In the USA, Cooper Tire’s Roadmaster brand has bolstered its presence in the delivery and emergency vehicle segment with the introduction of two new tyres. The Roadmaster RM257 drive and Roadmaster RM170+ steer, both 19.5-inch tyres, will soon be available for order through Roadmaster dealers.
Private brand Nordexx, from Denmark’s NDI Group, has launched its first all-season tyre for cars and vans. The NA6000 targets “a gap in the market for affordable all-season tyres,” Admir Ramic, Nordexx export manager, tells Tyres & Accessories. The Nordexx brand is exported to 61 countries around the world.
Michelin has launched the Agilis 3, its latest summer tyre for light commercial vehicles. The manufacturer states that the new tyre is designed particularly for vans used on intense delivery schedules. It adds that the tyre features technology “not used within light commercial vehicle tyres previously.” These help the Agilis 3 to offer safety on wet roads and high fuel efficiency, exemplified by its tyre label scores, while remaining robust and durable. Michelin states that the tyre targets the optimisation of costs and environmental footprint without compromising on safety.
Independent parcel carrier Yodel is rolling out a new generation of tyres designed to maximise the safety and mobility of its delivery vans in all weathers, including on dry, wet, icy and snow-covered roads. The Michelin Agilis CrossClimate tyres will initially be fitted across Yodel’s fleet of 550 Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, directly supporting the firm’s ability to deliver on-time to every UK postcode. Their introduction forms part of a new three-year fully-managed Effitires contract with Michelin, which also covers Yodel’s 1,326 rigid trucks, tractor units and trailers – which will all continue to run on premium Michelin tyres.
The UK vehicle parc passed 40 million for the first time, according to new Motorparc data released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The UK’s largest automotive analysis reveals that more than 35 million cars and five million commercial vehicles were in use in the UK in 2019, representing a 1.0% increase on the previous year.
Davanti marked its fifth anniversary with its first international dealer conference at the end of February. The tyre brand hosted more than 150 attendees by Everton Football Club’s Goodison Park, where it’s development director Gary Cross took the opportunity to announce its upcoming products, including range extensions and what might be called the second generation of Davanti tyres given the new naming conventions first introduced in the Wintoura winter tyre and Terratoura all-terrain 4×4 tyre ranges. Davanti sales director for UK and Ireland Sean Maddocks also presented observations on tyre markets, the development of the brand’s global dealer network over the past five years, and its commercial partnerships including the renewal of its official brand partnership with Everton FC.
Avon Tyres will support the Leicestershire & Rutland Blood Bikes (LRBB) this year by equipping the charitable organisation’s van and motorcycle fleet. Under the arrangement, the tyre maker will supply Avon ZT7 van tyres and Avon Spirit ST motorcycle tyres, products it says are designed to deal with the variety of roads and weather conditions encountered by the LRBB.
Continental is extending its ContiSeal technology to van tyre ranges. Production of ContiVanContact 100 tyres featuring the self-sealing puncture solution began this month and will initially be available for the popular dimensions 215/65 R 16C 106/104 T. Going forwards, Continental will introduce the solution in further sizes and also offer ContiSeal products in its all-season and winter van tyre ranges.
A new member of the Michelin Agilis family for light commercial vehicles will be available from April 2020. The Agilis 3 summer tyre is Michelin’s successor to the Agilis + and offers lower rolling resistance and CO2 emissions as well as whole-lifetime performance.
Sonic Rail Services (SRS) is fitting the Michelin Agilis CrossClimate tyre on its entire van fleet. The decision follows a trial which highlighted the tyre’s safety benefits and savings potential, the rail infrastructure business said.
Cooper Brothers has moved its wholesale delivery fleet to a Michelin Agilis CrossClimate policy. The family-owned business has been selling and fitting tyres across Lanarkshire for more than 40 years. Keen to get the best policy for its fleet of 20 Ford Transit vans, the company ran a tyre test over several months – fitting five of the vehicles with different brands of tyre.
Winter is on its way, and Hankook Tire has released two new tyres to keep vans on the move in the colder months. The Hankook Vantra ST AS2 is a completely new all-season tyre for vans and light commercial vehicles. Those who prefer a dedicated winter tyre can choose the Hankook Winter i*cept LV.
Noting the more extreme UK climate, Landsail has built a cold weather range for the market, led by its Landsail 4Seasons all-season tyre, while also providing options for British drivers considering more specialist winter tyres for the first time.
Giti Tire has developed its GT Radial all-season product range, available in the UK from exclusive distributor Micheldever, off the back of an encouraging run of sales for its initial product for this growth market. Tyres & Accessories spoke to Brian McDermott, country manager UK for Giti Tire, to get the latest on how the manufacturer is shaping its range for the segment, which appears to have gained more of a footing in the UK than specialist winter tyres have previously managed.
Giti Tire has launched the GT Radial Maxmiler Ice, its first studdable van and light truck tyre for extreme European winter conditions, in five sizes – 195/70R15C, 185/75R16C, 205/65R16C, 215/65R16C, 235/65R16C. The range covers the majority of mass-market popular vehicles from the Citroen Berlingo and Toyota HiAce through to the Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter. Load indices range from 104/102 to 121/119.
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