SEMA says that tyres are a hot topic among those planning to attend the upcoming 2010 SEMA Show and Global Tire Expo, according to Tire Review. In all, more than 9,000 attendees are specifically interested in tyres and tyre-related products. Among that group, SEMA said, more than 3,000 attendees specifically identified themselves as “tyre buyers.” The 2010 SEMA Show and GTE will be held 2-5 November at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
This October’s tyre safety month has received a significant boost after the Highways Agency announced that it is backing the campaign month for the first time. Ginny Clarke, director of network services for the Highways Agency, said: “The Highways Agency is pleased to be backing TyreSafe as they launch this year’s tyre safety month. The simple 20p test is an essential part of preparing for your journey. By checking that tyres are still in good condition, drivers are helping to avoid accidents, and the risk of delays to their journey as a result.”
Calling it the worst natural rubber shortage in years, industry analysts expect record shortages to continue into next year, according to reports. Heavy demand by tyre-makers around the globe coupled with a combination of drought and heavy rains in plantation areas has sharply reduced output and inventories of natural rubber, according to Bloomberg, with analysts saying natural rubber production will continue to lag for the next two years. What that means is further increases in natural rubber costs to tyre-makers, and higher finished good prices for tyre dealers and consumers.
Ayce Systems has confirmed that the company will have two stand spaces at next month’s Brityrex International Exhibition in Manchester. The Yorkshire-based firm reports that it will be displaying a comprehensive range of wheel refurbishment products including the Wheelrite Pro and the flexible Wheelrite Combi machines on a 33 square metre stand, as well as having their LWB Mercedes Sprinter demonstration van on another stand alongside.
Products on-show are set to include the Wheelrite Pro, which reportedly incorporates “everything needed to repair and re polish kerbed scratched and corroded alloy wheels”, whilst the dual purpose Wheelrite Combi brings together, for the first time tyre fitting and alloy wheel refurbishment. Other products on show will be an Hydraulic Wheel Straightening machine, the Wheelrite Pro Spray Booth and a Dust Extractor unit.
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South Africa’s Competition Commission reports it has referred a complaint of collusive tendering, price fixing, information exchange and market allocation against the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (Pty) Ltd (SATMC) and the four tyre manufacturers and suppliers it represents to the Competition Tribunal for adjudication.
Infinity Tyres (Europe) and the authorised UK distributor of the brand’s PCR tyres Bond International have announced the launch of their new initiative to support UK customers. The Infinity Club began on 1 September and is aimed at rewarding top independent tyre dealers for their purchases of Infinity PCR tyres through Bond International. The Infinity Club – available by invitation only – will offer a monthly volume-based rebate scheme to participating dealers. The rebate will be based on net invoice values and will be paid directly to the dealer.
Yokohama Tire Corp. has launched SmartSolution, a new communication and promotion push targeting commercial tyre dealers, fleet owners and truck operators in the USA, reports Tire Review. “Now more than ever, fleet owners and truck operators are faced with the pressure of effectively managing tyres as assets in their business,” said John Cooney, Yokohama director of commercial sales.
With the economic recovery now seemingly underway and truck tyre sales in the UK growing again, demand for Pirelli truck products has reportedly outstripped this increase three-fold. According to the company, Pirelli’s success can be attributed to its focus on the premium market, the launch of two “extremely successful products” during the year and a number of new commercial fleet contracts. But how have these three elements linked together to put Pirelli’s sales so ahead of the market trend?
Following the recession of 2008 and 2009, in the most recent part of this year there has reportedly been “an about turn” in market truck tyre demand. However, the commercial vehicle sector’s recovery is said to be much slower in the UK than in Europe. Tyres & Accessories spoke to Michelin UK’s head of marketing – Truck, Earthmover, Martin Covington, who explained how the market’s recent history has been “a very competitive 18 months.”
While Michelin reports that truck tyre volumes in Europe shot up 28.7 per cent during the first half of 2010. The UK market recovery appears to be much more gradual, rising just 6 per cent in the same period. (The niche Republic of Ireland market flew up 42 per cent, but this figure is based on the market’s relatively small volumes rapidly recovering from a low base). “OE has obviously been poor, but replacement hasn’t been as much better as it should have been,” Covington commented, pointing out that economic and political instability hit haulier confidence in the first half of the year. Interestingly (happenstance or not) the market’s return to form appears to have coincided with the formation of the current coalition government following the general election.
Ireland’s government apparently is considering increasing the tax levied upon tyres, and the association representing the country’s tyre industry has slammed it as a measure that would compromise safety and jobs. HGV Ireland reports that in a submission to Environment Minister John Gormley, the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) has stated that any tax increase would lead to hundreds of job losses as motorists would cross the border into Northern Ireland to make their tyre purchases.
In 2010 Hercules Tire & Rubber and Cooper Tire & Rubber celebrate 50 years of tyre business partnership. Cooper manufactures the Hercules brand of replacement market tyres, and claims to have produced millions of passenger car, SUV and light truck tyres for Hercules over the years.
Giti Tire (UK) Ltd representatives have hailed the firm’s latest passenger car eco-tyre as a “fuel saving champion. According to the company, GT Radial’s Champiro ECO is one of a new generation of tyres designed to meet the demands of price-conscious and environmentally aware drivers. Design wise GT Radial’s new passenger car tyre reportedly combines “excellent performance characteristics with low noise emissions and low rolling resistance.” The tyre, which is aimed at small and mid-size cars, is available in 29 sizes, with T and H speed ratings.
Crucially for the GT Radial brand – which is now distributed by leading wholesaler Micheldever, following a contract signing in April – the company says its Champiro ECO already meets the forthcoming EU tyre regulations that will come into effect in 2012. The ‘S’ and ‘W’ displayed on its sidewall confirm that Champiro ECO meets the noise threshold, ‘S’ and traction in wet conditions, ‘W.’ In the third EU category that evaluates rolling resistance and fuel consumption the Champiro ECO gets a preliminary C on a scale of A to G (measuring methodology still to be confirmed), according to the manufacturer.
Bridgestone has announced that motorist Vicky Saaiman is the winner of a pair of VIP tickets to this year’s British Grand Prix. Saaiman entered the prize draw as part of Bridgestone’s One Campaign at her local National Tyres and Autocare dealer for a new set of Bridgestone tyres. Vicky’s prize package includes entrance to the Grand Prix itself, a tour of the paddock and the opportunity to meet an F1 team on the day.
The tyre industry’s Responsible Recycler Scheme now has the support of TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation. TyreSafe states that it hopes to help cut the number of illegal part-worn tyres entering the market and encourage safer worker practices within tyre dealers, garages and workshops.
Italian drivers have earned themselves something of a reputation for not being Europe’s meekest motorists, so news of Pirelli’s co-presentation of a summer road safety campaign is very welcome indeed. On June 16 the tyre maker, in collaboration with ‘Autostrade per l’Italia’ and Telepass (the company that builds and manages Italy’s motorways and its electronic toll collection system), presented the “Safe&Go” summer road safety campaign, to be operated under the patronage of the Italy’s minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Altero Matteoli. The minister attended the launch along with Pirelli Group chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera, together with Giovanni Castellucci and Fabio Cerchiai, respectively the managing director and president ‘Autostrade per l’Italia’.
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