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.
Ukranian tyre maker Rosava has shared an update on its activities in the US tyre market. It began exporting tyres to the USA in 2019, initially exporting 50,000 tyres a year. Rapid growth ensued, and Rosava reports that it has shipped 400,000 tyres to the USA in the first nine months of 2021.
Hankook Tire is expanding its Dynapro line-up in North America with the introduction of the new ‘Rugged Terrain’ Hankook Dynapro XT and next-generation Dynapro AT2 Xtreme. It will offer the Dynapro XT is 30 sizes in this market. At launch the Dynapro AT2 Xtreme will cover 32 sizes, however Hankook says it will continue adding new sizes through a phased launch, eventually reaching 98 total sizes by 2022. The tyre maker states that the introduction of the two products will accelerate its penetration into the US market.
Singaporean tyre producer Omni United has marked a decade of supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation via its flagship brand Radar Tyres. Since 2011 the company has donated nearly US$1.4 million to fund 28,000 hours of lifesaving research.
Nexen Tire has entered into a three-year partnership as exclusive tyre for the Anaheim Ducks, the California-based ice hockey club founded in 1993 as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The exclusive tyre arrangement also covers Honda Center, the Ducks’ home stadium.
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.’s Advan Sport V105 tyres have been selected by Volkswagen of America for its Atlas Cross Sport GT Concept, which was unveiled in July. The car is fitted with 285/35ZR22 106Y size V105 tyres.
Bridgestone Americas has made a ten per cent minority investment in Wrench, a US-based mobile vehicle services and technology company. According to Bridgestone, the new partnership will accelerate both companies’ ability to meet the needs of car owners with best-in-class technology in the rapidly growing mobile vehicle inspection, repair and maintenance market.
CM Shredders has installed a new high-capacity automated tyre shredding system for the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) in Suffolk, Virginia, USA.
Cooper Tire & Rubber is recalling relatively small numbers of Cooper and Hercules-branded in the USA due to a problem with the DOT code and a potential belt separation issue respectively.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations is recalling 21,513 Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia P245/60R18, Dueler H/L Alenza 275/55R20, Ecopia H/L 422 Plus 235/55R20, Turanza EL440 235/60R18, and Firestone Destination LE3 225/65R17 tyres made between 11 and 17 July 2021. According to documents filed with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on 18 August, a small number of these tyres “may have been manufactured with a pinhole in the outboard side of the tyre” and “if left unaddressed, this slow leak could affect tyre performance and…increase the risk of a crash.”
Goodyear Ventures has made another mobility-related investment, becoming one of several parties to inject capital into US-based electric vehicle charging provider AmpUp. This funding, which also includes capital from Foothill Ventures and TechNexus Venture Collaborative, comes less than a year after AmpUp’s initial seed raise.
Following the news that Hankook Tire America Corporation is recalling up to 7,026 Kinergy GT H436 235/50 R19H tyres manufactured between 30 January 2021 and 6 February 2021, company representatives based on this side of the Atlantic have confirmed that none of the affected tyres have ever been sold in the UK or indeed Europe as a whole.
Hankook Tire America Corporation is recalling up to 7,026 Kinergy GT H436 235/50 R19H tyres manufactured between 30 January 2021 and 6 February 2021. The recall was implemented after the discovery of “a small batch of passenger tyres produced as original equipment tyres for the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain were manufactured with sub-tread rubber with an insufficient amount of curative agent”, according to documents filed with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Tirebuyer has formed an exclusive partnership with mobile tyre franchisor Tread Connection in order to capitalise on the “explosion” of mobile tyre fitting demand. Tirebuyer will use the Treadsy brand as the identity for its mobile solutions division and over 11,000 existing Tirebuyer brick and mortar install partners as well as more than 80,000 American Tire Distributor customers will be given the opportunity to add a Treadsy van to their business to provide mobile tyre installation services to their own consumers in exclusive geographic territories. Tread Connection’s existing network of franchisees will be integrated with the Treadsy brand and technology that will also be assigned preferred territories within Tirebuyer.com.
Roy Littlefield, who is soon to retire as chief executive officer and executive vice-president of the Tire Industry Association (TIA) after 18 years in the job and 42 years with the association and its predecessors, is one of two fresh inductees into the Tire Industry Hall of Fame. The Tire Industry Hall of Fame Committee has selected Littlefield together with the late Martin J. Barry, a former president of the National Tire Dealers Association. Barry will enter the Hall in the historic category.
Goodyear’s venture capital arm, Goodyear Ventures, has added AmpUp to its investment portfolio. The electric vehicle (EV) charging firm operates an advanced charging network and software solutions with operations across North America. AmpUp aims to make charging accessible and seamless for every EV driver. Goodyear Ventures focuses on future of mobility investments and partnerships with seed-to-growth-stage startups in emerging technologies.
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VW; Yokohama
CM Shredders
Bridgestone
NHTSA
Tirebuyer.com