USA Archives - Page 144 of 268 - Tyrepress

Across the Atlantic they are called tires, while over here we use a “Y” and say tyres. This tag provides the latest tyre business news emanating from the United States of America (USA), whichever way you spell it.

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Avon Tyres Supplies Tyres for Pikes Peak Hill Climb Record

Avon Tyres is aiming to be the first tyre manufacturer to beat the 10-minute barrier at the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb event on 19 July. Essex-based team, Mach 2 Racing, is entering the famous race up the Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado Springs, USA, with a 1,150bhp Ford RS200 driven by double ex-British Rallycross Champion, Mark Rennison.

The 12-mile Pikes Peak course starts at 9,440 feet and ends at an altitude of 14,110 feet. Its 156 turns, mixture of asphalt and gravel surfaces and the sheer drops of up to 6,000 feet make it one of the toughest challenges in motorsport. However Rennison and car owner and pharmaceutical businessman Alan Greenwood believe they have the car, and the tyres, to complete the course in fewer than 10 minutes, a feat that has never been achieved.

7th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama’s Dan Guiney Appointed to Tire Society Board

Dan Guiney, Yokohama Tire Corporation’s director of technical services, has been appointed a member of the Tire Society’s advisory board. “the Tire Society is a 29-year-old organization that’s widely respected within the tyre industry for its high-level technical and scientific endeavors,” said Jim MacMaster, Yokohama executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Dan’s the first Yokohama employee to sit on the board and all of us here congratulate him. He is a consummate professional with unmatched engineering expertise, so his appointment to the board makes perfect sense.”

The Tire Society, which is based in Akron, Ohio, has 200 members representing the tyre and automotive industries, as well as academia, government agencies, independent research organizations, private consultants, equipment manufacturers and software firms. Its mission is to “disseminate knowledge and to stimulate development in the science and technology of tires through seminars, technical meetings and publication of the journal, Tire Science and Technology.” The organization will hold its 28th annual meeting and conference, September 15-16, 2009, at the Akron City Centre Hotel.

7th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Autopromotec 2009: May a “Busy Time” for Corghi

Corghi stated that May 2009 was a busy time for Corghi, both at home and abroad. In the USA – one of Corghi’s most important business areas – the company opened a new facility in Hamilton, Ohio, designed to allow Corghi to offer its American customers a comprehensive pre- and aftersales service with direct replacement of parts. By investing in the area, Corghi has demonstrated its commitment to the North American market in these difficult economic times.

Back in Italy, about 10km from Corghi’s original premises in Correggio, the finishing touches are being added to a new 20,000sqm production facility. This new plant will consolidate a number of production processes, such as cutting, bending, welding and painting as well as introducing a greater degree of automation and environmental friendliness.

7th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Goodyear Run-Flat OE on Rolls Royce

Previously run-flat tyres held a reputation for tarnishing a vehicle’s ride comfort. Goodyear claims such limitations belong in the past, and adds this is demonstrated the latest Goodyear RunOnFlat OE approval. For the coming winter season Rolls Royce, manufacturer of some of the world’s most comfortable cars, will equip its Phantom with the UltraGrip Performance 2 in size 255/50 R 21 106H ROF *RSC.

“The secret is that they, compared with normal tyres, have reinforced sidewalls,” comments Goodyear’s Holder Rehberg. “These ensure that a RunOnFlat tyre offers safe driving even after a complete loss of pressure following a puncture. After more than 15 years’ experience with RunOnFlat tyres, Goodyear is able to combine stability together with comfort. The release of the Rolls Royce is evidence of this, and this event fills us with pride.”

6th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Vee Rubber Introduces Three New Tyres

“At Autopromotec we are introducing three new tyres, the Taiga H/T; Winter Season II and Winter Season III,” said Vee Rubber’s CEO and managing director, Mr Vitorn Sukanjanapong. “The Taiga is a vast area of pine forests just to the south of the tundra in the Arctic where conditions range from near desert in summer to more than 30 degrees below centigrade in winter. In designing a brand new H/T light truck tyre we wanted to create a tyre that would capture the essence of the Taiga. It is our strong belief that the Taiga H/T does just that.

6th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

New US BMWs Get Bridgestone Duelers

Bridgestone Dueler HP Sport Run-Flat tyres have gained OE fitment on the new BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M.

The Bridgestone Plant in Tosu, Japan will be supplying the tyres for the 2009 BMW X5 M and X6 M produced in BMW’s Spartanburg, South Carolina plant. Both vehicles will carry the tyres in sizes 275/40R20 106Y EL (front) and 315/35R20 110Y ERL (rear). (Tire Review/Akron)

6th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Mid East Industry Representatives Meet to Discuss Barbican Turbo

Representatives from the custom, tuning and motorsports industry have met in Dubai to discuss the Barbican Turbo show, which will be held between the 8th and 10th October at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Last year’s inaugural show was attended by more than 19,000 enthusiasts, a very respectable headcount for a first-time show. Critical to the show’s ongoing success, believes organiser United Business Media, is direct input from the industry about Barbican Turbo’s future development and how it can meet the needs of participating companies.

“We are especially pleased the organisers have decided to involve us and other companies in the event process as it allows them to produce an event that we actually want and need to support our businesses goals,” stated Foilacar managing director Swen Roters, who was present at the Dubai meeting.

1st July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

FR380 Tyres Recalled by Bridgestone/Firestone in US

Bridgestone/Firestone has recalled 127,000 Firestone FR380 tyres manufactured between 9 September 2007 and 2 July 2008 in the size P235/75R15. Continued use could lead to vibration and groove cracking. The company will notify buyers and replace the products free of charge, including mounting and balancing.

Tire Review adds that the recall will encompass 127,183 tyres manufactured with insufficient tread base gauge, which could lead to tread distortion or separation. The tyres were produced at the Bridgestone de Costa Rica S.A. plant in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The US journal reports that Bridgestone Americas said that it was possible that a small number of these tyres from the additional production weeks may have been sold in the Canadian replacement market. The recalled tires carry DOT numbers starting with WBHL 380 3607 through and including WBHL 380 3008.

1st July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

US News: ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Begins July 23

Last week, President Obama signed into law the “Cash for Clunkers” programme, now known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), which is expected to begin later this month.

While the CARS Act makes transactions on and after July 1 potentially eligible for credits under the CARS programme, interested dealers and consumers may want to wait until all of the detailed issues that must be addressed in the implementing regulations are resolved and the final rule is issued, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), administrator of the programme. Issuance will occur around July 23. The government has established the CARS.gov Web site to help keep consumers informed on the project. The site features basic FAQs as well as information about what NHSTA is doing to prevent fraud. (Tire Review/Akron)

1st July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Forecast Sees 4.5% Jump in Aftermarket Sales

A new channel forecast predicts US aftermarket sales to increase 4.5 per cent in 2010. The study was funded jointly by three major automotive aftermarket trade associations and is included in the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) Digital Factbook 2010.

Taking the US economy into account with widely fluctuating gasoline prices, reduced miles driven, tightening credit markets and growing unemployment, total US motor vehicle aftermarket sales in 2008 were about even with the previous year rising only 0.2 per cent.

As the recession continues to hold down consumer spending, a decline of 1.3 per cent is anticipated for the 2009 calendar year followed by a rebound of 4.5 per cent in 2010, the forecast said. The model was created AAIA, the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). (Tire Review/Akron)

1st July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

ArvinMeritor Divests Additional Business

Systems and components supplier ArvinMeritor reached an agreement on June 29 to divest another of its light vehicle chassis businesses, bringing the total number of units divested this year to three. The company reached a definitive agreement to sell its Gabriel Ride Control Products North America business to private equity firm OpenGate Capital.

The company notes that the sale of the US portion of Gabriel Ride Control Products North America has been completed. The closing of the transaction for the subsidiary in Mexico will be completed once the license agreements and pending permits have been finalised, which the company expects will occur within two months.

30th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Kumho USA to Recall Light Truck Tyres

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced Kumho Tire USA’s recall of 36,292 Mohave A/T light truck all terrain tyres. The recall is restricted to the sizes LT225/75R16, LT245/75R16, and LT265/75R16 produces between December 7, 2008 and June 13, 2009. According to the NHTSA announcement, vehicles fitted with these tyres may experience “difficult” handling performance when operated under loaded conditions or when changing lanes. This condition, the announcement adds, may result in the vehicle swaying, resulting in the possibility of a crash occurring.

Kumho will notify owners and replace the tyres free of charge. A safety recall is anticipated to get under way during July.

30th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

JLR Recommend Pro-Cut Brake Lathe

Jaguar Land Rover engineering have made the Pro-Cut on-car brake lathe a recommended piece of equipment for their dealerships worldwide, saying that “It eliminates brake noise, removes corrosion and delivers improved braking performance.” Jaguar tested the Pro-Cut 9.0 brake lathe at two service centres, on two separate test cars driven by two different drivers. Pro-Cut Europe demonstrated the system on one brake disc and a Jaguar mechanic completed the job under supervision, before the cars were tested.

The cars, and more importantly the brakes, were put through their paces to determine the effectiveness of the equipment. Both test drivers could not believe the transformation of the vehicles following the demonstration, reporting an 80 per cent increase in efficiency within five stops and more response from the brake pedal.

30th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

UK EV Recharging Network Set To Surge

The Government’s £25 million Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator scheme, which aims to accelerate a shift towards low-emissions motoring, will pave the way for the creation of the world’s biggest network of electric vehicle (EV) recharging stations. The organisations involved in implementing the eight Demonstrator programmes across the UK have together committed to installing more than 500 roadside, car park, business and home charging stations by June 2010. The majority will be produced and installed by Brighton-based Elektromotive, in what will become the world’s biggest-ever co-ordinated EV infrastructure installation project.

29th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Two-Year Delay for Opening of Lanxess Butyl Rubber Plant

Production at Lanxess AG’s new butyl rubber facility in Singapore was initially scheduled to commence in 2012, however the company has announced that – due to the continuing global economic crisis – the 100,000 tpa plant will now go on stream in 2014. Lanxess states it will use this extra time to finish developing an “innovative technology for butyl rubber production” that will then be used at the new facility.

“We expect the new capacity to be needed in 2014 at the earliest,“ said Lanxess Board of Management chairman Axel C. Heitmann.

29th June 2009/by Tyrepress Editors