information on plant capacity has yet been made. The southern Indian state of Karnataka appears to be the most likely location for the new development, a decision that may have been influenced by the regional government’s offer of incentives.
In the middle of the UK’s coldest winter for 30 years, industry association Tyresafe and tyre manufacturers and traders alike are pointing to the lasting benefits of driving on specialist cold weather tyres. The clear advice is that drivers who took the precaution of fitting cold weather tyres to their vehicle last autumn will continue to benefit from safer driving long after the current snow melts away. With more natural rubber in the tyre tread compound than standard ‘summer tyres’, they provide significantly shorter stopping distances in cold (under seven degrees celcius), wet and icy conditions.
“There is a misconception that cold weather tyres are not appropriate for drivers in the UK,” explains Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. “However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Cold weather tyres provide much better grip in both wet and dry conditions when the temperature falls below seven degrees, so they offer extra safety typically from October through to March. These tyres also have different tread patterns from ‘summer’ tyres making them more able to cope with snowy conditions. Those drivers who have chosen cold weather tyres will continue to benefit long after the current snow falls melt away.”
Nokian Tyres reports that the market launch of its new Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV studded tyre has provided 4×4 drivers “who enjoy driving in varying winter conditions” a “superior alternative” in terms of grip and driving stability. This new tyre, the Finnish manufacturer states, combines unyielding grip with exceptional durability and unique driving comfort. Designed for heavy use, this latest addition to the Hakkapeliitta winter tyre range is intended to continue Nokian’s emphasis on what it identifies as a core strength: the world’s leading winter tyre expertise. Nordic winter conditions were a focus when designing the Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV, and Nokian reports the tyre can easily adjust to quick changes in weather and temperature, from frost to snow storm to rain. The technical solutions incorporated into the passenger car version of the Hakkapeliitta 7 have also been adapted for use in this 4×4 tyre.
According to Michelin, a special power train requires a special tyre. And it claims to have embraced this philosophy when designing its first concept tyre for electric vehicles. Known as the EV, the Michelin concept tyre is intended to provide a range of benefits that include increasing the vehicle’s range between charges or reducing battery size to optimise use of interior space. At the same time, the tyre is said to enhance driving safety and deliver superior longevity. Furthermore, says Michelin, the prototype tyre offers a quiet ride that is ideally suited to a relatively noise-free power source.
While some major tyre industry names produce calendars that illicit furtive glances and even the occasional ‘phwoar’ from enthusiastic admirers, the Kwik-Fit annual calendar may take your breath away for another reason entirely. Kwik-Fit’s Tyre Wall of Shame 2010 features twelve images intended to shock – photos of tyres in outrageous condition, including some with almost no tread left, sidewall ruptures through under inflation, and even one worn right down to the steel core. And while Pirelli’s calendar efforts involved weeks of shooting in Brazil, all the ‘models’ featured in Kwik-Fit’s 2010 edition were removed from customers' cars on a single day in December 2009. Scarier still, this was an average day – Kwik-Fit says it replaces tyres in similar conditions every day of the year.
This is a short extract. Tyrepress and Tyres & Accessories subscribers can log in below to read the full article.
If you are not yet a Tyrepress or Tyres & Accessories subscriber, you can change that here.
Becoming a member has benefits such as:
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
