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Lanxess to Increase R&D by 10%

Specialty chemicals manufacturer Lanxess AG has announced plans to increase its research and development budget. Speaking at the company’s Innovation Day on June 5, Board of Management member Werner Breuers stated “innovation is an essential prerequisite if the company is to achieve sustainable long-term success, especially in these difficult economic times. That’s why we’ve increased this year’s investment budget to around 110 million euros, up 10 per cent on 2008.”

8th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US and Italian Tyre Retreaders to Cooperate

The Associazione Italiana Ricostruttori Pneumatici (known to its friends as AIRP) and the Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau (TRIB, to you) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate with each other for the mutual benefit of the retread and tyre repairing industries. The agreement extends to activities both within Italy and many other countries worldwide.

The memorandum sets out plans for the two organisations to exchange market and technical information; to assist visits of delegations; to collaborate on exhibitions and conferences; to waive publisher restrictions on each board’s research articles; and to strengthen the ties between the respective boards’ members. The agreement was signed on 21 May, 2009 in Bologna, Italy by AIRP president Stefano Carloni and TRIB MD Harvey Brodsky. “Having known our friends at AIRP for many years and having admired their ongoing dedication to improving our industry, we are very happy to join with them for our mutual benefit,” concluded the latter.

8th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Launches R:01 “Eco-Friendly” Regional Truck Tyre

Pirelli has announced the launch of its new regional truck tyre, the R:01. Developed by the company’s research centres, the tyre represents Pirelli’s attempt to meet the requirements of professional operators in terms of mileage yield, reduced consumption, retreading potential and environmental friendliness. Pirelli also presented the H88 Amaranto and G88 series to the international press, developed for long distance transport and for construction vehicles respectively. The latest TS:01 series for lorries was also announced. All four products, according to Pirelli, are themed on the efforts to cut costs.

The Italian group also presented a new package of services to support operators: the Pirelli Retreading System – the renovated Pirelli system to retread tyres; CQ24 International for road assistance; and Credit Tyre – the financing system for fleets and retailers. The growing specialization of the Italian group in the transport sector has also spread to training through the magazine Truck, a new free Pirelli house organ which will be added to courses organised by the Group to update and inform.

27th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Toyo Awarded for Fuel Saving R&D

Research conducted by Toyo Tire & Rubber into technologies improving fuel economy has earned the company an award from the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan. One Toyo employee, OE Tire Development project manager Tamotsu Mizutani, was granted the “Award for Technical Development” award for work carried out together with Honda R&D. Four Honda researchers were also honoured at the May 21 ceremony.

The technology developed by Toyo and Honda relates to reducing energy loss. Toyo explains that a tyre’s tread shrinks upon contact with the ground, and the constant repeated contraction and expansion experienced by the tread causes energy to be dissipated. Materials traditionally used to minimise this energy loss and improve fuel efficiency, adds Toyo, hinder braking power – and those that optimise braking increase energy loss.

26th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess Opens Expanded China Research Centre

The Lanxess research and development facility in Qingdao, China has undergone a ten million euro expansion programme, a measure the company says will facilitate its strategy of profitable growth in Asia through targeted investments in research and development. Upon announcing the official inauguration of its bigger and better High Performance Rubber R&D Center (RRCQ) on May 22, Lanxess Board of Management member Werner Breuers commented that the upgraded research centre “will give us a competitive edge by developing new products and applications for the growing Chinese rubber market.”

22nd May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Woods to Lead Snap-on Diagnostics’ Workshop Equipment Range

Snap-on Diagnostics has appointed Julian Woods as Under Car Product Lead with specific responsibility for Snap-on’s recently introduced new workshop equipment range. In his new role, Julian will be responsible for the new Snap-on range of lifts, tyre changers, wheel balancers and wheel aligners which were introduced in January this year as a result of strong customer demand. Snap-on Diagnostics’ VOSA-approved Sun VIC 3000 ATL Automatic Test Lane has now been added to the under car range and this now also becomes Julian’s responsibility.

21st May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Launches RING24h Breakdown Service

According to Marangoni, research shows that each year 13 per cent of trucks and buses experience tyre problems. This is clearly a major issue for the road transport industry, not only in terms of related costs (service, vehicle and driver downtime, wages that still have to be paid, along with a less efficient usage of resources) but also due to the late delivery penalties imposed upon transport companies and the consequent potential loss of customers. When such unplanned stoppages occur abroad, the possibility of language barriers when contacting the breakdown service also exists.

21st May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New Equipment Enhances Marangoni’s Approach to Tyre Testing

Testing new products, verifying their conformity to international approval standards and the development of new solutions, notes Marangoni, are essential elements in the research performed by leading tyre manufacturers. To help it carry out these activities in the most scientific and detailed manner possible, the Marangoni Research & Development Centre in Rovereto, Italy has implemented a new tyre tester it calls “Ruota Strada”. This new unit is set up for the indoor testing of all types of tyre, including passenger car, industrial, earthmover and high performance products.

20th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

TRW Opens China Test Facility

TRW Automotive Holdings has announced the opening of a new test track in Heihe, northern China. Work at the site began in 2006 and TRW states that during the last three years a “significant investment” has been made in the facility. The track specialises in winter testing and includes a variety of track surfaces designed to test active safety systems such as advanced braking and steering systems and integrated vehicle control and driver assist technologies. According to TRW, the opening of the test track, which is to receive support from the company’s Shanghai technical centre engineers, completes its footprint to locally engineer products and applications for China-based customers.

18th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Launches Next Generation Commercial Tyres

Continental has announced the launch of its new range of commercial vehicle regional and long distance tyres. The manufacturer has called the launch its “biggest for ten years”, representing four new design features for the second generation of steer and drive tyres, joining the HTR 2, which has been on the market for about a year. The tyres feature entirely new inner liner technology, dubbed AirKeep for its ability to stay inflated for longer, in addition to modifications to the belt, bead and contour design.

Conti is backing up its new range with a “Technology Truck” tour throughout Europe, including a visit to the UK in June, to showcase the range to fleet managers and dealers, as well as providing a new electronic tool, based on research conducted by Continental and certified by DEKRA, which calculates the economic and ecological benefits of fitting the new range to customers’ fleets: the ContiCostCalculator. The series 2 regional and long distance tyres will be available initially in the following sizes: Regional HSR 2 (steer) and HDR 2 (drive) – 295/80R22.5, 315/80R22.5, 315/70R22.5; HTR 2 (trailer) – 385/65R22.5, 445/65R22.5. Long-Distance HSL 2 (steer) and HDL 2 (drive) – 295/60R22.5, 315/60R22.5. The HTL 1 series trailer tyre is still available in sizes 385/55R22.5, 385/55R19.5 and 445/45R19.5.

18th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin and Goodyear Top JD Power Survey

Michelin and Goodyear have topped the most recent JD Power (OE) tyre satisfaction survey in three segments, while Goodyear won in one segment. Michelin ranked highest in the luxury, passenger car and truck/utility segments, while Goodyear topped the performance sport segment. Within each of the four segments (luxury, passenger car, performance sport, and truck/utility) four factors are examined to measure tire owner satisfaction: wearability, appearance, traction/handling, and ride. Rankings are based on owners’ experiences with their tyres after two years of ownership.

In the passenger car and luxury segments, Michelin performed particularly well in the wearability and appearance factors. In the truck/utility segment, Michelin performs particularly well in the tyre wearability factor. Goodyear ranked highest in the performance sport segment. While the tyre manufacturer performed well in traction and handling, according to the survery, Goodyear differentiates itself in the area of tyre wearability.

18th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

GITI to Replace Entire Product Range by 2010

GITI Tire (Europe) B.V. has announced that it will completely replace its passenger car and truck product offerings by the opening months of 2010. The brand overhaul also includes the renewal of GT Radial brand positioning this as the company’s flagship brand identity. During a detailed briefing, the company produced data apparently showing that GITI’s ambitious aims of competing on the same level as the premium tyre manufacturers, with the launch of the new range of products, are now within reach. According to the company, large-scale investment in research and development has enabled GITI to markedly improve its product’s performance compared with the previous generation and – crucially – to be prepared for forthcoming legislative requirements.

Speaking from the company’s European Technical Centre at MIRA in the UK, company representatives told Tyres & Accessories that the R&D department has been planning compliance to the forthcoming s-marking requirements since 2006 and is on-track to conform to the next round of legislation in 2012.

15th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Australian Science Agency Partnering in Tyre Recycling Project

Australia’s government-run national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), reports it is working with Australian tyre recycling technologies company VR TEK Operations on the design and development of a new and improved method of recycling waste rubber for further use in the production of new tyres and a number of other products. The end goal of the project is to produce a devulcansied and activated high quality rubber powder suitable to be used in the manufacture of new rubber products.

6th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Marangoni Project Recreates Lunar Vehicle

Forty years have now passed since the moment when Neil Armstrong’s boots pressed the first ever footprints on the surface of the moon. Several years later the lunar surface encountered the roll of a specially manufactured moon tyre when the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) became the first vehicle to literally offer out of this world performance. Those with a hankering to get better acquainted with the LRV can now do so thanks to Marangoni, who has produced a replica of this groundbreaking vehicle.

5th May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

GfK Releases First Italian Tyre Market Figures

Passenger car and light truck tyre sales worth 271 million euros were wrung through the tills of Italian tyre market specialists in the first two months of 2009, according to new tyre data released by market research specialists GfK. The survey’s also reveals that 2.9 million units were sold in Italy in January/February 2009. Of these, passenger car summer tyres accounted for 69.5 per cent of total sales, followed by passenger car winter tyres (17 per cent), light truck tyres (7.7 per cent) and 4×4 tyres (7.1 per cent).

The findings come as part of the first GfK Car Tires panel report, which only became available in Italy in January 2009. According to the company, the new panel audit covers the “tyre specialists” channel, with a represented ‘universe’ of 6,550 points of sale. For the purposes of this research GfK defined tyre specialists as those retailers for who tyres and related services accounted for more than 50 per cent of total turnover. The GfK panel only represents retailers with a minimum annual turnover of 150,000 euros.

30th April 2009/by Tyrepress Editors