research Archives - Page 64 of 94 - Tyrepress

Posts

Michelin NA Introduces All-New Pilot Sport A/S Plus

Michelin North America reports that company engineers faced a taunting task when it came to enhancing the capabilities of the Pilot Sport All-Season Plus tyre, however by combining new technologies and the company’s ‘relentless obsession for innovation and excellence’, they believe they have achieved their aims. The end result, the all-new Pilot Sport A/S Plus, offers what Michelin states is the perfect combination of all-weather performance and extended tread life for high-end performance vehicles.

“The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tyre provides everything a driving enthusiast needs in a tyre,” said Nicolas Goubert, brand category manager, Michelin North America. “The improvements made on the new Pilot Sport A/S Plus tyre allows for greater performance in dry and wet conditions, while still maintaining its capabilities in snow.”

26th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Wet Grip with Uniroyal – In and Out of Your Car

Want to reduce aquaplaning while walking to work in the rain? Do you seek added security when accelerating from nought to four? Never fear, your days of having less grip on two feet as you do on four wheels are over…

Fashion students at Leicester College have designed a wellie that features soles made from the tread of the Uniroyal Rallye 550, and its creators hold the selfless hope that the new footwear will make life easier for festivalgoers accustomed to slipping around in muddy fields. The boots feature a double-V tread pattern that disperses water from the contact area as quickly as possible to provide better grip. And as they are made from recycled tyre material, the more green aware amongst us can keep their feet dry and conscience clean at the same time.

25th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Amtel-Vredestein Warns of Counterfeit Tyres

Amtel-Vredestein has alerted consumers that counterfeit Amtel tyres have been found at retail stores in some markets. The tyremaker believes that the use of these tyres may be dangerous. “Fake tyres are made of cheap rubber mix and low quality synthetic rubber,” commented Anatoly Volnov, head of Research and Quality control department at Amtel-Vredestein. “Threads of such tyres are very weak and not elastic enough, they also wear out rapidly. These fakes may lead to car accidents.”

The company reports that this year cheap imitations of certain Amtel branded light truck tyres have been discovered, notably imitations of the Amtel 185/75 R16 – Cargo AS K-156 and Kobra K-156. The counterfeit tyres combined the names of both models and appeared in the market as the Kobra Cargo КА-156.

25th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hankook Announces Increased Environmental Technology Spending

Korea’s Hankook Tire has released details of its plans for an annual total of “at least 12.5 million euros” research and development spending on eco-friendly technology in the coming years. The company noted the industry trend towards decreased rolling resistance and fuel consumption as key concepts to be investigated using the money, while ensuring the sustainability of the manufacturing operation will also take up a key position in the ongoing research.

The announcement, prompted by the current climate of environmental awareness, is set to more than treble Hankook’s current fund for eco-conscious research, with the figure boosted to 0.5 per cent of the manufacturer’s global annual revenue – an increase of 350 per cent. Reportedly the world’s “fastest growing tyre manufacturer”, the firm’s commitment to R&D in this sector is designed to meet the growing demand of the market for ever-greater levels of environmental friendliness.

23rd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Micheldever Introduces Discount for Senior Customers

As the cost of running a car continues to spiral upwards, Micheldever Tyre & Auto Services in Hampshire is offering a helping hand for the over 60’s through a special 5 per cent discount on tyres and a variety of other crucial replacement car components. The money saving offer is available to anyone over 60 years of age each Thursday, and includes tyres, exhausts, wheel alignment, brakes and suspension components.

Research by Micheldever has indicated that car owners are delaying replacement of safety components such as tyres and brakes because of the increasing cost of motoring. “This clearly is a false and dangerous economy” said Ashley Balch, Manager at Micheldever. “Tyres in particular are all that connect a car with the road, and so delaying replacement could prove to be a bad move. Pensioners are particularly vulnerable as they often rely on their cars for essential journeys. Our special offer, we hope, will help make a contribution to reducing the burden associated with the cost of motoring for pensioners.”

13th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Starco Develops Specialist Trailer Tyre With GiTi

During Tyres & Accessories’ visit to Starco, the company unveiled the new KargoMax trailer tyre and announced a five-year exclusive OE agreement. According to GiTi Europe’s Richard Lyons, the KargoMax is the first time a tyre manufacturer and OEM supplier have cooperated on the development of a full range of trailer tyres aimed at the high speed trailer and touring caravan market.

What sets the KargoMax apart from other products in the trailer segment is its “mission-matched” development. Company representatives told Tyres & Accessories that design features include construction aimed at counteracting heat build-up; and specially designed sidewall enhancements to help combat the effects of ageing – something that is particularly relevant in this segment.

11th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

CERM Research Shows Michelin Leads Motorcycle Tyre Performance

CERM (Centre d’Essais Routiers Mécaniques) has tested Michelin’s Pilot Road 2 and new Anakee 2 motorcycle tyres against the leading competitors in the market, with strong results for the French manufacturer. The Pilot Road 2 was tested against the Dunlop Roadsmart as an update to previous tests against six major competitors’ sport touring tyres; while the Anakee 2 was compared to two direct, major-brand competitors – the Metzeler Tourance EXP and Bridgestone Battle Wing. In both cases the tests involved two criteria: wear resistance and wet-surface grip.

The initial sport touring tyre tests, conducted in 2006 and 2007 compared 120/70 R 17 and 180/55 R 17 Pilot Road 2 tyres fitted to Suzuki Bandit 1200s with six comparable tyres from other premium manufacturers. The result were good, from Michelin’s perspective, and showed that the French tyres not only lasted longer but also offered better wet handling than its competitors, defying the supposed performance payoff between the two characteristics. According to Michelin, the same performance advantage was proven again in the 2008 tests against the Dunlop Roadsmart.

4th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

FAI Automotive Extends New Coil Springs Range

UK component distributer FAI Automotive has extended its new range of coil springs following research suggesting a growing market demand for the part.

Sean Walker, the company’s MD, suggests that perpetually evolving suspension design, coupled with the deterioration of road surfaces, has led to the greater vulnerability of such components.

3rd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho Tires Starts Work on Central R&D Centre

Kumho Tires makes no secret of its ambition to stand amongst the world’s top five tyre companies by 2015, and one channel the company says it will use to achieve this is to strengthen the Kumho R&D network. One key part of the South Korean manufacturer’s strengthening programme is the planned Kumho central R&D centre in Yong-in, Gyeonggi Province, and on May 15 an official ceremony was held to mark the start of construction work at the site. Numerous company executives and employees, including CEO Sae-Chul Oh, attended the ceremony.

The anticipated completion date for the central R&D centre is the latter half of next year. A sum of 70 billion KRW will be invested into the project, which will cover a floor space of 24,092 square metres and a land area of 34,842 square metres. The facility is planned to be, says Kumho, one of the world’s top three central R&D centres.

2nd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Continental Tyres Increases Australia Commitment

Continental is increasing its position in the Australian commercial vehicle tyre market. Following Continental AG’s acquisition of Siemens VDO the companies’ Australian wings will now amalgamate into a new office complex in Melbourne’s northern suburb of Bundoora, Supply Chain Review reports. According to the magazine, Continental Tyres has significantly increased its commitment to the Australian market with the appointment of key marketing, sales and technical positions, all based locally.

“By the establishment of local offices and appointment of an Australian team Continental has shown its high level of commitment to the Australian market,” General Manager Sales and Marketing, Peter Miglic is quoted as saying. “One thing that keeps Continental at the forefront of the global tyre industry is our significant commitment to research and development. Last year we spent the equivalent of $72 million on developing and making better tyres, this equates to around 3% of our total sales. Conti is at the fore front of global tyre development.”

27th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Lower Rolling Resistance, TPMS by 2012, says EU

A host of new vehicle safety and environmental requirements, including several tyre related measures, will become obligatory as of 2012. On May 23 the European Commission unveiled its timetable for the introduction of these measures, of which European Commission vice-president Günter Verheugen said: “We are simplifying legislation. We are improving road safety. We are promoting fuel efficiency. We are presenting a modern integrated policy approach beneficiary for citizens, for the environment and the industry.”

Low rolling resistance tyres (LRRT) are to become obligatory from 2012, and the European Commission notes that, in order to avoid any negative impact on safety, explicit safety requirements are to be introduced alongside new standards on noise. Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems will also become obligatory from 2012. Deflated tyres, comments the Commission, can cause up to a 4 per cent increase in fuel consumption while reducing tyre lifespan by 45 per cent. Tyres can lose 3 to 6 per cent pressure per month, and this may not be noticed by the driver. According to research by TNO in the Netherlands, the fuel saving potential of LRRT and TPMS in passenger cars is 3 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively. For new cars with expected engine test cycle performance of 130 g CO2/km this would mean additional reductions of more than 7 g CO2/km (3.9 LRRT and 3.25 TPMS). The CO2 reduction potential of LRRT+TPMS on a current car (with a test cycle of, for instance, 160g) would be greater than 7kg/tonne.

27th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Analysts: ‘Massive’ Price Increases Needed to Offset NR Costs

Analysts have warned that tyre manufacturers will have to introduce “massive” price increases to offset the surging natural rubber cost. On 26 May the natural rubber price reached US$3.25/kg, 12 per cent above the level reached last month (US$2.90/kg); and 40 per cent above last year’s average price (US$2.30/kg). According to one Deutsche Bank analyst’s research note the price surge is surprising because natural rubber supply (9.9 million tons in 2007) still exceeds demand (9.7 million tons in 2007); and world inventories represent 23 per cent of annual demand.

27th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Fast Car Commends Uniroyal Rainsport 2

The inaugural Fast Car Hit List awards have recognised the Uniroyal Rainsport 2, commending the newly launched rain tyre for its styling and handling in the wet. The Hit List awarded commendations in 14 different categories. All the products were judged on their quality, originality, desirability and value making the Hit List a real stamp of approval for all tuning enthusiasts to be on the look out for.

The Rainsport 2 was shortlisted in the chassis mods category. Fast Car said; “This distinctive looker can deliver impressive levels of grip in the dry but, more importantly for us drivers in the wet and greasy UK, can also astound with its ability to hang on in the rain.”

16th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Lanxess to Relocate Rubber R&D Facility

Lanxess Inc. announced on May 9 it has entered into a multi-year tenancy agreement with the University of Western Ontario (U.W.O.) Research Park in London, Ontario (Canada), which will become the new home for the Lanxess Butyl Rubber Business Unit polymer research group. Presently operating out of the company’s Sarnia site, the new facility will have global responsibility for the research and development of butyl and butyl-like elastomers. Three global rubber manufacturing sites – Belgium, Canada and Singapore – will be supported from this new facility. It is expected that relocation to the Ontario site will be completed by the end of 2009.

14th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

TÜV SÜD Highlights Michelin Energy’s Braking and Fuel Efficiency

Michelin is promoting its wet-braking and fuel efficiency qualities following glowing research from independent test centre, TÜV SÜD Automotive. Tests conducted by TÜV SÜD in April and May 2008 show that the new Michelin Energy Saver combines one of the shortest wet-road braking distances of any tyre in the market with the biggest fuel savings.

The braking tests were carried out by the German organisation using three different tyre sizes (195/65 R15 H, 195/65 R15 V and 205/55 R16 V), which it purchased in tyre outlets. The comparative tests demonstrate that in challenging road conditions, such as on wet surfaces, the Michelin Energy Saver brakes in shorter or equal distances compared with six of its main, major-brand competitors (slowing from 80 km/h to 20 km/h).

8th May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors