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Nankang Launches New Commercial Snow Tyre

Nankang has further expanded its winter tyre portfolio with the inclusion of the SL-6 commercial snow tyre. According to the company, this new product offers particular improvements in handling and safety performance. The handling response is said to be based on the tyre’s V shaped groove design and the “3D curve” located on the tyre’s shoulder, which enhances braking performance. The new ECO compound recipe is said to add a cap tread designed to reduce pollution. The silica-based compound the SL-6 uses has the dual benefit of maintain grip performance and economy, while maintaining driving safety on icy roads.

8th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Interstate Increases Size Range on the IWT-2

Carrying tyres produced using the latest technology and state-of-the-art tyre-building machinery, Interstate offers a range of high-quality own-brand winter options. The company is able to offer the tyres at competitive prices thanks to 25 years of experience of co-operating with world leaders in the development of advanced technology in the design and production of tyres.

The winter program contains 14 sizes, in one pattern: the IWT-2. These tyre sizes cover a large part of the replacement market for passenger car tires, a market Interstate aims to develop. All the winter offerings from Interstate are e-marked, DOT approved and produced in the newest ISO-certified facilities.

1st August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Fulda Saves Panda from Extinction

Fulda is sponsoring a 1991 Fiat Panda 4×4 taking part in the Mongol Rally 2008. The Fiat will set off on the 19th July and will be fitted with the Fulda EcoControl tyres.

James Philpott and Sebastian Barraclough from Hereford will be driving the 17 year old Fiat from London to Ulaanbaatar the capital of Mongolia. The rally, in aid of numerous charities based in Mongolia, will take the charitable pair through 18 countries, covering a distance of over 10,000 miles, putting the Fulda EcoControl tyres to the test.

4th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Egesil Silica Capacity Increased to Meet European Demand

Capacity has been expanded at the Turkish joint venture silica facility belonging to Evonik Industries AG. Following the addition of a new dryer, in operation since the second half of last year, capacity at Egesil AS in Adapazari, near Izmit, has been lifted to 40,000 tons a year. Growing demand for tyre silica in Europe is the key factor behind the decision to take such a measure.

23rd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Introduces CTS Touring Tyre

Cooper Tire has added a new product to the US premium luxury SUV touring tyre segment. Called the CTS, the new tyre is, says Cooper, designed to deliver year-round performance with higher levels of wet traction and ride comfort.

The tread is of a five rib design intended for all season traction, and Cooper comments that the wide centre elements boost responsiveness and highway stability, while the wide circumferential grooves help resist hydroplaning. The tyre also incorporates Cooper’s Response-Technology (R-Tech) construction, which employs several design elements intended to work in concert, providing enhanced tyre performance. The sidewall design, says Cooper, is computer optimised, and the extended bead filler offers improved handling response and cornering ability. The new coupled silica-based compound helps provide traction in wet conditions while also maximising treadwear.

17th June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear’s “Satisfaction Assurance” to Australia

Goodyear has marked the Australian launch of its latest safety-conscious tyre with a “Satisfaction Assured Trial” – an option unique in Australia for consumers to have their set of four new “Assurance” tyres replaced after 1000kms or within two weeks, inclusive of all refit charges.

The Assurance tyre is the product of nearly two years’ development at the Goodyear Technical Centre in Luxembourg. It features an interlocking “Waffle Blade” system with silica-based tread, designed to provide greater levels of grip in wet or dry conditions, as well as an incorporated layer of Kevlar and silica-reinforced Durawall technology in the sidewall to provide increased resistance to cuts and tears. The company has named these features “ArmorGrip Technology”.

3rd June 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Semperit Releases New Speed-Life Range

The release of the directional tread Speed-Life in March has given the Semperit product portfolio a high performance summer tyre for the medium price range category. The manufacturer states that the main considerations adhered to in the design of the new tyre were safety and low rolling resistance, and Semperit is pleased with the results of its development work: Braking distance, compared with that of its predecessor, has been reduced by up to nine per cent, and it reports that handling, rolling resistance and comfort have also benefited.

Designed for powerful vehicles, the Speed-Life features a symmetrical, directionally-orientated tread pattern with four circumferential tread grooves. Explaining the design, Stephan Herbst, developer of the new Speed-Life, commented: “The solid, powerful central rib ensures safe driving stability and best steering response to slight course corrections and when travelling at higher speeds.” The balanced longitudinal and lateral stiffness of the inner tread ribs to the right and left of it, plus the rows of lugs in the shoulder intersected by lateral grooves, are intended to provide a good steering response to medium steering angles and precise handling on winding roads. “The interlinked tread lugs in the outer shoulder are a further benefit in terms of handling,” Herbst added. “They ensure reliable handling even when driving at the limit.”

1st May 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Uniroyal 550 Named Which? Best Buy

The Uniroyal Rallye 550 tyre has been selected as a Which? Best Buy. To make the Which? Best Buys list, tyres have to be tested against a host of criteria and offer class-leading capabilities like dry and wet grip, quietness and wear rate. The Uniroyal Rallye 550 (205/55R16V) performed well for the second year in a row. Its double V tread pattern provides optimum water dispersion giving it high level resistance to aquaplaning. An advanced silica compound and a large number of intricate tread pattern grooves mean the tyre provides a firm grip in the dry and wet.

4th April 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Rhodia Silcea Announces Global Price Increase

On March 4 Rhodia Silcea announced a 12 per cent price increase in global prices for its precipitated silica range. This price rise took effect immediately and was implemented, says the company, to face the unprecedented rise in raw materials and energy costs.

“Despite our best efforts to offset rising costs by productivity performance improvements, Rhodia Silcea is obliged to pass on the increase through the price of its silica to ensure sustainable margins,” explains Peter Browning, Global Silica business director, Rhodia Silcea.

The company claims it “continuously strives” to counteract escalating costs with productivity programmes and other containment measures. Despite this, it claims that the “sustained magnitude of cost increases makes this price rise absolutely essential and unavoidable.”

5th March 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Lassa Launches New Impetus Revo

Lassa has announced the introduction of the new High Performance Impetus Revo tyre. In a like-for-like competitor comparison, the new Lassa Impetus Revo “performed well in all areas and exceptionally when compared for aquaplaning and riding comfort,” Lassa representatives told Tyres & Accessories. 27 Revo sizes will be phased in during 2008, with a furher 15 further sizes following in 2009.

29th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

All This And Good Looks Too…

Pirelli’s Diablo Rosso is aimed at bikers who not only want their machines to perform flawlessly at all speeds, but to look good as well.

Today’s bikes are more powerful than ever and all this power passes through the tyre’s contact patch – improve the contact patch’s behaviour, says Pirelli, and the benefits to the rider are enormous. Hence Pirelli’s EPT (Enhanced Patch Technology), which affects every aspect of the tyre’s design – tread pattern, structure, compound etc. – to ensure maximum performance in all conditions.

6th February 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Rhodia to Increase Price of Silica and Other Products

Chemical manufacturer Rhodia, whose Rhodia Sileca enterprise produces silica for use in tyre manufacture, announced on November 22 impending worldwide price increases for its products. These increases will be in the range of 7 to 15 per cent, depending on product line.

The company reports in a statement that the price rises are a necessary measure: “Although Rhodia has put into place a number of action plans over the past few years to improve productivity and reduce costs, the price increases announced today are required to help respond to the dramatic and simultaneous rising costs of energy, raw materials and transport, and to defend Rhodia’s margins at a time when the demand for specialty chemicals is strengthening worldwide.”

26th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Rhodia Plans second China Silica Facility

The chemical company Rhodia plans to construct a second facility for the production of high performance silica in China. This plant will be located in the city of Qingdao, where Rhodia already operates a silica facility. The new operation will focus on producing high performance silica notably used in low rolling resistance tyres. A modular design will be employed in the plant’s construction, enabling it to be easily expanded to support the rapidly growing market for this commodity, and Rhodia reports that a number of its existing major customers are supporting the project.

“This investment will allow Rhodia to respond to rapidly growing demand in the Asian region,” said Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO of Rhodia, adding “this move fits perfectly within our strategy to develop businesses in which we have a strong and sustainable leadership position and prioritise investment in China.” President of Rhodia’s Silcea enterprise, Eric Noyrez, commented that “With this new facility, Silcea will reinforce its worldwide leadership in the production of high performance silica while demonstrating its commitment to respond to increasing customer demand for products which are more environmentally sustainable.”

19th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

MRF Releases Silica Based PCR Range

India’s largest tyre manufacturer, MRF, has unveiled a new high performance PCR line. Called the MRF ZSLK, the tyre features a silica reinforced compound that is said to reduce rolling resistance, thus providing economic and green benefits. MRF reports that, in addition to in-house tests conducted by the company’s R&D centre, the ZSLK series has undergone testing with the globally respected technical services firm, Germany’s TÜV.

19th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Pirelli Unveils New Diablo Rosso

Pirelli has used the 65th International Motorcycle Exhibition (EICMA) in Milan as the venue to present the latest in it Diablo tyre range – the Pirelli Diablo Rosso – to international media. Described by Pirelli as representing a new generation of tyre, the Diablo Rosso is aimed at the supersport segment and adopts Pirelli’s patented EPT (Enhanced Patch Technology) in its design.

The front profile of the Diablo Rosso is designed to optimise the contact patch area, thereby, claims Pirelli, providing the most advantageous balance between fast and linear behaviour in corners while delivering an impressive ease of handling. The Pirelli patented Zero Degrees steel belt lurking below the tread is intended to keep the Diablo Rosso’s profile in optimal shape at all times and yet provide sufficient elasticity for very progressive feedback and behaviour regardless of lean angle. Rear tyre contact patch area is said to be improved through the inclusion of ‘nude’ shoulders. This clean area on the rear shoulder, in conjunction with the calibrated cuts in the centre tread, are said to maxmise the contact patch.

9th November 2007/by Tyrepress Editors