Tyres are just black and round, as friends and loved ones never grow weary of pointing out, but things get more complicated when the Dunlop name is on the sidewall. While most tyre brands are produced by a single company, Dunlop has the distinction of being made by no less than three. But things may soon become simpler.
Tomohiko Masuta has concluded his tenure as Senior Executive Manager, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Falken Tyre Europe, becoming Chairman and General Manager of Sumitomo Rubber (China) Co. Ltd. as of 1 January 2024. He succeeds Eiichi Masuda in these roles. Masuda concurrently serves as Chairman and General Manager of Sumitomo Rubber (Changshu) and Chairman of Sumitomo Rubber (Hunan).
A new simulation technique will aid tyre development at Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) by helping to minimise the impact of air resistance. This ‘Tire Aerodynamic Simulation’ technique uses artificial intelligence to visualise the airflow that develops around the tyres when a vehicle is in motion, and the Falken brand manufacturer will use the knowledge it gains to “pursue the development of a tyre shape that optimises aerodynamic performance.” SRI aims to launch an EV tyre developed using Tire Aerodynamic Simulation in 2027.
Since establishing its new long-term sustainability policy in 2021, Sumitomo Rubber Group has piloted and demonstrated proof of concept for the use of hydrogen as a source of energy at its tyre factory in Shirakawa, Japan. Combined with power generated from solar photovoltaic panels installed in the plant’s carpark, Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) claims that the use of hydrogen has led to carbon neutrality (Scopes 1 and 2) for its production at Shirakawa, beginning in January 2023.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. has begun supplying Falken Ziex ZE001 A/S all-season tyres to Subaru as factory standard tyres on the Levorg Layback, which was unveiled in September 2023. The latest Levorg Layback has been developed for the Japanese market by Subaru to stand out within the brands’ SUV lineup.
The CEOs of 10 leading tyre manufacturers have gathered to confirm a two-year Tire Industry Project (TIP) workplan focused on “sustainability in the tyre lifecycle”. The plans includes targets relating to tyre-emission research and end-of-life tyre management amongst other points.
Falken Tyre Europe has launched the Wildpeak R/T01 rugged terrain tyre, a new flagship expanding its 4×4 tyre portfolio for demanding off-road applications. The new tyre means the Sumitomo Rubber Industries global flagship tyre brand now has a tyre for every off-road application. The company states that the R/T01 was “engineered with adventure in mind”; the tyre’s tread design and structure promote high traction performance in the most difficult conditions. Falken will distribute the Wildpeak R/T01 from the first quarter of 2024 with an initial range of nine sizes, ranging from 16 to 20 inches, with a speed rating of Q. The Wildpeak R/T01’s designation as a professional off-road tyre (POR) means it has no further EU tyre labelling information.
Falken Tyre Europe has unveiled a new ultra-ultra-high-performance (UUHP) tyre, the Falken Azenis RS820. It says this new pattern is designed to offer responsive handling, balanced wet and dry grip and impressive feel on both road and track.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) is collaborating on a project to eliminate batteries in TPMS and similar devices by replacing these with electricity generated through tyre rotation. Reporting on the progress of its work with Professor Hiroshi Tani of Kansai University in Japan, the Falken brand manufacturer says the partners have successfully generated stable electricity over a wide range of speeds by employing two types of generating devices.
Falken tyre brand manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has a new means of verifying supply chain transparency for the natural rubber it utilises. Its procurement company Sumitomo Rubber Singapore Pte. Ltd. been using the Rubberway solution since July 2023, and SRI emphasises that “being part of this industry initiative will accelerate sustainable procurement of natural rubber.”
One in every five new vehicles on South African roads runs on Dunlop tyres and the Sumitomo Rubber South Africa production facility in Ladysmith supplies original equipment tyres to Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu, Hino, Tata, Scania and UD Trucks. Backed by parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries, the local subsidiary has announced a “multi-billion rand investment project” to meet demand from OEMs.
Sumitomo Rubber Industries Motorsport Department has selected Avery Dennison’s AD Maxdura tyre tag for use by endurance racing teams on Falken tyres. Teams will benefit from new data to help them prepare and improve race performance. With a unique RFID transponder implanted in each tyre, information can be read automatically and used to identify precisely which tyres are in use from the pit to the track. To further boost control, as well as stock and performance management, the Avery Dennison Maxdura Tire Tag enables teams to optimize real-time inventory and logistics. In addition, providing a unique ID for each tyre is intended to “improve reuse and recycling processes after the race to make events more environmentally sustainable.”
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd achieved lower profit in H1 2023 despite increasing sales and operating profit. The company has nonetheless upwardly revised its full-year profit forecast from 21,000 million yen to 23,000 million yen (£127.1 million, US$162.2 million).
Sumitomo Rubber Group sold 110 million tyres worldwide in 2022 and is well aware of the importance that these products be recycled at the end of their working lives. For this reason, three group companies are collaborating to explore new recycling technologies.
The Falken tyre brand celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and Falken Tyre Europe has marked the milestone at an event not far from its headquarters in Offenbach am Main, Germany. For the company, the anniversary is also an opportunity to look back on the past four decades.
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