Tyre makers bring wares to SEMA
North America’s greatest automotive products show gets underway today, and tyre makers are making sure the anticipated 60,000 plus visitors know about their latest developments.
Truck Tyres
Tag Archive for: truck tyres
Michelin to supply tyres to Containerships’ tractor units
Michelin has won a tyre supply deal for the Teesport based Containerships fleet. With 60 6×2 mid-lifts, fleet engineer Gordon Aitchison says the results of a recent 1,000km trial have helped to identify significant annual cost differences of more than 20 per cent between four different 295/80R22.5 premium brand tyres.
Petlas expands TBR line
Petlas Tyres has added four sizes to its Petlas and Starmaxx brand truck and bus radial tyres. The additions are scheduled to be released by October 2013. According to the company, Petlas engineers started to develop the firm’s TBR tyre program in the first quarter of 2012. They new products are reportedly designed and produced with low rolling resistance, good fuel efficiency, durability and long life in mind.
Michelin turnover heads south in Q3
The Michelin share price dipped by more than four per cent following the announcement of the company’s results for the quarter ending 30 September. By 3:30pm Paris time, Michelin shares were trading for €76.47, down 4.11 per cent on the opening price.
Michelin expands US fleet services
The ONCall emergency road service offered by Michelin Americas Truck Tires has is to be expanded with the January 2014 launch of ONCall 2.0. This extended service will feature mechanical and towing in addition to tyre services. ONCall 2.0 will also include ‘Livetrack’ real-time breakdown monitoring and ‘Fixpix’ tyre event pictures.
Conti launches regional delivery tyre
Continental is expanding its range of trailer tyres to include an increased load index option specifically designed for regional delivery applications. Thanks to its 5 tonne load capacity, the HTR 2 XL 385/65 R 22.5 with load index 164 is suitable for vehicles with a curb weight (without trailer) of up to 25 tonnes, including the city semitrailers used for making deliveries throughout Europe.
Michelin launches X Multi D coach, medium truck tyre
Michelin believes that its latest commercial vehicle tyre – the X Multi D – will be at the forefront of changes in the 17.5” drive axle commercial vehicle tyre segment. The tyre, aimed at medium weight trucks and midi-coaches is designed to provide improved safety, fuel-efficiency, noise and longevity characteristics when compared with the XDE2 tyres they replace.
Marangoni Marix Energeco geared towards retread labelling
Marangoni Commercial & Industrial Tyres has announced the development of a new programme within its Marix range of retreaded truck tyres. The retread product manufacturer says the Energeco brand has the objective of improving the performance of rolling resistance, which the company identifies as a decisive factor in the decision-making process for professional users and fleets operating over long distances. It will also become more prominent when EU tyre labelling’s second phase encompasses retread truck tyre products, the manufacturer says.
Kings Road Tyres adapts brand strategy with new Tianli, Maxam deals
Kings Road Tyres has adapted its brand strategy to meet customer needs in 2013, saying the key to success in demanding market conditions is to meet the changing needs of trade customers. With this in mind, the wholesaler has recently launched new distribution deals with Chinese OTR manufacturer Tianli, and with Luxembourg-based construction and industrial pneumatic tyre supplier, Maxam.
Van den Ban upgrades flagship brand Novex
Van den Ban’s private label Novex has been upgraded with a more mature identity and improved assortment. The distributer has displayed great confidence in the Novex brand, produced by what it describes as “a well-known Asian tyre manufacturer” and the range is developing rapidly by introducing new patterns and sizes. With the increased winter and all-season assortment, VDB says Novex is now in a better position to respond to the needs of the market.
Marangoni aims to make European retreading more competitive
Compared with producing a new tyre, retreading saves up to 30 per cent in energy and 70 per cent in raw materials. Retreading also lowers overall cost per kilometre, but despite these benefits the European retreading market has been hampered by a scarcity of the industry’s main raw material – good quality, retreadable casings – and by the availability of new imported tyres whose casing quality is not sufficient for retreading.
Maxam strengthens management team
Maxam Tire, the Luxembourg-based manufacturer of industrial, construction and OTR radial tyres, has announced a key appointment to its management team. Peter Kraus (47) joined the company at the beginning of September as business development manager for Germany, Switzerland and Austria, responsible for the entire Maxam product range.
BFGoodrich plant layoffs announced
Just over a month after the ratification of a new three-year contract covering workers at BFGoodrich’s Tuscaloosa tyre factory in the US, a statement issued by parent company Michelin North America has outlined a number of layoffs that will take place at the plant.
Goodyear retreads to launch alongside new tyre lines
A point of difference between the introduction of Goodyear’s new Kmax and Fuelmax truck tyre lines and that of previous generation tyres is that retreaded versions of the Kmax and Fuelmax will be available from day one. “In the past we made a clear division,” notes Rupert Kohaupt, Goodyear Dunlop’s commercial vehicle tyre sales director for emerging markets. “We introduced a new product and took the approach that the demand for retread versions of the range would first come when the tyres were worn. We would wait a year or 18 months before introducing the retread version into the market.”
Nokian to form Commercial Tyres unit from truck and heavy tyre businesses
As of 1 January 2014, Nokian Tyres’ Heavy Tyres and Truck Tyres business units will be integrated into a single entity, Commercial Tyres. The Finnish tyre maker says the integration of both operations into a combined business unit will not have any immediate impact on the 280 or so people currently employed in Heavy Tyres and Truck Tyres, and it states the decision to form the Commercial Tyres business unit was taken in order to provide a “better chance to develop operations and improve sales.” Nokian president and CEO Kim Gran also pointed out that the synergies of integration should clearly improve profitability.
