Truck Tyres
Produced at its Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa truck and bus radial tyre manufacturing plant, Sumitomo Dunlop has launched a new drive-axle truck tyre. Locally researched, produced and tested, the SP835A is described as a “game changer”.
The former Promoter’s Cup category of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship will be renamed the Goodyear cup this season. The tyre maker has signed up as title partner for the category for ‘CHROME’ rated drivers, which is dedicated to upcoming talent. This ‘race within a race’ was introduced in 2017.
Following the news that Tructyre ATS is centralising its administration and call handling functions at specialist centre in Gateshead, further details have emerged. Top of the list is that the national specialist in truck tyre maintenance and fleet support is creating 80 new jobs at the Customer Experience Centre in Gateshead.
Goodyear has appointed Kate Norton sales general manager commercial UK & Ireland. She assumes the role after a decade-long career with Goodyear. Most recently she was head of sales capability Europe. Goodyear states that Norton has extensive knowledge of the industry. She has previously managed some of the company’s largest consumer accounts in the UK, bringing strong sales coaching skills to support the ongoing development of the commercial team.
Scandinavian start-up full-electric vehicle manufacturer Volta Trucks has signed a new tyre partnership with Bridgestone. The world’s largest tyre manufacturer will fit its tyres to the first launch vehicle, which will be revealed at an online event on Thursday 3 September. The agreement also covers the supply of tyres to Volta’s pilot vehicles, due to start evaluation with fleet operators in early 2021. Large logistics fleet operators have already signed-up to trial the Volta Zero, including DPD Group in the UK and Bring and Posten in Scandinavia, with orders also already being taken for the vehicle in both markets.
It is an open secret that the US presidential limo, affectionately known as “the beast” runs on Goodyear tyres. What many people are less aware of is that – owing to the fact that “the beast” has significant amounts of armour plating – unlike most limousines, the US presidential limo is actually fitted with 19.5-inch truck tyres that are better suited to the vehicle’s increased load. Whatever the fitment, 24 hours after Donald Trump tweeted “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES”, adding: “Get better tires for far less!”, one has to ask if the current incumbent of the White House will be taking his own advice.
Nokian Tyres has extended its Nokian E-Truck range with an option for mid-sized trucks and buses that primarily operate in regional and city traffic. New 17.5-inch tyres will be available from the second half of 2020 as steer or drive axle fitments.
The new Launch HD Box 3 is an add on module for the X431 PRO4, X431 Eurotab, and X431 Eurotab2 and supports light commercials, heavy duty trucks, buses and other types of industrial vehicles for over 25 American, European & Asian manufacturers. According to the company behind the device, Launch UK, it is proving increasingly popular.
TMD Friction, through its Textar brand, has extended its wide range of brake pads for the European commercial vehicle (CV) market, introducing Brake Pad Set 2921101, which fits a Kögel Trax Trailer application.
The Giti GTR955 Combi Road tyre is being launched in three new 17.5” sizes. The development marks the first time Giti Tire’s latest truck and bus tyre technology has been available in smaller rims. Initially available in 215/75R17.5, it will be followed by the 235/75R17.5 and 245/70R17.5 in quarter four.
Hankook has introduced a new line of Laufenn brand commercial vehicle tyres in the UK. With Laufenn the Korean tyre manufacturer targets the second tier of the market. Hankook initially launches Laufenn in the UK with nine patterns covering more than 85 per cent of tyres in the market for goods and people transportation, as well as construction truck tyres. Hankook adds that most sizes offer the three peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) marking for use in winter conditions. The Laufenn CV tyre range was due to be presented in the UK at the Commercial Vehicle Show, before the Birmingham NEC event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
It has been a case of business – but not as usual – for Top Treads, one of Bridgestone’s largest European Bandag franchisees as the company has faced “the most challenging working conditions ever encountered in the company’s history”.
This article appears in full in the September edition of Tyres & Accessories’ Retreading Special supplement. Subscribers can read the supplement online here. Not yet a subscriber? You can change that here.
Sailun’s SDR1 truck tyre has attained TÜV SÜD MARK certification, the first Chinese manufacturer in the tyre industry to do so, according to the company.
The SDR1 series of tyres from Sailun are sold in more than 30 countries and regions in Europe, such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, and Spain and has been well received by all Sailun dealers in Europe. For Sailun, gaining TÜV SÜD certification “not only demonstrates Sailun’s strengths in development and production in high-end tyre products, but it also signifies the approval of the European market towards its products, laying the foundation for growth in this high-end market”.
A cross-party group of MPs with bus manufacturing sites within their constituencies have written to the Prime Minister to demand the £3 billion he committed in February to fund investment in “at least 4,000 new zero emissions buses” is brought forward as soon as possible.
Continental Tyres has unveiled a new commercial vehicle steer tyre, designed for high mileage and even wear during both regional and long-haul use – the Conti Hybrid HS3+. The Conti Hybrid HS3+ will be available in the UK from August 2020.
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Sumitomo Dunlop
Goodyear
Tructyre ATS
Goodyear
Bridgestone
Kirk W, Flicker; https://www.flickr.com/photos/7767586@N03/468658986 cc-by-sa-2.0
Nokian Tyres
Launch UK
TMD Friction
Giti
Hankook
Bridgestone, Bandag, Top Treads
Sailun
Wrightbus
Continental