Retreading
Having optimised its Pattern Programme a few weeks ago, Kraiburg Austria has revamped its website (www.Kraiburg-retreading.com). The content has been stripped back down to the essentials and clearly laid out. "Our aim was to create a contemporary look for the new website and to make it as user-friendly as possible", said Holger Düx, Head of Marketing and Sales Retreading Materials. "We want to help our customers to find what they are looking for at a glance".
As of 1 September 2011, Ellerbrock Reifenrunderneuerungs-Technologie GmhH, which was acquired by the Marangoni Group in the early 1990s, officially began trading under the name Marangoni Retreading Systems Deutschland GmbH.
Companies wishing to survive as retreaders these days either need to find a profitable niche where few competitors exist and margins are high or they must have the absolute will to follow current market trends and the ability to invest. A factor particularly responsible for changing the market is the growing demand for premium retreads by professionally managed fleets – the new tyre industry is a driver of this change. Therefore small and medium-sized retreading firms must make an effort to retain sufficient business. A real-life example of a company that is thriving despite the market changes is Bavaria, Germany based Reifen Müller.
The Pelmar Group has announced that Armond Boyes, managing director of its North American subsidiary, Pelmar USA LLC is to retire on 1 November 2011. Armond Boyes joined the Pelmar Group in 2008 from his previous position as general manger for retreading at Goodyear North America. He will continue as a consultant and will remain on the company's board of directors. No decision has yet been made about who will replace Boyes, but the company reports that it is considering a number of candidates.
Marangoni has announced the launch of three new precured tread lines: the RDG101 ring for series 70 and 80 designed for central European climates and adding features to the RDG100; the RSY397 ring for long distances in extreme conditions in two new sizes; and the MS9 special PRL pattern for Scandinavian countries.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has appointed Stephen R. McClellan as president of the company’s North American Tire business unit. McClellan will succeed Curt Andersson, who plans to pursue other professional interests. McClellan will continue to be responsible for North American Tire’s consumer tyre business until a successor is named.
“Steve brings strong leadership and a proven track record of delivering results,” said Richard J. Kramer, Goodyear’s chairman, president and CEO. “Steve’s career of more than 20 years at Goodyear has included progressively larger leadership positions within North American Tire. His success in running the North American consumer and commercial tyre businesses and his strong relationships with customers make him a natural successor to the role.
Telford-based Treadsetters has added the Insa Turbo range of retreaded truck tyres to its product line up. According to the company, this established retread brand will further complement the existing range of premium, mid-range and budget truck tyres with Treadsetters becoming the factory appointed UK distributors for the complete range of Insa Turbo retreaded truck tyres.
Speaking with Chinese new site China Economic Net, Zhu Jun, head of the China Tyre Retreading, Repairing & Recycling Association, has highlighted the waste created by China’s low rate of retreading. Zhu Jun stated that, according to statistics at hand, in 2009 more than 230 million waste and end of life tyres were generated in China; of this only 13 million – some five per cent – were considered retreadable.
In June Kraiburg Austria revealed details of its new revised Pattern Programme for 2011/2012. The current programme shows the availability of the individual product lines, K_base, K_plus or K_tech, at a glance.
A colour coding system also allows direct and rapid identification of the patterns – even if they are available in two different lines. As always, blue has been used for the all-round line K_base. Green indicates the technology line K_tech. And yellow is the colour of choice for the high-performance premium line K_plus.
At the end of June, Desser Tire & Rubber Co., Inc. was appointed Dunlop distributor for The Americas. Desser Tire and Rubber Co., Inc., and its affiliate retread repair station, Aero Wheel and Brake Service Corp., Inc., join the world’s only specialist aircraft tyre manufacturer in providing new aircraft tyre distribution and retreading services to the expanding North and South American market.
An area of focus for UK company OTR since its integration into the Kal Tire group is the further development of the ‘fendering’ process for its tyres. As Wayne Cornell, Kal Tire’s UK & Africa manufacturing manager explains, “the sidewall of a tyre is a large exposed area and, at the same time, is the thinnest part of the tyre. In harsh working environments this area is more susceptible to damage as the sidewall makes contact with objects – so the logical solution has always been to protect the sidewall i.e. fendering.”
As Pirelli observed in the July 2011 edition of ‘Truck’, the tyre maker’s in-house magazine for the commercial vehicle sector, the winter of 2010-11 was one of the severest in recent memory. The UK experienced snowfalls as early as November, it noted, causing such traffic disruptions that the Automobile Association describes the period as the most active in its 100-year history – the motoring association answered 200,000 calls for assistance on November 29 alone. In December the lowest temperatures since 1890 were reached.
A big surprise in this category, with none of last year's finalists making it through to the shortlist. In the past the finalists have tended to be waste collection companies or retreaders and this year we have one of each – Vellco Tyre Control and Bandvulc Tyres. The remaining three are all new tyre manufacturers: Continental, Michelin (both picking up their third nominations in this year's TAFF Awards) and Yokohama HPT.
After more than 60 years in the business, Lincolnshire-based Vacu-Lug has grown to the point that it can claim to be the largest one-stop industrial, truck and OTR retreader in Europe. And what’s more, the latest products in the Vacu-Lug portfolio are said to offer eco-qualities that outstrip the premium brands. Tyres & Accessories met with managing director Tim Hercock and fleet sales director Dave Alsop to find out more.
Hankook reports that it has received “positive feedback from many blue chip fleets” following the introduction of the e-cube fuel efficiency orientated commercial vehicle tyre range. The e-cube, which was launched in the UK at the end of 2009, is designed to offer low rolling resistance, long mileage and good retreading capability. According to the company, the e-cube also boasts green credentials courtesy of “lower hazardous materials and low rolling noise.” Since its launch it has been trialled by many of the company’s customers and has successfully built a solid reputation for superior quality and value for money.
“In today’s market fleets are constantly looking to lower their transport costs. Hankook appreciates the emphasis placed on this and the need to invest in the development of quality products that also incorporate essential environmental credentials. This led to the introduction of the e-cube commercial vehicle tyre range which we are proud to report is proving popular amongst our customers,” said Tony Lee, managing director of Hankook UK.
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