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Amerityre Aims for “Significant Share” of Tyre Fill Market

Amerityre chairman Louis M. Haynie, has selected the the global tyre fill market as an immediate strategic objective for the company’s Amerifill polyurethane product. “Our closed cell foam tyre fill is less than half the weight of competing tyre fill materials. This translates directly into cost savings for the customer. In addition, the robust nature of Amerifill means that it can be used in a broad spectrum of tire applications, from wheel barrows to telehandlers. We consider Amerifill to be an exciting new business opportunity for the company,” he explained

Currently, tyre fill materials are used to replace air in many tire applications, including OTR construction, industrial and mining applications, to “flat-proof” and extend the life of rubber tyres. Amerifill is a proprietary polyurethane chemical formulation that is stable and environmentally safe in handling and disposal compared to existing petroleum-based fill products.

14th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Micheldever Refits Tavistock Tyres with Pro-Align’s Equipment

One of Micheldever’s newest acquisitions, Tavistock Tyres in Devon, has undergone an extensive refurbishment programme, including the replacement of equipment. According to those involved, the aim from the outset was to fit out the workshop to a very highest standard, achieve the optimum in customer service and efficiency/revenue generation. In order to achieve this, Micheldever selected key equipment from Pro-Align’s ‘world leading’ Hunter equipment range. The improvements and reorganisation at Tavistock Tyres, has meant they have now been able to create a new dedicated alignment bay, headed by the Hunter Imaging Alignment System.

11th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

TIA Sets Plan for Commercial Tyre Event

TIA has outlined its agenda for the upcoming Commercial Tire, Retread & Recycling Conference, which will be held in conjunction with ATA’s TMC Show in Orlando. TIA’s program will run February 5-7. The event opens on Tuesday, February 5 with the TMC Exhibition & Reception at the Orange County Convention Center from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

TIA’s program continues on Wednesday, February 6 with the TMC trade show from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by the opening session from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. featuring speeches by Tavio Headley of ATA who will look at the economy, and Don Shea, president of the RMA, who will provide an outlook for the tyre industry. This session and following seminars will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel, adjacent to the convention centre.

10th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Asleep At The Wheel” Research Reveals Worrying Results

One in ten people who drive for work have admitted falling asleep at the wheel in the past year, according to new research by road safety charity Brake and Green Flag. The shocking figure is more than twice as high as the number of drivers who don’t drive for work but who say they have fallen asleep in the past year, which is still an alarmingly high one in 25 drivers. Nodding off for just a second or two at the wheel can kill: travelling at 60mph on a motorway (one of the main types of road where fatigue commonly occurs), a driver covers 27 metres (88 feet) per second.

One of the main causes of nodding off at the wheel is insufficient sleep the night before. The research has found that people who drive for work are more likely to drive after insufficient sleep. Half of the people who drive for work who were surveyed say they sometimes drive after less than five hours’ sleep, compared to just over a third (35 per cent) of people who drive only outside work. Research shows that if you drive after less than five hours’ sleep, you have just a one in ten chance of staying fully awake on a lengthy journey.

4th January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

EnovaPremier Buys T&WA

Goodyear has announced that Louisville-based wheel mounting business, T&WA Inc., has sold all of its assets to newly formed EnovaPremier LLC. No details relating to the price of the sale have been released. Louisville-based T&WA provides mounted and balanced wheel assemblies destined for auto manufacturers including Honda Motor Co., Mercedes-Benz and Toyota Motor Corp. EnovaPremier is a Cincinnati-based company run by Ed Rigaud, a former executive at Procter & Gamble Co. It plans to maintain T&WA’s Louisville headquarters. Formned in 1995, T&WA also has operations in Paris, Kentucky., as well as in Alabama, Indiana and Michigan. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has held a minority stake in T&WA since 1999 and will record a $30 – $35 million charge in its fourth quarter as a result of the sale.

3rd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Yokohama Standard on Mitsubishi Evo

Yokohama tyres are standard equipment on the new 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (Evo), introduced during the recent Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. According to press information from the show, the Japanese performance car will be fitted with Yokohama A13C size 245/40R18 tyres with 93Y load and speed ratings. The tyres will be mounted on 18 x 8.5 inch Enkei cast alloy or BBS forged aluminium wheels, depending on the model level. The EVO comes with a 291-hp 2-litre turbocharged and intercooled engine and an all-wheel-control dynamic handling system to regulate drive torque at each wheel.

3rd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Tyremen Distributes CMS, Seeks New Trade Partners

As we enter 2008, Tyremen’s is seeking new trade partners to distribute CMS light alloy wheels. Having traded as tyre and wheel specialists for more than 40 years, Tyremen has been importing quality wheels since 1998. “Our European supplier is a company called CMS, which is based in Germany,” explained Phill Carlin of Tyremen. “As firm believers in the quality of these products, we’re very excited to be able to promote CMS wheels to potential trade partners.”

A leading manufacturer of light alloy wheels, CMS develops and exports more than 3 million wheels every year. As well as supplying companies such as Tyremen with high quality wheels for the aftermarket, CMS manufactures original equipment for top motoring names including Bentley, Peugeot, Renault, Seat, Toyota and Volkswagen.

3rd January 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hennessy Adds Three New Balancers

(Tire Review/Akron) Hennessy Industries has introduced the three new tire/wheel balancers – the Coats 775, 875 and 1175. Hennessy said the hree new models were designed to help tire dealers add revenue and generate repeat business. “These new balancers are ideal first or back-up machines for shops that want to keep balancing services in-house,” said Don Vanderheyden, Hennessy’s group marketing manager for wheel-service solutions. “All three models have self-calibration accuracy to within 1/100 of an ounce, making balancing fast and efficient, even for a new technician.”

The three new space-saving balancers also include features found on more expensive machines, said Hennessy, such as an integrated LED matrix display, which provides technicians with a keypad and easy-to-read visual cues to help promote proper balancing techniques and faster bay turnaround times. The Coats 775 can handle tyres up to 100 pounds; the Coats 875 and 1175 models were designed for larger volumes, holding tyres as heavy as 130 pounds and 150 pounds, respectively.

17th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

GP to Supply SKF Wheel Bearings to GAU

GP Automotive, the logistics supplier to SKF, has been appointed as the approved SKF wheel bearing supplier to Group Auto Union (GAU) buying group. According to the company, The SKF range of OE-quality wheel bearings totals 850 references and offers a minimum 96 per cent coverage of the UK vehicle parc. “We’re delighted to add this GAU supply approval to our list of responsibilities and commitments to the aftermarket because it’s another illustration of a respected industry group recognising the quality and performance that we can bring to its members through our logistics agreements,” GP’s business unit manager, Karyn Hunt, said.

14th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Infrared Sensors Measure Tyre Temperature in Realtime

A team of researchers at the School of Science and Engineering at University Campus Hamilton (formerly Bell College Glasgow) is using infrared sensors to monitor the temperature of tyres on racing cars in real time around the racing track, enabling set up changes to be made on the car that lead to improved performance on the track. The research project involves the use of 12 ‘CS Series’ infrared temperature sensors from Micro-Epsilon, three on each wheel of the racing car – on the inside edge, outside edge and centre line.

Each sensor is positioned directly above the surface of the tyre, relaying temperature data back to a data logging system for further analyses. One of the attractions of the sensor is its ability to be positioned a significant distance from the tyre, due to its high resolution 10:1 optics.
In this case, the sensors are positioned 150mm from the tyre but still measure over a small (15mm) diameter surface area.

11th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

VAG Approval For Beissbarth Tyre Changer

Beissbarth has received approval from the VAG group – comprising Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda – for its MS67 tyre changer.

The MS67 was launched last year and has been an instant success says Beissbarth UK’s managing director Philip Hodges: “We are delighted with this latest accolade for the MS67. Customers have been quick to spot the huge benefits of this model, designed to meet the ever-present health and safety regulations, and provide a fast and efficient service for technicians and customers.”

11th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tunneller Underestimated His Prize

(Tire Review/Akron) A burglar who tunnelled into a Coquille, Oregon, tyre shop over the weekend really didn’t do his homework. The two-foot wide tunnel was big enough for the burglar himself but too small to accommodate his targeted booty – medium truck tyres stored in the back storage room of Steele’s Universal Tire & Wheel Inc. Local police think the break-in is related to a similar incident at a local restaurant that was discovered earlier. No arrests have been made.

11th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Sales Up But Hayes Lemmerz Reports Q3 Net Loss

Third quarter results for wheel manufacturer Hayes Lemmerz showed a 20 per cent increase in sales from the same period a year earlier. For the three months ending October 31, 2007 the company took in sales of US$554.9 million, up from $463.3 million in the third quarter of 2006. The company reports that this increase in sales resulted in strong international aluminium and steel wheel sales, material cost recovery and favourable foreign currency fluctuations.

For the third quarter, the Hayes Lemmerz reported adjusted EBITDA of $55.8 million, an improvement of $12.0 million or 27 per cent over the year earlier quarter, and earnings from operations before impairments of $22.2 million, an improvement of $11.3 million –more than double Q3 2006. Free cash flow for the third quarter, excluding the effects of the company’s accounts receivables securitisation program, was $26.5 million, an increase of $26.2 million over the year earlier quarter. Free cash flow for the first nine months of fiscal 2007 was $8.0 million, an increase of $14.2 million for the same period last year.

10th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New VP of Accuride Wheels Appointed

Accuride Corporation has announced the appointment of Leigh Wright to the position of vice president of Accuride Wheels, effective December 4. Wright was formerly vice president of Steel Wheels, and in his new role will be responsible for the strategic global leadership and manufacturing oversight of the company’s steel and aluminium wheel manufacturing facilities.

10th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Alcoa Applauds Fuel Efficiency Standards

Alcoa has applauded new vehicle fuel efficiency standards, recently passed in the US House of Representatives as part of a new energy bill. The bill would require 35 miles per gallon fuel average for new domestic vehicles, including SUVs, by 2020 – a 40 per cent increase from current corporate average fuel-economy (CAFE) standards. “Lightweight materials, such as aluminium, play a critical role in making vehicles safer, cleaner and more fuel efficient,” said Kevin Kramer, president, Alcoa Wheel Products. “Light weighting represents one of the most viable options available to carmakers worldwide as they seek to improve the fuel efficiency and environmental performance of their products.”

7th December 2007/by Tyrepress Editors