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.
The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has elected two new members to its board. Kumho Tire’s Yong-Sik Shin and Pirelli’s Pietro Berardi were elected during the board’s 29 July virtual meeting. The board also extended the term of current chair Steve McClellan, president, Americas, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, for an additional year through to October 2021.
The Michelin Challenge Design competition is being renamed as the Movin’On Challenge Design. Now in its 21st year, the 2021 theme is “RESPECT: Ending Isolation and Conquering the Mobility Divide”. Artists, designers, engineers, architects, city planners and creatives worldwide are invited to enter, in teams or individually.
Following reports at the end of July that Michelin was about to introduce a successor to its successful CrossClimate year-round tyre, the company has now officially launched the CrossClimate2 in North America. The CrossClimate2 will be available in 56 sizes, fitting 76 per cent of the best-selling passenger cars and crossovers in the US marketplace today. Currently, 25 sizes are available. In early 2021, an additional 31 sizes will be available. The tyre is expected to land in Europe during 2021. However, details of the tyre’s UK launch have not yet been released.
AGCO has named Alliance Tire Group, Ltd North American Direct Materials Supplier of the Year during its 2020 online North America Supplier Event. Alliance was recognized by AGCO for “performance in cost, collaboration, innovation, account management, coordination and flexibility”. AGCO officials noted that Alliance – the only tyre supplier recognized during the event – exhibited strong coordination and alignment with AGCO and improved factory efficiency.
The biggest tractor in the world, the 1,100hp Big Bud 16V-747 has taken advantage of Goodyear Farm Tires’ low sidewall (LSW) technology, after it was given its first tyre change since 1977. The Titan International agricultural tyre brand supplied Big Bud with 1400/30R46 tyres, fitting eight new rims and tyres. The giant tractor is housed at the Heartland Museum in Clarion, Iowa, its home for the last seven years.
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) is shifting its centenary celebration plans in light of the fall-out related to coronavirus – something that recently resulted in the postponement of the 2020 SEMA show. As a result, TIA’s 100th anniversary celebrations will now take place in 2021.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company reported a second quarter 2020 net loss of US$6 million on 3 August 2020 compared with net income of $9 million in the same period last year. Net sales decreased 26.9 per cent to $496 million. Operating profit was $5 million, or 1.1 per cent of net sales, compared to operating profit of $32 million (4.7 per cent of net sales) in 2019.
SEMA, the US Specialty Equipment Market Association, has cancelled its 2020 Show, due to take place 3-7 November in Las Vegas. The association said it made the decision due to Covid-19 and concerns that event facilities and services will be unavailable. It was informed by difficulties in preparations arising from “mounting uncertainty” about the show’s status. It added that full refunds for SEMA Show exhibitor booth deposits and attendee registration fees will be issued.
In the USA, largescale garage chain Monro Inc. has completed the rollout of its collaboration with Amazon.com to provide tyre installation services at all of its 1,200+ store locations in 32 states.
Triangle Tire USA has named Brad Wurst as senior development engineer of A3T, the company’s technical centre in Akron, Ohio. Wurst joins Triangle from Smithers where he has worked since March 2018. Prior to Smithers, Wurst spent more than seven years with Cooper Tire & Rubber, including a one-year assignment as a truck tyre development engineer at the company’s facility in Shanghai, China. Before that Wurst was spent 20 years with Bridgestone Americas.
Michelin introduced the first CrossClimate tyre in 2015 in a move that saw the manufacturer shift from its long-held position of being broadly opposed to all-season tyres on the basis that best seasonal performance is achieved by either summer or winter tyres. However, arguing that the CrossClimate is a summer tyre with year-round capabilities, Michelin pioneered a new category of tyre. The initial CrossClimate was followed by the CrossClimate + and the CrossClimate SUV variants 2017 and now there is the news that a completely revised version – the CrossClimate 2 – is on its way.
Puncture proof tyres are said to be increasing demand – despite criticism from recycling associations of such products. In line with this trend, according to media reports Hankook is significantly expanding its self-sealing production capacity in China.
Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. has completed a significant upgrade of its emissions controls at its plant in Orange, Texas. As a result of these actions, the site complies with strengthened environmental standards which reduce the site’s emission permits for NOx and SO2 by 2,300 metric tons of air pollutant emissions per year.
In the US, for the third year-in-a-row, Yokohama Tire Corporation has been recognized by Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) with a supplier’s award. The third consecutive award earned the tyremaker a spot in in the prestigious Superior Excellent Performance category. Yokohama earned the award for its supply of the Avid S34P (P225/40R18 88V) tyres on the Impreza and Avid GT S35 on the Legacy (P225/55R17 97V and 225/50R18 95V), and on the Outback (225/65R17 102H and 225/60R18 100H).
Apollo Tyres is aiming for leadership in the premium two-wheeler segment in India with the inauguration of a dedicated two-wheel cross-ply and tyre manufacturing operation. India is the largest two-wheeler market in the world, and still has a headroom for further growth. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, demand has increased as people move away from shared/public transport and gradually moving to own a personal vehicle. However, while India is at the forefront for Apollo’s venture into the two-wheel segment, the company is also hinting that it plans to export two-wheel tyres to Europe and North America.
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