Retreading
In a year end review, Continental Tyres’ Arthur Gregg used the word “challenging” to describe the UK and Ireland commercial vehicle tyre market. Yet at the same time he painted a positive picture of fleet operators adjusting to tough economic times and of a company that continues to develop and introduce new products in line with the many changes occurring in the market.
As well as over 100 pages of coverage on key industry matters, December's Tyres & Accessories includes the latest edition of our 40-page edition of our Retreading Special supplement. The third publication of its kind this year, December's Retreading Special focuses on the role of machinery in retreading and examines trends observed and influenced by this part of the market. Subscribers don't need to wait for the paper copy to arrive – click more to view our virtual e-paper version.
These days, two major trends within the European retreading sector are making the use of shearography systems increasingly necessary. First, casings are becoming harder to source due to weakness in the new tyre market and the growth in new tyre manufacturers’ involvement in retreading; they strive to retain ‘their’ casings within their own systems. Second, the focus on quality amongst medium-sized retreaders is becoming ever more important – both customers and the business’s competitive environment demand this. In an interview with Tyres & Accessories, market leader Steinbichler challenges those retreaders who continue to believe they can’t afford investments of 100,000 euros or higher: “For each of our customers, an investment in shearography has been crowned with economic success.”
The Retread Tire Association reports a membership list approaching the 300 mark. The US-based retreading association has announced the addition of a number of new members, including Chilean retreading association Asociación De Renovadores Y Recauchadores De Neumáticos De Chile, Malaysian companies Eversafe Rubber Works, P Tread 1 Rubber Company and Sun Rubber Industry, plus – closer to home – Illinois-based firm Salem Tire Center. According to the RTA, the association has also gained several other new members, however they have opted to remain anonymous.
These days, companies that specialise in the sale of new or retreaded truck tyres must always offer their customers a comprehensive product portfolio plus a regrooving service. Through professional regrooving, a tyre’s mileage can be increased by a further 25 per cent, simultaneously reducing the pence per mile cost. Speaking with Tyres & Accessories, Marc Jürgens, product manager Tyre Repair Tools and Chemicals at Rema Tip Top, explained why regrooving is important, how it can help retain customers and what must be taken into consideration in the workshop.
Retreading materials supplier Oliver Rubber is commemorating its 100 anniversary. The US firm was founded in Oakland, California in 1912 by engineer Marion F. Oliver, and believes it may well be the first company to retread tyres using pre-cure rubber; it accomplished this feat in 1916. In that same year Oliver Rubber became one of the first in the industry to work with organic accelerators and use carbon black as a reinforcing pigment.
Marangoni is targeting on/off road users with the latest addition to its Ringtread portfolio, the MIX100. The new product is aimed at on/off segment users who require high mileage at sustained speeds, such as vehicle operators wishing to reduce travel time between quarry and site, while demanding maximum grip and traction on a range of surfaces. The Italian retreading specialist says the MIX100 line-up has been thus developed to minimise vehicle downtime and guarantee high mileage and excellent traction.
ECI International, the organiser of Tyrexpo Asia 2013, has announced that Dr Stephen Evans, Secretary General of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG), has agreed to open the ninth staging of the biennial event in Singapore next March.
Dunlop Aircraft Tyres has appointed Mike Askew as chief executive officer. He joins the firm from APPH Group, a company that designs and manufactures hydraulic systems and landing gears for commercial and military aircraft. Askew had been managing director at APPH for almost three years and before that he held senior positions at Doncasters and GKN Westland Helicopters.
Marangoni’s retreading machinery business, Marangoni Meccanica reports that the company has completed the acquisition of retreading equipment manufacturer TRM. According to the company, this development represents the achievement of its targets of the “rationalization and innovation” of its business although further details about exactly what this means have not been released.
Long-time supporter of the Brityrex show, Kings Road Tyres had one of the exhibition’s more imposing stands, located next to the entrance, while associated brands, Uniroyal, for which it has the UK licence, Aeolus and Antyre – Chinese brands for which the wholesale part of KRT is the exclusive distributor in the UK – were present with stands of their own. Added to the “multi-brand presence” promised by Purchasing and Marketing manager, Tim Bader on the company’s own stand, featuring “the latest from Matador, Taurus, Cooper 4×4 and Aeolus Truck Tyres,” the company represented its truck, bus, agricultural, industrial and 4×4 ranges strongly.
Last week, Marangoni asked unions to approve a restructuring plan and proposed investment of 2.7 million euros into its retreading operations. According to Tyrepress.com’s Italian sister site PneusNews.it, the proposal includes a major revision of the Rovereto location’s truck tyre retreading operation. Marangoni Group ended 2011 with 7.9 million euros of losses, which are said to be mainly due to financial charges and the tax burden.
Bridgestone’s own Tyre Pressure Management System (TPMS) is currently being rolled out across Europe with the aim of providing a more thorough pressure maintenance service to customers. The system is made up of a valve-mounted sensor, a receiver gate mounted at the fleet site and a cloud based data system. The valve sensor emits a signal every six seconds relaying up-to-date pressure and temperature data to the gate receiver which collates the information and sends it to the Bridgestone database on a regular basis.
Lest anyone ask “who’s that giving this year’s speech”, NTDA chairman, Stephen Callow used the opportunity to give some background to how he came to hold this responsibility. In his words, he was like many in the wider tyre industry, “born with rubber in [his] veins.” He is a second generation tyre specialist thanks to the influence of his late father, Ronnie Callow. Ronnie, as Stephen explained in his inaugural chairman’s speech, was a “colourful” character – a description, he noted, that those who remember him would agree with.
Maxxis International will partner its official Malaysian distributor, Kian Hon Tyres in establishing the new Maxxis Asia Education Centre for truck and bus radial tyres in Penang, Malaysia. The companies said they plan to offer leading-edge training programmes at the new centre. Maxxis said that Kian Hon was selected for this new venture because of the “remarkable performance and aggressive expansion plans for its retreading plant”. The Maxxis Asia TBR Education Centre will be housed at Kian Hon’s new building in Nibong Tebal, and feature “state-of-the-art infrastructure and first-class equipment”, Maxxis said. The collaborative effort will constitute a total investment of US$20 million and will create between 200 and 400 new jobs.
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